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Have just purchased Motorola Defy.
Have no cellular signal at home. No problem, can run on wifi for internet and also use wifi for calling; Defy feature built in.
Cell standby draining battery excessively, ( 90-100% no signal)= ( 40-50% bat drain). If I use the airplane mode to stop cellular search can use wifi for internet but it disables the wifi calling feature ( known as UMA for blackberries).
Is there an app for the Motorola Defy that will disable cell searching for signal but allow both internet and calling wifi usage??
I am not computer programming savvy at all, you guys are the geniuses.
Love the phone hate this particular cell standby catch 22.
Thanks.
I haven't used this app before but I believe this is what you need, it called "Airplane Mode Wi-Fi Tool"
Here is the description of the app
This tool will help you manage your android phone to connect to Wifi networks (Wireless Internet, or Wi-fi) while on Airplane Mode.
This tool works with any version of Android, including 2.0+, however, it is only necessary if you have a device with Android 1.5-1.6. Android 2.0+ allows Wifi to be toggled while on AP Mode.
Airplane mode by default disables calling in/out, period
Thanks for your reply. I downloaded this app and it does enhance the Airplane mode capabilities but does not resolve the issue of being able to turn off cell standby while still being able to use both wifi internet and wifi calling.
Since I am not on a plane but am, instead, at home I believe what is needed is an app that directly addresses the cell standby searching issue and leaves the wifi settings to behave as intended; enabling the cell phone to fully function via wifi for both internet and calling when there is no cellular signal available, without a ridiculously and unnecessarily huge burden being put on the battery for a completely moot point...
If such an app does not exist then I believe there will be a demand for one and I ,for one, would be happy to donate for such an app.
Again, thank you for your reply.
mtoblr said:
Since I am not on a plane but am, instead, at home
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed the application to see how it works.
When you open the application for the first time there is an instruction how to use the app. Obviously, it was designed to work in real world when one is on airplane. However, if you keep scrolling down the instruction page and read the FAQ section (B) then it tells you how you can configure it to use your wireless settings instead.
I hope that solves your problem.
This is easy: *#*#4636#*#* Go into menu, turn Radio off (toggle ON/OFF in this hidden menu). With radio off both wifi and wifi calling stay active. (USA T-MO)
scrannel said:
This is easy: *#*#4636#*#* Go into menu, turn Radio off (toggle ON/OFF in this hidden menu). With radio off both wifi and wifi calling stay active. (USA T-MO)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was aware of your solution before but I thought that would disable the wireless signal as well otherwise I would have mentioned it. I did a test while my wifi was on and disabled the radio option and the wireless stayed connected.
Thank you for your solution.
CSharpHeaven said:
I was aware of your solution before but I thought that would disable the wireless signal as well otherwise I would have mentioned it. I did a test while my wifi was on and disabled the radio option and the wireless stayed connected.
Thank you for your solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, but unlike airplane mode it does not shut down wifi calling. BTW, I do not understand the power drain issue. I leave my radio on while working all day, but using wifi with the wifi calling app set to wifi preferred and am seeing no heavy drain. Maybe -- under that same menu -- one should check to see that the "preferred network type is "GSM only." When wifi calling is disabled (even if wifi is active) the phone should default to GSM auto (PRL). I have noticed occasionally it will stay in GSM auto (PRL) with wifi calling on and that might cause a drain, but not sure.
Further to the discussions in this thread I just noticed after restarting my phone (off & on) the Mobile Data feature is enabled again.
There is another menu option called 'disable on boot'. Disabling data on boot did not work once I restarted my phone to test it but the menu showed the feature was still enabled unlike 'Disable Mobile Data'.
This is easy: *#*#4636#*#* Go into menu, turn Radio off (toggle ON/OFF in this hidden
Thank you very much for this info. I was unaware of the hidden menu and this does indeed solve my problem. I will also try the GSM only setting first with radio on to see if that resolves the drainage issue.
I'm completely new to android and this forum and think both are great.
Thanks again.
mtoblr said:
Thank you very much for this info. I was unaware of the hidden menu and this does indeed solve my problem. I will also try the GSM only setting first with radio on to see if that resolves the drainage issue.
I'm completely new to android and this forum and think both are great.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"GSM only" should be the default when you are running wifi + wifi calling. Set your preferences in the wifi calling app to either wifi preferred or wifi only. Maybe that will stop your phone from searching for cell signals. However, if you kill the radio using the hidden menu it will for sure stop it from searching for a signal. So, if you are still getting drain, it's something else.
scrannel said:
This is easy: *#*#4636#*#* Go into menu, turn Radio off (toggle ON/OFF in this hidden menu). With radio off both wifi and wifi calling stay active. (USA T-MO)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like with the new OTA update you can't do this anymore.
Hi all,
I just purchased Tasker and was trying to do a simple task that
automatically turn on/off the wifi when I'm at home. All I do is:
Contexts | Tasks
Cell Near | Turn On Wifi
Wifi Near | Turn Off Wifi (Exit task) (optional?)
I also have another profile that simply turn off the wifi when I lock
the screen.
The problem is that whenever I unlock my phone, the wifi is connected
correctly to my home wifi, but after likes 10-30s, the wifi turn
off itself so my phone back to use 3G network, and after 1-2min it
reconnect itself to my home wifi again, this seems to happen again
and again? So what is the problem here? Hope someone experienced with Tasker can help me.
Thanks
you can go to wireless setting -> advanced setting to manually disable wi-fi hibernation upon screen off, or you will be creating an "infinite loop" with your task being triggered repeatedly.
after all, I found this too much a perfect partner to my android, and it actually helps me getting rid a number of applications that likely consume RAM individually.
Done that too but no help. Sometimes when I unlock the screen and although all the requirements are met (Cell Near, Wifi Near), the wifi still not turned on, I go to the wifi setting to check and see that it keep displaying "obtaining ip address from ..." and sometimes it just says "error". Don't know if this is because I use JPE modem with JPY base? Maybe I will try flashing a correct ROM and see if this problem can be fixed.
Cell Near | Turn On Wifi
Wifi Near | Turn Off Wifi (Exit task) (optional?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears to me that this what you have configured.
Cell Near (Cell tower near your home) - Turn on Wifi - Which works
Within range of certain WiFi Ap (Your home WiFi?) - Turn off WiFi - Which could be causing the WiFi to switch off in an endless loop?
Maybe you want to check your config logic?
fullerms said:
It appears to me that this what you have configured.
Cell Near (Cell tower near your home) - Turn on Wifi - Which works
Within range of certain WiFi Ap (Your home WiFi?) - Turn off WiFi - Which could be causing the WiFi to switch off in an endless loop?
Maybe you want to check your config logic?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the Cell Near & Wifi Near go together as they're in the same profile. The logic should be if Cell Near & Wifi Near then Turn on Wifi else Turn off Wifi. The else part is the exit task of this profile. Even if I remove this exit task, the phone still turn wifi off by itself?
kennytung said:
I thought the Cell Near & Wifi Near go together as they're in the same profile. The logic should be if Cell Near & Wifi Near then Turn on Wifi else Turn off Wifi. The else part is the exit task of this profile. Even if I remove this exit task, the phone still turn wifi off by itself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remove the wifi near. If Cell near is true, then it means that you should be within range of your wifi and therefore the wifi near statement is redundant. If you are within range, wifi will automatically scan and connect to your wifi.
The exit task should only be to turnoff wifi. It is implied that exit task kicks in once you are out of range of your 'Home' Cell Tower.
fullerms said:
Remove the wifi near. If Cell near is true, then it means that you should be within range of your wifi and therefore the wifi near statement is redundant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think wifi near is redundant. Being within cells that cover my house doesn't mean that I'm actually in my house right? So I think the two layer Cell Near and Wifi Near is efficiently enough but why it can connect to wifi in the first place and seconds later the wifi is turned off and on and off and on... I don't know why?
kennytung said:
I don't think wifi near is redundant. Being within cells that cover my house doesn't mean that I'm actually in my house right? So I think the two layer Cell Near and Wifi Near is efficiently enough but why it can connect to wifi in the first place and seconds later the wifi is turned off and on and off and on... I don't know why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just guess when you leave your home, you are no longer in proximity of your own wi-fi access point so you just get your wi-fi off.
Though, as you leave further away from your home, your mobile begins to search for cell towers that are not supposed to be covered in your "cell near" context, and once your mobile get connected back to your home cell, your "wi-fi on" event would be triggered once again, and the process repeats.
I think the best way to solve this, apart from including more cell IDs, is to set the cooldown period of your first profile (in profile setting dialogue) to a certain value, saying 10 minutes (or a sufficient duration for your mobile to completely get away from your home towers)
ki1120 said:
I just guess when you leave your home, you are no longer in proximity of your own wi-fi access point so you just get your wi-fi off.
Though, as you leave further away from your home, your mobile begins to search for cell towers that are not supposed to be covered in your "cell near" context, and once your mobile get connected back to your home cell, your "wi-fi on" event would be triggered once again, and the process repeats.
I think the best way to solve this, apart from including more cell IDs, is to set the cooldown period of your first profile (in profile setting dialogue) to a certain value, saying 10 minutes (or a sufficient duration for your mobile to completely get away from your home towers)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was staying at my home the whole time I was using this profile
Check the value following the / symbol
Are you using the scan function in Cell Near? It should retrieve the ID of the closest cell tower with a value following a slash:
CDMA: 99999 / 8
Try changing the value to a wild card:
CDMA: 99999 / *
I have been using the following to turn WIFI on and off:
Add a new Profile and select State. Then select Cell Near and click the Scan button to find which Cell Towers are near your current location. Check the Invert button. Add a Task to for WIFI and set to Off.
Duplicate this profile and uncheck Invert and set WIFI to On.
Confirm Cell Tower IDs
You can confirm the Cell Tower ID by downloading one of these free Apps:
Antennas
Cell Tower Locator
You will want to use the BSID number listed in one of these Apps in Tasker for Cell Near.
Does anyone know the the 'Turn off radio' app pathway for a custom ADW shortcut? This is when you create a custom ADW shortcut, and you choose 'Pick your activity'.
I turn off the radio in my office because I have no reception, but I do have WiFi, so I made my calls through that. To keep the antenna from draining the battery as it's constantly searching for a network, I wanted to turn this off. The only way I know of it the *#*#4636#*#* > Phone Info > Turn radio off, which is fairly tedious. It would be much easier if I could get to the menu or even toggle the radio from my home screen.
Note that T-Mo WiFi calling doesn't work in airplane mode for some reason, so I can't use a power widget.
Custom shortcut > Pick your activity > Activities > Settings > Phone info(.RadioInfo)
Wifi calling is turned on for me but if you shut the radio off in settings it looks like it won't work because it thinks it's in airplane mode.
Very strange, I can't call out (I get a message: 'To place a call, first turn off Airplane mode.'), but my phone can still receive calls. The T-Mo WiFi calling app also stays on 'Ready!' rather than switching off like when I'm in official Airplane mode.
Anyone else know what else airplane mode touches that radio off doesn't? Seems weird that receiving works but calling out doesn't. Works great for me since I can just use my landline for outgoing calls and still have my cell on for emergencies.
Hm, seems this method is a bit iffy. After I set the Radio to off, I still have WiFi calling for a bit, but eventually I lose the connection (haven't got an exact time at the moment), and I get an error in the TMO app saying that it can't read the SIM even though I can still browse the internet. When I turn the radio back on, the app regains connectivity through wifi again.
junkbots said:
Does anyone know the the 'Turn off radio' app pathway for a custom ADW shortcut? This is when you create a custom ADW shortcut, and you choose 'Pick your activity'.
I turn off the radio in my office because I have no reception, but I do have WiFi, so I made my calls through that. To keep the antenna from draining the battery as it's constantly searching for a network, I wanted to turn this off. The only way I know of it the *#*#4636#*#* > Phone Info > Turn radio off, which is fairly tedious. It would be much easier if I could get to the menu or even toggle the radio from my home screen.
Note that T-Mo WiFi calling doesn't work in airplane mode for some reason, so I can't use a power widget.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know when you make a WIFI call the "bars" drop to none meaning its not really receiving or searching for signal. Its using WIFI calling exclusively as far as I can tell.
I dont really think its actively searching for signal while WIFI calling is active and connected.
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?
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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!
The phone is constantly connected to cell towers which can triangulate your location.
Is there some sort of root software which would completely intercept and monitor all traffic between you and cell towers? One that would tell you what is being sent and received? And tell you if the GPS is really off.
What about forcing the phone to connect to only one tower?
Dinger558 said:
The phone is constantly connected to cell towers which can triangulate your location.
Is there some sort of root software which would completely intercept and monitor all traffic between you and cell towers? One that would tell you what is being sent and received? And tell you if the GPS is really off.
What about forcing the phone to connect to only one tower?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could remove the battery. That will solve it.
antonis_sp said:
You could remove the battery. That will solve it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The idea is to have the phone usable...
Monitoring is done mainly by the towers not the phone. Theres no way to stop your carrier from tracking your phones movements around its network.
Your other worries have nothing to do with the carrier. If GPS is off it will show as off unless your phone is compromised, location data will only be sent if you have location reporting on (this does not affect mobile towers from recording device connections).
You could monitor traffic on your phone with something like tcpdump and analyse the data, but a better way would be don't use apps you don't trust.
What exactly are you worried about?
Dubhar said:
Monitoring is done mainly by the towers not the phone. Theres no way to stop your carrier from tracking your phones movements around its network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the protocol is such that you don't address any particular tower but rather just broadcast and that's how they are able to triangulate you?
What about turning the RF radio off and on without taking out the SIM card, know any app to do that? (Assume that I don't need to take calls only place them. The goal being to minimize tracking/interaction with carrier.)
Also can you explain to me or link me to how this cellular protocol knows where to route calls to you? If there is a keepalive signal how frequently is it transmitted? What if you turn off all broadcast but not the radio itself, will the tower still try to route calls to your last known location and if you are there you would be able to take them?
Dinger558 said:
So the protocol is such that you don't address any particular tower but rather just broadcast and that's how they are able to triangulate you?
What about turning the RF radio off and on without taking out the SIM card, know any app to do that? (Assume that I don't need to take calls only place them. The goal being to minimize tracking/interaction with carrier.)
Also can you explain to me or link me to how this cellular protocol knows where to route calls to you? If there is a keepalive signal how frequently is it transmitted? What if you turn off all broadcast but not the radio itself, will the tower still try to route calls to your last known location and if you are there you would be able to take them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you turn the radio off it wont connect to a tower but you also cant use your phone.
Theres maybe a little misunderstanding when it comes to how mobile networks work. There no different from computer networks, and just like computer networks mobile networks track where devices are located on the network. It isn't miserableness for malicious reasons, keeping track of where devices are located on the network helps maintain the networks performance and fix problems. The side effect of mobile devices is there are almost always attached to a body and inadvertently allow the potential for a person to be tracked within a margin of error.
When the radio is on (and im not an expert on this) the phone will periodically contact the mobile tower as far as i know, and does this to make sure your connected to the right tower for it to route traffic to your phone or move you to a tower with a better signal.
If your really bothered by it, put it in air plane mode and use wifi only with encrypted calls. But wifi can still be used to approximate a location just like any other means of communication.
It would be good to know your goal? If it is simply to not be tracked your _only_ option is to not use a mobile phone. People do that, for that exact reason.
Dubhar said:
If you turn the radio off it wont connect to a tower but you also cant use your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By not use it do you mean it won't even boot properly or I simply won't be able to place or receive calls?
If the latter, I would still like to know how. Is there an app for that?
Dinger558 said:
By not use it do you mean it won't even boot properly or I simply won't be able to place or receive calls?
If the former, I would still like to know how. Is there an app for that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Put it in airplane mode. By not use I mean no phone calls or internet.
Dubhar said:
Put it in airplane mode. By not use I mean no phone calls or internet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Airplane mode disables WiFi as well, this won't do.
Surely there is a root app that can toggle the cellular RF radio?
Dinger558 said:
Airplane mode disables WiFi as well, this won't do.
Surely there is a root app that can toggle the cellular RF radio?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can turn on wifi after you put airplane mode on, but it defeats the purpose. You can be tracked via wifi.
Non of this also considers if the phone is compromised or if it collects data and sends it once it is connected.
Dubhar said:
You can turn on wifi after you put airplane mode on, but it defeats the purpose. You can be tracked via wifi.
Non of this also considers if the phone is compromised or if it collects data and sends it once it is connected.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WiFi tracking is impractical. I'm only interested in disabling the cellular network unless I want to place calls.
Dinger558 said:
WiFi tracking is impractical. I'm only interested in disabling the cellular network unless I want to place calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually WiFi can be even more beneficial. It's not dependant on the phone network meaning the tracking information can be sent anywhere in the world, you can send more information than just mobile tower beacons, tracking data can be recorded and sent later when a connection is made either though WiFi or mobile data. Its not dependant on your phone either, your phone sends out a WiFi beacon periodically looking for wireless networks, any WiFi AP within range will pick up this broadcast from your phone and potentially record it ( it is identifiable), additionally your phone broadcasts all WiFi APs you've connected to to see if it can reconnect to them, these can be recorded and used to predict and track movements as well.
You still haven't said what the purpose of this is and im starting to think your just trolling. Turning off the mobile radio is practically pointless if you're connected by any other means.