I was only able to get the B179 to work by restoring the firmware to factory and removing the updates from the IPO SD card. The original firmware allowed me to do the web config and set the phone up.

I tried with firmwares 2.4.1.5 (from the IPO SD card), 2.4.2.0, 2.4.2.1, and 2.4.2.12; all of these basically shut down the network capability of the B179.