Wi-Fi Geofencing: GREAT idea, problematic implementation

[anon(7901790)]

Tim, I'd like to notate that as a comment under my submission at user voice and credit you with discovering it, if that is ok with you?

Sure. Go ahead.

 

[b23h]

Sure. Go ahead.

I just looked and you've already documented it, thank you... I am really surprised that MS set the feature up like that. However if that other thread is right, there's going to be a significant reworking of Geofencing and with luck they will fix the major issues.

 

[anon(7901790)]

The simple answer of why is security. By allowing the phone to connect to any wifi hotspot opens us up to "man in the middle" attacks and wifi spoofing. Microsoft could reasonably assume that home and work wifi networks are reasonably secure.

I'm just paranoid enough that I don't normally connect to public wifi hotspots unless I need the bandwidth or I'm getting close to my data cap. Also, my favorite Starbucks is near Pearl Harbor/Hickam AFB, and it has significant military patronage. Therefore a possible target of cyber espionage. Yes that sounds Machiavellian, but all you need is a quick read of the news to see that it has happened and still happening.

If they incorporate your idea, then geofencing would become useful and it also would still address security concerns.

 

[laxallday]

These guys from Tado also use geofencing in their recently announced WP app. Seems they use it to control temperature set points of AC units

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tado/tado-cooling-intelligent-a-c-control

Looks like quite an interesting product...

 

[oryan_dunn]

So, just found an issue with the current implementation of this. If you have it turn on near a favorite place, it'll only turn on at that favorite place if you've previously connected to wifi at that location. Normally, I don't have or use WiFi at work, but I did connect to a friends mobile hotspot at work. Now, my phone turns WiFi on at work all the time. I have to use the manual setting now.

 

[wolfin2000]

I've connected to my home before (duh) but the Wi-Fi does not auto-turn-on. I would like that to work. I don't have the phone set to use data over cellular; Only use Wi-Fi. I've tried turning-on data over cellular to see if that was the problem, but it does not work that way either.

 

[b23h]

I've connected to my home before (duh) but the Wi-Fi does not auto-turn-on. I would like that to work. I don't have the phone set to use data over cellular; Only use Wi-Fi. I've tried turning-on data over cellular to see if that was the problem, but it does not work that way either.

I assume there are write ups of how to turn it on, however I expect there are three main aspects.
1. You have your home set up as a favorite place under Cortana's Notebook.
2. Your location services/GPS is turned on.
3. If you turn off your Wi-Fi the setting of manual/near my favorite places/times is exposed. Of course you would pick "near my favorite places", then turn Wi-Fi back on.

Given all that if you check "location" in the setting menu it should show at the bottom that you are tracking geofences.

If I am not mistaken that should do it.

 

[wolfin2000]

1. Home is set in both Cortana and in Maps.
2 I believe that the GPS is turned on. I'm not certain where to turn GPS on for certain (in Android I could turn it on and off with a button on the main screen that said "GPS"). If I'm not mistaken, this setting is really as you described, if locations services are set to on, then the GPS is being used and/or turned-on.

3. Is set like you posted.

Here+ uses my downloaded offline map because I don't have an Internet connection while driving.
I'm not certain if you have to be using Here+ for it to work at all or not? And if so, does it have to have to be connected to the Internet and not just using the offline map?

 

[b23h]

1. Home is set in both Cortana and in Maps.
2 I believe that the GPS is turned on. I'm not certain where to turn GPS on for certain (in Android I could turn it on and off with a button on the main screen that said "GPS"). If I'm not mistaken, this setting is really as you described, if locations services are set to on, then the GPS is being used and/or turned-on.

3. Is set like you posted.

Here+ uses my downloaded offline map because I don't have an Internet connection while driving.
I'm not certain if you have to be using Here+ for it to work at all or not? And if so, does it have to have to be connected to the Internet and not just using the offline map?

Well, that's interesting. I did not know that you could get to "favorite places" through the maps program, I've only gotten there via Cortana's notebook. Thanks!

As far as your question about GPS, I think the deeper meaning of what you are talking about is why don't they mention GPS or even GLONASS at all on the "location" page under settings. It's a good question. But yea, that's where the GPS setting is, and I have it as one of my "quick action" buttons on my notification bar.

As your Wi-Fi is set to turn on "near my favorite places" I expect that you are set to go.

Personally I think your last questions about here maps and the internet have no impact on Wi-Fi geofencing and given the other three factors are set you should be ok. Is geofences listed as being tracked at the bottom of the "location" setting page?

I think your last step is to turn off the wi-fi, go out to a store a mile away and buy milk or something and test to see if your wi-fi turns back on when you get home. The mile and the milk are of course optional. Other threads here have discussed the likely range and I think it's something like 700 ft or something like that.

 

[b23h]

http://forums.windowscentral.com/cortana/280098-geofencing-range.html

200 to 500 ft depending on type of location

 

[wolfin2000]

Yeah, location is turned on (I temp added to notification bar and it is highlighted in the color for being on).
Also, yes, it does show that 'Geofences are being tracked' at the bottom of the "location" settings page.

I've done this a few times with both data turned on and turned off. Both for home and for some other Favorite Places like Walmart and Publix. I've sat in the parking; stood outside on the curb where the shopping carts are, for 10 minutes, etc. Nothing haha.

 

[b23h]

I'm a little lost as to how far away from the "favorite location" you were. The Wi-Fi needs to be off but all features set as we noted, and you need to be relatively far from your favorite location. As you move closer and within 200-500 ft or so the Wi-Fi should turn on and connect once in range of the Wi-Fi. Some people have said that you need to connect to the Wi-Fi and have the setting (connect automatically) before the geofencing feature will work (and that makes sense, especially the "connect automatically" setting).

 

[b23h]

One of the other posters (Tim G.) discovered that Wi-Fi geofencing does not work if the favorite locations are listed as "other", it will only work for "home" and "work". That's a fairly lame limitation and one would hope that would be fixed.