car not finding home wifi - suggestions

[skippyinspace]

Not sure if this is a biggie or not but looks like my home wifi isn't strong enough to reach where the car is parked. The Zappi installer had to install the hub next to a one of the mesg boosters because of this and that worked for the zappi. But car is parked in the same location as the zappi and the car cant find the wifi.

Best thoughts on rectifying its an old granite property so walls are quite thick.

Do have some outside power points but no facility to run cat cables.

Any suggestions other than using mobile hotspot,

Have also noticed since getting the car my android samsung note 9 is using a lot more charge.

Thanks

Ian

 

[NorfolkMustard]

Try parking the car the other way around, the wifi transceiver is in one of the wing mirrors

 

[26ct2143]

Fairly sure the car uses 2.4Ghz wifi not 5Ghz, have you checked that 2.4Ghz is what is being sent in the car's direction.
If your wifi access point(s) have detectable antenna, then you could try using a directional beam to concentrate the signal in the cars direction.
You probably need to switch off bluetooth(on the phone) when your not needing your car, to reduce battery drain on the phone.
Failing that you might need an outdoor access point to reach the car.

 

[MrBadger]

Also try changing wifi channel if it is currently set at either end of the channel list. Sorted our issues at no cost.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

It's both but 5ghz is going to be even worse getting through thick walls (that's an advantage normally as less interference from neighbours).

The Tesla also limited to US frequencies so it can't see channels 12-13. Plus it has a weedy antenna that needs a strong signal.

Best thing to do is install a relay transmitter to get the power up near the car.

 

[Dilly]

The car antenna isn’t great. I had a wireless AP on the driver’s side of the garage wall. To get a full signal in the car, I had to move it to a rafter 4 feet directly above the passenger side mirror!

 

[Sunderland boy]

The car antenna isn’t great. I had a wireless AP on the driver’s side of the garage wall. To get a full signal in the car, I had to move it to a rafter 4 feet directly above the passenger side mirror!

I had the same issue- switched to BT and used their range extender discs now I’ve got better Wi-fi then I need.

 

[pgkevet]

The simplest solution (for me) with car parked in the barn was to add a powerline adapter
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TL-WPA4220...words=Powerline+Adapter&qid=1624802484&sr=8-3

 

[btc1k]

Hasn't been mentioned so I will... My home wifi also doesn't extend to driveway - I could probably fix it with a powerline and a booster - but just find it easier to tether my phone and download software updates that way. 5G is super fast and most people have large data allowances....

 

[LukeUK]

I installed a POE AP pretty much up under the eaves, it means the car connects and as a bonus I've also got great Wi-Fi outside.

 

[Adopado]

Not sure if this is a biggie or not but looks like my home wifi isn't strong enough to reach where the car is parked. The Zappi installer had to install the hub next to a one of the mesg boosters because of this and that worked for the zappi. But car is parked in the same location as the zappi and the car cant find the wifi.

Best thoughts on rectifying its an old granite property so walls are quite thick.

Do have some outside power points but no facility to run cat cables.

Any suggestions other than using mobile hotspot,

Have also noticed since getting the car my android samsung note 9 is using a lot more charge.

Thanks

Ian

I think the Zappi Hub issue is a bit of a red herring since it doesn't use wifi anyway ... unless things have changed recently the Hub is attached to your network via ethernet and communicates with the Zappi itself via it's own proprietary radio/networking protocol. The problem is simply that the Model 3 needs a really excellent wifi signal (as mentioned above). I have a Powerline link to an Access Point in my garage near where the car is parked. My Zappi Hub is connected to the access point via ethernet there rather than in the house. A weatherproof box over the outside power point could give you the option of having a Powerline module and Access Point (and the Hub if its any advantage ... probably not in your case.) nearer the car.

 

[RedMod3]

I ran an Ethernet cable into the garage and fitted a Wireless Access Point there; that solved all Wi-Fi connection issues. Tesla recently installed a software upgrade and it broke the Wi-Fi and phone connection - I had to set both up again.

 

[edyang]

Hasn't been mentioned so I will... My home wifi also doesn't extend to driveway - I could probably fix it with a powerline and a booster - but just find it easier to tether my phone and download software updates that way. 5G is super fast and most people have large data allowances....

Same here. I don't even have 5G. Simply leave my phone in the car and downloads usually complete in about 20 mins.

 

[skippyinspace]

Thanks, everyone, being in the far north of Scotland, you know that area where courier companies charge more, Amazon Prime is 2-day delivery, and companies like hello fresh won't deliver to, the chances of getting 5G is a long way off.

The Observatory and astronomical cameras connected to raspberry pis are also about the same distance away from the mesh disc and struggle to connect to the wifi 1 bar, So an outside access point is probably going to be the way to go.

I should probably try a powerline adapter as I think have one kicking about but I believe though not sure that the observatory and outbuildings are on a different circuit to the house but they are on the same circuit breaker board so I might be wrong.

The actualy plan was to use the business premises wifi but its about a fortnight before BT are going to switch that on, been running an e-commerce business of a 4G dongle for the past 3 months while open reach installed the phone line, etc

 

[Chanser]

Mine use to get a weak signal all the time, recently that changed where I have to force the car wi-fi to find my router. I may consider getting a unifi access point soon.

 

[Adopado]

I should probably try a powerline adapter as I think have one kicking about but I believe though not sure that the observatory and outbuildings are on a different circuit to the house but they are on the same circuit breaker board so I might be wrong.

If they are off the same board it's highly likely that a Powerline link will work. (Ours even works to the cottage next door ... we're not on looped mains or anything ... I was amazed! Definitely worth making sure to do the security pairing for that reason because they do work without it but then allow any other Powerline to connect to your network!

 

[skippyinspace]

Not 100% sure but the phone wifi app says there is a signal and surprise surprise the granite wall of the outhouse has wacked it down to 1 bar even though it's only 2m away but the car has a signal.

The reason I'm not sure is that I cant seem to see the new IP address for the powerline adaptors on the IP Scanner but I now have a signal so I'm not complaining,

The powerline adaptors do seem to be on a different channel to the main wifi but as they are in the outbuildings and observatory its unlikely that I will be moving between the 2

 

[hcdavis3]

The WiFi antenna is in the passenger side mirror.

 

[Bonze]

I ran an Ethernet cable into the garage and fitted a Wireless Access Point there; that solved all Wi-Fi connection issues. Tesla recently installed a software upgrade and it broke the Wi-Fi and phone connection - I had to set both up again.

I'm thinking of doing the same.
Can I ask which make/model of WAP you used?

 

[pgkevet]

Powerline adapters work if on the same phase of the supply (not necessarily the same circuit) and within 300? Metres. Options exist for cable to adapter and cable to a second router or cable to adapter and second adapter is a wireless broadcast - either of the same WPS code or the one unique to the output adapter It's the second I use purely because it’s quicker to set up and the code is on the plug-in for when I need to relink stuff. Of course an intelligent owner would just make up a label with the household WPS code and stick their own label on - but I don't see me carting laptops from house to barn with any frequency.
Mobile signal strength here is close to zero - sometimes single bar on a nice summers evening in still air with the phone held above my head and facing a rising full moon while chanting from the book of the dead. I can get 3G if I drive across 2 fields and up Fairfield hill to gain 140 metres altitude.