Benefits of connecting to WiFi?

[dwoop]

MG4 Trophy - Is there any benefit from connecting the car to the home WiFi when it is sitting on the drive at home over leaving the wifi off and letting it use the built-in 4G wifi connection whenever it needs a data connection?

 

[mg4mc]

It will only use the WiFi when it is powered on, if the car is off it will use 4G.

 

[kiwi]

What for?

 

[Corindikev]

My car connects with my home WiFi when I drive it in to the garage. I turn the car off but don't lock it. iSmart connects to it via my home WiFi when it scans the systems & does its checks so WiFi is On even when the car is Off.

 

[dwoop]

What for?

That’s exactly what I am asking

 

[wattmatters]

My Wi-Fi doesn't have good enough signal for the car. I have ethernet connection for the charge station so could put in a garage network but not sure I really need to.

 

[tsedge]

That’s exactly what I am asking

Agreed. I have never bothered enabling this as I can't see the point, I have a reliable app connection anyway. My home network definitely could cover the car, but to what end?

 

[gredie]

Mine connects to WiFi only when it's on. As soon the car is off there is no WiFi connection, no matter if the car is locked or not.
A bit of dilemma as usually the car is off at home and only on while driving. WiFi off when the car is off but unlocked, makes this function quite useless even when it saves battery power.
For those having a weak gsm signal at home it would be a benefit using WiFi at home.
And if software updates OTA will ever be available, using WiFi may provide a more stable connection too.
Anyway, maybe it's just my xpower doing it that way.

 

[Edilvise]

Mine connects to WiFi only when it's on. As soon the car is off there is no WiFi connection, no matter if the car is locked or not.
A bit of dilemma as usually the car is off at home and only on while driving. WiFi off when the car is off but unlocked, makes this function quite useless even when it saves battery power.
For those having a weak gsm signal at home it would be a benefit using WiFi at home.
And if software updates OTA will ever be available, using WiFi may provide a more stable connection too.
Anyway, maybe it's just my xpower doing it that way.

I agree that for those who have a weak or no GSM signal in their garage, a wifi connection is not only beneficial but necessary as I cannot communicate with the car when it is charging.
In my case once the car is locked the wifi goes off. I will try and do what Corindikev did, i.e. switching the car off and leaving it unlocked.

 

[kiwi]

OK so the only use seems to be for the weather app updates and for the remote control app. If you don’t use either then it appears to be unnecessary.

 

[gredie]

My car connects with my home WiFi when I drive it in to the garage. I turn the car off but don't lock it. iSmart connects to it via my home WiFi when it scans the systems & does its checks so WiFi is On even when the car is Off.

You're right. I tested your suggestion: Turned car off, left the car, closed door without locking it and WiFi worked until I locked the car via app. Unlocking it did not recover the WiFi connection.

Edit: After some time (~30 min?) the car drops the WiFi connection even with car off and unlocked.

 

[Corindikev]

In that case when I start the app it must prompt the car to turn on WiFi, otherwise I would not get a status report in the app. It doesn't matter how long the car has been sitting there turned off, it takes only 10 to 20 seconds to do this.

 

[mg4mc]

In that case when I start the app it must prompt the car to turn on WiFi, otherwise I would not get a status report in the app. It doesn't matter how long the car has been sitting there turned off, it takes only 10 to 20 seconds to do this.

But if that is true and the WiFi is off, then it must be using 4G to switch it on, but you say the 4G doesn't work?

 

[gredie]

4G seems to work always - Right now my car is off & unlocked but dropped WiFi house ago. Opening the app and pressing update/refresh i get a status from the car - this must be via 4G than.
What i don't get is a prompt to turn on Wifi, neither in the app nor in the car (looked from outside without opening the door)

 

[Corindikev]

You are indeed correct. 4G connectivity at my house is pretty poor but the MG is on the Vodaphone network in Australia which seems better at home here than my Optus phone connection.

I looked at my router connections & the car was not there. I went to the car & looked at settings and clicked WiFi & it connected. Looked at the router which had a new client called Unknown which I have now renamed to MG.

 

[mg4mc]

The problem is WiFi is pretty power hungry, and in the MG I'm pretty sure it is implemented in the infotainment head unit (or the BCU), which means keeping that powered up as well. The 12V battery would take a big hit.

 

[stevegus]

My understanding is that the car connects to a 4g network, not directly to your home WiFi.

Did you ever enter in a car menu your wifi password? Because i havnt and im not sure its possible.

The car is talking to a server somewhere using cellular. When you use your app, its connected to the MG server via your phone connectivity.

If you park your car away from home and use the app it still works without home wifi because its on 4g not wifi

 

[Ian Key]

Did you ever enter in a car menu your wifi password? Because i havnt and im not sure its possible.

I have but it was some time ago and I can't remember where it was in the menus. Might have been when I first turned the wifi on.

 

[ukslim]

My understanding is that the car connects to a 4g network, not directly to your home WiFi.

Did you ever enter in a car menu your wifi password? Because i havnt and im not sure its possible.

Yes, you can do this. You don't need to. But if you don't have 4G reception where you park your car at home, this allows you to communicate with the car - for example to remotely start the heater, check the charge etc.

 

[Edilvise]

I have entered my wifi password and it connects. However once you go out of the car it stops connection with wifi. Therefore, no you cannot connect through your home wifi once you go out of the car. I cannot therefore understand you you have wifi at all. I for one needs the wifi to check on the car when it is charging and I cannot because I do not have any no GSM signal.in my garage.