WiFi issue

[Guest Acathla-]

I think the phone is operating as it should but it seems the majority of wireless routers can't handle the sleep mode that it activates when the screen goes off. The same issue affects nearly all models of phone out there - you can google to find many many examples. The 2.2.1 update for the Nexus One updated the wifi drivers to stop the wifi going into it's sleep state as a workaround more than anything else.

I say router as I have an issue continually when at home (Belkin N+) but when I was on holiday last week I didn't have the issue (Vigor 2820). I have cable so the Vigor (being ADSL) is no use to me.

I'm interested to hear what models of router people have the issue with and without so we can try and see exactly where the issue lies.

Can you post your router model here with what wifi issue you have and I'll combine a list. If the mods would rather not have the thread filled with router model posts then I'm happy if it's done via PM and I'll post back here results...

[Guest Nick Rhodes]

I'm having the wifi disconnection issues. My question is are all the phones suffering from it or just some examples. Just read this thread & I've tried all the workarounds but nothing seems to work on my phone. I'm still on stock rom as I just bought it yesterday so if its a fault I will return it for an exchange.

I think there are a few different issues, which people are having different combinations of.

My problem is that my phone does not reconnect WiFi after it has been in sleep. WiFi fixer works (but not perfectly) for myself.

Cheers, Nick

[Guest Acathla-]

I think there are a few different issues, which people are having different combinations of.

My problem is that my phone does not reconnect WiFi after it has been in sleep. WiFi fixer works (but not perfectly) for myself.

Cheers, Nick

Yeah there are definitely a few issues going about. My issue is the same as yours. I use Tasker to reconnect when it comes out of sleep.

[Guest oh!dougal]

I'm having the wifi disconnection issues. ...

There are no real DISconnection issues as such.

BUT of course it drops the connection when wifi sleeps.

And WiFi can sleep with the screen regardless of the preference setting -- but that preference is only ignored when you are NOT connected to usb/charger.

That's what the standard phone does. When its 'working properly' !!!

Where there are issues for SOME (not all) people is in REconnecting. (For example after wifi sleeping, as above.)

This may be router-dependant. (Seems to me that wireless-n routers might be most problematic.)

But also, there may be some people not understanding what the phone is doing - and whether or not that is different to their expectations.

The current software is not 'smart' about waking up to discover a different network environment to the one that was there when (ie where) it went to sleep. Don't expect it to switch over to your home network automagically when you come home after using office wifi. The standard phone simply doesn't seem to do that. It doesn't 'just switch over' to home wifi when the former network (the office one) ain't around.

And even if you've been using mobile data while out'n'about, it likely won't automagically reconnect to the home wifi network when you wake the thing up at home.

HOWEVER, in that situation, you'd be best to have turned off wifi for when you were out -- that way you'll save your battery. And when you come home and turn wifi on again, it SHOULD then reconnect all by itself. If it doesn't, IMHO it probably doesn't like your router - but that's probably pretty rare.

I'm pretty sure at least some folks are thinking of that behaviour as a "wifi-not-reconnecting" issue.

But that isn't about restoring a link broken by sleep.

Its about restoring a link broken by using other networks, and probably going into sleep while connected to a different network.

So its not a 'reconnection' issue, its a network-not-auto-choosing issue.

It certainly would be mistaken to call it either a 'disconnection' issue, or a sleep issue.

When I first got the SF, I had mobile data turned off, and only one wifi network 'remembered'. In that config I could sleep and wake, and come and go from home, and never had a single problem automatically reconnecting when I woke the phone. Because it only knew one thing, it had nothing to select! (My router is a Netgear DG834G v3.)

Now that I'm using mobile data on it and have a few wifi setups remembered, I do encounter the dumbnesses I've mentioned above.

Those apart, I've had precisely one occasion where the wifi has locked up during wakeup - in hundreds of wakes. The thing showed one bar of wifi (just the blob), thought it was connected but couldn't use it, and it didn't have the network name, or even any showing in the list. But wifi manually off and on again cleared the difficulty in a few seconds.

Its slightly dumb, but this is the way it seems to me that it works (as standard):-- currently it just does not auto-select and change to a better network on wifi 'wake' - even if the previously-selected one is no longer available.

However, it does seem to perfectly reliably "fail across to mobile data" if/whenever it loses its wifi connection.

Because it plays nicely with my router, these quirks aren't dealbreakers for me.

But hopefully these various behaviours will be improved in later software revisions.

It has been reported that Orange are working on some sort of 'official' software revision, and that the prototype (alpha) independently-hacked Android 2.2 (FroYo) 'fixes' wifi (with the fix maybe even persisting after reverting to standard Orange firmware).

[Guest Carlos Abel Chavez Slim]

OK after trying absolutely everything i got frustrated and installed the froyo alpha. Low and behold the wifi worked every single time so its good to know its fixed in the later rom.

Anyway what was weird was i deinstalled the rom and put back on modaco R4 ( deleting user data, caches, etc) and you know what ? My bloody wifi is only working perfectly since. I just can't understand it :)

That sounds like it may be worth investigating.

[Guest danz0l]

That sounds like it may be worth investigating.

Well its still working :) I can't explain it as i couldn't reconnect at all unless i rebooted the router (and i mean every single time). This has now been working for several days with wifi working as i always expected it should, i can connect and reconnect at will. The only thing that i did was install the froyo alpha, then reverted back to modaco R4. Can't explain it but its working.

[Guest danz0l]

Well its still working :) I can't explain it as i couldn't reconnect at all unless i rebooted the router (and i mean every single time). This has now been working for several days with wifi working as i always expected it should, i can connect and reconnect at will. The only thing that i did was install the froyo alpha, then reverted back to modaco R4. Can't explain it but its working.

SCRATCH THAT. Just took the battery out, rebooted and now wifi isn't connecting at all again and i am back to having to reset my router to connect. God only knows why.

[Guest EcoGypsy]

I'm a noob but just thought I'd add my problem to the list.

I connected to wifi for the first time today and it work for about 5 mins (I have netgear like a few others on here). It simply won't reconnect at all. It doesn't matter if I wake it up, restart, go into wifi settings and disconnect and re-connect - it simply won't connect.

I tried the mylock thing - but to no avail so am about to uninstall that. Wifi re-enabler and wifi fixer didn't work. Like others - rebooting my router worked briefly - only about 2mins - and then it was disconnected again.

This is my first smartphone and so I thought I'd go with android - but am seriously thinking of returning it. The wifi thing is a real issue and I still haven't figured out how to connect to my non-gmail email accounts. I'm sure I would eventually - but i don't want to spend hours on the internet becoming proficient in android speak and having to learn how to do rom's etc. :)

Edited October 31, 2010 by EcoGypsy

[Guest danz0l]

I'm a noob but just thought I'd add my problem to the list.

I connected to wifi for the first time today and it work for about 5 mins (I have netgear like a few others on here). It simply won't reconnect at all. It doesn't matter if I wake it up, restart, go into wifi settings and disconnect and re-connect - it simply won't connect.

I tried the mylock thing - but to no avail so am about to uninstall that. Wifi re-enabler and wifi fixer didn't work. Like others - rebooting my router worked briefly - only about 2mins - and then it was disconnected again.

This is my first smartphone and so I thought I'd go with android - but am seriously thinking of returning it. The wifi thing is a real issue and I still haven't figured out how to connect to my non-gmail email accounts. I'm sure I would eventually - but i don't want to spend hours on the internet becoming proficient in android speak and having to learn how to do rom's etc. :)

I've had mine for well over a week and still have the same issue. Froyo 2.2 seems to fix it and i seriously thought i had it cracked when i rebooted the rom back to R4 modaco but today found i have exactly the same problems again. Rebooting the router is THE only way i can connect via wifi again.

[Guest AndyHibberd]

I had my phone replaced yesterday evening and the WiFi drops out much less frequently.

My previous one had terrible wifi signal (faulty) so needed replacing.

Haven't had any problems so far with this one. It drops very occasionally but I guess all wireless devices do this.

[Guest milkykung]

Tips for 802.11x network users(universities, enterprises, high-security networks, etc.):

First of all, I'd like to say thank you for those who recommend the use of "Wi-Fi keep alive" app in this thread (sorry to say that I forgot their names as there are many of them^^). It works for me straight away to connect on my original ROM by Orange to any open networks without any tweaks. But this is not always the case for 802.11x network and I tried all workarounds to come up with my permanent settings. This works every singlge time now :)

Here are my settings:

1. Always on

2. Workaround 3+4 (instead of 1 and 2 like the original posters)

Now every time SF falls asleep, it reconnects to the network automatically. I'm very pleased that, at least, I don't have to exchange my SF because of this issue with my finger-crossed.

Hope this works for you guys too :) Drop me a msg or let me know how you get on.

Cheers,

Edited November 1, 2010 by milkykung

[Guest booster22]

Here are my settings:

1. Always on

2. Workaround 3+4 (instead of 1 and 2 like the original posters)

Nope this didnt work for me either, lasted 2 minutes and then lost wifi

i do go a while sometimes without it kicking off, a lot of people who say they have found a fix, return later to inform us they were mistaken

Good luck with yours though

[Guest milkykung]

Nope this didnt work for me either, lasted 2 minutes and then lost wifi

i do go a while sometimes without it kicking off, a lot of people who say they have found a fix, return later to inform us they were mistaken

Good luck with yours though

OIC

Let's see how long this trick works for me.

Cheers,

[Guest booster22]

OIC

Let's see how long this trick works for me.

Cheers,

still working?

[Guest milkykung]

still working?

Yes, it is still working ^.^

[Guest nicksoph]

Yes, it is still working ^.^

I have found that if I move from one wifi spot to another it needs intervention

if i lose wifi signal - it needs intervention

if it sleeps for too long (im wild guessing at about half an hour) it needs intervention

from the litle ive read it seems that it also depends on router

[Guest nicksoph]

I'm a noob but just thought I'd add my problem to the list.

I connected to wifi for the first time today and it work for about 5 mins (I have netgear like a few others on here). It simply won't reconnect at all. It doesn't matter if I wake it up, restart, go into wifi settings and disconnect and re-connect - it simply won't connect.

I tried the mylock thing - but to no avail so am about to uninstall that. Wifi re-enabler and wifi fixer didn't work. Like others - rebooting my router worked briefly - only about 2mins - and then it was disconnected again.

This is my first smartphone and so I thought I'd go with android - but am seriously thinking of returning it. The wifi thing is a real issue and I still haven't figured out how to connect to my non-gmail email accounts. I'm sure I would eventually - but i don't want to spend hours on the internet becoming proficient in android speak and having to learn how to do rom's etc. :)

have you tried deleting the entry on the phone (forget connection) and then reconnecting?

[Guest booster22]

have you tried deleting the entry on the phone (forget connection) and then reconnecting?

Why?, has this helped you?

Just tried it lasted three mins then off, this is about the ninth fix ive tried, sure ill get there lol

Edited November 1, 2010 by booster22

[Guest EcoGypsy]

Why?, has this helped you?

Just tried it lasted three mins then off, this is about the ninth fix ive tried, sure ill get there lol

I didn't I'm afraid.

In any case I just called Orange and ordered a replacement to see if that fares any better. They said to keep the sim and SD card and to swap my phone for a new one with the delivery man tomorrow.

I will turn the new one on to see if it works any better, but if not then I will probably sell it.

[Guest booster22]

I didn't I'm afraid.

In any case I just called Orange and ordered a replacement to see if that fares any better. They said to keep the sim and SD card and to swap my phone for a new one with the delivery man tomorrow.

I will turn the new one on to see if it works any better, but if not then I will probably sell it.

I dont think you will find a diference, its more to do with the rooters compatibility/ settings than anything else.

why else would you have phones having disconections at home but not at work etc.

still good luck on the new one, keep us updated

[Guest LorianNod]

Using the 2.2 Froyo Alpha all my wifi dropping & not reconnecting iissues seem to be a thing of the past,

[Guest booster22]

Using the 2.2 Froyo Alpha all my wifi dropping & not reconnecting iissues seem to be a thing of the past,

Is this the case for everyone on Froyo?,

[Guest Carbonize]

It has been commented on in the 2.2 threads that it fixes the issue.

[Guest jimmy2x2x]

Is this the case for everyone on Froyo?,

Not for me, I only use Wifi in one place, at home.

When I enable Wifi for the first time, sometimes it connects to my router, sometimes not.

If the phone sleeps, it always disconnects and never reconnects (my router is shown as disabled in the 'WLAN networks' list)

like this:

I think I have tried every combination of settings and the best results are when I enable the static IP settings, but this would limit me to only using my home network (which is fine for now, but not the best solution)

Edited November 2, 2010 by jimmy2x2x

[Guest EcoGypsy]

I dont think you will find a diference, its more to do with the rooters compatibility/ settings than anything else.

why else would you have phones having disconections at home but not at work etc.

still good luck on the new one, keep us updated

Ah - will give it a go and see. Might just sell it. As a noob I'm not sure I have the patience to learn my way around all the glitches. Al though i have 3gb internet allowance so I guess I could just stay connect to my data connection and this amount should be plenty. I'm just never sure what's running in the background eating data.