Help finding the best Un-tethered Way of Unlocking 3GS w/ Firmware 4.3.5

[jammin18]

Please help me as my head is spinning right now! I have done to much searching and ended up here. Basically I need this phone to work for simple mobile and want to unlock this iphone 3Gs (UN Tethered) on Simple mobile.

Basically what's the best way of unlocking this device? I have looked at greenpoison and red snow options and wanted to ask some experienced advice on which method was best!? If you know then let me know what versions of programs I need to find cause I'm lost!

Please don't grill me...... I need help not hindrance and come here for answers!

* What version of greenpoison/redsnow do I use (if at all) - What's the best method - May 23 2012
* Do i need internet connection to get it to work!? ( I have no network on iphone - just a working sim card from simple mobile $40 talk/text/ web card) I DONT have service from AT&T. Some of the tutorials show him accessing the internet and typing web addresses.

Any help is sooooo appreciated and advice is needed!

Thanks!!!!

[overdrive31]

you will need wifi to install stuff. the steps involved are very lengthy ie. http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...2#post14805682

otherwise, you should call AT&T and ask about the carrier unlock, if the phone is eligible.

you could always go with Straight Talk $40/m plan and choose to use it's AT&T network that doesn't require the phone to be unlocked.

[jammin18]

OMG..... that is waaay more complicated than anticipated. Still I have a SIM card and internet access from Simple mobile and a home internet network. Im assuming without cell phone service I will not be able to connect to any network off the bat. I just bought the phone off ebay and have no idea if they will unlock the phone through the carrier. My wife has AT&T so i will ask her if she can get it done.

** At&**** said NO basically. I would have to go to a third party as there policy doesn't allow it!

Anyway - Should I update to ios 5.0 to run an untethered unlock? From what I read 4.3.5 only allows tethered jailbreak?

[overdrive31]

follow the thread I linked, you either need to use 4.3.3, or 5.0.1, and here very soon 5.1.1 will be untethered as well. I would say install 5.1.1 for now and wait for the untethered release. BE AWARE!! The week 35 of 2011 rule for 3GS, only accounts for 16GB and 32GB models. 8GB 3GS models have to be built before week 28 of 2011 to be used with iPad baseband.

[jammin18]

follow the thread I linked, you either need to use 4.3.3, or 5.0.1, and here very soon 5.1.1 will be untethered as well. I would say install 5.1.1 for now and wait for the untethered release. BE AWARE!! The week 35 of 2011 rule for 3GS, only accounts for 16GB and 32GB models. 8GB 3GS models have to be built before week 28 of 2011 to be used with iPad baseband.

Thanks for taking the time again to write. In your experience which is better. Upgarde to 5.1.1 then unlock with redsnow then? What version do I need for redsnow was it....... so I can get cracking!

Thanks again!

[overdrive31]

You can use the version I link to in the instruction thread, but by tomorrow there should be a new version which does the untethered jailbreak for 5.1.1. You can either wait or use the version I linked to prepare by installing the iPad baseband. I am pretty certain you currently have baseband 05.16.02, but if you run F0recast and if the previous owner happened to preserve the 05.13.04 baseband(doubtful), you can skip the iPad baseband requirement.

If you do happen to have 05.13.04, do not update the phone without first creating a custom IPSW using Redsn0w to prevent updating the baseband. These custom IPSW's will also be required anytime you update/restore the phone if using the iPad baseband.

If you don't have the 05.13.04 baseband which supports unlock, you should just update to 5.1.1 now, then run Redsn0w to install the iPad baseband, you can choose to jailbreak, but it will be tethered which is a major pain. Next, wait for untethered jailbreak to be released.

[efparri]

OMG..... that is waaay more complicated than anticipated. Still I have a SIM card and internet access from Simple mobile and a home internet network. Im assuming without cell phone service I will not be able to connect to any network off the bat. I just bought the phone off ebay and have no idea if they will unlock the phone through the carrier. My wife has AT&T so i will ask her if she can get it done.

** At&**** said NO basically. I would have to go to a third party as there policy doesn't allow it!

Anyway - Should I update to ios 5.0 to run an untethered unlock? From what I read 4.3.5 only allows tethered jailbreak?

Let your wife use the phone on AT&T and then have her request the unlock from AT&T Mobility.

[jammin18]

Yeah.... phone has modem firmware : 05.16.02 and the IOS version is : 4.3.5 (8L1)
So with the new version of red snow I should upgrade firmware to 5.1. and then create a custom firmware.
Also going to At&t tom to see about official unlock. Although this seems unlikely...... Im going to get my wife to try.

Also I found this video the other day while researching called absinth 2.0. How would that work for the above info?

Thanks a million all!

[ILuvMyMac]

Yeah.... phone has modem firmware : 05.16.02 and the IOS version is : 4.3.5 (8L1)
So with the new version of red snow I should upgrade firmware to 5.1. and then create a custom firmware.
Also going to At&t tom to see about official unlock. Although this seems unlikely...... Im going to get my wife to try.

Also I found this video the other day while researching called absinth 2.0. How would that work for the above info?

Thanks a million all!

You can use absinth to jailbreak only ~ it can't help you unlock because is no option to install the iPad baseband. If at&t provides you with an unlock that is a moot point and I would recommend absinth over redsn0w.

[overdrive31]

Just install iPad baseband and jailbreak(tethered) with redsn0w following my tut. and then install Rocky Raccoon 5.1.1 untether. You could of course wait for Redsn0w to be updated for 5.1.1 untethered jailbreak. There is the option of using the new Sn0wbreeze 2.9.5 which is untethered. Pretty certain Absinthe can only be used once activated, so if you don't have a sim to activate with prior to using Absinthe, then don't bother trying to use it.

[jammin18]

Thanks for the update and the advice. Going to attempt this soon so want to get as much info as humanly possible without bricking my phone. I always assumed that jailbreaking was part of unlocking process and simply jailbreaking would be enough to use any sim card! Holy ***** was I wrong! I currently have a case with AT&T to see if they will allow an official unlock. I guess I will keep waiting......

Keep you informed and thanks!

[jammin18]

Ok after some delays with At&t i got the word that they will not offer an unlock as the phone was not under my name at the time of contract and not eligible for an unlock.

Sooo back to getting my head round this. If I was to use snowbreeze 2.9.5 would that unlock the phone and would I have the option (or need to) update the baseband?

Again im now using firmware 5.1.1 from itunes and baseband 05.16.02.

My simple mobile sim card is activated and working but DO NOT have the At&t sim

[overdrive31]

Yes, you need update to the iPad baseband to unlock. To use Sn0wbreeze you select Expert mode, then General, now check the box Activate the phone [hacktivate] and then hit the arrow, next put a check in the box for Install iPad baseband, hit the arrow twice, then hit Build IPSW and the arrow once more. Follow the instruction to put phone in pwnDFU and restore using the built IPSW. You will need to use SAM to create working certs since you hacktivated.

[jammin18]

Overdrive you sir are the man.

I'm comfortable with all the steps up until the part about SAM and certs. I have a working simple mobile sim card that works in my nokia unlocked phone. I have worked out all the steps and have all the necessary things up until SAM?

Is this part of the snowbreeze package or another application I need to get hold of?

So a reacap -

1 - Update to 5.1.1 using itunes
2- Run snowbreeze and use expert mode to install new baseband and unlock the phone by creating a new IPSW 5.1.1
3 - Add this new firmware to phone in DFU mode.
4 - SAM certs?>? :-/ This is now the only step I'm unsure on and can't find a guide for my situ.

[overdrive31]

Look at step 5a in my tutorial. There is also an alternative in step 5b. Installing Ultrasn0w 1.2.7 now unlocks IOS 5.1.1 without the need for a fixer pre-install.