Develop Bugs

Losing WiFi Connection Intermittently

Here's the deal: my S2 keeps disabling its WiFi connection. I’ll be connected to my router for a while, sometimes for 12+ hours at time, when all the sudden my S2 will lose its WiFi connection and switch to 4G. When I go into my WiFi settings, it will say that my router is “Not in range” and show no other available networks (even though there are dozens in this area).
I can sometimes get my connection back by toggling Airplane mode or “use packet data” on/off. But nothing works %100 percent of the time. I don’t think it’s a router issue either because we had 4 smartphones in this house over Christmas and the only two that lost their WiFi connection were my and my wife’s S2s.
Anyone else encounter this?
(p.s. Phone is stock, by the way.)

If you have the Tmobile my account disable or uninstall it.I made a thread about this awhile back. It has something where it needs to stay connected to 4g or intermittently puts data on and cuts wifi off I used to have this problem before not no more after uninstalling it.

Thanks, sarni. I read your thread a couple days ago (when I was trying to figure out what was going on), but I'm not sure we're having the same issue. My WiFi and 4G icons aren't on at the same time, for instance.
The other problem is that I haven't rooted my phone, so uninstalling T-Mobile's "My Account" app isn't an option.
Yet.

Happening again now.
Phone seems to be stuck in the following loop: scanning for available WiFi networks, seeing them all, locking in on my WiFi network, trying to obtain an IP address, then back to scanning again without a connection.
No toggling of settings broke the loop until I powered on/off.

[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!

[Q] Wifi issues

Hey guys,
So all of a sudden, my wifi is searching and not connecting in a campus setting. My Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 is still connected to the same wifi my Note 4 was. I have tried rebooting, removing battery, shutting off and on data and wifi, and airplane mode. Nothing reconnects it. Also tried forgetting all networks since there are 5 when searching for networks it finds and reconnecting to one, still no dice. It's been 4 hours, still can't reconnect. Any ideas?

Dedline said:
Hey guys,
So all of a sudden, my wifi is searching and not connecting in a campus setting. My Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 is still connected to the same wifi my Note 4 was. I have tried rebooting, removing battery, shutting off and on data and wifi, and airplane mode. Nothing reconnects it. Also tried forgetting all networks since there are 5 when searching for networks it finds and reconnecting to one, still no dice. It's been 4 hours, still can't reconnect. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried to forget the network and then ADD it with + Add Wi-Fi network? I actually had an issue playing with a Galaxy note 10.1 2012 edition, I turned my hotspot (sprint note 4) on and named it the same as our current network (was showing how open networks aren't always the network they say and anybody can create a Starbucks-Guest network.... I used starbucks-guest because I didn't want to put my schools on here). The tablet didn't see the network even after reboots, but when I added the network manually it connected right away. Also was this connecting to the same access points or different ones on the other side of campus?

Yep tried forgetting, re-adding the wifi spot and nothing.

I've been having wifi connection issues since day one of getting this phone.
Not sure if I have the same problem.
But at least once a day, it seems the phone can no longer make a connection to my wifi.
The only solution is to either just power off the phone and restart or do what Sprint asked me to do.
Sprint said to try and reset the network connection information by dialing ##72786#
The phone will power off and then restart do some background stuff and then power off again and restart.
Once that is done, all is fine.
I've never had this happen on any other of my Android devices. I even use a static IP with my phone setup.
And yes, I have tried just using the default of DHCP.
I had thought it was my router (Asus RT-AC68U) which transmits both 2.4ghz and 5ghz. I have both setup and I try to use 5ghz the most.
I did upgrade the router software because I was one version behind, but that did not fix anything.
Also, I had a Sprint femocell in my house (provided for free from Sprint) because I had bad signal issues years ago.. But because this phone uses LTE and now it seems the phone comes with built-in WiFi Calling. (Means instead of using the cellular network it will use my network and ISP to make Sprint calls, all voice and text messages come through normally, it's basically a built-in femocell).
I returned that, whoops still in the box, need to get that mailed out fast.
I'm not sure how widespread this issue is, but I suspect it's bigger that just the two of us here. And if I'm in the wrong thread, please let m know.
Thanks
Rob

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.

wifi and hotspot at the same time?

I was away from home today and turned on WiFi hotspot for a friend and forgot to turn it off and when I got home, the phone connected automatically to my WiFi network. I never knew you can have both at the same time. Is this miui related or android 8 related?