Cellular needed for App to connect

[PagodaY]

MYLR 2020 vin 048xxx.

I've been spending the summer at a location that does not have cellular service. It does have a strong wifi signal.

My app refuses to connect to the car via the wifi, so if it starts to rain, I have to go out to the car and manually close the windows.

Is this normal behavior? I'm on the latest software as of Aug 22. Rebooted the car via the scroll wheels. Is there some setting I need to adjust?

 

[HankLloydRight]

Just FYI, the app does not connect directly to the car. Both the app and the car connect to the Tesla mothership (servers). So you want to make sure wherever your car is parked it has a good wifi connection and then your phone also has to have a good wifi (or cell) connection. They do not have to be the same Wifi network to work.

 

[PagodaY]

Thanks for the response, but that is exactly the situation - the car and the phone both have strong wifi connections (the same wifi), but no cellular.

The app just spins and spins indicating it is waking up the car, but never does. I'm wondering if the car, when it is sleeping, does not monitor the wifi connection? At home, it works just fine but it has cellular bars, in addition to the wifi.

Sure would be nice to have this work properly. But failing that, maybe a "rain" mode that will detect if it's raining and the windows are open and close them without intervention on my part.

 

[bedoig]

WiFi shuts off when the car sleeps. It needs a cell ping to wake up. So, yes, you're out of luck without a cell signal. I'm not sure if WiFi stays on when the car is awake for sentry, cabin overheat protection, etc., but maybe worth a shot if you don't mind burning the power.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Just consider yourself lucky you can raise your windows remotely. Older MS/MX does not have that capability!

 

[btenison]

What I have found is, if my phone is close enough to connect via Bluetooth, I can press the door lock button to lock and unlock the car (or vice versa) and the app will connect. Then I can control the car even if the cell signal to the car is nonexistent (but the car still has Wi-Fi available)

hth.

 

[PagodaY]

Thanks for confirming my theory. Having the car wakeup when I'm right next to it is nice but doesn't do anything for contacting the car from inside the camp when it's raining.

I've gotten spoiled. It's such a wonderful car that running into something like this is magnified. I'll learn to live with it LOL.

 

[hugh_jassol]

My app refuses to connect to the car via the wifi, so if it starts to rain, I have to go out to the car and manually close the windows.

This belongs /r/FirstWorldProblems

 

[EVRider-FL]

Even when the car has WiFi, the Tesla servers use cellular (SMS) to contact the car when necessary. The car isn’t a web server and doesn’t support inbound connections via WiFi. Without cellular service at the car, you won’t be able to use the app to connect.

 

[btenison]

My point above wasn't worded well. What I have found (my house has POOR cell coverage) is, I can wake the car using the lock/unlock button on the app IF the phone is within Bluetooth range of the car. Since I have WiFi access to the car, once the car wakes up, then the app can contact and control the car. So, even if SMS isn't available, that's a method for waking the car and controlling it (IF you have WiFI coverage)...

 

[EVRider-FL]

My point above wasn't worded well. What I have found (my house has POOR cell coverage) is, I can wake the car using the lock/unlock button on the app IF the phone is within Bluetooth range of the car. Since I have WiFi access to the car, once the car wakes up, then the app can contact and control the car. So, even if SMS isn't available, that's a method for waking the car and controlling it (IF you have WiFI coverage)...

Right, in your case you're waking up the car by other means and the car connects to WiFi and the contacts the Tesla server, which is why you can then reach it with the app.

 

[PagodaY]

This belongs /r/FirstWorldProblems

I thought about putting that in my first posting, thanks for reminding me.

Re: using bluetooth, how far away will the car respond to a bluetooth phone? The car is part directly behind the camp, about 10 feet. I could bring the phone to a window and see if that would work.

 

[bedoig]

I thought about putting that in my first posting, thanks for reminding me.

Re: using bluetooth, how far away will the car respond to a bluetooth phone? The car is part directly behind the camp, about 10 feet. I could bring the phone to a window and see if that would work.

10 feet is almost certainly close enough, unless the camp is built inside a faraday cage of some sort. Of course, at that distance you can probably get to the car by walking faster than waiting for the car to wake from a bluetooth unlock command or whatever, connecting to wifi, then closing the windows in the app. Not that I don't do it for the novelty at times too