Question Network connectivity issues

[jobi1k]

I've had a Motorola Moto G 5G Plus for a couple of years, working absolutely fine until a few days ago, when I had to test an app for work reasons, and that seemed to cause all sorts of issues. First, the battery stopped holding charge, so after trying various other suggestions I did a factory reset, but this now seems to have caused a connectivity issue. Basically, the network (i.e. "4G") shows at the top, but it's greyed out, so not actually connected. It's like the device knows the network is there but won't connect!

I've tried absolutely every suggestion I can find – rebooting, taking out and reinserting the SIM, resetting network settings, resetting APN settings, even another factory reset. But nothing is working and the "4G" shows greyed out and not connected. Has anyone got any other suggestions or am I going to have to give up and send it in for repair?

 

[belodion]

Welcome.

What sort of app was it? If still on the phone, have you tried Safe Mode?

 

[jobi1k]

Welcome.

What sort of app was it? If still on the phone, have you tried Safe Mode?

It was a game. I removed it from my device straight after I finished the work task. And yes I've tried Safe Mode, but the "4G" is still greyed out even there!

 

[smvim]

I've had a Motorola Moto G 5G Plus for a couple of years, working absolutely fine until a few days ago, when I had to test an app for work reasons, and that seemed to cause all sorts of issues. First, the battery stopped holding charge, so after trying various other suggestions I did a factory reset, but this now seems to have caused a connectivity issue. Basically, the network (i.e. "4G") shows at the top, but it's greyed out, so not actually connected. It's like the device knows the network is there but won't connect!

I've tried absolutely every suggestion I can find – rebooting, taking out and reinserting the SIM, resetting network settings, resetting APN settings, even another factory reset. But nothing is working and the "4G" shows greyed out and not connected. Has anyone got any other suggestions or am I going to have to give up and send it in for repair?

Given all the things you've already tried a last resort measure would be to try and flash your phone with its appropriate stock ROM:

Motorola Moto G 5G Plus XT2075-3 Stock ROM Firmware (Flash File)

Download the official Motorola Moto G 5G Plus XT2075-3 Stock Firmware (Flash File) for your Motorola Smartphone. We also provide all other Motorola Stock Firmware.

motostockrom.com

Note that a Factory Reset only a bit of a misnomer, all it does is wipe the user's data partition clean. A common misconception is is does what it imp;lies, wipe everything. Your phone's internal storage is divided into several partitions. Most are dedicated solely to the operating system, and one set aside as a user data partition. The system partitions are protected with restrictive permission levels, so we only get unfettered access to that user partition. Again, a Factory Reset only wipes the user partition clean, it does nothing to the system-level partitions. The Android install that was on your phone before the Factory Reset is the same as after (Android cannot delete itself, nor magically reinstall itself). Flashing the ROM is essentially replacing an existing Android install with a clean, fresh copy.

In your case, it might be a matter where something damaged or corrupted the installed Android OS itself.. That mystery work-related app you referred to could be the cause, but that's just speculation with no backing.

 

[jobi1k]

Thanks @smvim , sounds like that might be worth a try. I'm not sure which of the many files on that page I'm supposed to use though, and I'd be a bit nervous about getting it wrong! I know the current OS is Android 11.

 

[methodman89]

Are you not able to access cell data as well as wifi?
Can you attempt to connect to a new connection point, such as a public wifi?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! When you say you reset the APN, did you manually check that it matches your carrier's APN settings exactly?

 

[jobi1k]

Are you not able to access cell data as well as wifi?
Can you attempt to connect to a new connection point, such as a public wifi?

Wi-Fi works fine. It's just cell data that's the issue. As shown in the photo below, the network shows, but is greyed out and not actually connected.

Welcome to Android Central! When you say you reset the APN, did you manually check that it matches your carrier's APN settings exactly?

Actually nothing shows in there. When I go into the APN settings it says "APN settings are not available for this user", then if I tap the plus symbol to open the edit APN menu, everything in there is blank, or rather has "Not set" under every item. Could that be the problem?

 

[methodman89]

Is your network operator listed correct?

 

[smvim]

Since you've tried re-seating your SIM card and looked into your APN settings, perhaps something corrupted the SIM card itself. If you have a spare phone or can use someone else's phone see if your SIM card is still good in a different phone. Or just contact your carrier and request a new, replacement SIM card.

 

[jobi1k]

Since you've tried re-seating your SIM card and looked into your APN settings, perhaps something corrupted the SIM card itself. If you have a spare phone or can use someone else's phone see if your SIM card is still good in a different phone. Or just contact your carrier and request a new, replacement SIM card.

So I just reset the APN settings again, and got the carrier to send the correct details through, and very briefly the network lit up like it was connected, but that only lasted a couple of seconds and then it went back to being greyed out and not working. Interestingly though, the MMS update was fine, but when the mobile internet update was sent it generated an error/failure message.

I then tried my SIM in my old phone, and mobile data is working fine there, so it seems the SIM is fine and the device is the issue.

 

[smvim]

So I just reset the APN settings again, and got the carrier to send the correct details through, and very briefly the network lit up like it was connected, but that only lasted a couple of seconds and then it went back to being greyed out and not working. Interestingly though, the MMS update was fine, but when the mobile internet update was sent it generated an error/failure message.

I then tried my SIM in my old phone, and mobile data is working fine there, so it seems the SIM is fine and the device is the issue.

Yeah, it does appear to a phone issue. The SIM card appears to be OK, and things like a Network Reset and a Factory Reset rule out user-level software as a source to the problem. Flashing the ROM is a last resort, software-based measure, and hopefully a successful reinstall of the firmware will be the fix. If not, that doesn't leave you with a lot of other viable options. If something like the cellular radio chip, soldered onto the main logic board, has failed, or some other hardware-based component, that's a more involved repair.

 

[jobi1k]

Yeah, it does appear to a phone issue. The SIM card appears to be OK, and things like a Network Reset and a Factory Reset rule out user-level software as a source to the problem. Flashing the ROM is a last resort, software-based measure, and hopefully a successful reinstall of the firmware will be the fix. If not, that doesn't leave you with a lot of other viable options. If something like the cellular radio chip, soldered onto the main logic board, has failed, or some other hardware-based component, that's a more involved repair.

OK sounds like I might have to try this flashing approach then. But how do I know which of those many files to use from that page you linked earlier? I don't want to get the wrong one and cause even more damage!

To be honest, I think I'm probably going to have to take it to a repair shop anyway, as aside from this connectivity issue, the quick battery drain issue that I mentioned in my very first post is also still occuring.

 

[Madd62]

Can you put someone else's sim inside, with their permission? Or buy a PAYG sim with the minimum one - off plan (usually £5 or less here).

Can you select 2G or 3G in the Preferred Network settings.
It sounds like data is turned off somewhere, or the device overheated in a prolonged session and affected the motherboard or antennae things.
I'm just spitballing here and know very little.

 

[smvim]

OK sounds like I might have to try this flashing approach then. But how do I know which of those many files to use from that page you linked earlier? I don't want to get the wrong one and cause even more damage!
....

Confirm that your phone model is indeed XT-2075-3, and then pick the latest release of the matching firmware to download. (top of list Android 10 and presumably least patched ROM; the bottom of the list being Android 11 also presumably with latest patches for your model).

 

[jobi1k]

Can you put someone else's sim inside, with their permission? Or buy a PAYG sim with the minimum one - off plan (usually £5 or less here).

Can you select 2G or 3G in the Preferred Network settings.
It sounds like data is turned off somewhere, or the device overheated in a prolonged session and affected the motherboard or antennae things.
I'm just spitballing here and know very little.

I've tried selecting 2G and 3G and it's the same as when it's on it's usual 4G setting – i.e., 2G shows in the status bar but is greyed out and not actually connected. I haven't tried a different SIM – will try with my partner's later but I'm not confident.

It sounds like there's a good chance overheating may have caused some damage, as you say. When I was using the app mentioned in the OP that started all these issues, the phone did get quite warm.

Confirm that your phone model is indeed XT-2075-3, and then pick the latest release of the matching firmware to download. (top of list Android 10 and presumably least patched ROM; the bottom of the list being Android 11 also presumably with latest patches for your model).

I've given this a go but am struggling to make it work (I'm really not a techie person!). I've fallen down at step 5 on those instructions – "Open flashfile.bat from the firmware folder to begin the Flashing process", as there doesn't seem to be such a file in there. I think I'm probably going to have to give up and just take it to a repair shop!

 

[jobi1k]

An interesting update – per @Madd62's suggestion, I tried my partner's SIM (which is with the same carrier) in my phone tonight, and that worked – connection to 4G no problem. And then, when I switched back to my own SIM, it's now working with that in too! No idea what has happened – I guess having a different SIM in may have reset something that needed to be reset that I hadn't tried already? Anyway, I'll keep an eye on it, but it does appear to be fixed for now. I think the battery is still goosed though, so it might need to go in for repair anyway!

But in the meantime I wanted to say thanks so much for all your help on here, folks. It's been really useful and I definitely know where to come for advice and tips now!