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Why are there five categories of Step 1 tutorials? Which is the right one for me?

My Step 1 tutorials (for 4.x firmware) all revolve around one website (Jailbreakme.com), and four programs for Mac users: greenpois0n, limera1n, PwnageTool, and redsn0w. Below is a brief summary of their differences.

Greenpois0n: firmwares 4.1, 4.2.1, 4.2.6 - iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4 - AT&T & Verizon

This is a one click jailbreaking program with no user configurable options. This program requires 4.1, 4.2.1, or 4.2.6 firmware to already be on your iPhone in order to jailbreak it. In order to retain your unlock (if currently on 4.0 or 4.0.1, firmware and using an iPhone 4 on the AT&T network only) use the TinyUmbrella program to preserve it. Used for jailbreaking only. You must use the stand alone program ultrasn0w for unlocking. Allows you to install Cydia after the jailbreak process is complete.

iPhone 4 owners can read a tutorial if they are a member. To become a member click here.    Members can read the AT&T jailbeak only tutorial here, or the jailbreak and unlock tutorial here. If you use the Verizon network, read the jailbreak tutorial here. Non-members can view a sneak peek tutorial for the Verizon jailbreak here.

Jailbreakme.com: firmwares 4.3 - 4.3.3 - iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4 (AT&T, Verizon) Use your iPhone to surf to a website and you are jailbroken in a minute. No computer needed. Requires your iPhone to be activated. Has no user configurable options and installs Cydia by default. You must use the stand alone program ultrasn0w for unlocking (if you have the correct modem firmware). Read the tutorial here.    To become a member click here.

Limera1n: firmware 4.1 - iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 - AT&T

This is a one click jailbreaking program with no user configurable options. This program requires 4.1 firmware to already be on your iPhone in order to jailbreak it. In order to retain your unlock (if currently on 4.0 or 4.0.1, firmware and using an iPhone 4 only) use the TinyUmbrella program to preserve it. Used for activating, and jailbreaking only. You must use the stand alone program ultrasn0w for unlocking. Allows you to install Cydia after the jailbreak process is complete. This program is very similar to the greenpois0n program in the way it works and the exploit it uses to jailbreak with.

iPhone 4 owners can read a tutorial if they are a member. To become a member click here.    Members can read the tutorial here. This tutorial can be applied to the iPhone 3G S as well, however you will lose your ability to unlock should you use this program. I will not be creating a 3G S tutorial for this very reason.

PwnageTool: firmwares 4.2.1, 4.2.6, 4.3.1, 4.3.2, 4.3.3 - iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4 - AT&T & Verizon Does not require you to be on a specific firmware before use. You will create a custom firmware file with PwnageTool and restore with that. Is a more in-depth program offering a simple mode and an expert mode for greater control over custom firmware creation. Used for activating, and jailbreaking the iPhone. You must use the stand alone program ultrasn0w for unlocking the iPhone. Creates a custom ipsw file that you can use to restore with (wipes out your current settings and personalization of the phone) again and again. Allows you to decide whether or not you want to install Cydia and additional programs. Allows custom root partition sizing. Allows you to add custom boot and recovery logos (iPhone 3G only). These tutorials are available to members only. To become a member click here.    Members can read the tutorial here.

Redsn0w: firmware 4.2.1 - 4.3.3 - iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4 - AT&T & 4.2.8 Verizon Requires you to already be on the firmware you intend to jailbreak! This means you have already updated or restored. This is the biggest difference between redsn0w and PwnageTool. It will also activate your iPhone. You can not unlock the iPhone by using this program, you will use the ultrasn0w program (available through Cydia) to unlock with. Is a more basic program offering only one mode for custom firmware creation. Does not create a custom ipsw file that you can use to restore with again and again. However, it does not erase your personal settings once they have been configured. Allows you to decide whether or not you want to install Cydia. Allows you to add custom boot and recovery logos. These tutorials are available to members only. To become a member click here.    Members with an iPhone 3G can read the tutorial here. Members with an iPhone 3G S / 4 (AT&T only) can read the tutorial here (jailbreak only). Members with an iPhone 4 (Verizon only) can read the tutorial here (jailbreak only).

The Jailbreakme.com website, PwnageTool, redsn0w, and ultrasn0w programs are distributed for FREE by the iPhone Dev Team. Limera1n is distributed for free by George Hotz. Greenpois0n is distributed for free by the Chronic Dev Team. I link (from within my tutorials) to the download locations for these programs. Do not pay for these programs! I know there are shady businesses out there that sell them!

Once you are jailbroken and unlocked, I have in-depth setup guides for using an iPhone 4 contract free on the following networks: AT&T's GoPhone plan, Simple Mobile and T-Mobile. These include instruction on making EDGE/3G, tethering, FaceTime and MMS (except receiving media) work. All other functions of the iPhone will behave as before except for the lack of Visual Voicemail which is a contract only feature with AT&T. To become a member you must donate a minimum of $5 to my site. You can do that here.

How to retrieve firmware files directly from Apple

If you need to download firmware restore files from Apple for any version of the iPhone, I have those links at this page. I also have an in-depth description of the features added for each release.

Downgrading firmware

Apple wants all iPhones to be on the most current firmware and modem firmware. This can be counterproductive to jailbreaking and unlocking however. It usually takes some time before a new jailbreak and unlock are released. For some they may not care for the new features in the firmware and would rather stay on an older version of firmware. Others may immediately upgrade to the new firmware as soon as it's released and want to go back to older firmware for whatever reason. The ability to downgrade the main firmware (4.2.1, 4.1, etc.) does exist. Except for the original iPhone, all other iPhones require Apple's approval to install older firmware which they won't provide. There is a method of getting around this using the Cydia program and/or the TinyUmbrella program.

What happens is these programs masquerade as Apple's server and approve the restore request for older firmware. However there is one caveat: doing this does not downgrade the modem firmware. This process can still be very useful as in most cases the inability to downgrade the modem firmware may not matter as the iPhone will still function as a phone. I have a few tutorials which demonstrate how to downgrade the firmware.

Downgrade instructions for the iPhone 4 (members only).

The topic below describes this process more in-depth and would benefit you greatly if you read and understood this subject.

What is an ECID SHSH and how do I save it?

Get your SHSH on file with Cydia as soon as possible. This enables you to either downgrade your main OS firmware, or simply restore to an older firmware that Apple is no longer signing. See Saurik's site (for a complicated explanation) or my page (much less complicated explanation) for more information. While you can use an SHSH to downgrade your main OS firmware, it will not downgrade your modem firmware (also called baseband). When you have your SHSH on file with Cydia, Cydia will display a similar message toward the top of the screen. In my example I have SHSHs on file for multiple firmwares meaning I can always restore to any of those firmwares at any time.

There are a few issues in relying solely on Cydia to retrieve your SHSH. Sometimes Saurik's server gets overloaded (like it did around the release of the Spirit jailbreak on May 3rd, 2010, and when any new firmware is released) Cydia users saw this message at the top of the screen because of it. Pretty unhelpful if you need to restore your iPhone right now to an older firmware, isn't it? Even when Saurik's server is operating normally it still takes days or even weeks for it to cache your SHSH for a newly released firmware because millions of other people are trying to do this as well. Finally, you must be jailbroken to use Cydia to retrieve your SHSH. Another programmer by the name of Semaphore addressed all these issues with a program he created called TinyUmbrella. You can now acquire your saved SHSH files from Cydia, or from Apple and store them on your own computer. It will also configure iTunes so that it will verify any restores you need to perform without having to manually edit a hidden system file on your computer. This program will also create the SHSH file. I have written a tutorial based on this method here. Unlike Cydia, you do not need to be jailbroken to use this program. Read this thread, and this thread for more information. To learn more about the iTunes verification process, read this article by iGuru.

This is what the TinyUmbrella program looks like (version 5.00.03 pictured).

Step 2: Okay I've jailbroken, now what?

This tutorial is to be read after you have jailbroken your iPhone. It gives instruction in the use of Cydia, how to maintain it, and how to install applications with it. It also provides a list of recommended applications (within the context of using this site). Used in conunction with this page you are reading now, I'm hoping this ties up all the loose ends in the iPhone hacking scene.

What else does your site offer?

My website's navigation bar is seen below. It can be found at the top of every page. The start here button contains some important information along with all the jailbreaking and unlocking guides. The hacking menu contains more advanced tutorials covering other aspects of modifying the iPhone's file system. The miscellaneous menu contains some reference information and tutorials like how to rip your personally owned DVDs and place them on the iPhone. The news feeds menu contains links to official iPhone Dev Team sites and Twitter feeds and some good iPhone forum sites. The donate button should be obvious. Explore all the various menus to learn how to do even more with your iPhone.