Wifi shows connected but dowload is still using cellular

[cre8tivspirit]

So I couldn't figure out why I almost hit my max data allowance when I almost always use WiFi for downloads. I seems that even though my phone is showing me connected to WiFi, downloads will still use cellular connection. I saw this happen recently when I was downloading some music to my phone from the market. Instead of seeing "WiFi download" appear, it said it was a "Cellular download" when the downloading started. No wonder I'm slamming my data usage so high. The only resolution I've found to stop the cellular download is to shut my phone down, restart and then the WiFi will pick up the downloads after it connects again. I've taken to shutting my WiFi off and then turning it on when I'm in places that I know have WiFi but that sort of defeats the purpose of having my Wifi automatically connect to known WiFi hotspots and/or searching for available WiFi.

Anyone else experience this? Is there an app or anything that will tell me if I'm truly connected though WiFi so I can avoid going over my data allowance in the future?

 

[Steve Ridges]

My phone might be doing it. I just exceeded my plan and that has never happened in 5 years.

 

[Etyrnus]

Network Dashboard | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Gives you a quick link to turn cellular and wifi off. If you're wanting to ensure you only download over wifi, just temporarily turn cell data off. But if it is over 20-25 MB it should only download over wifi anyway.

Btw, the app has a free trail that doesn't end, it's just limited to certain features. Not my app, I'm not a dev, but one I've been using for a long time.

 

[typhon62_1]

I've noticed that too when updating apps. I have a wifi connection but it says its downloading from the cellular network a lot of the time. I've seen it kick over from cellular to wifi during the update before, but it always seems to start using the cellular network 1st.

Glad its not just me seeing this...

 

[cre8tivspirit]

Network Dashboard | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Gives you a quick link to turn cellular and wifi off. If you're wanting to ensure you only download over wifi, just temporarily turn cell data off. But if it is over 20-25 MB it should only download over wifi anyway.

Btw, the app has a free trail that doesn't end, it's just limited to certain features. Not my app, I'm not a dev, but one I've been using for a long time.

That's nice but some of my biggest downloads are podcasts I'm subscribed to. They don't always sync up and right away when I connect to WiFi. Also, a lot of the reviews say that the WiFi information on the app is invalid and that it doesn't work that well.

I think the bigger issue is that there seemsto be a problem still with WiFi on the 920's.

 

[congusano]

Is there an app or anything that will tell me if I'm truly connected though WiFi so I can avoid going over my data allowance in the future?

You can open up a web browser on your phone and go to whatismyip.com and see if its that of your internet provider, or your service provider (att or whomever).

 

[Etyrnus]

That's nice but some of my biggest downloads are podcasts I'm subscribed to. They don't always sync up and right away when I connect to WiFi. Also, a lot of the reviews say that the WiFi information on the app is invalid and that it doesn't work that well.

I think the bigger issue is that there seemsto be a problem still with WiFi on the 920's.

What I was getting at is turn your cellular data off so the phone has no choice but to download over WiFi. Mine hasn't had a problem, and I have my podcasts only set to sync when connected to WiFi.

As far as the app, it's just a shortcut to your cell data or wifi in your settings.

 

[PhantomNZ]

I've noticed this, but it only started happening a few days ago for me. The way I noticed it was that some of my apps that require internet connectivity were timing out as I have poor 3G reception in my home, but it was showing wifi as being connected.

 

[cre8tivspirit]

I'm hoping that the "Keep WiFi Active Behind the Lockscreen" update that is supposed to be coming with the Portico update will help resolve this issue.

 

[cre8tivspirit]

This is definitely becoming a problem. Checked my data usage this morning and it was a a little over 17Mb. Connected to my WiFi and updated my maps. That was a 94Mb download. When it was completed I checked my data usage again on at&t and it was about 114 Mb. My phone did a 94Mb download over cellular data. I didn't even think that was supposed to allowed.

 

[bellyer]

This has happened with my wife's 920 also. I had to work with AT&T a few weeks ago to get her data overage charges reversed because she had gone over her data after 2 weeks into the month. There were many large downloads occurring in the middle of the night for some reason, while we were sleeping and her phone was just plugged in charging. AT&T promised that this should not happen again and they would follow up with a phone call the following month to find out if we are still experiencing the problem. Hopefully, the update coming out with the always-on wi-fi might resolve the problem.

 

[cre8tivspirit]

Well I'm not so sure that the update has solved my problem. Still experiencing issues with WiFi showing as connected but downloading by cellular. Even tried shutting the phone down and turning back on. Today I was connected to WiFi and phone tried to download 34Mb by way of cellular. I had to shut WiFi down and restart it 3 times before the connection actually connected and the download used WiFi. I guess I'm gonna have to call at&t on this one and see about exchanging my phone.

 

[alphonsohall]

If i'm using a wi fi connection to download how do i find out if its used the cellular data connection instead?,

 

[cre8tivspirit]

I'll either select check install from the app page or back out to the Market main page and look at the downloads. When downloading, it tells you whether it's using WiFi or cellular.