Wi-Fi Setting?

[dreemesicle]

The Droid is my first Smartphone and I'm a bit overwhelmed here.
About Wi-Fi...Is this used mainly when you don't have a wireless connection and it helps find a "hot spot" so you can connect to the Internet, yes?
And...Should I keep the Wi-Fi setting turned off?
Thanks a bunch! Hope everyone is having a fantastic evening!
Tammy*

 

[wuyanks]

you shouldn't just connect to any random wi-fi you can find. if you have wi-fi at work or at home, use that instead of the 3g, to minimize charges ...also, sometimes wifi is faster than the 3g, or is useful when 3g is not available in a certain spot). disable wifi when you're not using it to preserve battery.

hope this helps.

 

[dreemesicle]

if you have wi-fi at work or at home, use that instead of the 3g, to minimize charges

I'm a little confused...You said to minimize charges, use wi-fi at work/home if I have it. What charges are you talking about? Right now I'm paying $30.00 for the data plan. Thanks for your help Wuyanks! I really appreciate it. Have a great day tomorrow!
Tammy*

 

[msheldon]

Two big reasons to use Wifi from my point of view:
#1, depending on your network, it's usually faster for downloading and browsing
#2, some apps will only work on a wifi network. The Tivo remote control, Squeezebox remote control etc are some, another is the remote server access of ES File Explorer. In short, when you need to access local network resources.

I generally turn Wifi off unless I'm at home.

 

[Yorba]

Likewise -- the MyVerizon app (which is a quick way to see your minutes, etc....) will not work over wifi.

I only use the wifi at home and that is to get some additional speed.

 

[wuyanks]

if you have wi-fi at work or at home, use that instead of the 3g, to minimize charges

I'm a little confused...You said to minimize charges, use wi-fi at work/home if I have it. What charges are you talking about? Right now I'm paying $30.00 for the data plan. Thanks for your help Wuyanks! I really appreciate it. Have a great day tomorrow!
Tammy*

ignore my statement about additional charges... but yes, wi-fi is useful for faster speeds where applicable... (work, home, etc)...

 

[dreemesicle]

Thanks Yorba and MSheldon! You guys are great!

 

[jdubbs23]

I think though some location apps like Locale use wifi even if not connected. I leave mine on all the time until I notice a prob with battery usage.

 

[garrett]

also since CDMA can only do voice or data at a time... if your connected to wi-fi you can talk and browse and you will also recieve texts and other messages when you wouldnt if you werent on wi-fi

 

[ygohome]

also since CDMA can only do voice or data at a time... if your connected to wi-fi you can talk and browse and you will also recieve texts and other messages when you wouldnt if you werent on wi-fi

Are you speaking specifically regarding the droid? Because I have a CDMA Touch Pro (WinMo) and i can receive calls at the same time I'm browsing the web using my data connection.

Another nice to see feature would be an app similar to WMWiFiRouter except for the Droid. That app (for windows mobile) connects via cellular network for broadband and then uses the phones wifi to connect to your laptop(s). In other words it works like an access point router. I connect three laptops to the device via wifi (uses wep security), no cables.

By the way, I can accept and send phone calls on that phone while using wifi and the dataconnection at the same time. Curious why the droid would be any different unless its an OS limitation.

 

[garrett]

also since CDMA can only do voice or data at a time... if your connected to wi-fi you can talk and browse and you will also recieve texts and other messages when you wouldnt if you werent on wi-fi

Are you speaking specifically regarding the droid? Because I have a CDMA Touch Pro (WinMo) and i can receive calls at the same time I'm browsing the web using my data connection.

Another nice to see feature would be an app similar to WMWiFiRouter except for the Droid. That app (for windows mobile) connects via cellular network for broadband and then uses the phones wifi to connect to your laptop(s). In other words it works like an access point router. I connect three laptops to the device via wifi (uses wep security), no cables.

By the way, I can accept and send phone calls on that phone while using wifi and the dataconnection at the same time. Curious why the droid would be any different unless its an OS limitation.

its not a limitation of the device its the networks limitation. CDMA can only do one or the other a time, doesnt matter what device the network cannot do both at once. Now if that device is connected to wifi then yes you will be able to do both.

try it on any CDMA device turn off wi-fi then call someone or just call your voicemail and then try to open a page that you have not been to previously,(or clear your cache) it will time out due to no connection.

 

[ygohome]

ah, your right... i just tried that test and it did as you described. WHen I was tethering with internet sharing I would be able to receive phone calls and I assumed the data connection was still functioning during the calls... it must've been disabled during the call instead.

 

[xwera43]

also since CDMA can only do voice or data at a time... if your connected to wi-fi you can talk and browse and you will also recieve texts and other messages when you wouldnt if you werent on wi-fi

Actually, it's device dependent not a CDMA limitation. Many LG phones on VZW can do data & voice simultaneously as well as other devices.

~X

 

[garrett]

also since CDMA can only do voice or data at a time... if your connected to wi-fi you can talk and browse and you will also recieve texts and other messages when you wouldnt if you werent on wi-fi

Actually, it's device dependent not a CDMA limitation. Many LG phones on VZW can do data & voice simultaneously as well as other devices.

~X

there is not a CDMA network in the world that can deliver both at once right now... sure the phones might be able to do both but without a network capable of delivering both its not going to happen.

its like having a sports car that uses some advanced gasoline that hasnt been invented yet.

look at this press release that was just released 2 months ago... more importantly read the bold section. This SVDO will be part of the LTE rollout. (slow but steady)

COSTA MESA, CA — August 17, 2009 — The CDMA Development Group (CDG) today announced that the specifications for CDMA2000® 1X Advanced have been completed and published by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2). 1X Advanced allows 3G CDMA operators to significantly increase the voice capacity of their CDMA2000 1X network by taking advantage of several interference cancellation and radio link enhancements. Among these improvements are base transceiver station (BTS) interference cancellation, improved power control, early frame termination, and smart blanking. 1X Advanced enhancements can be integrated all at once or in phases, offering operators an evolutionary approach to expanding existing networks based on their individual market needs. The complete set of 1X Advanced enhancements can theoretically quadruple the voice capacity of CDMA2000 1X systems in the same 1.25 MHz of spectrum.

“Both large and small CDMA2000 operators will benefit greatly from the voice capacity gains enabled by 1X Advanced,” said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. “In addition to lowering the average cost per call for more affordable voice services, 1X Advanced also frees up channels to deliver 1xEV-DO broadband data services. Additionally, as operators consider augmenting their 3G CDMA networks with LTE and Mobile WiMAX, 1X Advanced will enable them to get more out of their existing circuit-switched voice networks for as long as needed.”
1X Advanced builds on the CDMA2000 1X technology platform, which has been providing superior voice quality and capacity for more than ten years. Operators can now transition to 1X Advanced gradually and economically, while sustaining backward compatibility. The spectral efficiency of the 3GPP2 standard has been recently enhanced with advanced voice codecs like Enhanced Variable Rate Codec-B (EVRC-B) and the use of quasi-linear interference cancellation (QLIC) techniques, which are already providing up to 50 percent higher voice capacity in today’s networks. The next step would be to move to 1X Advanced, which is a simple channel card upgrade (expected to be commercial in the second half of 2010) with new devices supporting mobile receive diversity, enabling them to more than double voice capacity immediately after the channel upgrade.

A complementary device enhancement known as simultaneous 1X Voice and EV-DO Data (SVDO) will also become available during the same timeframe and will enable CDMA2000 devices to access EV-DO packet data services while in an active 1X circuit-switch voice call. For example, users will be able to send emails or access the Web while on voice calls; phones with GPS can update maps or download real-time traffic information while on voice calls, etc. This device enhancement, which enables these concurrent voice and data services, is independent of the air link standard and infrastructure.

this is where the information came from http://cdg.org/news/press/2009/Aug17_09.asp