IPhone 4s :: WiFi Grayed Out And After Resetting Cannot Search For Connection To Activate

I've had a grey area over my wi fi button, and this stopped me from using wi fi, I couldn't turn it on or off it was frozen. so I looked it up on the internet and support and followed. I reset the network setting and it worked.... however its happened again and after resetting the network settings. I reset the full phone and erased everything. so I've done that. now i am stuck with an iPhone 4s that wont allow me to search for a wi fi connection to activate the phone. its suggesting i activate through cellular ( no internet on sim so cannot ) or I have to type in the name of the wi fi and security and password. tried to enter it and it freezes but still shows that its joining when it clearly isn't. my opinion is the full WiFi on the phone has malfunctioned and I cannot activate the device because of this.