How To Get Mew In SoulSilver: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Mew cannot be caught through standard wild encounters in Pokémon SoulSilver, as it is a Mythical Pokémon originally restricted to limited-time distribution events. Players can legitimately acquire Mew today by utilizing custom DNS server redirection to access archived Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Mystery Gifts on authentic hardware, or by transferring one from My Pokémon Ranch via Generation IV trades. Successfully executing these methods awards an official Level 5 Event Mew inside a Cherish Ball complete with its Premier Ribbon.

Equipment Setup and Hardware Prerequisites for Mew Acquisition

Before attempting to obtain Mew in Pokémon SoulSilver, you must verify your hardware compatibility and network environment. Because Generation IV Nintendo DS titles rely on legacy networking infrastructure, modern wireless security protocols present specific operational barriers that require precise workarounds.

• Essential Hardware & Software:
  
  
  • An authentic physical copy of Pokémon SoulSilver or an unassigned ROM running on original hardware/flashcart.
  • A system from the Nintendo DS family (DS Original, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL) or Nintendo 3DS/2DS family.
  • An Android smartphone capable of creating an Unsecured/Open Wi-Fi Hotspot, or a wireless router configured to support legacy 802.11b/g signals with WEP security or no security.
• Mandatory Game Progress Milestones:
  
  
  • Obtained the National Pokédex or advanced far enough in the main story to unlock the Pokédex from Professor Elm in New Bark Town.
  • Unlocked the Mystery Gift option on the main start menu (automatically appears after receiving your first Pokédex and saving the game).
  • At least one open slot in your active party when collecting Mew from the deliveryman.
• Estimated Time & Financial Benchmarks:
  
  
  • Time Required: 15 to 30 minutes for DNS server configuration and Mystery Gift redemption; 15+ hours if pursuing the My Pokémon Ranch Wii transfer route.
  • Budget: $0 (assuming existing ownership of a Nintendo DS system, SoulSilver cartridge, and an internet connection).

Step-by-Step Workflows for Catching and Importing Mew

Step 1: Network Security Adjustment and Hotspot Initialization

Original Nintendo DS games utilize a legacy network stack that cannot process modern WPA2-PSK or WPA3 wireless encryption. If you attempt to connect your DS to a standard modern router, the console will throw a connection error.

1. Disable encryption on your mobile device's Wi-Fi Hotspot by setting the security type to Open or None. If using an Android device, ensure the hotspot band is set to 2.4 GHz, as 5 GHz networks are invisible to Nintendo DS hardware.
2. If an open mobile hotspot is unavailable, log into your home Wi-Fi router management portal via a web browser (typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1), navigate to the guest network settings, enable a 2.4 GHz channel, and set the security protocol to WEP or Unsecured.
3. Turn on your wireless access point and place the console within 5 feet of the transmitter to avoid signal attenuation.

Warning: Leaving a home network open or set to legacy WEP encryption creates significant security vulnerabilities. Always disable the unencrypted guest network or mobile hotspot immediately after completing the Mystery Gift transfer process.

Step 2: Primary and Secondary DNS Configuration

By redirecting the DS network interface toward fan-maintained archive servers (such as AltWFC or the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Classic Network), you bypass the defunct official servers deactivated by Nintendo in May 2014.

1. Insert Pokémon SoulSilver into your console and boot to the main title screen.
2. Select Nintendo WFC Settings from the main menu (do not enter your saved game yet).
3. Tap Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Settings, then select an empty connection slot (e.g., Connection 1).
4. Tap Search for an Access Point, select your open or WEP-encrypted network from the list, and confirm the connection test fails or proceed directly to manual configuration.
5. Scroll down to Auto-Obtain DNS, tap No, and enter the manual editing sub-menu.
6. Set the Primary DNS address to 178.62.43.212 or 164.132.44.106 (active public archive servers).
7. Set the Secondary DNS address to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 (or 0.0.0.0 depending on your routing setup).
8. Save settings and execute a Connection Test. Once the screen displays a successful connection, return to the main title screen.

Pro-Tip: If using a Nintendo 3DS or DSi system, do not configure this network inside the system-level 3DS Settings menu. Generation IV games run in DS Compatibility Mode and can only read connections configured inside the legacy DS WFC menu embedded within the Pokémon cartridge itself.

Step 3: Mystery Gift Reception and Event Cycling

1. From the Pokémon SoulSilver main start menu, scroll down and select Mystery Gift.
2. Select Receive Gift, then select Get Via Nintendo WFC.
3. Confirm the connection prompt. The console will connect to the custom DNS server and query the event database.
4. The server will transmit a Wonder Card. If you receive a different historical event (such as the Shiny Entei, Raikou, Suicune, or the Liberty Pass), accept the gift, boot your game, pick it up or delete excess Wonder Cards, and repeat the process.
5. Continue querying Nintendo WFC until you receive the card titled "The Mythical Pokémon Mew!" (FAL2010 or AUT2010 distribution).

Step 4: In-Game Verification and Poké Mart Extraction

1. Load your saved SoulSilver game file.
2. Travel to any Poké Mart in the Johto or Kanto region (such as Cherrygrove City or Violet City). Ensure you have at least one empty space in your six-Pokémon party.
3. Speak to the deliveryman wearing a green suit standing adjacent to the shop counter.
4. Accept the gift to receive your Level 5 Mew.
5. Save your game immediately at the counter to write the data permanently to the EEPROM cartridge save chip.

Step 5: Alternative Method – Transferring via My Pokémon Ranch

If you prefer an offline method without altering network parameters, you can acquire Mew legally using a Nintendo Wii, a copy of My Pokémon Ranch, and a copy of Pokémon Diamond or Pearl.

1. Boot My Pokémon Ranch on a Nintendo Wii console.
2. Connect a Nintendo DS running Pokémon Diamond or Pearl via local wireless connectivity.
3. Deposit a cumulative total of 999 Pokémon into the ranch from your Gen IV game save.
4. Upon depositing the 999th Pokémon, the Ranch owner (Haley) will offer a trade: she will trade a Level 5 Mew for any Pokémon egg.
5. Accept the trade in My Pokémon Ranch, receiving Mew into your Diamond or Pearl cartridge.
6. Insert Pokémon SoulSilver into a second Nintendo DS system, open the Union Room or local trade center, and execute a local system-to-system trade between Diamond/Pearl and SoulSilver to move Mew to your Johto save file.

Mew Acquisition Methods Technical Comparison

The following table breaks down the technical parameters, operational constraints, and specifications for obtaining Mew in Pokémon SoulSilver across different methodologies:

Network Configuration Failures and Operational Remedies

Scenario 1: Nintendo DS Error Code 52100 or 52000 (IP / DNS Resolution Failure)

• Root Cause: The Nintendo DS cannot obtain an IP address automatically from your modern gateway, or the custom DNS address entered is temporarily unreachable or blocked by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• Actionable Fix: Manually assign a static local IP address to the DS within your router's subnet range (e.g., IP: 192.168.1.185, Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0, Gateway: 192.168.1.1). If the error persists, change your primary DNS from 178.62.43.212 to 164.132.44.106 or set your mobile hotspot's carrier network to bypass private DNS or VPN filtering.

Scenario 2: Error Code 20110 (Connection Rejected / Discontinued Service)

• Root Cause: The console is communicating directly with official, defunct Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection servers rather than routing traffic through the custom archive server.
• Actionable Fix: Re-enter the legacy connection menu in SoulSilver. Ensure that Auto-Obtain DNS is explicitly set to No. Verify that no secondary saved connections in Slots 2 or 3 are active, as the DS may default to an alternate saved access point that lacks custom DNS directives.

Scenario 3: Mobile Hotspot Invisibility on Nintendo DS Systems

• Root Cause: The mobile hotspot broadcast is broadcasting on a 5 GHz band, or utilizing security protocols newer than WEP (such as WPA2-Personal AES or WPA3).
• Actionable Fix: Access your smartphone's hotspot settings menu. Toggle the broadcast frequency to 2.4 GHz Band. Change the security parameter strictly to None or Open. Restart the hotspot service and search again using the DS network setup tool.

Scenario 4: Deliveryman Fails to Appear inside Poké Mart

• Root Cause: Your active Wonder Card memory bank is full, or the save file has not reloaded correctly after receiving the gift over the network interface.
• Actionable Fix: Open the Mystery Gift menu, select Card Album, and inspect your stored Wonder Cards. If you have reached the maximum limit of 3 cards, delete an existing card to clear buffer space. Re-query the WFC server, save the game, exit to the main menu, and load your save file inside a Poké Mart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Mew obtained via the DNS Mystery Gift exploit considered legitimate?

Yes. The DNS exploit forces your console to query archived data blocks of official Nintendo distributions. The resulting Mew possesses the exact original Trainer Name (FAL2010 or AUT2010), Trainer ID (10160), Cherish Ball, Premier Ribbon, and internal byte data matching the original 2010 10th Anniversary release. It passes all modern internal legitimacy checks, allowing transfer upward through Poké Transporter, Pokémon Bank, and into Pokémon HOME.

Can you encounter a Shiny Mew in Pokémon SoulSilver?

No. The 10th Anniversary event distribution Mew is "Shiny Locked" at the server software level. Its ID, Secret ID, and Personality Value (PID) combinations prevent it from spawning with alternate coloration. The only legitimate way to obtain a Shiny Mew in Generation IV is trading a Shiny Mew originally captured in the Japanese version of Pokémon Emerald via the Old Sea Map event at Faraway Island.

Why cannot I connect Pokémon SoulSilver directly to My Pokémon Ranch?

In North American and European releases, My Pokémon Ranch was never patched to support Pokémon HeartGold or SoulSilver (the patch was exclusively released in Japan). Consequently, Western versions of the Wii title only interface with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. You must transfer your Ranch Mew to Diamond or Pearl first, then execute a standard trade into SoulSilver.

Does the custom DNS method work when playing SoulSilver on a Nintendo 3DS?

Yes, the DNS method works on Nintendo 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, New 3DS, and DSi consoles. However, you must access the Wi-Fi configuration settings through the Pokémon SoulSilver in-game start menu, rather than the primary 3DS System Settings screen. 3DS systems run Generation IV games in legacy DS hardware mode, which ignores modern 3DS system network profiles.

What are the stats and base attributes of the Event Mew?

The distributed Event Mew arrives at Level 5 with base stats of 100 in HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. It comes with the move Pound and holds an Item Prunus/Lum Berry (varies by region). Because Mew is capable of learning every Technical Machine (TM), Hidden Machine (HM), and Move Tutor skill in SoulSilver, it serves as an extremely versatile utility unit.

Optimize Your Generation IV Pokémon Collection

Mastering legacy network configurations unlocks the ability to fully complete your Pokédex in Pokémon SoulSilver without reliance on hardware modifications. Utilize these verified connection strategies to retrieve remaining event-exclusive Mythicals like Celebi, Jirachi, and Arceus to build an exhaustive, fully transferable Generation IV collection.