Need smart action help

[steelman52]

I'm trying to set up a smart action to turn on wifi when I'm at work or home. After I do the location "trigger", the wifi is greyed out in "actions". If I do the wifi "action" first, then location is greyed out in "trigger". I've read where other people have set up this same smart action. What am I doing wrong?

Sent from my Droid Razr Maxx

 

[coolbreeze704]

I believe you have to select the wifi you are triggering with. You should have to select it first.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using DroidForums

 

[thaDroidz]

You may want to try this from Verizon.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vzw.wificonnect



----posted maxx'ed out----

 

[FoxKat]

I'm trying to set up a smart action to turn on wifi when I'm at work or home. After I do the location "trigger", the wifi is greyed out in "actions". If I do the wifi "action" first, then location is greyed out in "trigger". I've read where other people have set up this same smart action. What am I doing wrong?

Sent from my Droid Razr Maxx

The problem is that Smart Actions uses WIFI as a necessary part of its Location services, in order to determine where you are. By telling it to "turn on WIFI when I am here", it is saying "I don't know where here is, because I need WIFI to tell". The same happens in reverse. It's like telling someone to turn on the light switch in a dark room, and they say they need light to find the switch. One can't happen until the other has, but since both need the other to work, neither can work unless both are working. We call that a "catch 22".

From Motorola's website (https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/mod_detail/a_id/72041):

Connections

If you have rules that use Location or Wi-Fi connection triggers, the rules will not activate when Location settings or Wi-Fi power are turned off.
​

The suggestion from thaDroidz (below) is exactly what I use. Verizon WIFI Auto-on is an excellent app, it uses the Cellular towers to triangulate your location and then can turn on WIFI when you are in locations you have identified as having available WIFI. When you leave the location, the WIFI Auto-on app turns WIFI back off to conserve battery power.

This can also be used in combination with other location based Smart Actions, by simply faking the location as having WIFI. For instance, suppose I need my phone to shut down the ringer and switch to vibrate when I go to meetings at the "corporate headquarters". Even if WIFI isn't available at "corporate" I use the WIFI Auto-on to turn on WIFI when I am there, and then use Smart Actions Location trigger to turn ringer to vibrate. When I leave, Smart Actions will see I've left the building and switch my ringer back on, then WIFI Auto-on turns WIFI off as I'm driving out of the parking lot.

Of course, you could also use a meeting time and date as the trigger for the sound settings, but the explanation was simply for proof of concept.

You may want to try this from Verizon.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vzw.wificonnect



----posted maxx'ed out----

 

[DocsDad]

I chose to use my wifi as the trigger for home and a time frame as the trigger for work. Its a work around so I didn't need to use a location service and also because i have a set schedule. If you are bouncing back and forth this might not work because the time frame will take priority. For this you will have to delete the location trigger for work so the wifi is not greyed out and can be chosen.

Gotta love options... ROCK ON RAZR

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using DroidForums

 

[FoxKat]

I chose to use my wifi as the trigger for home and a time frame as the trigger for work. Its a work around so I didn't need to use a location service and also because i have a set schedule. If you are bouncing back and forth this might not work because the time frame will take priority. For this you will have to delete the location trigger for work so the wifi is not greyed out and can be chosen.

Gotta love options... ROCK ON RAZR

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using DroidForums

Using WIFI as a location trigger works well and that's what I used until I discovered the Verizon app. The nice thing about the Verizon app is that it doesn't use any additional battery-sucking resources that aren't already in use, by taking advantage of those that already are, namely the standard cellular towers. This allows me to keep WIFI off everywhere except where it'll be used.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[weatherlover1]

I gave up on smart actions and bought tasker and like it much better. The location feature with smart actions did not work well for me. Of the three places I tried to set a location only one could find and address why a GPS spot has to have a address is beyond me. Paid the 6 bucks for tasker and am much happier.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using DroidForums

 

[DocsDad]

Using WIFI as a location trigger works well and that's what I used until I discovered the Verizon app. The nice thing about the Verizon app is that it doesn't use any additional battery-sucking resources that aren't already in use, by taking advantage of those that already are, namely the standard cellular towers. This allows me to keep WIFI off everywhere except where it'll be used.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Good to know. I will give it a look. Thx

 

[cece5702]

What Verizon app are you referring to?

Using WIFI as a location trigger works well and that's what I used until I discovered the Verizon app. The nice thing about the Verizon app is that it doesn't use any additional battery-sucking resources that aren't already in use, by taking advantage of those that already are, namely the standard cellular towers. This allows me to keep WIFI off everywhere except where it'll be used.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[DocsDad]

What Verizon app are you referring to?

I believe this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...zw.wificonnect

 

[cece5702]

Oh...wow!! So I guess I would use this instead of setting a Smart Action for Wifi or do both?

I believe this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...zw.wificonnect

 

[FoxKat]

Oh...wow!! So I guess I would use this instead of setting a Smart Action for Wifi or do both?

You would use that tool, "Verizon WIFI Auto-on" to actually do the turning on and off of WIFI based on where you are. The only reason you might also use Smart Actions in conjunction with Auto-on is if you want location based Smart Actions to function. Since Smart Actions requires WIFI to be on in order to get a fix on your location, any Smart Actions that you set based on location will only work once WIFI is turned on, so if Auto-on is set to turn on WIFI for instance, at work (even if there's no WIFI actually there), then you can set a Smart Action which is location based and use your work location to tell the phone to go from ring to vibrate, for instance.

When you leave work, WIFI Auto-on would turn off WIFI, and that would trigger the Smart Action to turn your ringer back on again! Works like a charm, Smart Actions and Verizon WIFI Auto-on make a nice team and play together well. :icon_ lala:

 

[xxwabbit]

So before using Verizon Wifi Auto-on, do I go into menu>settings>wireless networks and turn off wifi? And if I go somewhere that has wifi and I don't want to setup a smart action for that area, I'll just have to enable/disable wifi manually?

 

[thaDroidz]

So before using Verizon Wifi Auto-on, do I go into menu>settings>wireless networks and turn off wifi? And if I go somewhere that has wifi and I don't want to setup a smart action for that area, I'll just have to enable/disable wifi manually?

Yes...
Yes...

----posted maxx'ed out----

 

[cece5702]

Awesome thanks!

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX