Error 3194 in iTunes: causes and fixes

Most owners of mobile devices from Apple at least once in their life faced with any errors in iTunes, which arise when updating the firmware of the gadget or recovery. Error 3194 in iTunes is one of the most common. If you try to restore the device or update the operating system, you do not need to rush into the service center immediately, as you can fix this situation yourself for free and without leaving home.

First of all, it should be noted that no one is immune from the appearance of the code "3194". An iTunes error on recovery occurs on any device, and this does not mean that the device is damaged or the user does something wrong. Often errors occur because of the work of programs on the computer that are responsible for security. Also, the cause may be incorrect router settings or problems related to Apple servers.

Error 3194 in iTunes: general information

This error can occur in a variety of cases. Most often it is related to the operation of the operating system or programs, but these are not the only reasons.

Error 3194 in iTunes occurs in such cases:

• Device recovery.
• Updating the operating system.

In the event that the error appears at the time of recovery, the user on the screen of his computer will see a warning that the gadget could not be restored, since an unknown error occurred with the code "3194".

When updating, a similar message pops up, which says that the operating system could not be updated.

Causes of error

In order to understand the reasons for the error 3194 in iTunes, it is necessary to consider the whole process of device recovery step-by-step.

1. The program downloads the firmware file from the company's servers.
2. The archive with the firmware is unpacked.
3. The device is in recovery mode.
4. The device update is checked. At this point, iTunes sends a request to the update server in order to sign the firmware file with a special unique certificate.
5. After the firmware is signed, the recovery process begins. At this point, the company's logo is displayed on the device's display, as well as a status bar showing the progress of the process.

If the response from the update server is not received after the certificate signature request has been sent by the certificate, the same error occurs. IOS is not updated.

Categories of causes of the error

The reasons fall into two categories:

• Software.
• Hardware.

In order to diagnose the cause, you need to monitor the moment in which it occurs.

If the error occurs before the logo and the status bar appear on the screen or when it starts filling, the reason is software.

If the error appears already in the actual firmware process, which is usually at 75 percent, then the cause is hardware.

Software reasons

If the error turns out to be software, the reasons for its appearance are:

• An out-of-date version of iTunes on the computer.
• Address filtering, antivirus or firewall.
• The hosts file contains the redirection of program requests to third-party servers.

Hardware reasons

It must be said that error 3194 occurs not only in case of problems with the software. If it appears at the moment when the status bar is about 75 percent full, then we can state with absolute certainty that the reason lies in the hardware stuffing - the malfunction of the device's modem or its power.

Correction of error

So, the user sees the code "3194" - iTunes error. How to fix it? The method depends on the causes of the occurrence. If there is a hardware failure, you should contact the service center. It is unlikely to repair the device yourself.

If the reason lies in the software, then it can be fixed on its own.

Sometimes an error occurs because of an outdated version of iTunes. In order to fix the problem, you need to update the program to the current version. You need to do this only through the official website.

If the problem is with the hosts file, then you need to check it. In the event that it contains extra lines, they must be deleted. To do this, you need to find the file on the system drive, open it through a text editor and delete all the lines that look like "xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx gs.apple.com". After that, the computer is recommended to reboot.

If the reason is to filter addresses, antivirus or firewall, then it is difficult to determine the cause of the error unequivocally. It is necessary to do the following:

• Completely disable the software responsible for security. This is done only for the time of restoration.
• Disable TCP / IP filtering in the router settings.
• Remove the router or router from the chain that connects the computer to the Internet. This means that you need to connect the computer directly if the access is wired.

Is there a 3194 error in all versions of the operating system in iTunes? IOS 7-th version and below it are exposed more often than newer ones.

Thus, applying the above-described methods, it is easy to fix it.