Data used when connected to wifi?

[rhughes18]

I've been testing out WP on a L520 for the last 3 months and I've got $5 remaining on a prepaid account that expires tomorrow. I've generally been keeping mobile data off and only using wifi but since my balance expires tomorrow, I figured I'd leave mobile data on to see how much the phone uses it. I'm surprised to see that the phone is using mobile data even while I'm connected to wifi. (I only know because I keep getting toasts about the balance left on my phone.) Is this because wifi isn't used after the phone has gone to "sleep"? I'm a little surprised by this because I thought if you were connected to wifi, the phone would default to using that. Or do I have something setup wrong? What is the expected behavior of the phone with using mobile data vs wifi?

 

[xboxonthego3]

Hmm makes me wonder if it is switching over to cellular data because of having limited wi-fi connection or not actually getting internet from wi-fi constantly. I remember a thread about a year ago talking about wi-fi turning off when the phone went to sleep. Not sure if I could find it or not. Or if it was actually true. Hopefully someone else can provide you with more info.

 

[rhughes18]

I'm in an area with a strong wifi signal, so there shouldn't be a connectivity issue. I also checked the wifi settings and there is an option to "Keep Wi-Fi on when the screen times out". I have that option selected (enabled) but it seems to have no effect. I get toasts about every 30 minutes that mobile data has been used (I assume email or something).

 

[Jack Janik]

The phone will, by default, turn off WiFi when the screen locks to "save battery", however it doesn't really save too much, and it's a huge hassle. Check to see if you have that option enabled. Something like "Keep WiFi on when screen times out", and tick that little box. Hope I helped!

 

[James8561]

also, when battery saver is active, it automatically disconnects from WIFI when locked. make sure battery saver isn't active.
after that try toggling wifi on and off and on.

 

[rhughes18]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did have the battery saver turned on (but it was not "enabled" - charge at 60%). So I turned off the battery saver, then toggled wifi off and back on, then rebooted the phone. And it still uses mobile data when I'm in range of wifi (very strong signal). I thought phones would use wifi when they could? I guess the moral to the story is keep mobile data turned off if you're watching your data usage. Is this by design to line the pockets of the service providers? Serious question though, is this how the phone is supposed to be working or is mine not working as intended?

I've also noticed that when mobile data and wifi are both on, a few apps I've tried complain that there is no internet connection when they're loaded (iheartradio and wordament). But after a several seconds they start to work. It's like it can't decide which connection to use. But don't most "normal" users have mobile data and wifi always on? I guess those users are also on plans where they don't really care which connection is being used, so they aren't watching it.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I did have the battery saver turned on (but it was not "enabled" - charge at 60%). So I turned off the battery saver, then toggled wifi off and back on, then rebooted the phone. And it still uses mobile data when I'm in range of wifi (very strong signal). I thought phones would use wifi when they could? I guess the moral to the story is keep mobile data turned off if you're watching your data usage. Is this by design to line the pockets of the service providers? Serious question though, is this how the phone is supposed to be working or is mine not working as intended?

I've also noticed that when mobile data and wifi are both on, a few apps I've tried complain that there is no internet connection when they're loaded (iheartradio and wordament). But after a several seconds they start to work. It's like it can't decide which connection to use. But don't most "normal" users have mobile data and wifi always on? I guess those users are also on plans where they don't really care which connection is being used, so they aren't watching it.

Do you by any chance have your router channel set to 'automatic'? I did at one time, and every time my router changed channels, my WiFi connection on my device dropped. I changed my router channel to 10, since no neighbours use that channel, and ever since then I don't lose my WiFi connection.

 

[DaT Franchise]

What career??

 

[rhughes18]

Do you by any chance have your router channel set to 'automatic'? I did at one time, and every time my router changed channels, my WiFi connection on my device dropped. I changed my router channel to 10, since no neighbours use that channel, and ever since then I don't lose my WiFi connection.

I'm not sure about the routers at work but at home the router is set to a fixed channel. The phone does the same thing in both places. :-/

 

[foxbat121]

I found that my WP phone does not scan for wifi network that often if at all when in sleep mode (to save battery). So, if you coming from a cell data connection to a place with known wifi networks, the phone won't connect to it right away unless you wake up the phone and wait for it to connect.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Do you have notify when new networks are found enabled or disabled? Maybe it's looking for other networks instead of staying locked into your preferred network.

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920 using Tapatalk

 

[rhughes18]

Do you have notify when new networks are found enabled or disabled? Maybe it's looking for other networks instead of staying locked into your preferred network.

I only have "Keep Wi-Fi on when the screen times out" enabled. The other 3 options are disabled.

Incidentally, I'm sitting here playing Wordament, connected to wifi and I'm still getting periodic toasts about mobile data usage! (Every 30 min or so.) I wish you could tell what was using it.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I only have "Keep Wi-Fi on when the screen times out" enabled. The other 3 options are disabled.

Incidentally, I'm sitting here playing Wordament, connected to wifi and I'm still getting periodic toasts about mobile data usage! (Every 30 min or so.) I wish you could tell what was using it.

Have you tried my settings? My WiFi connects when I'm outside my apartment in my car and never drops inside my apartment.

 

[OzRob]

I only have "Keep Wi-Fi on when the screen times out" enabled. The other 3 options are disabled.

Incidentally, I'm sitting here playing Wordament, connected to wifi and I'm still getting periodic toasts about mobile data usage! (Every 30 min or so.) I wish you could tell what was using it.

Given that you're having the same issues on both your work and home wifi networks, I'd suspect that you have a fault with the phone itself. Unfortunately I'd recommend you do a full factory reset and see if you have the same issues. If you do, you might need to send the phone off for repair. There really is no reason, if you have a good wifi connection, that the phone or an app should try to use cell data. So getting mobile data usage warnings when you've got a good wifi internet connection running doesn't sound right to me, regardless of your settings.

 

[DaT Franchise]

Who is the pre pay service from?

 

[rhughes18]

H2O Wireless. I never did figure out what was going on but I kind of suspect something at the OS level (maybe email?). When I had a wifi connection, the mobile data charges were all "micro" charges (a fraction of a penny). I wonder if the OS uses the mobile connection (when available) to ping regularly or do some basic check of something. I wish the OS was a little more open for developers so that apps could be written to track stuff like this - see where the heck it's coming from. The strangest thing to me was that I could be using wifi (for streaming or whatever) and still get these little charges popping up... while I was on wifi. Strange.

 

[Manoj Murali]

I have a doubt. i recently tried to use wifi from my lumia 520 and tried to send whatsapp messages. but they aren't getting sent. it seems data connections needs to be on . is it so . i use a virtual router to create wifi spot from my laptop .

 

[gomezz]

Incidentally, I'm sitting here playing Wordament, connected to wifi and I'm still getting periodic toasts about mobile data usage! (Every 30 min or so.) I wish you could tell what was using it.

The Data Sense app will tell you that.

 

[rhughes18]

The Data Sense app will tell you that.

No Data Sense on AT&T network. Is there a way to side load it?

 

[JesseMacoco]

Re: why is cell data used when connected to wifi?

I may be wrong but I believe your phone uses your Wi-Fi connection as long as it is active. Occasionally, it will use your data connection to process certain carrier task eg MMS or even checking your data usage using a carrier pre-installed app. This may be the data usage that's occurring in the background. You can test this out by leaving both wifi and data on and then attempt to send an MMS or use any carrier service. You'll notice the wifi and data icons active but ofcourse the data icon will disappear from your task bar once it has completed the carrier action.