I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing.
Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
mds54 said:
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing.
Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
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Click to collapse
1) That's upto you. If your speeds suck, or are in a terrible reception area (switching between 4G and 3G a lot, or stuck in 3G), then Wifi can be faster.
2) If you lose 3G/4G data, it may not connect to wifi unless your configured network is nearby. Normally, wifi will be always connected unless you're out of range of that particular signal.
3) Make sure Wifi is switched on. (switch will be blue in the on position). If you don't see any networks, then there are none. You may have to add networks manually, but thats because its not broadcasting its SSID (ie making itself visible), but thats usually in like a corporate environment.
4) I have noticed that being on Wifi saves me some battery than being on 4G, but your results may vary.
I can only offer advice on the first one. I also have unlimited data but I use wifi whenever possible. Wifi doubles my battery life. Using 4g all the time kills it way too quickly.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
mds54 said:
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
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Click to collapse
if you're happy with your speeds then no. WiFi does save battery though.
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
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Click to collapse
No, because WiFi isn't always on (or shouldn't be), and won't automatically turn on. You'll have to turn it on manually if 3G/4G isn't available.
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing. Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
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Click to collapse
If there's no WiFi around you, then there's no WiFi around you... The only reason you'd have to manually enter a network is if you're at home and aren't broadcasting your SSID, so you won't pick it up on a scan. You should elaborate more on this.
These comments make me think you don't understand how WiFi works....
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
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Battery optimizer apps don't always know what's best. Usually how they work is they'll turn off WiFi when you get out of range of your house or other specific location (via GPS). Then enable when they "know" you're at home (again, by GPS). Usually its easier to just have a toggle widget for WiFi and turn it on when you're at home if you want it.
I think this additional info may be useful:
Wifi is not a feature of your phone service through your provider. It is a completely different technology that replaces, not amplifies, your 3g/4g connection when it is on and connected. When you are using your phone's data connection, you are connected to the internet through your phone provider, which is also functioning as your Internet Service Provider (in your case, Verizon).
A wifi signal only exists when a wireless device is broadcasting it locally. Most often this is a wireless router in someone's home, office, or a store that offers wifi for its customers. In this case, your internet connection goes through the router, then to a hard-wired internet connection off to whatever ISP the service is paid for through.
It is a much shorter-range technology than your cell service. As such, while your phone will eat through your battery boosting its signal if it can't connect to a cell tower, your phone will use much less energy looking for wifi signals.
If you are absolutely sure that you will not be connecting to wifi networks in your daily travels, you should turn wifi off and not worry about it. If you have an existing wifi connection at home/work, then leaving wifi on and letting it connect will save you battery when you are within range. The idle drain of wifi when it is looking for networks is fairly low, so if you are going to be spending large amounts of time in wifi zones, you might as well just always leave it on.
If your phone shows no wifi available by a scan, chances are very slim that there is a non-broadcast network that you would be able to connect to manually; someone is keeping it hidden and it is most likely password-protected as well. Most private networks will be visible to a scan, but are probably password protected. You will need to connect to these manually; your phone will not alert you to their presence. Your phone will automatically let you know if there is an unprotected network in range. By default, if wifi is enabled, it will automatically connect to any network that comes into range that you have already connected to.
Wow, you guys are good! Thanks!
Related
I will be spending a few weeks up in Canada for cold weather testing. According to Sprint, there is no available service where I will be, even if I sign up for the $4.99 Canada roaming plan.
However, I will have wifi available. Will my Evo make a data connection using wifi, without cell coverage?
As long as you turn of 3g and ONLY use wifi, no that only uses wifi data, not sprint data.
I really want to be sarcastic, but I realize everyone doesn't have the same level of networking knowledge that I do.
Your Evo will work fine on wifi. If you're worried about perhaps incurring any roaming charges, just turn on airplane mode and then re-enable wifi.
Sent from my phone with the geebees
Guys, thanks for clarifying. I never use wifi so I didn't know when it might/might not work. Plus I was starting to get nervous about the possibility of a few weeks with no data service. Thanks for your patience!
What about getting an airwave unit or whatever its called, that will allow you to use your phone like normal with the airwave connected the internet.
dont expect sms/mms to work over wifi, they need the mobile data connection to transfer
with an airrave? unit the phone would believe its connected to a sprint tower and work normally, if you can do it that would be best, airrave? would need an ethernet connection to the internet
NewZJ said:
dont expect sms/mms to work over wifi, they need the mobile data connection to transfer
with an airrave? unit the phone would believe its connected to a sprint tower and work normally, if you can do it that would be best, airrave? would need an ethernet connection to the internet
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AIRAVE has a GPS receiver in it, and it won't work outside the US.
Does the Wifi Calling app save more battery? I've noticed the network signal turns off when I enable Wifi Calling
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Yes, saves LOTS of battery. Big difference when wifi calling is on.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Expanding on OP:
Does WiFi automatically supersede data as well? And if so, is there battery saving in that case?
alpharomero said:
Expanding on OP:
Does WiFi automatically supersede data as well? And if so, is there battery saving in that case?
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Click to collapse
When you turn on WiFi, all data goes through WiFi assuming that there is a good signal on it (aka if WiFi is so bad there is no data throughput, the phone will turn mobile data back on). The phone will always choose WiFi and turn off mobile data. Some/most people say that this saves battery because the phone isn't always searching for mobile data. I'd say that this is more true if you're in a situation where there is poor/low 3G reception but good WiFi reception. I almost never use WiFi because I get full bars and good 3G speed at home. I see no reason to use WiFi in this situation as my phone isn't searching for better networks.
As far as WiFi Calling goes, in the settings of the app you can choose to have the phone "Prefer WiFi"/"Prefer Cellular"/"WiFi Only". Same thing here. If I use WiFi calling, I choose "Prefer WiFi" because if for some reason my WiFi goes down while I'm not using the phone I want the mobile network to come on so I can receive calls without having to toggle back. A situation I could see where "WiFi Only" would be applicable is if you're traveling and want to use WiFi for calls if you have a data-only prepay SIM, or if you're in an area with only Roaming coverage and you would want to just use WiFi to make calls.
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
There are comcast wifi hotspots all over the place here. They can come in handy when the LTE signal is weak or nonexistent. But my phone, through the connection optimizer i assume, will connect to any comcast wifi hotspot no matter how weak the signal is even when there's a full strength LTE signal.
So very often I have a great data connection of LTE and my phone suddenly switches to a hotspot with barely one bar of signal. It even does this when i at home with my own wifi. There's a comcast hotspot near my house, but far enough away that the signal is pretty poor. If my phone happens to see the comcast hotspot as I'm driving home and it connects to that, it'll stay connected to that even though my own home wifi signal is at full strength.
Basically, this 'optimizer' is nothing of the sort. It's a pretty dumb application since all it seems to do is connect to any available wifi regardless of the signal strength of the hotspot or over the cell network - and it never bothers to check if there's a better connection once it's connected to something.
Is there any way to make this app even half way intelligent? Or an app i can replace it with?
merkk said:
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
There are comcast wifi hotspots all over the place here. They can come in handy when the LTE signal is weak or nonexistent. But my phone, through the connection optimizer i assume, will connect to any comcast wifi hotspot no matter how weak the signal is even when there's a full strength LTE signal.
So very often I have a great data connection of LTE and my phone suddenly switches to a hotspot with barely one bar of signal. It even does this when i at home with my own wifi. There's a comcast hotspot near my house, but far enough away that the signal is pretty poor. If my phone happens to see the comcast hotspot as I'm driving home and it connects to that, it'll stay connected to that even though my own home wifi signal is at full strength.
Basically, this 'optimizer' is nothing of the sort. It's a pretty dumb application since all it seems to do is connect to any available wifi regardless of the signal strength of the hotspot or over the cell network - and it never bothers to check if there's a better connection once it's connected to something.
Is there any way to make this app even half way intelligent? Or an app i can replace it with?
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Click to collapse
You're right; it's retarded. Hint: only use it enabled when you want to connect to that Wi-Fi or the type of Wi-Fi that requires the agreement to terms each time you connect. The Optimizer has shown some convenience where a user may roam between that type of Wi-Fi hotspot and data connection.
Android seems smart enough to remember Wi-Fi with typical login. I was on a tire shop today and auto connected to Wi-Fi without looking into remembered Wi-Fi connections (I left Wi-Fi enabled when I left home; often enough, doesn't interfere with cell data when I need it). I freeze the Connections Optimizer and only thaw it when it seems logical.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
merkk said:
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
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lol ?
You may want to disable Smart Network Switch in advanced wi-fi settings also.
catseyenu said:
You may want to disable Smart Network Switch in advanced wi-fi settings also.
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Click to collapse
what does that feature do?
And does anyone know of an connection optimizer that is actually half way intelligent?
thanks
merkk said:
what does that feature do?
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Click to collapse
What it's supposed to do and the user experience seem to be 2 different stories.
Every discussion I've read on it recommends killing it.
http://www.conanhughes.com/2014/01/how-to-disable-auto-network-switch-on.html
catseyenu said:
What it's supposed to do and the user experience seem to be 2 different stories.
Every discussion I've read on it recommends killing it.
http://www.conanhughes.com/2014/01/how-to-disable-auto-network-switch-on.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
from the article there, it sounds like i am having the opposite problem - my phone isn't jumping from wifi to lte, it's jumping from lte to wifi even if the wifi signal is crap.
I have a Verizon G4 and have one major gripe.
At my workplace, the wifi is somewhat spotty and it's a guest network that requires authenticating (clicking an "i agree" button)
So my phone will, throughout the day, as it detects the "weak" signal, automatically turn off that network due to "unreliable internet connection".
Even as I'm back in an area with a strong signal, now my phone is ignoring that and stuck trying to use mobile network. I have to go into my network list and manually tell it to reconnect.
During all of this, wifi is enabled the entire time.
I see where others have had the same problem on other phones and have turned off "Smart Network Switch" and I even read where someone had done this on a LG G4 (not verizon).
So I'm thinking this is something Verizon removed. Anyone have any ideas?
Smart Network Switch is just a feature that checks for a "data" connection over wifi and switches to use Mobile Data if WiFi loses internet access.
I am not sure the G4 has this. When I am connected to WiFi with a bad signal, it will just send me a popup telling me the WiFi has no internet access and whether to use Mobile Data or not. The feature you are looking for is "Avoid bad WiFi Connections", which is the same thing with a different name. Just make sure that is OFF. That will force WiFi to use WiFi as the only connection.
And it sounds like your wireless network sucks and needs to be upgraded to a corporate solution.
Just FYI, in my WiFi > Advanced WiFi settings, I have everything unchecked + "Keep WiFi on when screen is off" = Yes.
Well "avoid bad Wi-Fi connections" is off. Read on another forum that the mobile version I think it was had the smart network option.
I have the same options as you except I also allow Wi-Fi scanning.
I have tried with that one both on and off and see the same behavior.
I never get a popup, it just ignores that wifi connection and used mobile data. When I look at my Wi-Fi list, it'll say something about unreliable internet connection in small text,on the Wi-Fi network that it disconnected from. Surely I'm not the only one seeing this.. :/
Beats me. Sounds like the Access point you are connecting to has a bad internet connection. What is happening is you are connected to the WiFi and it notices that the WiFi AP is either dropping internet connection (Google pings google servers to test connections) or bouncing.
In order to keep from losing a data connection, it seems to be switching to your cellular network.
I see this often because we install APs (I am a network engineer). I think your phone is trying to protect you and that is normal behavior. Here is another scenerio: In a hotel, wifi is always set to OPEN. If your phone automatically connects to the hotels network, you will lose a data connection because Hotels require you to "sign-in", just like most free wifi places do. The phone sees that your phones WiFi connection is not accessing the internet and making sure you are good.
I am not sure how often it "checks" the wifi for a good connection or if it ever does once it switches.
I've read (and THINK I understand) what smart switch is supposed to do (going all the way back to the Note4.
And it seems like the complete opposite of what wifi calling does.
Anyone care to explain the difference or real reasons one is used over the other?
Also on a related note, in the developer options category there is an option to turn on "Aggressive Wi-Fi cell h.."
With the explanation "switch from wifi to mobile networks more quickly when wifi signal is weak"
Kind of self explanatory and my question would be real work use. If you have unlimited data, any reason you would NOT want to check this?
Unless this just sounds great, but doesn't work well......
Thoughts?
vtcats said:
I've read (and THINK I understand) what smart switch is supposed to do (going all the way back to the Note4.
And it seems like the complete opposite of what wifi calling does.
Anyone care to explain the difference or real reasons one is used over the other?
Also on a related note, in the developer options category there is an option to turn on "Aggressive Wi-Fi cell h.."
With the explanation "switch from wifi to mobile networks more quickly when wifi signal is weak"
Kind of self explanatory and my question would be real work use. If you have unlimited data, any reason you would NOT want to check this?
Unless this just sounds great, but doesn't work well......
Thoughts?
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Click to collapse
Smart switch imports the data from your old phone when you switch to a Samsung phone; WiFi calling routes voice traffic over WiFi when available.
Sorry, I meant to say Smart NETWORK Switch. It says your phone will be connected to a mobile network if Wifi becomes unstable.
And Wi-fi calling kinda of says the exact opposite. If mobile becomes unstable, it will switch to Wifi......
Anyone?
Many times.. even when the wifi signal is weak, as long as wifi is turned on, the phone will remain connected to it. This especially happens when you are just pulling out of your house and you are trying to get to google maps for directions or something.. but because the phone is still connected to your home wifi, it'll remain so and since the connection is weak, you won't be able to browse or anything and google maps may say "no network connection".
I believe what Smart Network Switch does, is that in such cases, it'll immediately switch to mobile data.
androidbuff123 said:
Many times.. even when the wifi signal is weak, as long as wifi is turned on, the phone will remain connected to it. This especially happens when you are just pulling out of your house and you are trying to get to google maps for directions or something.. but because the phone is still connected to your home wifi, it'll remain so and since the connection is weak, you won't be able to browse or anything and google maps may say "no network connection".
I believe what Smart Network Switch does, is that in such cases, it'll immediately switch to mobile data.
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This happens to me every morning in my driveway trying to route Waze. I get a weak wifi signal that the phone hangs onto and I get a no network error from Waze.