A computer client called me this week around 7PM local time and was having problems texting someone. This iPhone is their only way to communicate with others, when it isn’t working, they are in trouble. They don’t have a desktop computer, tablet, land-line phone or any other device. Their iPhone is used for phone calls, emails,and text messaging.
The iPhone doesn’t receive an adequate Cell signal on the first floor of their residence. Luckily they spend most of their time on the second floor where it works well for cell service and the WiFi.
Tonight they were trying to check their WiFi signal and weren’t getting the usual network name under settings. I asked them questions and found the usual name was not displayed and instead a different network was connected. I remembered another client many years ago had an iPhone that they had a similar problem. “When is the last time you restarted or powered off your iPhone?” They didn’t know how to power it off so I instructed them how to power it off and on. After that they were fine.
Powering off a smartphone can occasionally correct a problem like this.