” I’m trying to update my iPhone software. I keep getting a network connection timed out message from iTunes before the download completes. How can I update my iPhone if I keep getting this network timeout error?”
Figuring out why the iTunes network connection timed out can be a challenge because there are a number of variables involved. I most commonly see the iTunes network connection timeout happen in one of two situations. If you are trying to update your iPhone software without having the newest version of iTunes installed, you can get a network connection timeout. The other common situation is when you are using an unreliable WiFi connection. So how do you fix the connection timeout?
To rule out your version of iTunes as a problem, check to see which version of iTunes you are currently running. If it is not the latest version, safely disconnect your iPhone and update iTunes before you try to update your iPhone software. If iTunes is up to date, there is probably something about your actual network connection that is causing the download to fail, like a weak WiFi signal, for instance.
The easiest way to get around a weak WiFi signal is to use a wired connection instead. If you have the option to plug your computer into your router using an Ethernet cable, try performing the iPhone update using a wired network connection. If a wired connection is not an option, you can attempt to improve your odds by performing the download with your computer closer to your wireless router. A third option to eliminating your network as the source of the problem – if it is your connection, try taking your computer to a friend’s house or to a local coffee shop and try downloading software from the alternative location instead.
