Develop Bugs

How to disconnect GPRS?

How do I disconnect a GPRS session if I want the phone to use a wifi signal instead? Is there any way of telling the phone to always use wifi in preference to GPRS if possible?
The shiny new phone has just arrived, so lots of questions!
TIA

Hmm well I'm not sure if this works on Rhodium, but on many HTCs keeping the 'hangup' button pressed for a few seconds will disconnect cellular data connection.
If not, go to "Comm Manager", this should also have a button to disconnect it.
If that doesn't work, there's always datadisconnect.exe in \Windows (though that would be a silly thing to do every time )
Anyways, if you have a Wi-Fi connection, all connections made after that point should go through Wi-Fi automatically. Existing connections will keep using cellular data, until they are de/re-connected, unless the program asking for the connection specifically requests to use the cellular connection.

No luck holding down the Hangup button - I tried holding it for 10 seconds and the GPRS session stayed open.
I'm concerned about the situations where I think I'm connected to wifi but there's been a DHCP problem or something, and the phone quietly goes and uses GPRS instead (so the wifi icon is shown at the top, but there's actually no network connectivity via wifi).
Does anyone have a good solution to this?

There is an app available called "NoData" that lets you switch GPRS/3G/HSPA off. But you have to switch it back on to use it again...

I just found an option to configure the Hangup button so that it turns off GPRS, so problem solved! (by default it locks the handset)

itm said:
I just found an option to configure the Hangup button so that it turns off GPRS, so problem solved! (by default it locks the handset)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to do some "RegEdits" to obtain this.. go here...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\ConnMgr\Planner\Settings\
add a DWORD called "CacheTime" with value of "60"
then add "SuspendResume" as a string with "GPRS_bye_if_device_off"
obviously minus the ""'s

beware that tweak breaks simultaneous voice and data

Chainfire said:
beware that tweak breaks simultaneous voice and data
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never had any problems with it, when I have a 3g connection active I can make/receive phonecalls and keep the data connection live. I reguarly download files while on calls and they have finished by the time I hang up...?

nicelad_uk said:
You need to do some "RegEdits" to obtain this.. go here...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Comm\ConnMgr\Planner\Settings\
add a DWORD called "CacheTime" with value of "60"
then add "SuspendResume" as a string with "GPRS_bye_if_device_off"
obviously minus the ""'s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly does this tweak do?
I actually managed to configure the Hangup button to close the GPRS connection using the standard Button Settings menu, but I'm curious to know what your registry settings will do.

This will automatically disconnect the GPRS after xxx seconds (60 in the above) if GPRS is not used.

[Q] WiFi Autoconnect ?

am i going mad or did i imagine that my desire used to autoconnect to a remembered wifi network like the iphone ?
i'm pretty sure that my phone did this for a while before i upgraded to froyo.

Yes, mine works like this.
Just enable wifi and set it up auto sleep for 15 mins. When it is in a remembered network - it auto connects as per normal.

Yes, mine works like this.
Just enable wifi and set it up auto sleep for 15 mins. When it is in a remembered network - it auto connects as per normal.

Tander_ZA said:
Yes, mine works like this.
Just enable wifi and set it up auto sleep for 15 mins. When it is in a remembered network - it auto connects as per normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks, will give this a try. i assume that the connection stays up when connected and only drops after 15 minutes when it can't find a remembered network ?

try Y5
it enables wifi even automatically when you are close to known networks and disables it when you leave the area

snudel said:
try Y5
it enables wifi even automatically when you are close to known networks and disables it when you leave the area
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How often does it scan for networks? Doesn't that affect battery life?
To OP: My connects to my remembered home network automatically. On both 2.1 and 2.2.

ferus said:
How often does it scan for networks? Doesn't that affect battery life?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't scan for networks at all. Essentially it uses cell location (note, not GPS) to determine if you are likely to be in range of a stored WiFi network, and switches off/on accordingly.
Regards,
Dave

foxmeister said:
It doesn't scan for networks at all. Essentially it uses cell location (note, not GPS) to determine if you are likely to be in range of a stored WiFi network, and switches off/on accordingly.
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't want to hijack this thread but I have 2 questions:
1. Can my network location be determined without having data connection enabled?
2. Is the network location accurate enough to use this application? On Google maps I can see accuracy at about 800 meters.
EDIT: Thanks Dave

ferus said:
I don't want to hijack this thread but I have 2 questions:
1. Can my network location be determined without having data connection enabled?
2. Is the network location accurate enough to use this application? On Google maps I can see accuracy at about 800 meters.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(1) Yes.
(2) Pretty much. Sure, if I leave my house and walk up the road, I'm still connected to the same cell, and so it won't switch off my WiFi. However, if I get in my car and drive elsewhere, it will switch my WiFi off. This fine for my purposes - the only way it could be more accurate would be to use GPS, but then you'd have to keep GPS switched on all the time and thus help to drain the battery further.
Regards,
Dave

Tander_ZA said:
Yes, mine works like this.
Just enable wifi and set it up auto sleep for 15 mins. When it is in a remembered network - it auto connects as per normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
howto set autosleep for 15 mins?
thx

setting --> wireless&networks --> wifi-settings --> (menu) advanced --> wifi sleep policy

pieterv10 said:
setting --> wireless&networks --> wifi-settings --> (menu) advanced --> wifi sleep policy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for me, this select says
-When screen off
-never if charging
-never
i have selected "never" and i have no problems where connection was stablished, but
when connection is not established and screen if off and i enter into the area of any saved network, the phone autoconnects or not autoconnects and i not known the reason...
any ideas?

[Q] Tasker Profile to turn on Wifi.

I am having the hardest time figuring out how to create a profile for a certain task.
All i want to do is have Wifi turn on when im home. So when i reach a certain GPS location, i want Wifi to automatically be enabled. When enabling Wifi manually, it auto enables Wifi calling so you can see how this would be beneficial. I have no service in my apartment :\
Can someone tell me the steps to creating that type of profile or better yet, send me the profile XML??

Use State > Cell-Near function
I have been experimenting with this feature using the Cell Towers. You will need a pair per location - one to turn WIFI on and one to turn WIFI 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.

[Q] Doesn't reconnect to 4G when screen is off

I've noticed that since the 2.3.6 update, my phone no longer will reconnect to the 4G data network when the screen is off, and wifi calling is active. In order to keep wifi calling active, I set my phone's wifi sleep policy to "Never". Here is the exact scenario:
1) At home or work, my phone activates wifi calling when it connects to the local wifi network. This causes it to disconnect from the cellular voice and data networks.
2) At some point, I leave the wifi area while my phone is in my pocket and the screen is off.
3) The next time I turn the screen on, I see that the 4G icon is gone, but immediately appears as the phone connects.
While this may be a minor inconvenience, it means that all services that rely on the data network (Gmail, Skype, etc) will fail until the screen has been turned on once. Has anyone else observed this?

[Q] WiFi networking - advice needed

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!