To turn on Wi-Fi, perform the following steps:

• At the Home screen, press the Menu key.
• Scroll to the Manage Connections icon and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Wi-Fi and press the trackball to place a check mark in the box to turn on Wi-Fi.

Scanning for and connecting to available networks

To scan for and connect to available networks, perform the following steps:

• At the Home screen, press the Menu key.
• Scroll to Set Up Wi-Fi Network and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Next and press the trackball.
• Select Scan for Networks. The handheld scans and displays available networks.
• Scroll to the desired network and press the trackball to connect.

Adding a new network

To add a network from the available networks, perform the following steps:

• At the Home screen, press the Menu key.
• Scroll to Set Up Wi-Fi Network and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Next and press the trackball.
• Select Scan for Networks. The device scans and displays available networks.
• Scroll to the desired network and press the trackball.
• At the Save this Wi-Fi Network as a Profile anyway? field, ensure Yes is selected.

To add a network manually, perform the following steps:

• At the Home screen, press the Menu key.
• Scroll to Set Up Wi-Fi Network and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Next and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Manually Add Network and press the trackball.
• Type the network name, and then select Add.
• At Security Type, press the trackball.
• Scroll to one of the following options and press the trackball:
  • No Security
  • WEP
  • Pre-Shared Key (PSK)
  • PEAP
  • LEAP
  • EAP-TLS
  • EAP-FAST
  • EAP-TTLS
  • EAP-SIM
• Scroll to Connect and press the trackball.
• At the Save this Wi-Fi Network as a Profile anyway? field, ensure Yes is selected.

To edit saved networks, perform the following steps:

• At the Home screen, press the Menu key.
• Scroll to the Manage Connections icon and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Wi-Fi Options and press the trackball.
• Scroll to a network and press the Menu key.
• Scroll to Edit and press the trackball.
• Edit the network name, SSID, security type, and any other information as desired.
• Press the Menu key, and then select Save.

To locate the MAC address, perform the following steps:

• At the Home screen, press the Menu key.
• Scroll to the Options icon and press the trackball.
• Scroll to Status and press the trackball to view the WLAN MAC address.

If you are a new BlackBerry owner, or an old owner experiencing low battery issues, read through these tips:

First of all, modern BlackBerrys come with Lithium-Ion batteries, or Li-Ion for short. Some older models used Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, or NiMH for short.

MYTH: You do NOT need to break in the Li-Ion BlackBerry battery. Lithium-Ion battery do not require conditioning as you might have experienced with other cell phones and batteries.

• Don’t get in the habit of fully discharging the battery every time. Lithium batteries can be damaged with excessive deep discharges.
• When breaking in the battery, make sure you keep it plugged in long after the battery says it is fully charged (i.e. overnight).
• Lithium batteries LOVE to be topped-off. Plug it in whenever you have the opportunity and keep the battery life maxed out for those days you really need long battery life.
• Consider purchasing a car charger, or an office charger/cable. That way, you have more opportunities to top-off your BlackBerry battery.
• Searching for a signal will drain a battery quite quickly. If you must conserve the battery, turn the wireless or radio off.
• Keep your Bluetooth turned OFF when not in use.
• Keep your Wi-Fi turned OFF when not in use.
• Keep the backlight turned low or off whenever possible (rather than bright mode). A backlight setting of 60%-80% is wise.
• If you use instant messaging software, leaving it running in the background is a battery-killer. Sign off  and log yourself out when not in use.
• Big suprise, making a phone call made on your BlackBerry is the biggest consumer of battery life. If you make lots of phone calls for hours, then expect your battery life can be extremely short.
• Making phone calls in areas of weak reception will use up even more battery power.

What is running in the background of your BB? There are commonly 4-5 applications that will ALWAYS be running i.e. Messages, Phone, BBMessenger, Homescreen, and the Browser.

• Make certain that the browser is NOT on an active webpage (say with animated radar or a live webpage such as a news website that is constantly updating to the current news. Close it on the bookmarks page, which is static).
• Close any other applications that do not need to be running (like the camera or a game).

Not sure what going on behind the screen?

• Press Alt + Escape (the key to the right of the trackball) to bring up the Application Switcher and scroll through that list to see what is running in the background.  Close whatever is not neccessary.

This article was originally posted on BlackBerryForums.com and edited for content.

On your BlackBerry homescreen:

• Hold down the ALT key and type LGLG
• Press Menu and then Options
• Scroll down into the event list
• Press Menu and “Hide all Types“
• Scroll down and Highlight PhoneApp
• Press Menu and press Toggle Filter
• Menu > Save

Now, you will see a lot of what appears to be gibberish. This shows all calls and numbers to the phone.

You need to dig through to find the deleted number. When you find it, select the entry and it will show the full number.

Thanks to Thatzmister2u @ BlackBerryForums.com for this FAQ content.

Now that you’ve stopped crying; read on:

Do NOT attempt to turn on your BlackBerry.

Remove the battery immediately!!

Leave the plastic casing covering the back on the BlackBerry OFF.

Let the device dry in a warm place for 3 to 5 days, open and with the battery out.

Place the BB in a sealed container with UNcooked rice, and then leave it to dry in some of these suggested areas:

• If the device is warm, let it cool to room temperature.
• On top of a TV cabinet or CRT, LCD or plasma monitor.
• On top of a cable TV/Satellite converter box.
• On the dashboard of your car on a sunny day.

Getting a device like a Blackberry wet is always risky business. The are no guarantees that drying the device out will bring it back to life.

• Go to Options >> Advanced Options >> Applications
• Scroll to and highlight the unused languages
• Press the menu key and select Delete
  • Note: When prompted to restart select No until all of the unused languages are deleted.
• Once all languages are deleted, remove battery for 30 seconds and re-boot the device

Remove call logs

• Go into the Messages application and press the menu key
• Select View Folder, then select Phone Call Logs
• Scroll to the top date and highlight it
• Press the menu key and select Delete Prior

Delete sample video

• Go to Options >> Advanced Options >> Applications
• Highlight Blackberry Sample Video
• Press the menu key and select Delete

Clear Cache and Cookies in Browser

• Go into the Browser application and press the menu key
• Select Options >> Cache Operations
• Select Clear History
• You can also clear out Pushed Content and Cookie Cache from here

First step to take if device is having problems?

• The first step is to pull the battery out of the device and leave it out for about 30 seconds. This will clear the internal memory and will solve many, many issues.
  • Leave the BB powered ON.
  • Pull the battery
  • Leave it out for 30 seconds
  • Replace battery and let device boot
  • See if the problem has been resolved

How do I reset my BlackBerry?

Differences between hard, soft, and master resets

Resetting the BlackBerry device is a useful way to resolve issues and is usually the first step in troubleshooting the BlackBerry device. Knowing the differences between a hard, soft, double-soft, and master reset ensures that the correct troubleshooting method has been chosen.

Note: Backup all applications before resetting the BlackBerry device using the Backup and Restore tool on the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

Performing a SOFT reset on the BlackBerry device

• Performing a soft reset stops all applications on the BlackBerry device by pressing the ALT+RIGHT SHIFT(CAP)+DELETE keys. A soft reset re-establishes communication between the BlackBerry device and the computer.

Note: This does not apply to the BlackBerry® Pearl™ smartphone.

Performing a DOUBLE-SOFT reset on the BlackBerry device

• Performing a double-soft reset stops all applications on the BlackBerry device and is nearly the equivalent of a hard reset. Timing however is critical. Perform a soft reset by pressing the ALT+RIGHT SHIFT(CAP)+DELETE keys. The screen will go blank. When the screen is no longer black, press the ALT+RIGHT SHIFT(CAP)+DELETE keys again. You should then see another blank screen followed by an hour glass.

Note: This does not apply to the BlackBerry® Pearl™ smartphone.

Performing a HARD reset on the BlackBerry device

• The first step in troubleshooting a network, software or hardware error is often to perform a hard reset. With Java® based devices, this is accomplished by removing the battery, while the BlackBerry device is powered on. Hold the battery out for about 30 seconds, and replace. The BlackBerry device will reboot.

Note: A hard reset on a C++ based device is accomplished by pressing the Reset button.

Note: To perform a hard reset on a RIM models 850, 857, 950, or 957 device, insert the end of a paperclip inside the small hole on the back of the handheld.

Reasons to perform a hard reset

The following shows the possible reasons for performing a hard reset on a BlackBerry device.

Network Issues

• Handheld displays an X beside the coverage indicator.
• Handheld displays GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) or lower case gprs (General Packet Radio Service) as the network status indicator.
• User is unable to send or receive messages on the handheld.

Software Issues

• User receives an error code on the handheld.
• Applications do not appear to be functioning correctly.
• Desktop Manager is stuck at “working” status when the handheld is connected.
• Bluetooth is not detected.

Hardware Issues

• Handheld display is hard to read. For example, the display shows lines obscuring text.
• Keypad is not functioning correctly. For example, keys do not work, the trackwheel is not functioning correctly, or the handheld does not turn on.

Performing a MASTER reset

• The master reset feature is not available on the BlackBerry device and is only applicable to selected manufacturer devices.
• A master reset removes all user-installed applications and data, including BlackBerry Connect software. For more about master resets, contact your service provider.

How to wipe ALL personal data from a BlackBerry device?

NOTE: This does NOT delete the Operating System from your BlackBerry.

• This wipe will remove ALL personal data (contacts, memos, calendar appointments, settings, preferences, etc.) from the device.
• The device will still work for you or your next user.
• This wipe will NOT delete most Third Party Applications. (unless the option is selected when processing the wipe).

90xx series, 87xx series, 81xx series, 83xx series, and 88xx series:

Go to Options

Select Security Options

Select General Settings

Hit menu key and select Wipe Handheld

Click on Continue

(Optional: enable checkbox to remove all third party applications)

Type in the word “blackberry” to complete process

71xx series, 72xx series, 75xx series, and 77xx series: (sorry, no pics)

Option 1

• Go to Options
• Select Security Options
• Select Content Protection
• Hit menu key and select Wipe Handheld

Option 2

• Set a password under Options >> Security >> Password and save it
• Enter that password incorrectly 10 times….
• After you enter it wrong 10 times it will wipe out all the data.

How do I wipe the BlackBerry using Jl Cmder(JavaLoader Commander)?

Pre-Wipe Tasks

• Download and install Jl_Cmder to your PC ( Click here to download Jl_Cmder )
• Make sure ALL your data (contacts, appointments, memos, etc) are backed up or synced before proceeding! This will wipe everything off of the device.
• Make sure you have the latest version of both Desktop Manager and the Handheld OS installed on your PC.
• From the PC navigate to c:\program files\common files\research in motion\apploader and delete the file vendor.xml.
  • Note: If you have never installed the Handheld OS before then the vendor.xml file will not be on the PC and you can skip this step.
• Plug the device into the PC using the USB cord and make sure Desktop Manager is closed.
• Remove the battery from the device

Wipe The Device

• Wipe the device using Jl_Cmder (JavaLoader Commander).
  • Note: This may take several attempts to connect to the device, so keep trying until it connects and wipes.
• The device will reboot to a white screen with a ’507′ error. 

If the device will not connect and wipe after several attempts ,then follow next steps:

• Disconnect the device from the PC, begin Command Line Tasks process.
• Start a Command Prompt in DOS from the PC (Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Command Prompt)
• Change the directory to: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader
  • To navigate to this directory follow instructions below:
    • From C:\ prompt type:
    • cd Program Files <hit enter>
    • cd Common Files <hit enter>
    • cd Research In Motion <hit enter>
    • cd AppLoader <hit enter>
• Make sure Desktop Manager is not running
• Connect BlackBerry to the PC
• Enter the following command in the Command Prompt window: loader.exe /nojvm

Installation

• The Application Loader Wizard window will open
• Click on Next
• You will get a drop down list with the COM ports and one USB port entry
• Select the one which says USB:UNKNOWN. If you do not see USB:UNKNOWN or USB:BBPIN, then follow instructions listed below:
  • Disconnect the device from the PC.
  • Keep the Application Loader Wizard window open
  • Remove the battery and put it back
  • While the red led is on, reconnect the device to the PC. The led will only stay on for a few seconds
  • When USB:UNKNOWN appears in the drop down list, you need to immediately select Next
  • The loader should now connect to your device and you will be able to reinstall the OS

Install OS and Restore

• Open Desktop Manager and select Application Loader
• Install the OS by following the prompts and selections
• The device will reboot. It can take up to 15 minutes for the 1st boot
• Restore the previously made backup or re-sync
• Install the battery back into the device and unplug from the PC.

1. Open the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
2. Click Help and select About Desktop Manager.
   
   
3. The software version is displayed.
   NOTE: The following software versions are examples. The actual displayed versions may vary.
   • 3.6.0.x = No Service Pack
   • 3.6.1.x = Service Pack 1 (SP1)
   • 3.6.2.x = Service Pack 2 (SP2)
   • 4.0.0.x = No Service Pack
   • 4.0.1.x = Service Pack 1 (SP1)

There are some interface differences between the BlackBerry Desktop Manager versions.

• Interface for BlackBerry Desktop Manager 3.6
  
• Interface for BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.0
  
  
• Interface for BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.1
  
• Interface for BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.2
  

• Interface for BlackBerry Desktop Manager 4.6

Short Message Service (SMS) is a communications protocol allowing the interchange of short text messages between mobile telephone devices, or to short codes, such as  “21212″ for using Twitter.

In order to use the SMS service Twitter you are first required to create a username and password with Twitter. Then, once you’ve found some people to follow, you’ll need to enable SMS updates in order for them to be sent to your mobile device everytime one of your peeps decides to let out a “tweet”.

Currently the SMS option for Twitter is disabled in Canada. See below for alternative options.

Quick SMS Commands for Twitter

Alternative Options (Click here for more info on the following applications)

• There are 3rd party applications available to download to your BlackBerry device, the most popular being Twitterberry or Tiny Twitter. These will install a software program to your device that will provide an interface for you to use to access Twitter. Other Twitter applications available are BlackBird and Twibble.
  • These applications will incur data usage, not SMS, so please ensure that your wireless service provider has set you up with a data package to prevent any data charges on your next invoice.
  • Keep in mind that any issues you have with apps will have limited or no support in regards to troubleshooting for your wireless service provider.
• Also, the final option would be to bookmark the mobile Twitter website in your favs, and then just log in to check out everybody’s updates. Again, this requires a data plan.

SMS language or Textese (also known as chatspeak, txt, txtspk, txtk, texting language or txt talk) is the English language slang used in mobile phone SMS, social networks and instant messaging.  The objective of textese is to use the fewest number of characters needed to convey a comprehensible message.

Common Abbreviations

1. Press the Send key.
2. Press the Menu key and scroll down to select Options.
3. Select Voicemail.
4. Access number and Password will be displayed for programming the voicemail.
   • The access number should display automatically. If not, contact your service provider.
5. Press the Menu key and select Save.