Having difficulty getting a device to recognize your wireless network? Never fear, the answer could be as simple as creating a new ‘Access Point Name’ or APN in your settings — a process that takes mere moments from your day.
But what is this hurdle and why does it exist? MobileSyrup has put together a comprehensive guide to APNs and the settings data you’ll need for all the major Canadian carriers.
What are APN settings?
APNs are often described as a gateway that connects a mobile network with the internet.
If that leaves you scratching your head, it may be more easily envisaged as a set of data that allows your smartphone to identify your mobile carrier, giving you a connection to the internet.
Why would you need to use them?
Generally, your SIM card and device should be able to speak with each other and do the connection work for you, but sometimes that’s not the case.
When the network, SIM and device don’t work together to automatically establish the connection, you can force the situation by giving the device the exact information it needs to connect to the internet.
How to edit APNs on iOS and Android
In Android, you can navigate to Access Point Names through settings > Wireless & networks > More > Cellular networks. Once you’re in, you just need to click the plus sign button in the top right-hand corner and begin entering the settings for your carrier (included below).
Once you’re finished, click the three dot button at the top right, hit save and then return to the previous page, where you can select the APN you’ve created. To take effect, the phone may require a restart.
In iOS, you can navigate to Access Point Names through settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Network. Once there, enter the settings for your carrier (listed below) and once you’re done, save them by going back to the previous menu. As with Android, the device may require a restart.
Note, however, that Canadian carriers that are official Apple partners disable the APN settings menu on iPhones (this is dictated by the SIM card due to the fact that it dictates which carrier file is installed, if any). On a jailbroken device you can lift that restriction by deleting the relevant carrier.plist.
APN settings by carrier
*Note: These settings are based mainly on information provided by the carriers. In the interest of concise entries, we have omitted the categories that are unnecessary to fill-in. Don’t worry if your settings look a bit sparse, many fields just aren’t needed to establish a connection.
Bell
APN: pda.bell.ca
Proxy address: web.wireless.bell.ca
Proxy port: 80
MMSC: http://mms.bell.ca/mms/wapenc
MMS proxy address: web.wireless.bell.ca
MMS proxy port: 80
MMS protocol: WAP 2.0
MCC : 302
MNC : 610
Rogers
APN: ltemobile.apn
MMSC: http://mms.gprs.rogers.com
MMS proxy: 10.128.1.69
MMS port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 720
Telus
APN: sp.telus.com
MMSC: http://aliasredirect.net/proxy/mmsc
MMS Proxy: 74.49.0.18
MMS Port: 80
MMS Protocol: WAP 2.0
MCC: 302
MNC: 220
Virgin Mobile
APN: pda.bell.ca
Proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
Port: 80
MMSC: http://mms.bell.ca/mms/wapenc
MMS proxy: web.wireless.bell.ca
MMS port: 80
MMS protocol: WAP 2.0
MCC : 302
MNC : 610
Fido
APN: ltemobile.apn
MMSC: http://mms.fido.ca
MMS Proxy: 204.151.11.13
MMS Port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 370
Koodo
APN: sp.koodo.com
Proxy server: 74.49.0.18
Port: 80
MMSC: http://aliasredirect.net/proxy/koodo/mmsc
Proxy server: 74.49.0.18
Port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 220
Freedom Mobile
Data
APN: internet.freedommobile.ca
MMS
APN: mms.freedommobile.ca
MMSC: http://mms.freedommobile.ca
MMS Proxy: 74.115.197.70
MMS Port: 8080
MCC: 302
MNC: 490
Videotron
iOS data
APN: media.videotron
iOS MMS
APN: media.videotron
MMSC: http://media.videotron.com
Max MMS size: 1048576
MMS UA Prof URL: http://www.apple.com/mms/uaprof.rdf
Android
APN for a 4G SIM card and device: media.videotron
APN for an LTE SIM card and device:
media.ng
MMSC: http://media.videotron.com
MCC : 302
MNC : 500
APN Type: default,mms,supl
SaskTel
APN: pda.stm.sk.ca
MMSC: http://mms.sasktel.com
MMS Proxy: mig.sasktel.com
MMS Proxy Port: 80
MTS
iOS data
APN: sp.mts
iOS MMS
APN: sp.mts
MMSC: http://mmsc2.mts.net/
MMS Proxy: wapgw1.mts.net
MMS Max Message Size: 512000
Android
APN: sp.mts
MMSC: http://mmsc2.mts.net/
MMS Proxy: wapgw1.mts.net
MMS Port: 9401
MCC: 302
MNC: 660
Eastlink
Android data
APN: wisp.mobi.eastlink.ca
MCC: 302
MNC: 270
APN Type: default (most Android devices), Internet (some devices Eg Samsung GS3)
Android MMS
Name: Eastlink MMS
APN: mms.mobi.eastlink.ca
MMSC: http://mmss.mobi.eastlink.ca
MMS Proxy: 10.232.12.49
MMS port: 8080
MCC: 302
MNC: 270
MMSC port: 8080 (For Windows Devices)
WAP gateway (URL) field: 10.232.12.49 (For Windows Devices)
WAP gateway port field: 8080 (For Windows Devices)
APN Type: mms
iOS data
APN: wisp.mobi.eastlink.ca
iOS MMS
APN: mms.mobi.eastlink.ca
MMSC: http://mmss.mobi.eastlink.ca
MMS Proxy: 10.232.12.49:8080
MMS Max Message Size: 1048576
MMS UA Prof URL: http://www.apple.com/mms/uaprof.rdf
Public Mobile
Android
Name: Public Mobile
APN: sp.mb.com
MMSC: http://aliasredirect.net/proxy/mb/mmsc
MMSC proxy: 74.49.0.18
MMS port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 220
iOS data
APN: sp.mb.com
iOS MMS
APN: sp.mb.com
MMSC: http://aliasredirect.net/proxy/mb/mmsc
MMS Proxy: 74.49.018:80
iOS internet tethering
APN: isp.mb.com
Chatr
APN: chatrweb.apn
MMSC: http://mms.chatrwireless.com
MMS IP address: 205.151.11.11
MMS Proxy: 205.151.11.11
MMS port: 8080
MCC: 302
Ice Wireless
Data
Name: Internet
APN: net.icew.ca
APN Type: default
MMS
Name: MMS
APN: mms
MMSC: http://mmsc.icew.ca:2134
APN Type: mms
Roam Mobility
Name: wholesale
APN: wholesale
Username & Password: leave blank
MMSC: http://wholesale.mmsmvno.com/mms/wapenc
MCC: 310
MNC: 260
Tbaytel
Name: Rogers LTE
APN: ltemobile.apn
MMSC: http://mms.gprs.rogers.com
MMS Proxy: mmsproxy.rogers.com
MMS Port: 80
MCC: 302
MNC: 720
APN Type: default,mms,supl
APN Protocol: IPv4/IPv6
APN Roaming Protocol: IPv4/IPv6