Disappointed with Connectivity options for Preheating Cabin

[Vines]

Where I park my car at night gets 0 cell signal, but my car does recognize both connection to my home wifi and bluetooth.
However I have yet to successfully preheat my car at home yet.

Why is this something that requires a cell connection when there's other connectivity available?

 

[Vines]

Sorry for the double post. Mods please remove other post.

 

[NeverFollow]

I guess Tesla don't want you to bypass their server, so they can record any remote command send.
This allow them to make some statistical analysis and could also prevent hacking, such as summon control?

 

[Vines]

Its terribly annoying, especially in the winter in the mountains. I would guess you are correct though, just hoping there's light at the end of this tunnel.
I mean my phone is the key, so it should hold mastery over the HVAC, but it doesn't.
Probably not an issue most people have I'd guess lol.

 

[bay74]

I guess Tesla don't want you to bypass their server

Could you please perhaps explain how the car's method of internet access affects Tesla's servers?

I would have thought, that when the App asks the Tesla mothership to tell your car to do something (assuming the phone App doesn't contact the car directly), how the Tesla server gets the message to the car is irrelevant as long as it gets there. I.e. whether the message is sent over a phone network or over a wireless network shouldn't matter.

If someone could clarify how these things work that'd be swell.

A.

 

[Peteski]

My Model X works fine on Wifi at home with no cell signal on either car or cell phone. So at least in principle there is no reason why it shouldn't work for Model 3 too.

 

[diamond.g]

IIRC Summon exclusively uses cell service. Doors unlocking uses BT, everything else should work over WiFi. Maybe it is possible that when the car is sleep it waits for a ping from the cell side of the house, which isn't working for you. If you had the fob I would say unlock the car using it (it wakes the car up) then see if the app connects. Not sure why the phone BT unlock doesn't wake the car the same way.

 

[macgeng]

Sorry to hear that. I would have been so upset if I couldn't get the remote preheating to work in my garage, the main reason I bought my Tesla is to remote preheat without having to open the garage door.

 

[Vines]

It must have something to do with the level of sleep. Just tried it now and I can make it work just fine, but I took a drive about an hour ago.

 

[SMAlset]

The current deep sleep on the Model 3 causes me delays a number of times.

Now I don’t know if this would make any difference but I know on my 3 that I currently have it set to turn off climate when I exit the car. The car gets pretty cold even here in the Bay area some mornings (seen interior temps in low 40s—I know don’t laugh you colder area temp guys!), but since the car heats up and defrosts so quickly figure I’ll save on range by keeping climate setting that way. Anyone out there who keeps Climate on and can say if it makes a difference waking the car up on the App?

 

[mswlogo]

Its terribly annoying, especially in the winter in the mountains. I would guess you are correct though, just hoping there's light at the end of this tunnel.
I mean my phone is the key, so it should hold mastery over the HVAC, but it doesn't.
Probably not an issue most people have I'd guess lol.

The bluetooth "as key" is Bluetooth LE and by design fairly short range.
You can judge the approx range by noticing when it locks as you walk away. It locks when you are out of range.

It's pretty rare that you can't get Cell or WIFI to car. You typically have control over WIFI at your home.

Note that 2.4 Ghz WIFI has better range than 5.0 Ghz does.
I split my SSL names so I can explicitly assign devices to either depending on what's more important (Range / Reliability or Bandwidth)

Hint: Model 3 does not need high bandwidth.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about find an 8th Grader nerd that does

 

[SSedan]

If the Wifi is weak it won't actually get commands. Last night at my sister's I parked a little further from the house than normal, car had wifi bit one bar wouldn't connect. Went out and told the car to forget that connection and it switched to cellular and all was perfect. Similar situation has come up at home depending how I park.

 

[nowwhatnapster]

Why not ask your mobile carrier for a 4g extender. It is essentially a mini cellular tower/router that you put at your house and plug into your internet. Problem solved and now your house guest get great cell service too.

 

[mswlogo]

Why not ask your mobile carrier for a 4g extender. It is essentially a mini cellular tower/router that you put at your house and plug into your internet. Problem solved and now your house guest get great cell service too.

If a 4G extender would work, so probably would a WIFI Extender.

By the way it's not his carrier he would be extending. It would be the carrier Tesla uses. Which might not be the same, and unlikely is. The 4G Extenders are often carrier specific.

 

[NeverFollow]

If a 4G extender would work, so probably would a WIFI Extender.

By the way it's not his carrier he would be extending.
It would be the carrier Tesla uses. Which might not be the same, and unlikely is.
The 4G Extenders are often carrier specific.

If you don't get WiFi in your garage and have an UMC on the same electric power circuit than your home, like in an apartment building,
using a PowerLine WiFi extender (connected in your garage to your UMC wires) could be another possibility:

 

[Peteski]

The current deep sleep on the Model 3 causes me delays a number of times.

Now I don’t know if this would make any difference but I know on my 3 that I currently have it set to turn off climate when I exit the car. The car gets pretty cold even here in the Bay area some mornings (seen interior temps in low 40s—I know don’t laugh you colder area temp guys!), but since the car heats up and defrosts so quickly figure I’ll save on range by keeping climate setting that way. Anyone out there who keeps Climate on and can say if it makes a difference waking the car up on the App?

You can set the car computer to "always on" in the settings to prevent it going into sleep mode. It is not a sensible idea to use the climate control to achieve this unless you seriously want your car heated 24/7! The idea with keeping the climate on when you exit the car is for when you are stopping for a short time and want to keep the car warm on your return.