Wifi - 4g Conflict

Wife's Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 (Android) has developed a problem where turning on WiFi not only effectively kills 4G, but then has no internet access at all. She could live with not using WiFi and using 4G for everything as her 2GB data allowance easily covers her usage, but I'd like to fix it all the same. It has to be a problem with the WiFi setup (or the hardware) but the other phones we have here all work fine on WiFi through the Virgin Media router. Apart from being offered a choice of available local WiFi networks I can't see that there are any other WiFi config details I can play with. I've tried switching the router off completely and connecting via my own Windows phone but the behaviour is the same, no internet when on WiFi. As my Windows phone doesn't have any networking issues this does appear to be a problem with the Vodafone phone itself, though in all other respects it works perfectly. I have reset the phone's network settings several times to no effect. It's a long shot but does anyone have any ideas? I'm an Android novice so gentle please.

 

It's a pretty obvious point but the Mobile Data setting (that's the correct term as 4g just relates to a specific mode of that) shouldn't be set to 'on' when using WiFi. They should be chosen by choice, one on and one off.
The WiFi connection needs to be the named specific one (Virgin Media have two as a choice - 2 Ghz and 5 Ghz) and the correct PW.

 

I've never really given any thought to that as there is no need on my Windows phone to turn mobile data off when using WiFi - the system must handle it automatically. Anyway I've tried that but it hasn't made any difference, there is still no internet on WiFi. The Vodafone tells me it is connected to my router, at 21Mbps, 2.4GHz, WPA/WPA2 PSK.

 

You can look in the WiFi settings on the phone itself to check exactly what named WiFi connection it is using. If it shows either of your Virgin Media (2 or 5 Ghz) connections, you can delete them, reset them with the PW and try again. If it wont connect (with MOBILE data definitely turned OFF) then the problem is the phone.
Never used a Windows phone so I can't say but on Android that's the way it works if the device is in range of Mobile and WiFi data conncection points you can't have both on at the same time for obvious reasons.

 

The router just broadcasts its SSID, as on the Virgin supplied labels, without identifying which frequency, (though it is set to use 2.4), and that's what both phones are connected to. I have deleted and recreated the connection earlier but no change. It does look like the phone but I'll see if the helpful guys in the Vodafone shop have any ideas. She will be a bit peed off if it has to be replaced. Thanks for thoughts.

 

The SSIDs are those on the base of the Virgin Media Super Hub router in your home, and mine has TWO.
On my phone at this moment it shows two both beginning 'VM.......... (identifying number)-5G' and 'VM...same number..2G'. It mostly connects automatically to the 5G. You can read the explanation for what the difference between the two is in your Virgin Media Handbook.
If you haven't set both of them with the same PW, then it will only to connect to the one you have but in the phone WiFi scan it should still SEE both.

 

Mine is a Hub 3.0 and has one SSID and one password. Both 2.4 and 5GHz are enabled by default. The phone WiFi scan only shows the one network so the selection process between 2.4 and 5 must be automatic. Anyway, as regards the phone's WiFi problem, it is connected, as I said. I'll have to search for the handbook, house in turmoil atm due to work going on.

 

I have the Hub 2 so they must have changed it for 3. So yes it sounds like an issue on the phone itself.

 

Earthling,
I'm guesstimating it's a limitation set by Vodafone on the Vodafone Smart.

FWIW
I enable the data connection on my Android phone (LG Leon, ISP is MTN) and then turn on Wi-Fi, enter password and connect to a Vodacom (65% owned by Vodafone) modem.
I'm effectively connect via two ISPs.
Of course it might be different in the UK.

 

@Eldon
My Windows phone is similar. Mobile Data and WiFi (different providers) are just left permanently on and tbh I'm not sure half of the time which the phone is using, though my usage strongly suggests it always tries to use WiFi first and only uses mobile data if no WiFi connection.

I don't think it's a phone restriction but hopefully the lads at the shop will know. It's my wife's phone so not certain of how she had it set but this problem is only a few days old so I doubt it's intentional.

 

Turns out there simply isn't one for Hub 3

 

That's Virgin for you. Apparently in Hub 3 you can't choose one or the other and it has only 1 SSID much to the consternation of some users it seems.
http://community.virginmedia.com/t5...5GHz-and-2-4GHz-at-the-same-time/td-p/3306405
Hub 3 was only available to new users, and is the recommended Hub for people subscribing to the highest speeds (ie 200mbps and above). Hub 2 is therefore a bit more user friendly and works with speeds up to 200mbps.

 

Her phone is 2.4GHz Wifi only.

 

The WiFi specs on that Vodaphone Smart Ultra 6 supports both 2.4 and 5 Ghz

 

Sorry guys, confusion entirely down to me. Although both the router and the phone have both 2.4 and 5, using 2.4 only was just one of my many suck it and see attempts to overcome the WiFi problem. I've since put the router back to default so it is broadcasting both frequencies simultaneously and for the time being I've put her phone on mobile data only so she's able to use it. Just need to keep an eye on her data usage.

 

Is your phone android??

If your phone is android 5.1.1 or higher you can try to adjust the settings on the phone by dialing this be low.

*#*#4636#*#*

Your phones info page will pop up.

 

If you have a limit, you can set an alert to warn you when you are approaching the limit.

Settings, Connections (Data Usage should be listed there), then Data Usage.

You can tap on/turn on Alert me about data usage.

 

@plodr - yeah, that's set, and with a 2GB allowance she should be OK.

@wile e coyote - I wouldn't know what to adjust so leave that to the boys in the Vodafone shop.

 

I actually have 5GB allowance (Virgin Mobile US) but there are no overage charges. If I go over 5GB, then I drop from 4G to 2G quality.

Since I don't do much on the phone, I have something like 958MB for this month, I can't see me using 5GB unless we lose electricity for days, then at home, I'd rely on the phone for internet.

 

I got rid of NET 10 it gave me crap for 40 dollars a month.

I switched my current phone over to straight talk and got 55 dollars a month and i got Unlimited Nation Wide i get The First 12GB of data at high speeds and than 2 G after that.But even than i have had my phone for a whole month and only used 5.32GB of data and i use it all the time.I use it as a radio in my car i connect my phone to my car and use blue tooth and play commercial free radio stations of the net.

straight talk and other phone companies have a app that will tell you how much data you are using.

If your phone has google play store which most do look up your carrier app.

 

@MaxTurner - are you able to point me to where you found that? I have 5GHz activated on the router but the Vodafone Smart isn't seeing it.

 

Earthling,
The Vodafone Smart ultra 6 supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n - 2.4 GHz.
http://www.gsmarena.com/vodafone_smart_ultra_6-7313.php

 

That's what I'm seeing but MaxTurner says different.

 

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n - Supports 2.4 and 5 Ghz. If you internet search it you will see it does.
My back up smart phone is a very OLD Samsung Galaxy S2 (much older than that Vodafone Ultra Smart 6) and it supports 5ghz and it shows as such in the WiFi settings on that phone when connected to my Virgin Router.

But either way it's not relevant to that smart phone not connecting to the OP's Virgin Router since SupaHub 3 will connect with whatever speed the device will allow. So the issue is why wont it connect on that WiFi?
Why not pop to a McDonalds or a Wetherspoons and try it out for WiFi there!

 

That's factually wrong Max. As I said in #3 the phone is connecting to the router at 2.4, and later I said I had also tried turning the router off and connecting via my Windows phone, but whichever way it connects the effect is the same, turning WiFi on effectively disables the 4g connection and there is no email or internet access. Turn WiFi off and everything starts working normally again.

 

It doesn't matter. That Vodafone Smart phone should connect with WiFi via your Virgin Router no matter what its hardware. It's nothing to do with '4g' which is just one form of Mobile Data connection. So I don't know why you keep mentioning it.
You haven't said whether WiFi on THAT phone works outside the home. Try that in a WiFi hotspot.
Other wise speak to Virgin. If my old back up phone that's 5 years older works, then that one should.

It matters not one jot whether that phone supports 5ghz or not. Your Virgin router is dynamic, supposedly!

 

Or go on the Virgin forums!
http://community.virginmedia.com/t5...devices-not-detecting-superhub-3/td-p/3056888

 

Even so, I too recommend testing it on other Wifi networks.

 

Progress! In a new test of the wife's Vodafone, after powering off absolutely everything other than the two mobiles, and after turning off mobile data on the Vodafone, internet worked again when connected via my Windows phone. That points the finger at the Virgin router and I'll take it up with them.

 

The Virgin Forum thread I kindly linked you to deals with the very issue you suggest you are facing with the Android phone.
Sadly, you have never answered whether that Android phone connects to WiFi elsewhere, so short of pulling teeth for answers I'm sure you will rectify it soon.

 

When an Android(Windows and IOS too, I presume) phone connects to a Wifi network, it defaults to using Wifi for data and disables the mobile data connection. Earthling could still connect to the router's wireless AP but was denied access to the network due to the MAC filter rules, effectively leaving him with no internet access in this case.

 

Just Playin has summed it up perfectly. His explanation also indirectly confirms that you do not need to be constantly switching between WiFi and mobile data. The phone does the switching for you.

 

With a capped mobile data plan you then risk using too much or exceeding it unnecessarily.
Good luck with that.
Of course, the whole issue was never a wifi/mobile data conflict. It was the MAC filter list.

 

Ah, isn't hindsight a wonderful thing