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Anyone get the WiFi connected yet?

27K views 69 replies 36 participants last post by  Huey52 
#1 ·
There is an option to connect to an existing WiFi router (not create a hotspot). It can see the WiFi router in the house, but it can't connect to it (it complains about the security of the thing, but doesn't prompt for the WiFi password).

There may be a WPS capability - used in lieu of entering a password, I guess. I haven't tried this as of yet.

I guess the other question is how is this WiFi actually used? Is this how OTA is eventually obtains updates? Or is there some other functionality that having WiFi would enable? I kind of wanted to know how this would be useful before I spent much more time on it.
 
#2 ·
have you checked which version of WPA you are running? I believe WPA3 is being deployed and is running on many WiFi routers, but many devices are not capable. If you know where to look you may want to confirm that you are running WPA2.
 
#3 ·
In the car, there was an option to use WPS - I believe I need to push a button on the router to turn that on (for 2 minutes), then run back to the car, find the WiFi in the menu again, and retry connecting - all within 2 minutes. I think that's what I need to do...

But I am still curious as to exactly what functionality this enables.
 
#5 ·
I was able to get the car to connect. I thought the CarNet App was using the wifi even though I heard CarNet only works with data.

This morning I had my phone connected to a different wifi network in my house that the car is not on to pre-heat the car and it would not work. When I changed it to the same network that the car is on, it worked.
 
#6 ·
I wanted someone to clarify this for me and I haven't able to get a good answer. If car net app can talk to the car over wifi then the car should have it's wifi on even when it's off and the wifi client would be using the 12v battery and I don't think that would be such a good idea.
 
#12 ·
I can’t speak for the ID.4, but I have wireless CarPlay in two of my vehicles and it’s far from flawless in both. I have experienced audio cutting out before, for seemingly no reason. Also, sometimes audio doesn’t work at all and I have to disconnect, and then reconnect, CarPlay. No matter, I prefer the built-in infotainment over CarPlay, anyway.
 
#14 ·
My Hyundai Ioniq has wifi enable all the time. I can see it on my computer as a hidden network. In the Ioniq the wifi is used to communicate with the phone app - to start car, activate heat/AC, run general diagnostics, etc. In two years I have never noticed any issues with the 12v. battery running down. The Ioniq also communicates with Hyundai for service updates, because it knows exactly how many miles are on the odometer. But it never does any automatic software updates.
 
#15 ·
There is an option to connect to an existing WiFi router (not create a hotspot). It can see the WiFi router in the house, but it can't connect to it (it complains about the security of the thing, but doesn't prompt for the WiFi password).
I got the same security complaint and haven't done anything to resolve it beyond that.

Remind me - why does the car need to be connected to my router? Software updates? Something else?
 
#32 ·
I was playing with the wireless settings recently and had an interesting inception problem... I enabled the hotspot on my phone and connected my ID.4 to it (it wouldn't connect to my home wireless). Then tried to use Android Auto, which connects my phone to the ID.4 hotspot... Somewhere in the process I disabled the ID.4 hotspot to see if the internet streaming would work over other wireless, but that failed, and then I got errors about wireless Android Auto not working unless I enable the hotspot again.
 
#34 ·
When OTA updates are available/pending I assume WiFi will remain connected when the car is off. That and VW could initiate a cellular wakeup and connect WiFi at will, if OTA became available and WiFI was off....although now that I think about it they wouldn't likely initiate an update without you approving the start.
 
#39 ·
Hi I just got my ID4 yesterday. How do I connect to home wifi? The only option I saw was to connect to ID4 as a hotspot. This is my first EV so that means this car is always connected to the internet? Is it on a free trial? Do we have to pay for this eventually? How much will it cost once the free trial ends? What if we don't want to pay later?
 
#49 ·
I see at least four separate things being discussed.

WiFi -- I recall I was able to connect my ID.4 (2.1) to home wifi when I brought it home, but as others have mentioned, at this point in time it appears to serve no useful purpose.

Hotspot -- This is the optional service where the ID.4 uses the cellular data connection provided by the VW Remote Access Plan (5 years included with vehicle purchase) to use the car as a hot spot, particularly for non-connected devices such at tablets and laptops. During my first month free trial period, I found the hotspot setting on my phone to provide a stronger, more stable connection than the in-vehicle hotspot. But I suppose this will vary by carrier (my phone and the car are both on Verizon's network).

Wireless Android Auto -- this is in fact a wifi connection, but it is initiated with a Bluetooth link, which in turn auto-logs on the phone to the car in a "behind the curtain" connection.

Internet Connection -- @Neptune you asked whether the car is always connected to the internet. Sort of, yes. The VW Remote Access plan is the backbone cellular connection that all other connected options piggyback off of: Hotspot, Plus Nav, Plus Speech, the MyVW app, and probably Safe and Secure. This service is included for five years with the purchase of the car, and an annual subscription after that.
 
#53 ·
Key fob still required. App is only really for starting climate control, checking on battery or charge status and changing a few charging settings. Seems the software update is letting users see actual location of the car and maybe checking on lock and window status - not sure if its giving remote lock/unlock functionality.
 
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#58 ·
Ok, so I may be the only person who could benefit from the car connection to WiFi. I live in an area with zero cell coverage. When I step into my car, my phone connects to CarPlay and loses home WiFi connection, so now the car has no connection and the phone lost its connection. The worst of both worlds… Cannot map anything, etc.
Could I connect to CarPlay through USB?
I guess I am doomed ;)))
 
#61 ·
2023 Pro AWD running on 3.1.0 here, and I am not seeing an option to connect the car to WiFi as a client. Picture attached. Am I in the right menu? Has anyone else had this issue?

I see two options (image attached):
  • Infotainment system as hotspot
  • Quick connection to infotainment system

I understand WiFi connection appears nearly useless at the moment, but I am having trouble logging the car into Car-Net (this issue, I think) and the one fix I see over and over again is people connecting their car to a home WiFi network... not sure what it does, but doesn't seem to be coincidental.

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#62 ·
2023 Pro AWD running on 3.1.0 here, and I am not seeing an option to connect the car to WiFi as a client. Picture attached. Am I in the right menu? Has anyone else had this issue?

I see two options (image attached):
  • Infotainment system as hotspot
  • Quick connection to infotainment system

I understand WiFi connection appears nearly useless at the moment, but I am having trouble logging the car into Car-Net and the one fix I see over and over again is people connecting their car to a home WiFi network... not sure what it does, but doesn't seem to be coincidental.

View attachment 20402
A couple of things:

  1. You are running version 3.1.0, there is no option in that release to connect the car to an external WiFi network.
  2. From looking at the image in your post you seem to have 5 bars of signal strength, so should not need an external WiFi connection to log into Car-Net
  3. My recommendation for resolving this issue is:
    1. Park the car where you have good reception.
    2. Press the information button on the overhead console and work with customer care to resolve the issue.
 
#64 · (Edited)
I'm still kinda new here, but I'll do my best to help you out. It sounds like you're having trouble connecting your device to your WiFi router. Have you tried typing in the WiFi password yourself instead of using WPS? Sometimes that can fix the security issue. Oh, and WiFi isn't just for OTA updates. It's also useful for stuff like streaming, browsing, and connecting to smart home gadgets. If you wanna learn more about WiFi and what it can do, check out multitechverse.com. They've got some cool tech articles there. Hope this still helps.
 
#65 ·
this is from the manual - I came across it while looking for something else... I believe there have been questions about what connecting to wifi does.

seems you connect to an external wifi hotspot so that the car can get Internet/online services (whatever those may be, no idea). So it seems to me that it's more useful outside of the home and connecting your mobile phone's wifi hotspot when on the go for the car to use "online services".


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#66 ·
this is from the manual - I came across it while looking for something else... I believe there have been questions about what connecting to wifi does.

seems you connect to an external wifi hotspot so that the car can get Internet/online services (whatever those may be, no idea). So it seems to me that it's more useful outside of the home and connecting your mobile phone's wifi hotspot when on the go for the car to use "online services".


View attachment 28825
Is this from the original 2021 2.1 Owner's Manual? After the 3.1 software update in my '21, this option has disappeared. I haven't checked the new version of the paper Owner's Manual I received post 3.1 to see if this section has been deleted.
 
#69 ·
Doesn't the manual state that the wifi features may vary by market (geographic region). My USA ID4 pro rwd does not have the "connect to wifi" feature. For those of you who do have the feature: what country are you in ? Also what ID4 software version are you using ?

I had been assuming that the USA cars did not get the feature -- maybe because they want you to purchase their verizon plan, instead of connecting the car to a personal wifi hotspot ?
 
#70 ·
Doesn't the manual state that the wifi features may vary by market (geographic region). My USA ID4 pro rwd does not have the "connect to wifi" feature. For those of you who do have the feature: what country are you in ? Also what ID4 software version are you using ?

I had been assuming that the USA cars did not get the feature -- maybe because they want you to purchase their verizon plan, instead of connecting the car to a personal wifi hotspot ?
Indeed, very regional market/model dependent.

The very few times family members have wanted a hotspot I rather just use that innate capability of my iPhone directly. Of course the VW convention is availed of the vehicle's cellular antenna for better range, but I've not had a handheld issue, again my rare needs.
 
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