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Auto switching between LTE and WiFi

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  Auto switching between LTE and WiFi Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com> - 2016-09-16 02:33 -0400
    Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi Anssi Saari <as@sci.fi> - 2016-09-16 11:52 +0300
      Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> - 2016-09-16 11:53 +0100
        Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> - 2016-09-16 17:50 -0500
    Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi crankypuss <undisclosedUserid@gmail.com> - 2016-09-16 04:54 -0600
    Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi John McGaw <Nobody@Nowh.ere> - 2016-09-16 13:07 -0400
      Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-16 14:40 -0400
      Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2016-09-17 12:36 +0100
        Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 10:08 -0400
          Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi ANTant@zimage.com (Ant) - 2016-09-17 17:09 -0500
            Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2016-09-17 18:37 -0400
    Re: Auto switching between LTE and WiFi Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> - 2016-09-17 16:05 +0200

#34278 — Auto switching between LTE and WiFi

I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.

Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
signal becomes available?

Thanks.

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#34281

Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com> writes:

> I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
> my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
>
> Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
> on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
> signal becomes available?

Well, isn't that the default usually? At least my phones use wifi if
available and switch to LTE when not? Although there can be a problem
with that, if the wifi signal is weak the phone may connect to it then
decide wifi isn't working, switch back to LTE, then notices there's wifi
available and connects to it... End result, no connectivity unless you
turn wifi off. I used to have that situation at a specific part of the
office where I work but not any more (new phone, new office).

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#34282

Anssi Saari wrote:

> Alek <alek.trishan@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> is there a way to have LTE turn on automatically when I lose the
>> WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi signal becomes available?
>
> isn't that the default usually?

Yes.  If you wanted WiFi and LTE to be used (rather than available) at 
the same time you would have to enable

"settings, developer options, mobile data always active"

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#34313

Andy Burns wrote:

> Anssi Saari wrote:
> 
>> Alek writes:
>>
>>> is there a way to have LTE turn on automatically when I lose the
>>> WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi signal becomes available?
>>
>> isn't that the default usually?
> 
> Yes.  If you wanted WiFi and LTE to be used (rather than available) at 
> the same time you would have to enable
> 
> "settings, developer options, mobile data always active"

Android 4.4.4 Kitkat

Have Developer Options enabled (in Settings) but did not find that
option under there.  Instead I found:

  Settings -> Wifi -> Advanced -> Smart Network Seitch
  "Automatically switch between mobile data and Wi-Fi to maintain a 
  stable Internet connection."

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#34288

On 09/16/2016 12:33 AM, Alek wrote:
> I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
> my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
>
> Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
> on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
> signal becomes available?
>
> Thanks.
>

On Apple devices there's a setting "Settings>Cellular>Wi-Fi Assist" that 
does what I think you're asking for.  You leave cellular on, and turn on 
wifi assist.  Then it uses a wifi signal when one is available, in 
preference to using LTE.

Don't know if/what the Android equivalent is, neither of my Android 
machines has builtin cellular.

-- 
http://totally-portable-software.blogspot.com
   [Sat Sep 03: "Associative Storage and Everything Everywhere"]

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#34290

On 9/16/2016 2:33 AM, Alek wrote:
> I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
> my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
>
> Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
> on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
> signal becomes available?
>
> Thanks.
>

That is the default action AFAIK but I find that the switchover is 
sometimes _very_ slow to take place. If I'm listening to a radio stream on 
the phone at home and then walk down to the mailbox at the street the WiFi 
drops out when I'm maybe 50 feet down the driveway and the LTE should kick 
in immediately but sometimes it takes literally minutes to make up its mind 
and often I'm on the way back with the mail and I'm back in WiFi range 
before it ever switches. I'd sure like some way to speed up the 
decision-making process.

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#34294

In article <4FVCz.2602$iM2.809@fx31.iad>, John McGaw <Nobody@Nowh.ere>
wrote:

> > I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
> > my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
> >
> > Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
> > on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
> > signal becomes available?
> >
> >
> 
> That is the default action AFAIK but I find that the switchover is 
> sometimes _very_ slow to take place. If I'm listening to a radio stream on 
> the phone at home and then walk down to the mailbox at the street the WiFi 
> drops out when I'm maybe 50 feet down the driveway and the LTE should kick 
> in immediately but sometimes it takes literally minutes to make up its mind 
> and often I'm on the way back with the mail and I'm back in WiFi range 
> before it ever switches. I'd sure like some way to speed up the 
> decision-making process.

should be a second or two. maybe five seconds tops. certainly not
minutes.

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#34341

On 2016-09-16, John McGaw <Nobody@Nowh.ere> wrote:
> On 9/16/2016 2:33 AM, Alek wrote:
>> I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
>> my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
>>
>> Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
>> on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
>> signal becomes available?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>
> That is the default action AFAIK but I find that the switchover is 
> sometimes _very_ slow to take place. If I'm listening to a radio stream on 
> the phone at home and then walk down to the mailbox at the street the WiFi 
> drops out when I'm maybe 50 feet down the driveway and the LTE should kick 
> in immediately but sometimes it takes literally minutes to make up its mind 
> and often I'm on the way back with the mail and I'm back in WiFi range 
> before it ever switches. I'd sure like some way to speed up the 
> decision-making process.

It's pretty impressive that a streaming media app can handle changing
the internet connection mid-stream at all, let alone quickly.  After
all, when you lose the WiFi connection the hardware has to notice, then
find the mobile phone data service and log in to it and get a new
internet connection (with a new IP number), then the media app has to
re-establish its session with the media service (notwithstanding the
change in IP number and internet connection service) and then pick up
the stream where it was interrupted.  Then do the same thing in reverse
when you walk back into range of the WiFi.  

I find that just getting a new mobile data connection working sometimes
takes minutes.  I've never tried to maintain a 'stream' while changing
service provider.  I am pleasantly surprised when a mobile data
connection is fast enough for multimedia to work at all.  Connecting to
a WiFi router or hotspot or access point usually takes a significant
number of seconds too, even if no manual log-in is required.

Is there a setting to keep the mobile data connection 'alive' even while
the device is actually using WiFi for the internet connection?  That
should speed up the switch-over somewhat (at the expense of battery life
and internet charges).

-- 
-- ^^^^^^^^^^
--  Whiskers 
-- ~~~~~~~~~~

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#34347

In article <slrnntqal2.82t.catwheezel@ID-107770.user.individual.net>,
Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> wrote:

> >> I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
> >> my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
> >>
> >> Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
> >> on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
> >> signal becomes available?
> >>
> >> Thanks.
> >>
> >
> > That is the default action AFAIK but I find that the switchover is 
> > sometimes _very_ slow to take place. If I'm listening to a radio stream on 
> > the phone at home and then walk down to the mailbox at the street the WiFi 
> > drops out when I'm maybe 50 feet down the driveway and the LTE should kick 
> > in immediately but sometimes it takes literally minutes to make up its mind 
> > and often I'm on the way back with the mail and I'm back in WiFi range 
> > before it ever switches. I'd sure like some way to speed up the 
> > decision-making process.
> 
> It's pretty impressive that a streaming media app can handle changing
> the internet connection mid-stream at all, let alone quickly.  After
> all, when you lose the WiFi connection the hardware has to notice, then
> find the mobile phone data service and log in to it and get a new
> internet connection (with a new IP number), then the media app has to
> re-establish its session with the media service (notwithstanding the
> change in IP number and internet connection service) and then pick up
> the stream where it was interrupted.  Then do the same thing in reverse
> when you walk back into range of the WiFi.  

the media app doesn't know because the change happens at a lower level.

> I find that just getting a new mobile data connection working sometimes
> takes minutes.  I've never tried to maintain a 'stream' while changing
> service provider.  I am pleasantly surprised when a mobile data
> connection is fast enough for multimedia to work at all.  Connecting to
> a WiFi router or hotspot or access point usually takes a significant
> number of seconds too, even if no manual log-in is required.

it doesn't take minutes.

it's a few seconds, maybe 5 at the most.

> Is there a setting to keep the mobile data connection 'alive' even while
> the device is actually using WiFi for the internet connection?  That
> should speed up the switch-over somewhat (at the expense of battery life
> and internet charges).

the cellular connection is always alive (unless intentionally switched
off). that's how you can get a phone call at any time, even while on
wifi.

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#34373

nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
...
> > Is there a setting to keep the mobile data connection 'alive' even while
> > the device is actually using WiFi for the internet connection?  That
> > should speed up the switch-over somewhat (at the expense of battery life
> > and internet charges).

> the cellular connection is always alive (unless intentionally switched
> off). that's how you can get a phone call at any time, even while on
> wifi.

But you can turn off its cellular DATA connection. I usually keep it 
off due to the caps and slowness.
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#34376

In article <5rSdnRoFDu-EIkDKnZ2dnUU7-IudnZ2d@earthlink.com>, Ant
<ANTant@zimage.com> wrote:

> > > Is there a setting to keep the mobile data connection 'alive' even while
> > > the device is actually using WiFi for the internet connection?  That
> > > should speed up the switch-over somewhat (at the expense of battery life
> > > and internet charges).
> 
> > the cellular connection is always alive (unless intentionally switched
> > off). that's how you can get a phone call at any time, even while on
> > wifi.
> 
> But you can turn off its cellular DATA connection. I usually keep it 
> off due to the caps and slowness.

lte is typically faster than most people's wifi connection.

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#34345

Alek schrieb am 2016-09-16 um 08:33:

> I live in an area where WiFi coverage is spotty and I use googlemaps on
> my Galaxy S3 (SPH-L710) a lot.
> 
> Rather than leave LTE on all the time, is there a way to have LTE turn
> on automatically when I lose the WiFi signal, and turn off when a WiFi
> signal becomes available?

This is the default behaviour of Android. Maybe you need to change the
mobile network settings so only LTE is used - because otherwise also
slower GSM connections will be accepted.


-- 
Arno Welzel
https://arnowelzel.de
http://de-rec-fahrrad.de
http://fahrradzukunft.de

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