Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 No web access or auto. update

[John Pearson]

Folks

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy Ace 2, GT18160, Android V 2.3.6, Gingerbread XXLK5, Kernel 2.6.35.7. Vintage 2012

Problem & symptoms:

No app on the phone except MAPS will connect to the internet via WiFi.
I don't use mobile data.
The default browser won't connect to the web. Msg is "Webpage not available" "Data connectivity problem. . . server failed to communicate . ."
News and Weather and YouTube generate "NetWork Error"
OS update, after 5 mins of displaying "registering device", generates "Software Update - Procesing Failed".

Connection state:

The physical (WiFi) connection to the router is OK.
The phone gets an IP number from the router and pings from a PC or the router.
The phone displays the router's IP on port 139. (This port doesn't show on the rounter's list of open ports)
Phone and router security protocols are same (WPA/WPA2 PSK).
Password into router is correct. Signal Strength excellent.
The routers SSID is set to "visible"
Entering x#x#526#x#x loads the Wlan test driver [OK].
Running the Rx test for the 1st 6 channels shows ?packets being received
I have not tried the phone factory reset.

How do I make apps connect to the web ?

I want to update the OS to V4.4.4 or at least V4.x.x.

Has anyone successfully used ODIN or KIES ?
What OS version did you flash and is it working OK ?

John

 

[John Pearson]

Folks

I tried flashing from Kies but this failed with the message

"Current connection mode not supported. Check USB settings
Settings->Applicatiobs->Development->USB Debugging"

Clicking on "Check for updates" generates a "Kies has stopped working"
with "Problem Event Name: APPCRASH"

I have USB debugging ON

I can connect to the phone via USB from the PC and view its contents in "My Computer"
But after maybe 30 secs currently viewed phone file disappears from the "My Computer" window (ie the USB disconnects) .
I have wake the phone and physically disconnect and reconnect the USB cable to get the phone icon to reappear in My Computer.

Any suggestions as to how to get Kies to see the phone ?
Am I suffering from Samsung planned obsolescence, either deliberately or by default ?

John

 

[Dannydet]

I believe the device is too old for any type of update to work

 

[John Pearson]

Dannydet -thanx for the reply.

". . device too old for .. update"

I think you're being too pessimistic though. s/w doesn't get old and the phone's hardware is good so I'm getting something wrong..
I tried to update with Kies_2.5.1.12123_2_7 but the Kies wiki states:-

"Kies is available in several versions . . , depending on the . .Samsung device and the OS . .. Kies3 (version 3.x) supports devices with Android Jelly Bean (4.3 and up). Kies (currently in version 2.6.3.14074_11) supports devices with Android 2.1 through 4.2. Trying to use Kies with newer devices, or Kies3 with older devices, will result in an error message".

So I'll see if a more appropriate Kies version will work

John

 

[El Presidente]

Kies is outdated and has been replaced by something called Smart Switch. Although smart switch may not work on a device that old.

You might want to try Odin instead? You can get the files required here: https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/search/Galaxy ace 2/

 

[John Pearson]

Thanx to El Presidente for the advice. I'll check out "Smart Switch"

I downloaded the Galaxy Ace 2 USB driver and installed it and now Kies works.
I invoked "firmware upgrade and initialisation" but Kies reports"GT-I8160 does not support initialisation".

So I'm left with Odin which I'm hesitant to use. There are about 25 versions (!) of this utility to which I can't find a definitive guide so will have to guesstimate which is correct for upgrading from Gingerbread to Jellybean. Furthermore there are a vast number of Android versions. Reports are that the phone can be permanently bricked if the correct PIT and ROM files are not used so I need to do due dilligence before I risk my £140 phone.

I'm annoyed that the only app on the phone that connects to the net is "maps"
and that the phone's update facility doesn't work. The Galaxy Ace 2 has good hardware and features which are let down by a rubbish OS. Don't think I'll buy another Android.

The phone's port 139 (see original post) should permit browsing via the router even if the router shows it closed. Anyway changing it (to 80) has no effect.

As stated in my o.p. the physical (WiFi) connection to the router is fine.
The problem is a setting. If anyone has ideas as to further tests I can perform to
find out why I can't reach the web from the phone please let me have 'em.

Meanwhile I'll try the phone in an internet cafe's WiFi.

John

 

[El Presidente]

I'll see if I can find a decent guide for you.

To address the comments about the OS though, the Galaxy Ace 2 is circa 6 years old at this point and about 7 versions behind the current iteration of Android. Hardware wise, it wasn't even that good at the time of release and from both a hardware and software perspective, things have improved a lot since then.

I also sincerely hope you didn't pay £140 recently as there are MUCH better phones out there for that price.

 

[John Pearson]

Hi El Presidente

Thanx for your post

1. SmartSwitch
seems to be for file transfer, not specifically for flashing or installing. see :-
http://www.samsung.com/uk/getting-started/smart-switch/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sec.android.easyMover.

and, as U suggested, SmartSwitch is only mandated for Android V4 and above
(maybe just never tested on pre V4)

2. Internet Cafe

I tried the phone in a cafe and had the same problems as when connecting to my home router WiFi.

3. sammobile

"You can get the files required here: https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/search/Galaxy ace 2/ "
Yes - but the download is premium. I found a free site

4. £140

I bought the phone new in ~2012 and that was about what they cost then

5 "Hardware wise, it wasn't even that good at the time of release and from both a hardware and software perspective,"

//Rant
I haven't experienced any problems attributable to h/w. H/w problems are unlikely as this is the province of Samsung who ship vast numbers of these phones and have all the resources to properly lab and Beta test designs & debug prerelease.
The problems start when a bulk purchaser buys pallets of phones direct from China, has 'em shipped to a low labour cost country like Poland to a company who specialise in programming devices, putting 'em in country specific packaging, procuring/adding the accessories etc and shipping them directly to the retailer.
The programming is specified by the bulk purchaser who may update the OS periodically , who doesn't necessarily have the time/resources to properly check all s/w functionality, drivers, bug fixes, version numbers etc.
The end user becomes final inspection and must thoroughly check all the phones functionality within the sale of goods period; should take the phone back to the retailer if it doesn't work fully and not tolerance any b.s. from them. I was negligent in not doing this when I bought the phone !
//end rant

6. Installing Apps

The user guide explains how to install directly from the web with a browser, but the default browser doesn't work. The user guide does not explain how to install (non playshop) apps from a PC.
Kies doesn't appear to offer any way to load and install miscellaneous apps on the phone.
If I can install a working browser and the remote WiFi controller for my camera (the reason I want to update the OS cos it's not mandated for preV4 Android) and it works then I'll leave the OS at Gingerbread.

Q. Is it possible to download & install apps., like a browser, on the phone ?

7. "Proper Guide"

Kind of you to offer to look for a guide but please don't bother. It's my phone so it's my job to do the searching..

Best John