Not sure why this is or if this is true with other phones or just the G2X BUT...
If you connect to an WiFi AP that is 802.11G instead of 802.11G/N or just 802.11N your battery life will drastically improve.
I have a Wifi AP with 802.11G/N and was using it all this time. I decided to switch it to G only and wow, the battery drains a lot less than when on N.
Seems odd but it is what it is. Not sure if this has anything to do with reboots (most of mine have been on WiFi) but will report back if I still see reboots while on Wifi now that I'm on G.
Try it out and post your experiences.
What I've tried is setting the Wi-Fi to never turn off and it's saved a lot of battery when sleeping. I heard somewhere that letting the Wi-Fi turn off while the phone was sleeping causes it to go back to 4G/3G to push notifications/refresh data and that takes much more battery than if the phone had just been on Wi-Fi to begin with. Only lost 3% in an hour.
Setting > Wireless and Networks > Wi-Fi Settings > Menu Button > Advanced Settings > Wi-Fi Sleep Policy > Change to Never. I know it sounds weird, but try it out yourself.
Already have that set. Use Never on all my Android phones.
dj75728 said:
What I've tried is setting the Wi-Fi to never turn off and it's saved a lot of battery when sleeping. I heard somewhere that letting the Wi-Fi turn off while the phone was sleeping causes it to go back to 4G/3G to push notifications/refresh data and that takes much more battery than if the phone had just been on Wi-Fi to begin with. Only lost 3% in an hour.
Setting > Wireless and Networks > Wi-Fi Settings > Menu Button > Advanced Settings > Wi-Fi Sleep Policy > Change to Never. I know it sounds weird, but try it out yourself.
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Click to collapse
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
Although I use a Desire HD I have had massive problems since the beginning when wifi was on.
Since then I have read countless hours and have tried almost everything I read but to no avail.
I also tried changing the router settings from 802.11 b/g auto to 802.11 G only and that worked for a day or two giving me good batt life but then the drain came back again...
I am almost sure that the router is the prblem but until now I have not found a definitive solution to this...
Related
This may sound like a bit of noob question but please hear me out. This is my first Android device and I'm coming from a iPhone 3G. I am having much worse battery life than I expected, even compared to a 2 year old battery in my iPhone. With the iPhone it was possible to disable 3G and just use EDGE to increase battery life, but EDGE is unacceptable for me. I also found that turning on WiFi seemed to increase battery life rather than running on 3G all the time, since I am always near WiFi. It seems like running two radios would use more power than running 1 but that was not my experience. I rationalized that by assuming the 3G radio had to broadcast its signal a much longer distance than the WiFi and therefor used more energy. So the more the iPhone used the lower power WiFi radio for data the better. Are my assumptions correct? Which radio uses more power? With my iPhone I left 3G and WiFi on all the time and never thought twice about it, at the end of the day I would have about half a battery left, with this Captivate I can barely make it through a day. I saw a suggestion in another thread to adjust the advanced WiFi setting to never disconnect WiFi to improve battery life, that person seems to make the same assumptions I have. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you.
wifi uses less power then 3G does. When you turn on wifi and there is a network that you can connect to 3G will turn off.
Glad my assumptions were correct. So it would make sense then that if you were at a place where you knew you couldn't get WiFi it would save power to turn it off so it would stop searching. Do you agree that going into WiFi Settings -> Advanced -> WiFi Sleep policy and change "when screen turns off" to "Never" would help? So that all background data goes over wifi and not 3G?
nbarsotti said:
Glad my assumptions were correct. So it would make sense then that if you were at a place where you knew you couldn't get WiFi it would save power to turn it off so it would stop searching. Do you agree that going into WiFi Settings -> Advanced -> WiFi Sleep policy and change "when screen turns off" to "Never" would help? So that all background data goes over wifi and not 3G?
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Click to collapse
Interesting, I have no "advanced" option under "WiFi Settings".
Push the menu button while in thet WiFi settings page and go to advanced.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
WiFi always being on wastes even more battery. Phone calls and texts still have to go through 3G.
kitsuneracer said:
Push the menu button while in thet WiFi settings page and go to advanced.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
DOH!
Thank you!
That is the only inconsistency with android - when to look for more menus via the menu key.
spyz88 said:
WiFi always being on wastes even more battery. Phone calls and texts still have to go through 3G.
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Click to collapse
I think it also depends how much data you are using. If you are streaming music or video - the battery should last longer with WiFi doing it - even if 3G is on.
If you are not doing much data, then the act of having 3G and WiFi on is counterproductive.
spyz88 said:
WiFi always being on wastes even more battery. Phone calls and texts still have to go through 3G.
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Click to collapse
why? couldnt it just use regular edge for phone calls and text?
I saw several posts suggesting that leaving WiFi on where you have WiFi connection helps you to save the battery which I'm finding pretty strange. I thought WiFi actually drains battery faster then anything else. Are savings due to the fact that WiFi is more efficient then 3G or does it actually holds true that it saves battery?
All things being equal, Wi-Fi uses less power than 3G. Wi-Fi radio waves don't have to go as far, so they're easier to generate. When Wi-Fi is on, 3G is off, so you'll save power if you're actually transferring data.
A lot of programs will initiate data transfers by themselves when connected to Wi-Fi though, so perhaps that is why some will notice higher drain when Wi-Fi is on.
Also, if Wi-Fi is left on and you are on the move, your battery will drain since your phone is constantly searching for available networks.
Unless you've changed the settings, however, when your phone's screen it off it switches back to 3G to handle data.
artisticcheese said:
I saw several posts suggesting that leaving WiFi on where you have WiFi connection helps you to save the battery which I'm finding pretty strange. I thought WiFi actually drains battery faster then anything else. Are savings due to the fact that WiFi is more efficient then 3G or does it actually holds true that it saves battery?
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Click to collapse
Yes, as Scotty said above me...
ScottyNuttz said:
All things being equal, Wi-Fi uses less power than 3G. Wi-Fi radio waves don't have to go as far, so they're easier to generate. When Wi-Fi is on, 3G is off, so you'll save power if you're actually transferring data.
Also, if Wi-Fi is left on and you are on the move, your battery will drain since your phone is constantly searching for available networks.
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Click to collapse
This however, is untrue. At least for me. I run the leaked 2.2 and my WiFi is always on at home, my data connection is never active. I check this by dialing *3282# and hitting send.
ScottyNuttz said:
Unless you've changed the settings, however, when your phone's screen it off it switches back to 3G to handle data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I have wifi switched on I lose around 5 to 10% an hour. With it off I lose 1 to 2%. I don't have anything set to sync differently via wifi. I only have a few apps that sync data and those are set to do so every 4 hours or so.
I have tried leaving it both on and off overnight to test this and every time I've left it off I woke up with a full battery. If I leave it on I have to charge again in the morning.
When I'm going out I turn wifi off so that my phone isn't constantly searching for signal.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
miztaken1312 said:
This however, is untrue. At least for me. I run the leaked 2.2 and my WiFi is always on at home, my data connection is never active. I check this by dialing *3282# and hitting send.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the Wi-Fi advanced settings (Hit Menu when in the normal wi-fi settings), there is a Wi-Fi Sleep Policy (which specifies when to switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data)
By default, my device was set to 'When screen turns off'. the other options were 'Never when plugged in' or 'Never', I switched mine to 'Never'. You should notice that when you turn your screen on, the wifi icon doesn't show up right away. Of course, I'm on 2.1, so this may be different in 2.2, but check it out.
For me, I get no cell signal in the building at work so I need to keep wifi on. If I turn it off my battery drains fast from the 3g radio constantly trying to lock on a signal.
It depends in the quality of your 3G connection, but all things equal I have seen that using WiFi instead of 3G does save battery, when the WiFi is connected of course. Anytime a radio is constantly searching for a signal or trying to hold a weak signal, power usage tends to go up.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
ScottyNuttz said:
All things being equal, Wi-Fi uses less power than 3G. Wi-Fi radio waves don't have to go as far, so they're easier to generate. When Wi-Fi is on, 3G is off, so you'll save power if you're actually transferring data.
A lot of programs will initiate data transfers by themselves when connected to Wi-Fi though, so perhaps that is why some will notice higher drain when Wi-Fi is on.
Also, if Wi-Fi is left on and you are on the move, your battery will drain since your phone is constantly searching for available networks.
Unless you've changed the settings, however, when your phone's screen it off it switches back to 3G to handle data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out Y5 Battery Saver.
This app turns your wifi on/off based on the cell towers that you are on. You just connect to wifi, enable the app, and it remembers what cell towers you were on while you were in range of that wifi location. as soon as you are off of those towers, it turns off wifi. to add new wifi locations, just disable the app, connect to the hot spot, and re-enable the app.
This gives you the best of both worlds. you get to save battery while you are using wifi and when you are out of range it doesn't continually search for new wifi networks to connect to.
ScottyNuttz said:
In the Wi-Fi advanced settings (Hit Menu when in the normal wi-fi settings), there is a Wi-Fi Sleep Policy (which specifies when to switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data)
By default, my device was set to 'When screen turns off'. the other options were 'Never when plugged in' or 'Never', I switched mine to 'Never'. You should notice that when you turn your screen on, the wifi icon doesn't show up right away. Of course, I'm on 2.1, so this may be different in 2.2, but check it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whenever I turn my screen on, my wifi icon is right there. No delay in it showing up. I don't remember ever changing the sleep policy when I updated so I believe this is the default behavior for 2.2
drwx said:
Check out Y5 Battery Saver.
This app turns your wifi on/off based on the cell towers that you are on. You just connect to wifi, enable the app, and it remembers what cell towers you were on while you were in range of that wifi location. as soon as you are off of those towers, it turns off wifi. to add new wifi locations, just disable the app, connect to the hot spot, and re-enable the app.
This gives you the best of both worlds. you get to save battery while you are using wifi and when you are out of range it doesn't continually search for new wifi networks to connect to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 on Y5. There are a few other apps in the market that claim to do the same thing, but I think Y5 is by far the easiest to set up and works really well. Nice little utility so you don't have to keep remembering to turn off the wifi manually when you are out of range.
Now if I could just find a app that does the same for my bluetooth when it is near my car....but that I think is much harder to do without it actually polling.
Don't know if this has been already figured out, but I have been suffering from wifi calling drops every 3 to 5 minutes, and nothing I could do would fix it... Was sent a replacement phone, and that was even worse.
For whatever reason, after running the wifi calling app, go under settings
Settings >> Connection Preferences >> SET TO Wi-Fi Only
This stopped my wifi from dropping my calls.
The downside to this is obviously, you need to change this setting once you are outside or where you no longer want to use Wi-Fi calling. Switch to Wi-Fi preferrered OR Cellular Preferred.
Does anyone know if a script could be written to do this from the desktop... using Gscript??? I am sure I could figure it out well enough to write it...
did you ever check your wifi sleep policy settings?
default state, i believe, turns off wifi when the screen turns off. I have mine set to 'never'.
Not sure --- where is wifi sleep?
But I know I tried to use Wifi Fixer from the Market, and I am sure that this app would do this as it was supposed to fix wifi connections.
Go into Settings, then WiFi settings, then menu button, then advanced settings. Sleep policy is first option. Set to never..but it will lessen your battery a bit...
EtA
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA App
My m8 at some times usually during the night will disconnect my wifi and use my mobile data, which it should not do because in the power settings I have the sleep mode set to off and I have all power saver crap removed with viperone 1.8 I"am just on a limited data plan that I need all of my data for and wasting my mobile data sucks especially when I have wifi to use and pay for home internet that it should be using. Does anyone know why it could be doing this and a fix ? My computer never disconnects from the wifi and I use it many of the same times that the phone disconnects from my wifi, so that leads me to believe its somewhere in the phone and not my wifi. Also I have had a couple other m8's do the exact same thing. I would like to find a fix other than turning my mobile data off. And I do use a lot of data as I have a large number of email addresses added to my phone and have my k9 set to check for new emails every 10 minutes because I rely on it for personal and business use. Anyone have any idea ?
Here is my settings showing sleep mode off and power saving mode off also.
In "wifi advanced settings" do you have the "auto switch to mobile data when wifi is weak" checked off?
qskile said:
In "wifi advanced settings" do you have the "auto switch to mobile data when wifi is weak" checked off?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No its unchecked but under wifi optimization I have minimize battery usage when wifi is on ? Not sure if that could have an effect but shouldnt because mobile data would use more battery than wifi and that would have the opposite effect to turn wifi off for mobile data which would use more battery power.
Roefastford said:
No its unchecked but under wifi optimization I have minimize battery usage when wifi is on ? Not sure if that could have an effect but shouldnt because mobile data would use more battery than wifi and that would have the opposite effect to turn wifi off for mobile data which would use more battery power.
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Click to collapse
I thought I remembered under venom tweaks somewhere that is has the regular PowerSave mode which has the option to disable data when the screen is off for an exteneded period of time. MAybe its turned on???? Not running the ROM right now otherwise I could look myself. Check it out:good:
mademan420 said:
I thought I remembered under venom tweaks somewhere that is has the regular PowerSave mode which has the option to disable data when the screen is off for an exteneded period of time. MAybe its turned on???? Not running the ROM right now otherwise I could look myself. Check it out:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always set it up to remove the power save mode garbage in the venom aroma installer so 100% that is not the issue.
Roefastford said:
My m8 at some times usually during the night will disconnect my wifi and use my mobile data, which it should not do because in the power settings I have the sleep mode set to off and I have all power saver crap removed with viperone 1.8 I"am just on a limited data plan that I need all of my data for and wasting my mobile data sucks especially when I have wifi to use and pay for home internet that it should be using. Does anyone know why it could be doing this and a fix ? My computer never disconnects from the wifi and I use it many of the same times that the phone disconnects from my wifi, so that leads me to believe its somewhere in the phone and not my wifi. Also I have had a couple other m8's do the exact same thing. I would like to find a fix other than turning my mobile data off. And I do use a lot of data as I have a large number of email addresses added to my phone and have my k9 set to check for new emails every 10 minutes because I rely on it for personal and business use. Anyone have any idea ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try Wi-Fi > Advanced > Uncheck "Wi-Fi optimization"
Had the same problem and this fixed it. Haven't noticed any difference in battery life checked vs. unchecked.
bigblueshock said:
Try Wi-Fi > Advanced > Uncheck "Wi-Fi optimization"
Had the same problem and this fixed it. Haven't noticed any difference in battery life checked vs. unchecked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was the only thing I had not tried so early last night I tried unchecking it and so far so good I think you may be right on that, thanks.
bigblueshock said:
Try Wi-Fi > Advanced > Uncheck "Wi-Fi optimization"
Had the same problem and this fixed it. Haven't noticed any difference in battery life checked vs. unchecked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine is still doing it, so I changed the wifi frequency band from automatic to 5 ghz and rebooted and it connected but some apps could not access data so I changed it to 2.4 ghz only and rebooted it worked ok but its doing it again this time I had to toggle airplane mode to get the wifi back on. I have to toggle airplane mode quite often actually and usually it shows change of sim detected. And some times my mobile data will disconnect and its a ***** to get working again. Maybe I will try going to a verizon corporate store and getting a new nano sim card for it. A verizon dealer could not get a new nano sim to activate before and they ended up getting my old nano sim reactivated which I thought once a sim has been deactivated that they cant reactivate it but apparently they can. I really dont know what else to try other than a new sim card. Anyone ?
Any chance you could temporarily try a different wireless router? Some of these new phones are finicky with some wireless routers... Could be a miscommunication between the phone and router somehow.
Don't really have an explanation, one of my old HTC devices had issues connecting to a specific wireless router, where apple products did not have the problem, and vice versa with a different router.
bigblueshock said:
Any chance you could temporarily try a different wireless router? Some of these new phones are finicky with some wireless routers... Could be a miscommunication between the phone and router somehow.
Don't really have an explanation, one of my old HTC devices had issues connecting to a specific wireless router, where apple products did not have the problem, and vice versa with a different router.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having been the case with at least 3 m8's I honestly do not think its the router because It happened with my old moden and router and also with my motorola surfboard SBG6580 modem / wireless router combination that I switched to a couple months ago. And it will also do the same on my girlfriends modem and wireless router. I think there is something in the m8 that is the problem and one other of the m8's was an at&t version. I"am not 100% sure but it may have all been while using viperone, as there really is not much choices for daily driver custom roms especially since elegancia closed its doors. Dont get me wrong tranquil one m8 is not bad and cleanrom is ok but they are no way as easy to customize as viperone is. Years ago I use to like cleanrom for its DE which was barebones the way I like it, good clean and fast. I just dont trust any of the other roms to be bug free enough to be a daily driver. I have just had too many issues in the past with cm dont get me started on them lol, omg was nothing but fix after fix that you had to do nothing like being a Guinea pig lol.
Wi-Fi not connect after phone is woken from sleep mode
Both my wife and I was having the issue with Wi-Fi. I tried everything ,turning off optimization, setting for 2.4ghz,and every other thing listed. Nothing helped until I flashed the firmware from the digitalhigh thread, took 30 sec and fixed Wi-Fi for good on my wife's m8 and mine. I lost nothing in the process except that very annoying Wi-Fi issue. I was then able to set any options like, Wi-Fi optimization and Auto band detect, everything working great!
Here is link to that firmware...
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=95832962473400175
Just downloaded and save to SD card root and rename to "0P6BIMG.zip" and boot to hoot to install.
Hi everyone,
I am new here, and would like some help with my Nexus 5.
It is running stock rom and everything, Android 5.0.1 LRX22C
I am still setting up, so still using my old phone while I get all the mandatory apps on before i switch my SIM over.
I realised that battery seems to be draining rather quickly even it spends most of its time on just Wifi right beside the router. Cellular connection is not on. So one day I decided to turn it to airplane mode and see what happens.
As you can see from the attachment, WiFi was on all the time even though the phone was on airplane mode. I believe this is the cause of the battery drain. I did not turn WiFi on.
"Scanning always available" was turned off, and the top battery drainer is "Android system", but at only 1%.
(The screenshot was only taken after I reconnected Wifi and downloaded GSam, that explains the notifications.)
Does anyone know the cause of this? I'd prefer if I do not need to factory reset the phone as I am pretty much done setting up everything and I don't want to have to do it all again.
Any help would be really appreciated.
Thanks!
If you go to 'Advanced' there should be an option called 'Keep WIFI on during sleep', click there and then click 'Never' or 'Only when plugged in'. Good luck.
I too had the same problem when i updated to lollipop but after some days of usage i found that in wifi under advance there was a new option scanning always available which was turn on. What this setting do is even if ur wifi is off the app can scan for wifi signals for the location. So if u want to keep ur wifi off just turn off that setting.
I already had it turned off, but the battery settings still reports WiFi as on. Weird thing is GSam says my WiFi is off, so I'm not sure what is the problem now.
It might be the Android System, reporting it uses even more battery than my screen now.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app