Tricky WiFi issue
3rd start - Kelvin Hill
Posts: 221FreedomPop Newbie, UK Pro ✭✭✭
I have just got to the bottom of a significant issue of phones not receiving calls. I will report to the feedback team because I haven't seen it posted anywhere yet, and it's really important to be aware of it.
One of my kids has been complaining that she has been missing calls from a number of people while she is out and about. At first, I thought is was just a glitch, but I've discovered how it happens, and you can test it for yourself.
If you leave your phone's WiFi always enabled, it will auto-connect when in range of a known router, BUT you will be unable to receive calls when your phone connects to (but doesn't log in to) an unknown router. For example, this may happen if you visit McDonalds and your phone automatically connects to their WiFi. You can't use the WiFi until you log in, BUT you are connected, so FP expects to route calls via that connection. If someone tries to call you, your phone will not ring. You CAN, however, receive texts (since they are delivered differently), and you can place calls and send texts because, I suppose, the FP app discovers there is no active WiFi connection and therefore uses the data connection.
I tested this at home this morning. My daughter was connected to WiFi; I called her, and her phone rang. I then went into my router configuration and set the security so her WiFi was suspended for that device; she was still connected to the router, but had no access to the web, and her phone wouldn't ring when I called her (even though her data connection was still active). She could, however, ring out and send texts, and she could also receive texts. As soon as I re-enabled her Internet access, her phone received a call when I rang her.
That's a major issue. The only way around that for the time being is to disconnect your phone from WiFi when you are not in a place where you have a valid login to a known router. That's a royal pain to have to remember to switch it on an off, but if you don't, you won't be able to receive calls.
As mentioned, I will report to the non-native-English-speaking feedback team, so they can say, "thank you for your feedback, it is important to us," and then do nothing.
One of my kids has been complaining that she has been missing calls from a number of people while she is out and about. At first, I thought is was just a glitch, but I've discovered how it happens, and you can test it for yourself.
If you leave your phone's WiFi always enabled, it will auto-connect when in range of a known router, BUT you will be unable to receive calls when your phone connects to (but doesn't log in to) an unknown router. For example, this may happen if you visit McDonalds and your phone automatically connects to their WiFi. You can't use the WiFi until you log in, BUT you are connected, so FP expects to route calls via that connection. If someone tries to call you, your phone will not ring. You CAN, however, receive texts (since they are delivered differently), and you can place calls and send texts because, I suppose, the FP app discovers there is no active WiFi connection and therefore uses the data connection.
I tested this at home this morning. My daughter was connected to WiFi; I called her, and her phone rang. I then went into my router configuration and set the security so her WiFi was suspended for that device; she was still connected to the router, but had no access to the web, and her phone wouldn't ring when I called her (even though her data connection was still active). She could, however, ring out and send texts, and she could also receive texts. As soon as I re-enabled her Internet access, her phone received a call when I rang her.
That's a major issue. The only way around that for the time being is to disconnect your phone from WiFi when you are not in a place where you have a valid login to a known router. That's a royal pain to have to remember to switch it on an off, but if you don't, you won't be able to receive calls.
As mentioned, I will report to the non-native-English-speaking feedback team, so they can say, "thank you for your feedback, it is important to us," and then do nothing.
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Comments
For those of us with all-day batteries with WiFi enabled, it is a genuine issue. What if you forget to disable your WiFi on leaving home? You don't want to miss that important call from the bailiffs. Jokes.
Ps I have trouble sometimes getting calls, but that's while connected to my home Wi-Fi.
It's interesting that you are having a problem on home WiFi. We have BT fibre that offers about 38Mb/s, maybe that has something to do with our not having a problem.
@John., What's your download speed?
Also, I have noticed the FP app struggles when the phone is running lots of other apps simultaneously. Have you tried using Greenify? It forcibly shuts down apps still running in the background in a way that task killers don't, i.e., by shutting down the background process so the app can't reload itself a few minutes later. My daughter said this morning that she was having difficulty making a call, and when I initiated Greenify, which killed Facebook, Instagram, and a couple of others, FP sprang back into life. It's worth a try.
I'm hesitant to recommend a specific app because I don't use one at present and I'm not on Lollipop so couldn't check whether an app runs correctly on newer phones. I'm going to try out Macrodroid because it appears to be a very powerful task automation app with a simple UI and good reviews on Google Play Store.
That app could probably also be used to set up location-based rules by putting a pin on the map and defining a radius, so actions such as 'turn on (or off) wifi when reaching the town centre' appear to be possible.
As the saying goes "other apps are available".
GNF
so ive now knocked off "network notification" & "scanning always available" & ill see how it go later while im out
im on sky fiber i think its 37 Mbps but i get 35 on my pc thats wired then about 33 on my devices on wifi the sky router is shite (old tec) but it says in the TOC you cant change it
EDIT
went & done my recycling which is a 3 mile round trip & i didnt loose mobile data
andrea ritson 6th
adam ritson 12th
Geza
I set my connectivity triggers based on "visible" cell towers. Trouble is, most cell towers are visible over quite a large area, so I find I am at least a mile from home before it can no longer detect my local cell tower and disconnect. Also, due to the nature of mobile reception, you can get periodic mobile signal drop-outs, which result in WiFi being disconnected even while it is still available, so I have set AutomateIt to disconnect after the cell tower has been undetected for five minutes. That means my WiFi remains enabled for at least five minutes after leaving home or work, which means five minutes that someone cannot phone me. Tricky.
I don't see any alternative to manually switching it on and off at the moment. That causes its own problems, of course. If I forget and then start using my data-enabled apps, my data is quickly consumed. Hmm...