[lloydsfm]

Hello,

I have recently traded SIM cards in my BB 9000 Bold to my wife's old voice plan (no data). We expected that we could still use WiFi to still browse and for other network functionality. When trying to connect to our home WiFi we are inable to obtain an IP address with our router.

When setting up the WiFi connection, we are able to find the correct SSID, we enter the correct pre-shared key, and the Bold reports "Connection is Successful" and the name of our connection appears at the top but the WiFi indicator remains grey. When doing a WiFi diagonstic we find the IP address is no longer valid. The status did momentarily read "Device failed to associate with AP."

Reviewing the logs we find the request from the BB Bold is received by the router and it assigns an IP address (we see the association request from the WLAN MAC address of the Bold), but the Bold does not appear to accept the IP address. We tried forcing an IP address on the BB, but the WiFi diagnostics still reads the IP address is no longer valid.

How can we get this BB to connect to our router and the WiFi? We also have another BB 9800 Torch with a data plan that connects to this same WiFi network without any difficulty.

[rambo47]

In order to use the WiFi option you need to have a BlackBerry data plan on your account. The data you use over WiFi won't count against any monthly data allotment your plan gives you, but you need the BlackBerry plan to authenticate your device to the RIM infrastructure.

Why Do I Need A BlackBerry Data Plan

[BBnash]

is there a smart phone comparable to blackberry that does not require a data plan to surf the internet,send and receive email ?

[Dubdub]

If you have a BB 9000 on AT&T, they will find you and add a plan to your account. AT&T requires a data plan for all smart phones. they do periodic sweeps of their network and if they find a device without the proper data plan, they will add it.

As for your question about other phones, your guess is as good as anyone's on that issue. Most carriers will require a data plan for all smartphones. You need to check with the various carriers that serve the area where you plan to use the device and see if they have something.

[rambo47]

I had a Nokia E71 some years back and I could use it for email and internet on T-Mobile's TZones $5.99 data plan. It wasn't what I'd call "comparable" to a BlackBerry, but it did email (poorly) and web access (slow).

Few carriers allow WiFi access now without some kind of a data plan. It's on a carrier-by-carrier basis so you'll have to find one that still allows it. T-Mobile was always the most liberal with data restrictions, but they're all tightening up their rules for data access, even over WiFi. Data is too big a revenue stream for the carriers now for them to ignore it.