if i have bouth data and wifi turned on and i am connected to a wifi spot...do i need to turn off the data conection first before it will stop sucking my topup?
shouldnt the device make sure it uses wifi if wireless network is available?
No, you don't need to.
When you connect to a wi-fi connection, the 3G data will automatically switch off (logo on status bar will go away) and it will return when you switch wi-fi off.
funstuffalex said:
if i have bouth data and wifi turned on and i am connected to a wifi spot...do i need to turn off the data conection first before it will stop sucking my topup?
shouldnt the device make sure it uses wifi if wireless network is available?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what?
The phone will prioritize the WiFi connection over the 3G connection unless the WiFi is turned off, it's signal drops out(resulting in a disconnects), or you have the default still set for WiFi to turn off when the screen is off.
Am I right in thinking that although the 3g connection will kick in when the wifi signal is lost the phone will still continue looking for a wifi signal and therefore impact on the battery?
xspyda said:
Am I right in thinking that although the 3g connection will kick in when the wifi signal is lost the phone will still continue looking for a wifi signal and therefore impact on the battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once the WiFi signal it's connected to is lost, it will switch the data 3G connection back on. Once you're out of range of remembered WiFi networks, it does scan for new/known WiFi signals to automatically connect to(only in the case of known signals, it will not try to connect to unknown networks).
As far as impact on battery, I don't think it's much. Only one time has WiFi ever creeped up on my battery use meter and that was on a particularly light day. I still finished my work day at little over 70% battery. There's an app on the market called WiFi Toggle which can help you automatically manage the phones WiFi chip. For instance, one setting will let it turn the WiFi on for a second, scan for known networks and connect if it finds them. If it doesn't, it turns it back off.
That's as I thought, thanks for the confirmation. I'd really like something to make the android phones act like the nokias in this respect - only turn on a data connection when needed (ie when the browser is fired up) and also prioritise the connections such that if a pre programmed known wifi network is available it will connect to that but if not switch to 3g data. There is no scanning for wifi networks all the time.
Nice to know it doesn't seem to impact on the battery though and yes before anyone mentions it I am aware android devices are designed to be always connected
xspyda said:
That's as I thought, thanks for the confirmation. I'd really like something to make the android phones act like the nokias in this respect - only turn on a data connection when needed (ie when the browser is fired up) and also prioritise the connections such that if a pre programmed known wifi network is available it will connect to that but if not switch to 3g data. There is no scanning for wifi networks all the time.
Nice to know it doesn't seem to impact on the battery though and yes before anyone mentions it I am aware android devices are designed to be always connected
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Click to collapse
I've been saying this for a while too. I came from Nokia symbian phones where they initiated the data session only when needed, like opening the browser etc. Android does not do this, instead it keeps a data session on all the time. Anytime you see that 3g symbol on an android phone means its data session is open. This is why android gets such poor battery life across all models and manufacturers.
Take one day as a test and simulate your symbian use by turning off mobile data, and your battery life will sky rocket on your nexus. So really It's just a trade off to make knowing you're always connected vs on others like symbian you need to manually do something to open the connection.
Oh and WiFi gets so much better battery life over 3g on android.
Related
-Does anyone know how to priotize w-lan for internet connections?
It seem that my phone always uses the mobile connections (GSM, 3G etc).
In menu for connections where internet connections can be created, I can't find anyting about w-lan.
This is something I've been meaning to ask about while I wait for the Fuze. By way of background, I have a Cingular 8525 with the original (WM5) ROM, and it drives me nuts using it at home. I only get EDGE inside my house, but the stupid phone persists in making an EDGE data connection instead of using the nice, fast Wifi connection that I just enabled. I use NoData to make sure it doesn't connect via EDGE or 3G, and then half the time it says it says that it can't connect -- even though the icon says that it is connected!! The only way I can reliably connect via Wifi is to go briefly into and out of flight mode, then turn on Wifi before connecting.
I'm really, really hoping that the situation is better with the Touch Pro/Fuze. Can anyone reassure me on that?
it should be accessing wifi first by default i believe...unless other connection is already connected
Hello!
Start first the WiFi Connection and then the Internet Explorer or Opera.
pjo12345
There's this stupid thing with wlan connections in WM - if connection type is set to 'Work', you can browse through files on other computers in (W)LAN at home, but any Internet connection wll be realised through GRPS/3G. To make it connect to the Internet using WiFi, you need to switch wifi type back to 'Internet'.
Maybe that's the thing?
Is there a way how to setup that the WiFi is connected to both (work AND internet)? I never saw WiFi connected only to work network... I assume there is no way but why not to ask ;-)
I know that many others have problem with that, but I didn't find any solution yet...
Because when I set it as work, my Exchange sync is working but no Internet, and when I switch to Internet, opera and QuickpGPS is working, but no Exchange sync (it is trying to open VPN connection because I need to go though inside address to the server because certificates and of course it cannot get it). Or I need somehow set that no VPN will be dealed on this WiFi network...
I need something like BOTH or Auto option.
It seems to be switching from Wlan to G / 3G / H when the signal is not that great. Mostly with the weather tab and Opera. Quick GPS works fine. The way I make sure it is on the internet through wlan is to shutdown the telephone and keep the wlan on with comm manager. The disadvantage is that anyone calling will be heading to your voicemail. Another option is to use the "Nodata" program, en disable to internet connections.
On Touch Pro, I usually just go to COMM MANAGER and switch on wifi and switch off data connection. It is only a couple of quick steps and saves battery, since you don't need both on, if you only want to use wifi.
I am sure there must be a more seamless solution, but I like easy fixes.
wmm said:
I'm really, really hoping that the situation is better with the Touch Pro/Fuze. Can anyone reassure me on that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it is not better. Turning on WiFi is not enough. It will continue to use the cellular data connection until you manually turn it off. This wouldn't be so bad, but in my experience I've had to push the button to turn off the cellular connection multiple times before it would actually do so. What would be really nice is if WM could seamlessly switch from the cellular network to WiFi, with zero user interaction, just like the iPhone does.
I got an other problem with wifi. When I establish a wifi-connection and pull my mail the ppc still connect with a data-canection and didn't use the wifi. My kaiser used the wifi-connection for that.
8notime said:
No it is not better. Turning on WiFi is not enough. It will continue to use the cellular data connection until you manually turn it off. This wouldn't be so bad, but in my experience I've had to push the button to turn off the cellular connection multiple times before it would actually do so. What would be really nice is if WM could seamlessly switch from the cellular network to WiFi, with zero user interaction, just like the iPhone does.
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Click to collapse
I wrote the original post before I had a chance to try it for myself. I've had a Fuze for three weeks now, and it works fine for me. I turn on wifi and the Fuze uses wifi. I turn it off and it goes back to normal wireless. (I did do the registry edits to turn on the HSDPA stuff in the connections tab and enabled the modified connection icons in the menu bar. I don't know if that had any effect on this issue or not, but it does what I would expect now.)
Hi guys,
I am new to amdroid platform. I've been using symbian before this. I want to know as to how do I auto use wifi when. Available without manually turning it on. Below is a use case scenario.
I have configured wifi as well as gprs. I have turned off background sync so as to conserve battery and the wifi is off. Now when my active sync want to connect to server to synchronize emails, it should auto check if I have a nearby wifi already configured. If yes, then turn on the wifi, sync the data and close the connection thereby disconnecting from wlan. If a known wlan network is not available, use the data plan of my service provider to get the job done.
Now I know for sure that when I've wifi turned off, the phone is not always connected to 3G. It uses it only if requested by an application. But when I turn ON wifi, it always remains connected to the known network. I want to avoid this for saving battery.
Please let me know if there is an app for that. I am using HTC DESIRE Z running Froyo (non rooted). I dont mind rooting the phone for this thing but only if a standard way is not available.
Thanks in advance,
Karan
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
I think Juice Defender does exactly what you're looking for.
Or Tasker if you really want to customize and make it location-based.
Good luck, and welcome to Android! I also came from Symbian.
Technically the phone can't know if there is wifi available unless wifi is on..
However, a tool like Tasker can use various contexts in order to determine if Wifi is to be turned on. For example you could use cell tower ID's to determine if you're at a certain (fairly wide area) location, like "at work". Or you could use GPS to get more fine tuned information, however it doesn't necessarily work indoors.
Or Tasker could also turn on Wifi if ActiveSync is running, assuming it's a distinct program it can detect.
I see in the time I opened the thread and responded someone else suggested Tasker as well. It's several bucks but it's well worth it, it does a LOT.
You should try an app called "Y5".
JuiceDefender does this for me. It must use gps positioning to determine if you are in an area that you have as a familiar wireless network. When I am home my wifi turns on and connects automatically. When I leave it shuts it off. JuiceDefender is great for many reasons beyond this.
foppa78 said:
JuiceDefender does this for me. It must use gps positioning to determine if you are in an area that you have as a familiar wireless network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GPS uses tons more battery power than just leaving WiFi on would. It might be using cell tower triangulation for a rough area, but I doubt it. The most efficient way to detect if familiar wireless is near, is to turn the WiFi on for a minute or so and do a scan.
kmmerwana said:
Now I know for sure that when I've wifi turned off, the phone is not always connected to 3G. It uses it only if requested by an application. But when I turn ON wifi, it always remains connected to the known network. I want to avoid this for saving battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WiFi doesn't use power to maintain the connection until it's needed, or something wakes it and it realizes its no longer connected. 3G uses power to track cell tower connectivity and stay connected, but it is very little. WiFi only uses more power when you're in an unfamiliar location, since it actively scans for new wireless networks.
Hi, I'm new to android, but tech aware. Not sure if this is android or Sensation (I'm on XE with thanks to Mike1986).
I use WiFi a lot, but also wander. I tend to forget to turn off the WiFi when I leave work/home/pub - not top of my list!
Whilst I'm wandering I often try to look something up, when WiFi's scanning, and wait for ages.
Shouldn't the 'system' failover to phone data access if WiFi is not connected - or at least ask me for an action?
As I say, I'm new to this - apologies.
Thanks
yes, it should fail over to data if it is not connected to WIFI.
Correct. If you have wifi enabled, leave the area like to work that has no wifi, then yes mobile network takes over.
But I go one above and use Llama location profiles. Where depending where are based on the conditions you set, you can trigger actions using this app. The app is free in the market and is an invaluable tool for me when I am leaving work, heading to the car with my bt and gets connected because I set my condition to look for a bt device if I am no longer connected to my wifi at work.
Gotta love Android
Hmmm. That's not the behaviour I'm seeing. Just thought it was an irritation. Should failover be auto or is there settings (or apps) to control it? I like the concept of profiles ... But you've got to be more organised than I!
nightjar56 said:
Hmmm. That's not the behaviour I'm seeing. Just thought it was an irritation. Should failover be auto or is there settings (or apps) to control it? I like the concept of profiles ... But you've got to be more organised than I!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's auto. Like my n1, whenever I am in range of a known wifi connection, the wifi will auto connect if wifi was left on from the prior location or out of range and back again, if that makes sense lol...
So if you go out and are out of wifi range, and you manually turn off wifi, then no wifi won't auto connect of course.
Yes, that all works fine - when I'm wandering in and out of wifi zones. My gripe/question is :
When I am out of wifi range, and wifi is on (scanning), should the phone fall back to the phone data connection? The behaviour I see is that connecting just hangs until I turn wifi off.
Thanks
Hi all,
I have HTC One S from T-Mobile and noticed a big problem with my WiFi connection.
My phone will connect automatically to the wifi network in my home/work correctly, but when I leave and am clearly out of range of my wifi network (say, a km away), the phone still claims to be connected to the network, but I of course have no actual connectivity. The signal strength it reports has varied, from full strength to just a few bars.
I try giving it a minute, but it seems stuck and refuses to officially disconnect from the network. The only way to fix things is to toggle my wifi on and off, at which point it goes to mobile data since it can't find any wifi networks to connect to.
The thing is that I use Wireless Bluetooth headphones and since I started using my new phone, the signal drops (I believe it is because of the Wi-Fi not disconnecting from the network and is causing disruptions to the bluetooth connection).
Any ideas how to resolve this issue? Thanks.
NeoTheMatrix said:
Hi all,
I have HTC One S from T-Mobile and noticed a big problem with my WiFi connection.
My phone will connect automatically to the wifi network in my home/work correctly, but when I leave and am clearly out of range of my wifi network (say, a km away), the phone still claims to be connected to the network, but I of course have no actual connectivity. The signal strength it reports has varied, from full strength to just a few bars.
I try giving it a minute, but it seems stuck and refuses to officially disconnect from the network. The only way to fix things is to toggle my wifi on and off, at which point it goes to mobile data since it can't find any wifi networks to connect to.
The thing is that I use Wireless Bluetooth headphones and since I started using my new phone, the signal drops (I believe it is because of the Wi-Fi not disconnecting from the network and is causing disruptions to the bluetooth connection).
Any ideas how to resolve this issue? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already being discussed here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1617424
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium
I have Nexus 5 for over a week and waiting for case and screen protector. I left the plastic piece stay on the phone until the day before yesterday. I love the feeling of touch screen without any film or protector on it. I am learning this device.
I have router in my office powered but not working anymore, therefore there is wifi always on but not working anymore. Everyday in the morning, when I am in my office, the phone will detect that wifi auto, of course there is no signal. My mobile data is on all hte time. I have to turnoff wifi from the phone, otherwise I can not, for example, surf internet and check email. In the other words, no internet connection even mobile data is on.
So my question is: why the phone can not pick up mobile data automatically even there is a wifi? I was scared when i first had this problem because I thought my phone is not working. Is there any setting I can try to let the phone pickup signal from either wifi or mobile data automatically?
I'm interested also. Nexus 5 has a difficult time negotiating a signal when the signal is weak. At home, I get a higher powered signal on 2G so I keep it there. Today I noticed "no signal" and emergency calls message most of the day. (hubby's iPhone 4s is on the same service and he's getting the signal). I turned off Wi-Fi (which works perfectly, btw ) and phone signal connected. Treated it several times. Sounds like a hardware defect.
wolfca said:
I have router in my office powered but not working anymore, therefore there is wifi always on but not working anymore. Everyday in the morning, when I am in my office, the phone will detect that wifi auto, of course there is no signal. My mobile data is on all hte time. I have to turnoff wifi from the phone, otherwise I can not, for example, surf internet and check email. In the other words, no internet connection even mobile data is on.
So my question is: why the phone can not pick up mobile data automatically even there is a wifi? I was scared when i first had this problem because I thought my phone is not working. Is there any setting I can try to let the phone pickup signal from either wifi or mobile data automatically?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your wording makes the question a little confusing, but I think you are saying your office router is turned on and available for WiFi connections, but has no internet connection itself to pass through to your phone.
Your phone connects to that WiFi for data, but can't reach the Net through the router. Meanwhile, you could get data through the phone data plan, but that does not work unless you turn off WiFi.
This normal. The phone is designed to use WiFi for data if a connection is available that you have authorized the phone to make. It won't use the phone data plan if connected to the WiFi, as you see. It cannot tell that the WiFi router is not connected to the Net.
I suggest you go into WiFi settings, click on the "ghostly" WiFi entry and tell the phone to forget that connection. From then on, the phone won't connect to that router and will use phone data plan.
What you would prefer would be for the phone to use its data plan as a fallback option, in case it gets hooked up to a WiFi network with no internet access, like at your work. Would be nice as an option, but not the way things work currently.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
wolfca said:
So my question is: why the phone can not pick up mobile data automatically even there is a wifi?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To prevent overage for users that may have limited data plan, the device will always try to use WiFi when enabled. If it can't connect to a WiFi network, it will look for the mobile data if enabled.
wolfca said:
Is there any setting I can try to let the phone pickup signal from either wifi or mobile data automatically?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In your case, since WiFi is "available", there is no setting on the stock ROM that will tell the device to connect to mobile data instead. Think about it this way - your phone is connected to the LAN using the WiFi network. It can reach the gateway, and has a valid IP. It doesn't care about whether it has WAN connectivity or not. So, it assumes that you are connected, and have connectivity.
You could look for apps on the play store that will actually check for WAN connectivity and if not available, disable WiFi (so that mobile data is used instead)
But, the part that I don't understand is this: If you don't have WiFi available, why do you even enable it? Turn WiFi off (disable wifi scanning in advanced settings of WiFi as well), and let mobile data take over instead. Or do you need WiFi elsewhere (say, at home)? If so, there are apps like Tasker that will let you set up profiles to enable WiFi when you are at home, and disable it when you are at office or other locations.
Thanks all for your very helpful reply. Sorry for my poor written English.
My office router does not function properly and I am to lazy to power it off, so my phone still can detect it but of course there no internet access from the router.
I now know I just need turn off wifi from phone and the phone will pickup mobile data auto.