Anyone have a short way to disable mobile networks except for WiFi while roaming? I'm taking a trip to the Caribbean, and I would rather use Google Voice and free WiFi than pay Verizon $1.99 a minute. Already have GV set up, just want to know how to disable the other data/voice network connections, or if that's even possible.
Also - if I've got WiFi Tether running in AP mode, can I bridge between my phone and the WiFi provider? The hotel I'm at charges you on a per-device basis (which really sucks), so I figured I'd run WiFi tether and just connect my laptop to the network via cell phone.
wifi on your device only goes one way, you can't use wifi to get data AND transmit data. you're either getting data via wifi, or you're using the network to get data, and transmitting data via wifi. i'm not sure of an option (like on a laptop or pc) which allows ISC (internet sharing)
RE: original question, airplane mode will disable all network connectivity except wifi.
Thanks Patches - didn't even try it out, had just assumed that Airplane mode meant all data went off, including WiFi.
Guess the solution to my roaming issue should be to disable roaming on the data side, and just not answer any voice calls that are incoming.
find out if google voice works on wifi.
also you'll have to consider sms fees also. i'd suggest contacting your carrier (vzw i assume) and tell them what you have in mind, and ask what charges to expect based on usage. how much for incoming and outgoing calls, txts and data. then approach each category and find possible solutions.
best bet is to pony up and get a prepaid phone for voice and txt charges, and wifi for data use on your android. FYI, you can send email to people's phone numbers. "ten digit number"@"carrier name".com (google to find out specifically the domain per carrier)
i don't travel internationally so i'm not very good at it, but i find prepaid phones are less expensive than the roaming charges, or calling cards.
I guess I never really thought about his before, but pertaining to the dynamics of tethering and the connection speed; The other day, I tested the tethering on my phone, just for the hell of it. Disconnected my LAN connection on my computer, enabled the WiFi card, and started tethering, and it was great. Fast!!
Of course, I have a WiFi router and my phone is connected via WiFi, with Data turned off, so I'm used to fast data speeds on my phone.
Today, my DSL line went down, so I fired up tethering, and with no WiFi, I was only getting a 3G signal, and my internet connection to my computer was slow as hell.
The question is, and I never thought about it before, but the incoming signal determines the tethering speed, correct?
BTW, USB Tethering was even slower......
So is your question about what the "tethering source" is? Or is the question, why is it so slow?
To answer it, there are a number of factors that come in to play. Are you rooted? What rom/kernel combo are you using? What are you using to tether? For example, some roms have it built in, others use a seperate APK.
I use Ultimate Droid 3.1.1 rom, and use the built in tethering. From the PC, when doing a speed test, I usually get about 1.5-3MB download speeds, and usually about .5-1mb upload speeds. I had similar results when using the wireless tether APK available in the market.
I you have a 3G connection with a speed of 700kbps, how do you think it would magically go faster than that while you're tethering?? The data can go between the phone and the computer at 54,000kbps but it can only go 700kbps from the phone to sprint so obviously its not going to go any faster. It can only go as fast as the slowest link.
Also, I don't think you can't have the phone connected to WiFi and use WiFi tethering at the same time. So your first test was probably not tethered at all. You're computer connected to your WiFi router, not the phone. In order to tether using WiFi, you have to have WiFi turned off and the tether app uses the WiFi radio to do it, bridging the connection to 3G or 4G data from sprint.
Oh yeah, I should have said in the OP that I know WiFi drops when tethered and @Bradley, see my signature?? lol
I pretty much assumed that was why it was so slow, on 3G, but it has to be using my WiFi router for it to have been so fast when MY DSL isn't down thanks to the stupid storms beating the crap out of the Midwest..... right?
HipKat said:
Oh yeah, I should have said in the OP that I know WiFi drops when tethered.
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Well, that doesn't jive. You said you had you phone connected by WiFi to the DSL and you were tethered to the computer by WiFi. This is not possible. You can not use WiFi for both things at once. WiFi Tether will not work if you have normal WiFi turned on. Your computer was not tethered to the phone in that test. Your computer was connected to the DSL by the same WiFi your phone was.
MCL1981 said:
Well, that doesn't jive. You said you had you phone connected by WiFi to the DSL and you were tethered to the computer by WiFi. This is not possible. You can not use WiFi for both things at once. WiFi Tether will not work if you have normal WiFi turned on. Your computer was not tethered to the phone in that test. Your computer was connected to the DSL by the same WiFi your phone was.
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LoL.... after I read reply I reread the OP's post. Your right!!!! LMAO!!!!!
Sent From The Tree House Out Back!
Ok, let me explain. The other day, I had my phone's WiFi on, as I always do, since I have a Wireless Router with AT&T DSL. And it's much faster and uses less battery to connect to a wireless router than to just leave it in data mode via 3G, follow me?
I decided to test the tethering app, so I turned on Tethering, and connected my desktop computer to the Evo via that tethering thingy-ma-jingy. It was defintely connected to the Evo and NO to the Wireless router, which, btw, I don't even use the WAN side for my computer, I use the LAN connection, dig?
It was blazing fast. Faster than my normal DSL connection. Websites were snapping open, like cable modem fast.
Today, because of the storms, my DSL was down, so to get online on the computer-box thing on my big ol' desk here, I turned on Tethering.
BUT, I had to also turn Data on, so I would have a 3G connection.
My computer-thing was slow as hell now.
SO, if tethering turns off the phones WiFi connection, meaning it's no longer getting a signal from my DSL Wireless router, then why the MAJOR difference in speed as compared to today, when I only had 3G?
Wanna answer that for me, cowboy?
HipKat said:
Ok, let me explain. The other day, I had my phone's WiFi on, as I always do, since I have a Wireless Router with AT&T DSL. And it's much faster and uses less battery to connect to a wireless router than to just leave it in data mode via 3G, follow me?
I decided to test the tethering app, so I turned on Tethering, and connected my desktop computer to the Evo via that tethering thingy-ma-jingy. It was defintely connected to the Evo and NO to the Wireless router, which, btw, I don't even use the WAN side for my computer, I use the LAN connection, dig?
It was blazing fast. Faster than my normal DSL connection. Websites were snapping open, like cable modem fast.
Today, because of the storms, my DSL was down, so to get online on the computer-box thing on my big ol' desk here, I turned on Tethering.
BUT, I had to also turn Data on, so I would have a 3G connection.
My computer-thing was slow as hell now.
SO, if tethering turns off the phones WiFi connection, meaning it's no longer getting a signal from my DSL Wireless router, then why the MAJOR difference in speed as compared to today, when I only had 3G?
Wanna answer that for me, cowboy?
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Gremlins . . .
HipKat said:
Ok, let me explain.
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You're repeating yourself, and just using more words.
I don't care how many ways you attempt to re-describe the same thing. You can not have your phone connected to WiFi and utilize WiFi Tether at the same time. It is physically impossible. You are obviously confused about what you did.
Furthermore, even if it was not in complete defiance of reality, simply using your phone as a bridge between the computer and your WiFi router would not magically increase the speed of your network connection. Every single thing you have described in this thread is completely wrong. You're confused and mistaken about what you did.
HipKat said:
Wanna answer that for me, cowboy?
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Yes. You're wrong. There's your answer, again, for the third time.
OMFG!! I didn't say I was connected via WiFi WHILE I was tethering, I said my phone is always on WiFi when I'm at home because of my wireless router.
OBVIOUSLY the incoming WiFi signal to the phone drops when you start tethering. Everyone knows this, or they should.
The QUESTION is why was my tethering speed blazing fast until I didn't have a DSL signal coming to my house, meaning that UNTIL I STARTED tethering yesterday, I could only use 3G for a data signal to my phone. Then the tethering speed was slow as hell.
You said my computer wasn't connected to my phone in the first test, yet it was.
Network and sharing showed it was only connected to the EVO in both tests.
Now if you say it's because I no longer had a wireless router for the phone to receive a signal from, then it would seem to me that WiFi can't be dropping when I start tethering
HipKat said:
OMFG!! I didn't say I was connected via WiFi WHILE I was tethering, I said my phone is always on WiFi when I'm at home because of my wireless router.
OBVIOUSLY the incoming WiFi signal to the phone drops when you start tethering. Everyone knows this, or they should.
The QUESTION is why was my tethering speed blazing fast until I didn't have a DSL signal coming to my house, meaning that UNTIL I STARTED tethering yesterday, I could only use 3G for a data signal to my phone. Then the tethering speed was slow as hell.
You said my computer wasn't connected to my phone in the first test, yet it was.
Network and sharing showed it was only connected to the EVO in both tests.
Now if you say it's because I no longer had a wireless router for the phone to receive a signal from, then it would seem to me that WiFi can't be dropping when I start tethering
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If I follow your logic correctly, then it seems to me that your DSL speed is faster than the 3g signal you are getting on your phone at home. I say this because . .
1. When you tethered your computer to the phone to DSL via your Wifi router, you said it was fast.
2. When you lost your DSL and tethered the computer to phone using the 3g for internet access, it was slower.
3. So, based on that, than, for you, YES, 3g was a slower connection than your DSL.
I think that is what you were pointing out . . .
SteveGrandRapids said:
If I follow your logic correctly, then it seems to me that your DSL speed is faster than the 3g signal you are getting on your phone at home. I say this because . .
1. When you tethered your computer to the phone to DSL via your Wifi router, you said it was fast.
2. When you lost your DSL and tethered the computer to phone using the 3g for internet access, it was slower.
3. So, based on that, than, for you, YES, 3g was a slower connection than your DSL.
I think that is what you were pointing out . . .
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#1 is invalid, that didn't happen.
#2 is what happened both times presumably.
#3 is variable depending on location, signal strength, network load, etc. and we don't know what his DSL speed is either. 3G can be faster than DSL.
HipKat said:
OMFG!! I didn't say I was connected via WiFi WHILE I was tethering, I said my phone is always on WiFi when I'm at home because of my wireless router.
OBVIOUSLY the incoming WiFi signal to the phone drops when you start tethering. Everyone knows this, or they should.
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No, that's not what you said. You said the opposite. Twice. I assume you mis-spoke and that isn't what you were trying to say.
HipKat said:
The other day, I tested the tethering on my phone, just for the hell of it. Disconnected my LAN connection on my computer, enabled the WiFi card, and started tethering, and it was great. Fast!!
Of course, I have a WiFi router and my phone is connected via WiFi, with Data turned off, so I'm used to fast data speeds on my phone.
Today, my DSL line went down, so I fired up tethering, and with no WiFi, I was only getting a 3G signal, and my internet connection to my computer was slow as hell.
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Look. You are making this way more complicated than it needs to be. So I'll lay this out real simple like.
1) You do not, did not, will not, and never have had you phone connected to your WiFi/DSL and simultaneously used WiFi Tether. It is not possible, never was possible, and never will be possible. So just stop trying to think like it happened or may have happened. Anything that may have appeared as such was nothing more than that... appearing as such. Not actual. Just seemed like.
2) Data transmission rate to/from the internet, regardless of what medium you used to connect (DSL, 3G, 4G, shotgun DS3's, whatever) will never be faster than that internet connection. Most home networking components are capable of a gigabit per second on the internal LAN and 54gbps on WiFi. But if you're talking to the internet, that data can only flow as fast as the 768k internet connection allows (for example). That means your internet data will go from your computer to the routers/switches, and out the modem at that rate (768k).
3) If you were indeed tethered on your first test that went "fast", then your 3G network connection was obviously quite nice. On the second try, your 3G network connection was obviously slower. That's what happens with 3G. Your DSL and WiFi has absolutely no bearing on this, at all, whatsoever, period.
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing.
Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
mds54 said:
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing.
Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
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Click to collapse
1) That's upto you. If your speeds suck, or are in a terrible reception area (switching between 4G and 3G a lot, or stuck in 3G), then Wifi can be faster.
2) If you lose 3G/4G data, it may not connect to wifi unless your configured network is nearby. Normally, wifi will be always connected unless you're out of range of that particular signal.
3) Make sure Wifi is switched on. (switch will be blue in the on position). If you don't see any networks, then there are none. You may have to add networks manually, but thats because its not broadcasting its SSID (ie making itself visible), but thats usually in like a corporate environment.
4) I have noticed that being on Wifi saves me some battery than being on 4G, but your results may vary.
I can only offer advice on the first one. I also have unlimited data but I use wifi whenever possible. Wifi doubles my battery life. Using 4g all the time kills it way too quickly.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
mds54 said:
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
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Click to collapse
if you're happy with your speeds then no. WiFi does save battery though.
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
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Click to collapse
No, because WiFi isn't always on (or shouldn't be), and won't automatically turn on. You'll have to turn it on manually if 3G/4G isn't available.
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing. Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
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If there's no WiFi around you, then there's no WiFi around you... The only reason you'd have to manually enter a network is if you're at home and aren't broadcasting your SSID, so you won't pick it up on a scan. You should elaborate more on this.
These comments make me think you don't understand how WiFi works....
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
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Battery optimizer apps don't always know what's best. Usually how they work is they'll turn off WiFi when you get out of range of your house or other specific location (via GPS). Then enable when they "know" you're at home (again, by GPS). Usually its easier to just have a toggle widget for WiFi and turn it on when you're at home if you want it.
I think this additional info may be useful:
Wifi is not a feature of your phone service through your provider. It is a completely different technology that replaces, not amplifies, your 3g/4g connection when it is on and connected. When you are using your phone's data connection, you are connected to the internet through your phone provider, which is also functioning as your Internet Service Provider (in your case, Verizon).
A wifi signal only exists when a wireless device is broadcasting it locally. Most often this is a wireless router in someone's home, office, or a store that offers wifi for its customers. In this case, your internet connection goes through the router, then to a hard-wired internet connection off to whatever ISP the service is paid for through.
It is a much shorter-range technology than your cell service. As such, while your phone will eat through your battery boosting its signal if it can't connect to a cell tower, your phone will use much less energy looking for wifi signals.
If you are absolutely sure that you will not be connecting to wifi networks in your daily travels, you should turn wifi off and not worry about it. If you have an existing wifi connection at home/work, then leaving wifi on and letting it connect will save you battery when you are within range. The idle drain of wifi when it is looking for networks is fairly low, so if you are going to be spending large amounts of time in wifi zones, you might as well just always leave it on.
If your phone shows no wifi available by a scan, chances are very slim that there is a non-broadcast network that you would be able to connect to manually; someone is keeping it hidden and it is most likely password-protected as well. Most private networks will be visible to a scan, but are probably password protected. You will need to connect to these manually; your phone will not alert you to their presence. Your phone will automatically let you know if there is an unprotected network in range. By default, if wifi is enabled, it will automatically connect to any network that comes into range that you have already connected to.
Wow, you guys are good! Thanks!
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
There are comcast wifi hotspots all over the place here. They can come in handy when the LTE signal is weak or nonexistent. But my phone, through the connection optimizer i assume, will connect to any comcast wifi hotspot no matter how weak the signal is even when there's a full strength LTE signal.
So very often I have a great data connection of LTE and my phone suddenly switches to a hotspot with barely one bar of signal. It even does this when i at home with my own wifi. There's a comcast hotspot near my house, but far enough away that the signal is pretty poor. If my phone happens to see the comcast hotspot as I'm driving home and it connects to that, it'll stay connected to that even though my own home wifi signal is at full strength.
Basically, this 'optimizer' is nothing of the sort. It's a pretty dumb application since all it seems to do is connect to any available wifi regardless of the signal strength of the hotspot or over the cell network - and it never bothers to check if there's a better connection once it's connected to something.
Is there any way to make this app even half way intelligent? Or an app i can replace it with?
merkk said:
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
There are comcast wifi hotspots all over the place here. They can come in handy when the LTE signal is weak or nonexistent. But my phone, through the connection optimizer i assume, will connect to any comcast wifi hotspot no matter how weak the signal is even when there's a full strength LTE signal.
So very often I have a great data connection of LTE and my phone suddenly switches to a hotspot with barely one bar of signal. It even does this when i at home with my own wifi. There's a comcast hotspot near my house, but far enough away that the signal is pretty poor. If my phone happens to see the comcast hotspot as I'm driving home and it connects to that, it'll stay connected to that even though my own home wifi signal is at full strength.
Basically, this 'optimizer' is nothing of the sort. It's a pretty dumb application since all it seems to do is connect to any available wifi regardless of the signal strength of the hotspot or over the cell network - and it never bothers to check if there's a better connection once it's connected to something.
Is there any way to make this app even half way intelligent? Or an app i can replace it with?
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You're right; it's retarded. Hint: only use it enabled when you want to connect to that Wi-Fi or the type of Wi-Fi that requires the agreement to terms each time you connect. The Optimizer has shown some convenience where a user may roam between that type of Wi-Fi hotspot and data connection.
Android seems smart enough to remember Wi-Fi with typical login. I was on a tire shop today and auto connected to Wi-Fi without looking into remembered Wi-Fi connections (I left Wi-Fi enabled when I left home; often enough, doesn't interfere with cell data when I need it). I freeze the Connections Optimizer and only thaw it when it seems logical.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
merkk said:
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
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lol ?
You may want to disable Smart Network Switch in advanced wi-fi settings also.
catseyenu said:
You may want to disable Smart Network Switch in advanced wi-fi settings also.
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what does that feature do?
And does anyone know of an connection optimizer that is actually half way intelligent?
thanks
merkk said:
what does that feature do?
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What it's supposed to do and the user experience seem to be 2 different stories.
Every discussion I've read on it recommends killing it.
http://www.conanhughes.com/2014/01/how-to-disable-auto-network-switch-on.html
catseyenu said:
What it's supposed to do and the user experience seem to be 2 different stories.
Every discussion I've read on it recommends killing it.
http://www.conanhughes.com/2014/01/how-to-disable-auto-network-switch-on.html
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from the article there, it sounds like i am having the opposite problem - my phone isn't jumping from wifi to lte, it's jumping from lte to wifi even if the wifi signal is crap.