Receiving an error code (1109) in the middle of the restore on iPhone 11

I have resolved the issue. It appears to be a problem with ISPs or routers preventing connections to Apple servers. While restoring from the Apple Devices app, you need to be connected to a mobile hotspot. It worked for me, and I hope it helps you as well.

Same issue here with multiple device models. I determined on iOS 18.0.1 that the issue was a mismatch in the SHA256 checksums of the various ipsw files, indicating some sort of corruption (I downloaded them multiple times). Today I have downloaded iOS 18.1 ipsw files for multiple device models (XR, 11, 12, 14 & 15) and the checksums appear to match for this version, but I just had an iPhone 12 fail restore with error 1109. I manage a large fleet of Supervised DEP devices and am regularly restoring them, so this is proving very frustrating. Apple Devices 1.5.0.160 (1.1280.40963.0) and Windows 11 Pro Version 23H2. Never used to have problems using iTunes for over a decade and only switched to Apple Devices when iTunes would not detect an iPhone 15.

I should also add, while I have had issues with restore of iOS 18.0.1 and 18.1, I have no issues restoring the same devices to iOS 17.7, which fortunately is still being signed by Apple for the moment. So there definitely seems to be a problem with iOS 18 ipsw files.

Me too on a Intune supervised iPhone 14. I am using iTunes on a Windows 11 Pro laptop.

Connection with the apple servers is not smooth. I have to click many times "update" and "restore" until it gets the download started.

"There was a problem downloading the software for the iPhone "devicename". The network connection was reset. Make sure you networking settings are correct and your network connection is active, or try again later."

I have been getting errors 2002 and 1109.

After the first failed restore attempt, the serial number is not displayed anymore (n/a).

Connecting the iPhone to the laptop or turning it on always displays the recovery mode screen on the iPhone with the support.apple.com/iphone/restore at the top, the laptop icon at the middle and the lighting cable with an arrow towards the laptop at the bottom.

iTunes was not responsive a few times I had to close it with task manager.

I repaired the app via Windows settings, installed apps. Did not seem to help.

After failed restore attempt 2, I uninstalled the app, restarted the laptop and installed it again from the Microsoft Store.

So far no changes in behaviour.

This is a workaround and not a solution to this problem as not every iPhone user is going to have an Android device lying around to use as a hotspot. I’ll probably end up escalating this to Apple Engineering via our company account and hopefully get a better solution for us all.

Also, I found a workaround for this yesterday. I reinstalled iTunes instead of using the Apple Devices app. iTunes was not detecting iPhone 15 devices when the Apple-issued USB-C to USB-C cable was in use, which is why I originally switched to the Apple Devices app, as this was detecting iPhone 15 devices when the Apple-issued USB-C to USB-C cable was in use. However I purchased both a generic USB-C to USB-A data cable AND a USB-C Socket to USB-A Plug Adaptor (thankfully my non-Apple PC still has USB-A ports), and when using either, iTunes was now able to detect the iPhone 15 and update/restore/DFU to iOS 18.1 via ipsw file works without issue. So the issue is definitely with the Apple Devices app with respect to the device update/restore/DFU error 1109 and also, iTunes cannot detect devices connected via the Apple-issued USB-C to USB-C cable (or perhaps USB-C to USB-C cables generally, although it can detect earlier devices connected via Lighting to USB-C cable), at least with my PC under both Windows 11 and Windows 10 before that. Hope this helps somebody :)

Another workaround I've found that worked was using a VPN to update the iPhone using Apple Devices.

In my case, I used PIA (Private Internet Access) on my Windows 11 PC and reattempted to update my iPhone 15 Pro to 18.1, after that never once saw any error code appear, especially the 1109 error while the update was installing.

I figured this would be useful for folks that don't have a Wi-Fi Hot-Spot available to them to connect to to work around this silly issue.

My ISP is Xfinity and I'm wondering if other folks are using Xfinity as well while encountering this error.

I hope this helps

I had exactly same issue with downgrade from 18.1 to 18.0.1, error code was shown 1109. For many times it got stocked DFU mode forever and can't update nor restore, until I tried to connect through my alternate android phone (suggested by Lacatusuuuu), somehow I was able to restore but not update, finally got out of this **** hole!!! Thank god!!!

I forgot to mention that, to ensure all connections go through the hotspot’s DNS, I completely disconnected the laptop from the network, restarted it, and only then connected it via USB to an Android phone. If it still doesn’t work, you could try using a SIM card from a different provider. Hope this helps.

Later I did also do a ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew plus a ipconfig /flushdns. Probably a two or three Windows restarts too during the whole session.

I kept getting the message "the network connection was reset", I kept insisting, closing iTunes, disconnecting the iPhone cable, turning it off, connecting it again, turning it off while connected, then setting it again in recovery mode. I wanted to try and put in it DFU mode but it seems I did not succeed even once as I never saw in iTune "phone in DFU mode" nor a permanent black screen on the device Complete Guide: How to Activate DFU Mode on iPhone for Efficient iOS Recovery.

Other variables I played with were using different USB-A and C ports, non-Apple lightning cable and original Apple lightning cable.

My internet connection was good all the time, wifi.

Eventually, after many, many attempts, one download completed correctly again and it did restore the iPhone without failing at about 50-55% bar progress like the previous times. It was finally back 'alive' again at the Hello OOBE stage and out of the recovery mode.

Loads of perserverance. I began investigating whether using ipsw files (I did not know that existed) could be applicable as fix in production but in the end it was not necessary.

hope this helps

https://www.reddit.com/r/applehelp/comments/1gnja3a/ios_181_update_errors_1109_3194_network_timeout/

https://github.com/nooneknowspeter/iOS-issues

Thanks for this but unfortunately has not worked for me. I’ve tried hotspots on two iPhones and with and without a VPN enabled on each. I’ve also tried with and without the same VPN on the laptop itself. Same error in all cases.

Thanks for this! I tried multiple times using the Apple Devices app and kept getting stuck at 50%. ITunes wasn't recognizing the phone at all initially. I uninstalled and re-installed ITunes and was finally able to do a full restore!!

I gave hotspot from an android device, maybe that s the difference

Thank you, you saved me today!