Develop Bugs

Wifi Calling

Does the Wifi Calling app save more battery? I've noticed the network signal turns off when I enable Wifi Calling
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Yes, saves LOTS of battery. Big difference when wifi calling is on.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Expanding on OP:
Does WiFi automatically supersede data as well? And if so, is there battery saving in that case?

alpharomero said:
Expanding on OP:
Does WiFi automatically supersede data as well? And if so, is there battery saving in that case?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you turn on WiFi, all data goes through WiFi assuming that there is a good signal on it (aka if WiFi is so bad there is no data throughput, the phone will turn mobile data back on). The phone will always choose WiFi and turn off mobile data. Some/most people say that this saves battery because the phone isn't always searching for mobile data. I'd say that this is more true if you're in a situation where there is poor/low 3G reception but good WiFi reception. I almost never use WiFi because I get full bars and good 3G speed at home. I see no reason to use WiFi in this situation as my phone isn't searching for better networks.
As far as WiFi Calling goes, in the settings of the app you can choose to have the phone "Prefer WiFi"/"Prefer Cellular"/"WiFi Only". Same thing here. If I use WiFi calling, I choose "Prefer WiFi" because if for some reason my WiFi goes down while I'm not using the phone I want the mobile network to come on so I can receive calls without having to toggle back. A situation I could see where "WiFi Only" would be applicable is if you're traveling and want to use WiFi for calls if you have a data-only prepay SIM, or if you're in an area with only Roaming coverage and you would want to just use WiFi to make calls.

How can i turn off the 2g radio?

Is it possible to just turn off the 2g radio and have wifi on since I'm in the library? Thanks in advance buddies.
World peace with no regard for human life.

When your on wifi all data automatically uses wifi. The 3g radio stays on so you can get phone calls
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

Just turn off Mobile Network in settings-wireless and networks. This disables 3g and 2g.

I do turn off mobile networks but isn't texts still 2g?
World peace with no regard for human life.

I think text work off your cell network not 3g or 2g
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

Ok so it would be calling through wifi, texting through 1g?
World peace with no regard for human life.

jacoballen22 said:
Ok so it would be calling through wifi, texting through 1g?
World peace with no regard for human life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No no Calling uses the Radios. And texting uses the radio not the 1X (2g) or the 3g (3G)
MMS uses 3g or 2g. soooo and wifi is data only not calling unless you use a voIP

Ok thanks for the clarity. But as i was saying, if I am in an area with wifi only no cell coverage;can I just turn off the radio then?
World peace with no regard for human life.

If there's no cell coverage whatsoever, turn on airplane mode and then turn on wifi. If you have wifi turned on then turn on airplane mode, wifi will automatically be disabled. You can turn it back on, though. Airplane mode will disable all radios - this means no calls or texts. Alternatively, you can just turn off mobile data - this will allow you to receive calls and text messages. You should be able to receive MMS (texts with media attached) on wifi as long as you have cell coverage.
I use a toggle widget to do these actions from my homescreen... Widgetsoid is my personal favorite. It has the only mobile data toggle that I've actually seen work without messing with my APN from a widget, just choose "root toggle" as the method in preferences. From within an app I use my notification toggles as I generally have my status bar hidden on the home and lock screens.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[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!

Tasker/other solution to force WiFi calling only on certain WiFi SSIDs?

Hey all, got a quick automation question that I can't seem to work out on my own.
Specifically, I want my phone to use WiFi calling mode only when I am connected to certain networks, not, for instance, when I am on the ATT WiFi at Starbucks.
The default T-Mobile settings for the feature are little help, since they only allow generally to prefer cell over WiFi or the other way around. My instinct was to set it to use WiFi calling when the network was unavailable, then to use Tasker to disable cell radio features when connected to those networks, thereby forcing it into WiFi calling mode.
Problem is Tasker tells me that the radio feature is unavailable, and I'm rooted with Secure Settings installed. Anyone have any ideas?
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app

RC Cola said:
Hey all, got a quick automation question that I can't seem to work out on my own.
Specifically, I want my phone to use WiFi calling mode only when I am connected to certain networks, not, for instance, when I am on the ATT WiFi at Starbucks.
The default T-Mobile settings for the feature are little help, since they only allow generally to prefer cell over WiFi or the other way around. My instinct was to set it to use WiFi calling when the network was unavailable, then to use Tasker to disable cell radio features when connected to those networks, thereby forcing it into WiFi calling mode.
Problem is Tasker tells me that the radio feature is unavailable, and I'm rooted with Secure Settings installed. Anyone have any ideas?
Sent from my SGH-M919 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you find something, I am interested as well. I have also let T-Mobile know that I would like this as a feature in Wifi Calling itself.
I was hoping that the Wifi Calling settings were exposed. So I could do, "if wifi SSID = blah, switch to Prefer Wifi calling, otherwise switch to Prefer Cell."

Smart Network Switch option Missing?

I have a Verizon G4 and have one major gripe.
At my workplace, the wifi is somewhat spotty and it's a guest network that requires authenticating (clicking an "i agree" button)
So my phone will, throughout the day, as it detects the "weak" signal, automatically turn off that network due to "unreliable internet connection".
Even as I'm back in an area with a strong signal, now my phone is ignoring that and stuck trying to use mobile network. I have to go into my network list and manually tell it to reconnect.
During all of this, wifi is enabled the entire time.
I see where others have had the same problem on other phones and have turned off "Smart Network Switch" and I even read where someone had done this on a LG G4 (not verizon).
So I'm thinking this is something Verizon removed. Anyone have any ideas?

Smart Network Switch is just a feature that checks for a "data" connection over wifi and switches to use Mobile Data if WiFi loses internet access.
I am not sure the G4 has this. When I am connected to WiFi with a bad signal, it will just send me a popup telling me the WiFi has no internet access and whether to use Mobile Data or not. The feature you are looking for is "Avoid bad WiFi Connections", which is the same thing with a different name. Just make sure that is OFF. That will force WiFi to use WiFi as the only connection.
And it sounds like your wireless network sucks and needs to be upgraded to a corporate solution.
Just FYI, in my WiFi > Advanced WiFi settings, I have everything unchecked + "Keep WiFi on when screen is off" = Yes.

Well "avoid bad Wi-Fi connections" is off. Read on another forum that the mobile version I think it was had the smart network option.
I have the same options as you except I also allow Wi-Fi scanning.
I have tried with that one both on and off and see the same behavior.
I never get a popup, it just ignores that wifi connection and used mobile data. When I look at my Wi-Fi list, it'll say something about unreliable internet connection in small text,on the Wi-Fi network that it disconnected from. Surely I'm not the only one seeing this.. :/

Beats me. Sounds like the Access point you are connecting to has a bad internet connection. What is happening is you are connected to the WiFi and it notices that the WiFi AP is either dropping internet connection (Google pings google servers to test connections) or bouncing.
In order to keep from losing a data connection, it seems to be switching to your cellular network.
I see this often because we install APs (I am a network engineer). I think your phone is trying to protect you and that is normal behavior. Here is another scenerio: In a hotel, wifi is always set to OPEN. If your phone automatically connects to the hotels network, you will lose a data connection because Hotels require you to "sign-in", just like most free wifi places do. The phone sees that your phones WiFi connection is not accessing the internet and making sure you are good.
I am not sure how often it "checks" the wifi for a good connection or if it ever does once it switches.