Cellular data being used instead of WIFI - ! shown with wifi icon - Nexus 6 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Can be connected to wifi, but for some reason the phone thinks the wifi connection is bad/poor, and then it will use cellular data (there will be an ! in the wifi)
This is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY bad for me because I use a LIMITED CELLULAR DATA plan - and this phone decides on its own to not use what is really usable wifi. I have only had the phone 2 days and it is doing it repeatedly - did it at a hotel (which required username/password) but then every single time I leave the hotel and return, it connects to the wifi, but uses cellular data. If I turn off cellular data [I use Power Toggles app to make it easy], the wifi suddenly becomes acceptable to lollipop and the exclamation mark disappears from the wifi icon and I have internet access (no sign in required as the network remembers my mac id/authorized me for at least 24 hours) - and then I can toggle cellular data back on and it will stay on wifi - UNTIL I leave and return again when it starts all over again.
Similarly, at my home where I have strong wifi - sometimes it just decides not to use it. So, when I look at my phone and see the wifi with ! I have to do the same thing - disable cell data to get it to use the wifi.
This is ridiculous!
This switchover to cell data should at minimum be a user-configurable option. I do not want it doing this!

relaxable said:
Can be connected to wifi, but for some reason the phone thinks the wifi connection is bad/poor, and then it will use cellular data (there will be an ! in the wifi)
This is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY bad for me because I use a LIMITED CELLULAR DATA plan - and this phone decides on its own to not use what is really usable wifi. I have only had the phone 2 days and it is doing it repeatedly - did it at a hotel (which required username/password) but then every single time I leave the hotel and return, it connects to the wifi, but uses cellular data. If I turn off cellular data [I use Power Toggles app to make it easy], the wifi suddenly becomes acceptable to lollipop and the exclamation mark disappears from the wifi icon and I have internet access (no sign in required as the network remembers my mac id/authorized me for at least 24 hours) - and then I can toggle cellular data back on and it will stay on wifi - UNTIL I leave and return again when it starts all over again.
Similarly, at my home where I have strong wifi - sometimes it just decides not to use it. So, when I look at my phone and see the wifi with ! I have to do the same thing - disable cell data to get it to use the wifi.
This is ridiculous!
This switchover to cell data should at minimum be a user-configurable option. I do not want it doing this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
go into the main phone settings, wifi, three dots at the top right, advanced, now disable scanning always available

simms22 said:
go into the main phone settings, wifi, three dots at the top right, advanced, now disable scanning always available
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already was disabled. (That was the option I chose when I set the phone up).

Related

WIFI? 3G?

I'm in the UK, and using a Touch Diamond.....on Vodafone 3G. When I'm connected to WIFI, I obviously want to use that for data, rather than use up my precious data allowance.
When I'm connected to a WIFI connection, how do I know Opera/IE/Email are using WIFI - and not my 3G connection? There are times when I'm in my house, and I know it's using my phone data connection, as it's just so slow (very limited reception 3G in my house)....whereas the WIFI should be pretty fast.
i COULD be wrong here.... but the way i know is if the WIFI icon at the top shows connected. If you rphone cant find the WIFI, it'll always divert to a data connection. Play with your phone around the house, see where you get connectivity and how strong to your wifi.
luigi_sa said:
i COULD be wrong here.... but the way i know is if the WIFI icon at the top shows connected. If you rphone cant find the WIFI, it'll always divert to a data connection. Play with your phone around the house, see where you get connectivity and how strong to your wifi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I know when I'm connected to WIFI and how strong it is....what I want to know is how I know whether my phone is using 3G/GPRS - when I am connected to WIFI and want it to use WIFI and not my phone network. There seems to be no indication to show you are actually 'using' the WIFI network over the phone network....
Settings > Communication Settings.
Turn data connection off, turn wifi on.
Do that before you use internet and your sorted.
On both my Diamond and Touch Pro, the Wi-Fi icon appears on the task bar when Wi-Fi is available. Same goes for 3G.
Also note that some programs call for a certain connection method automatically. For example, you will note that some programs initiate 3G instead of using your Wi-Fi connection. Hopefully, there is a configuration option for such apps.
Cheers.
i don't know if you notice it, but if you are connecting through E or H or G or 3G.. the reception bar instead of the antenna you will get the corresponding letter if you are currently connected to one of them
As long as your WiFi is on and none of those letters are showing up.. you will be fine

Toggle between WiFi and mobile data with tasker

Hello. Does anyone knows how to make a script for tasker which switch mobile data off if WiFi is connected and mobile data back on if there's no WiFi connection? For the last 3 or 4 hours I'm searching for this and can't find nothing.
Also, I want if there's no WiFi network, to switch WiFi off (so mobile data will be turned on).
I managed to do something, but it didn't worked. When I enabled the profiles with WiFi and mobile data both turned on, the mobile data turned off, then WiFi off, then mobile data on and so on, in a loop.
Wouldn't that be redundant? The os already does that.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Thanks for the response. I know that if WiFi is connected, I'm using the internet from it, but mobile data is still active, right? Even if there's no traffic from mobile data, that's still on. Wouldn't that be a source of battery drain?
I set my data to turn off if my phone is connected for 5 minutes to a wifi. Important: set collision handling to 'abort existing task'.
Here you got pictures.
Edit:
if you are further interested in battery savings, you can read my thread "[BATTERY LIFE] How to get up to 7+h of screen-on-time"
This is absolutely redundant and unnecesary, when the phone connects to a wifi, it disables 3g/LTE data connection by itself. When you connect to a wifi you can see how the 3g/H/H+ icon above radio signal dissapears. The radio chip inside this phones can be used in Wifi mode or 3g/4g mode for data connection, but not both at a time. It is technically not possible.
Accidentally sent from my Xperia Z using Tapatalk
RoberM said:
This is absolutely redundant and unnecesary, when the phone connects to a wifi, it disables 3g/LTE data connection by itself. When you connect to a wifi you can see how the 3g/H/H+ icon above radio signal dissapears. The radio chip inside this phones can be used in Wifi mode or 3g/4g mode for data connection, but not both at a time. It is technically not possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The moment you don't have wifi anylonger, the phone starts a fullburst search for wifi and 3G/4G networks (even if I don't want wifi/data at the moment). and this drains a hell of a lot of battery. then (if you go out e.g.) it finds a 3g/4g-connection which it tries to keep up (drains a lot battery) and in the same time searches for wifi-networks (also drains battery)... very inefficient use of battery
So I deactivate data after 5 mins automatically via tasker and turn it on manually when I need it (could also automate that, but I'm lazy). This way I circumvent all these battery drains
Additionally:
Under normal circumstances I'd also set wifi to "turn off if not connected" (in settings) and "optimize wifi for battery life", but I use a custom stock kernel that has issues with these settings so I need to leave wifi on all day
sea2605 said:
The moment you don't have wifi anylonger, the phone starts a fullburst search for wifi and 3G/4G networks (even if I don't want wifi/data at the moment). and this drains a hell of a lot of battery. then (if you go out e.g.) it finds a 3g/4g-connection which it tries to keep up (drains a lot battery) and in the same time searches for wifi-networks (also drains battery)... very inefficient use of battery
So I deactivate data after 5 mins automatically via tasker and turn it on manually when I need it (could also automate that, but I'm lazy). This way I circumvent all these battery drains
Additionally:
Under normal circumstances I'd also set wifi to "turn off if not connected" (in settings) and "optimize wifi for battery life", but I use a custom stock kernel that has issues with these settings so I need to leave wifi on all day
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Click to collapse
Umm, ok... But this has nothing to do with what the OP asked, or what I said.
You may try e-robot from play store.
I have a command for that, after wifi disconnects, wait for 30 sec. If still wifi is not connected, automaticcaly disables wifi.
Same as for bluetooth. When i leave my phone in my desk and gone for a while, 60 sec later disable bt.
You can do what ever you want.
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk

Keep cellular data active when connected to WiFi

So I can't seem to find anything that answers this anywhere.
I have some remembered WiFi networks which are open but require me to hit OK on the login page once I connect in order to use the internet. If my phone is in my pocket it will connect to these networks but not be able to access the internet until I go through the login procedure.
I notice though that my phone drops the cellular data connection as soon as it connects to the network giving me a large amount of time with no data at all. I have searched high and low for the setting that will keep cellular data permanently active but I cannot find it. When I look in settings I see:
Mobile data
Use my data plan when Wi-Fi isn't available.
If I tap that I see no option to change anything that would always keep the data connection alive. I see only the following
Data roaming
Data roaming sound
Access point names
Network mode
Network operators
In Power I have Power saver switched Off and Sleep mode switched Off.
Does anyone know how I can enable this?
Thanks

Auto Turn Off Mobile Data When Connected to WiFi

Does anyone know of an app that will automatically turn off mobile data when i'm successfully connected to a WiFi connection have have internet access through it.
The app should do something like this...
1. Check for WiFi connection
2. If WiFi = connected, then test WiFi connection
3. If connection = Good, then turn off Mobile Data, else leave Data connection ON
If you suggest Tasker, then you better follow it up with a full write-up on how to set it up on Tasker.
I believe (someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that Android is programmed to use wifi when it's available, even though your data connection looks as if it's on.
If you're not happy with that, Automate It should be able to do something for you. I have Automate It Pro set to turn off wifi & data at midnight, for example, to avoid the nuisance of emails pinging me in the middle of the night. And it switches wifi & sync on at 09:00 each day. Very useful tool, simpler than Tasker, so no tutorial from me...
There are a few Automate apps in the Play Store - it's this one:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=AutomateIt.mainPackage
This free version allows you 3 (as I recall) triggers - if you need more it's not too expensive to buy Pro.
I use RadioControl to handle that for me.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nikhilparanjape.radiocontrol&hl=en
It requires root, and it's not perfect. But it works well enough for me.
[NG]Owner
Try smart radio xposed module.
pr0ndigy said:
Does anyone know of an app that will automatically turn off mobile data when i'm successfully connected to a WiFi connection have have internet access through it.
The app should do something like this...
1. Check for WiFi connection
2. If WiFi = connected, then test WiFi connection
3. If connection = Good, then turn off Mobile Data, else leave Data connection ON
If you suggest Tasker, then you better follow it up with a full write-up on how to set it up on Tasker.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tasker does it pretty simply, but it needs root access..
Set up (2) tasks - I called mine Data Off & Data On. You will need to select "Net/Mobile Data" and then set "On" or "Off" respectively. Next set up your profile. Select "State/Net/Wifi Connected", and leave everything empty and save. This will trigger the profile when any wifi is connected. (Optionally, you could set it to your home or work wifi, etc). Your "task" will be "Data Off", then add an "exit task" for "Data On" (by long pressing the Data On and selecting "exit task").
dahawthorne said:
I believe (someone will correct me if I'm wrong) that Android is programmed to use wifi when it's available, even though your data connection looks as if it's on.
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Click to collapse
^^^^ This. Android has done this for years. Some devices have the ability to keep mobile data on with wifi, but those usually default to OFF.
Note in the screenshot below that my Cellular network state (mobile data) is "Disconnected"
Pkt_Lnt said:
^^^^ This. Android has done this for years. Some devices have the ability to keep mobile data on with wifi, but those usually default to OFF.
Note in the screenshot below that my Cellular network state (mobile data) is "Disconnected"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interestingly, I bring up the same screen on my phone (when connected to wifi) and it shows cellular is still connected??
jbaumert said:
Interestingly, I bring up the same screen on my phone (when connected to wifi) and it shows cellular is still connected??
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Click to collapse
Do you have a ROM that has that option and it is enabled?
Pkt_Lnt said:
Do you have a ROM that has that option and it is enabled?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Running SIX ROM - Just checked, that option is disabled in the Dev Settings / connected to good wifi / and cellular is active...
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Now it is a question for that rom dev.

adaptive wifi

I have it enabled and it says it auto turns off WiFi and back on when near used wifi locations but it doesn't do that at all. Does it simplyeave WiFi on but low energy?
Screenshot l
Yeah it works.
How do you know it doesn't do it? Cellular phones hand off betwixt cellular and wifi all the time.
When and how often it does is based on some under the hood shenanigans that we dont know about.
marctronixx said:
How do you know it doesn't do it? Cellular phones hand off betwixt cellular and wifi all the time.
When and how often it does is based on some under the hood shenanigans that we dont know about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I drive away from my house. WiFi stays on but not connected. Screenshot says wifi will turn on when near known connections but it never turns off ?
masri1987 said:
I drive away from my house. WiFi stays on but not connected. Screenshot says wifi will turn on when near known connections but it never turns off ?
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Click to collapse
I don't think it's supposed to turn off. What that phrase means is that it will connect to WiFi when it's near a saved access point and will use mobile data when none are nearby, but WiFi will still remain on.
What adaptive WiFi does is it will use mobile data even if it's connected to a WiFi access point if the WiFi signal is bad.
I'm not sure what adaptive wifi supposed to do, I have it off and it switches between wifi and cell as it should. Is it switching in the middle of data transfer or something? Because right now I probably drop connection if move outside wifi range and will be on cell tower on the next redial. But to tell truth I never tested it.
So basically it's a gimmick, because Wifi as it is, will auto-connect to previously connected networks as long as you had wifi on. If i'm interpreting the screenshot properly the feature "turns on" wifi, therefore, it must be able to turn it off? I've even manually turned it off to see if it will turn itself back on when i get back home and nothing either.
No documentation on Samsung's site as far as i can find
masri1987 said:
So basically it's a gimmick, because Wifi as it is, will auto-connect to previously connected networks as long as you had wifi on. If i'm interpreting the screenshot properly the feature "turns on" wifi, therefore, it must be able to turn it off? I've even manually turned it off to see if it will turn itself back on when i get back home and nothing either.
No documentation on Samsung's site as far as i can find
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically if you're connected to WiFi but have crappy signal like .2 kbps, it will start using your mobile data even if you're still connected to that WiFi. With adaptive WiFi turned off, it will keep using the crappy WiFi connection until you manually turn WiFi off or manually disconnect from the crappy network. Pretty much the reverse of WiFi calling (use WiFi if phone signal is crappy). Note the exceptions sentence at the bottom, it will not use mobile data even if the WiFi has a crappy signal if the crappy WiFi is exempted.
The "turn on" statement is correct, it will automatically turn on and connect to WiFi when it's in range of "trusted" access points (similar to "trusted devices" and "trusted places") but there is no automatic "turn off", at least, it hasn't done that while I've been using it.
OK i see what you are saying
wifi does not PHYSICALLY TURN OFF. wifi is still connected--the phone will auto switch to the stronger of the two. it won't turn the on screen "switch" off if that is what you are looking for.
its not a gimmick. it works if you are in an area with robust wifi and/or cellular. its supposed to work "in the background" so you don't know its going on.
google fi kinda does this. since google fi uses tmobile and sprint, the phone auto switches between the two carriers depending on which is stronger at the time. i've seen this happen by monitoring an app.
masri1987 said:
So basically it's a gimmick, because Wifi as it is, will auto-connect to previously connected networks as long as you had wifi on. If i'm interpreting the screenshot properly the feature "turns on" wifi, therefore, it must be able to turn it off? I've even manually turned it off to see if it will turn itself back on when i get back home and nothing either.
No documentation on Samsung's site as far as i can find
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not a gimmick at all. I work at a hospital that has wireless routers throughout that all piggy back the same access point. I see Adaptive wifi in action all day. Keeps me from losing my connectivity from my work portal.
don't think I want to have this on: I have limit on my cell data, let's say I start downloading something large, let's say 5- 10 GB movie from Amazon on wifi, then I go to my upstairs bedroom, wifi gets weaker, so it switches itself to stronger cell tower and eats my whole month data allotment in one evening, before I even notice? And all I had to do is keep the phone downstairs, next to the router to avoid it. Or am I missing something?
harveydent said:
Basically if you're connected to WiFi but have crappy signal like .2 kbps, it will start using your mobile data even if you're still connected to that WiFi. With adaptive WiFi turned off, it will keep using the crappy WiFi connection until you manually turn WiFi off or manually disconnect from the crappy network. Pretty much the reverse of WiFi calling (use WiFi if phone signal is crappy). Note the exceptions sentence at the bottom, it will not use mobile data even if the WiFi has a crappy signal if the crappy WiFi is exempted.
The "turn on" statement is correct, it will automatically turn on and connect to WiFi when it's in range of "trusted" access points (similar to "trusted devices" and "trusted places") but there is no automatic "turn off", at least, it hasn't done that while I've been using it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what happens to me when I leave home. My phone (old Note 7) will stay connected to my home network but won't be able to pull down any data from the net. It has to be manually turned off.
Sent from my SM-N950U using XDA-Developers Legacy app
thanks for the education!!
Any 3rd party apps you can recommend that would do what i am looking for?
so an update. It work exactly how it says it would. I had to drive 7 miles out, but wifi automatically turned off, even with scanning off, once i got home it turned back on.
I like it. It works great for me.
masri1987 said:
so an update. It work exactly how it says it would. I had to drive 7 miles out, but wifi automatically turned off, even with scanning off, once i got home it turned back on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, that's the thing. I noticed my WiFi would automatically turn off sometimes and sometimes not, and I couldn't reproduce it reliably. It's most likely either distance or time you have to be away from the "trusted" access point.
Congrats, now you can forget about toggling WiFi forever!
I think this setting has been screwing with my wifi related Tasker profiles. Suspect it really does turn wifi off.
I used to switch my wifi off manually when leaving the house.
All this #[email protected]\%! public wifi, blocking my internet because asking to log in....
Any shop or restaurant where you walk in does it.
And you do not know it, till you search the web and see that there is no internet at all till you switch your wifi off or log in to the shops fishing routers.
Adaptive wifi is a must have and a great improvement.
E.g. walk in a MacDonald's with adaptive switched on or off, you will see it is mother's little helper.
You need to have enough data from your provider of course.
Huib
masri1987 said:
thanks for the education!!
Any 3rd party apps you can recommend that would do what i am looking for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ifttt on Google play store
marctronixx said:
How do you know it doesn't do it? Cellular phones hand off betwixt cellular and wifi all the time.
When and how often it does is based on some under the hood shenanigans that we dont know about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that is some sweet use of the English language!

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