Hotspot instead of Tesla connectivity

[tj333]

Just to repeat it again..

Once you’re in Drive you can’t connect to any wifi network, even if it’s one that is set to “Stay connected in Drive”. The car won’t hop between any wireless networks while you’re on the move.

You have to connect to your personal hotspot BEFORE you go into Drive. If you somehow lose wireless connection to your phone hotspot while you’re driving, I think it’ll stay disconnected then too.

This isn't my experience, I can (manually) connect to WiFi hotspot (and switch between WiFi hotspots) whilst in drive. Not ideal faffing with the screen to do so though.

 

[Mrklaw]

That sounds more like an iPhone issue than Tesla, seems Apple need a better implementation.

I have no problems with a Pixel phone.

apple do it deliberately to save energy I assume. That way you can leave it ’on’ but still use your wifi - and it does use bluetooth or other magic so it can turn on the hotspot for other devices in your family icloud account.

I can‘t imagine leaving it permanently active and pinging - wouldnt that stop you using wifi yourself to connect to the internet, and be a battery hog - for a feature you use perhaps <1% of the time?

 

[Durzel]

This isn't my experience, I can (manually) connect to WiFi hotspot (and switch between WiFi hotspots) whilst in drive. Not ideal faffing with the screen to do so though.

Good to know. I’ve only used one wifi hotspot (my phone) so perhaps I just haven’t noticed any others that I can connect to.

 

[Irata]

I can‘t imagine leaving it permanently active and pinging - wouldnt that stop you using wifi yourself to connect to the internet, and be a battery hog - for a feature you use perhaps <1% of the time?

I can use WiFi and hotspot at the same time, means it shares one WiFi connection. Useful for places that charge per WiFi and I want to connect many devices for one fee.

Mine has an option to turn off after set minutes of no devices connected to the hotspot.

It works well. Normal WiFi pings all the time, the hotspot doesn't make a huge difference to battery life.

Maybe if enough people complain to Apple, they'll change it.

 

[Bouba]

Just tried hotspotting on my M3, it doesn’t even find the damn thing lol.

I think that when I first connected to a hot spot I was told (by someone on YouTube) that the phone has to be on the cordless charging pad before you connect

 

[AutomaticMan]

Yes, tasker can make this automatic

When you say 'tasker' do you mean the Shortcuts app? Will be interested in experimenting with this myself when I get the Tesla. Still not sure it's going to work fully automatically if I understand what people on this thread are saying. Even if I can use Shortcuts to make my iPhone hotspot available when connected to the Tesla's bluetooth, if my Tesla is connected to my home wifi when I get into it, and it won't switch between networks while in drive as others are reporting here.

Sounds like to make it work automatically you'd have to not add your home wifi to the Tesla, so that it isn't already connected to a network when you get into it? But that would have other drawbacks with things like overnight software updates and things so not ideal either.

 

[Mrklaw]

When you say 'tasker' do you mean the Shortcuts app? Will be interested in experimenting with this myself when I get the Tesla. Still not sure it's going to work fully automatically if I understand what people on this thread are saying. Even if I can use Shortcuts to make my iPhone hotspot available when connected to the Tesla's bluetooth, if my Tesla is connected to my home wifi when I get into it, and it won't switch between networks while in drive as others are reporting here.

Sounds like to make it work automatically you'd have to not add your home wifi to the Tesla, so that it isn't already connected to a network when you get into it? But that would have other drawbacks with things like overnight software updates and things so not ideal either.

tasker is an android automation tool. Shortcuts may be possible but tasker/android are generally more able to customise further

 

[AutomaticMan]

tasker is an android automation tool. Shortcuts may be possible but tasker/android are generally more able to customise further

Ah right, I have an iPhone thought so Shortcuts is probably the only option for me! I'm still not sure I can see how it would work though if the Tesla won't automatically switch networks in drive.

 

[Mrklaw]

Ah right, I have an iPhone thought so Shortcuts is probably the only option for me! I'm still not sure I can see how it would work though if the Tesla won't automatically switch networks in drive.

can you set the order of wifi networks in the tesla? So if you were in park and the phone hotspot was on, the car would prioritise that network? But when the hotspot is off it’d drop down to the home?

 

[AutomaticMan]

can you set the order of wifi networks in the tesla? So if you were in park and the phone hotspot was on, the car would prioritise that network? But when the hotspot is off it’d drop down to the home?

Oooh... don't know? Maybe a current owner can comment. If not, one to try when I get mine on the 11th!

 

[Irata]

can you set the order of wifi networks in the tesla? So if you were in park and the phone hotspot was on, the car would prioritise that network? But when the hotspot is off it’d drop down to the home?

Nope, but it does seem to prefer the strongest signal.

I use the stay connected option set on ALL the WiFi networks configured in the car. When I get in the car, my phone hotspot turns on and as I reverse out the driveway it hops onto the hotspot.

My caveat is that I use Android. I have to set the phone hotspot to only use 2.4ghz. I think that's a global regulatory limitation in the car, not all regions allow 5ghz outside of a building. Those not seeing their phone hotspot are probably using 5ghz.

Strangely I have sometimes seen 5ghz work, albeit poor signal, but I think that was actually a bug. Not tried recently.

I have read of a hack using a Tesla WiFi SSID, someone found their WiFi password and so you can copy that with your phone's hotspot. Unfortunately I can't find the link now, but that does get priority. It may be searchable online, if someone wants to do some research. However, every nearby Tesla will also connect, unless you lock the MAC address to your own car.

 

[MrT3]

My caveat is that I use Android. I have to set the phone hotspot to only use 2.4ghz. I think that's a global regulatory limitation in the car, not all regions allow 5ghz outside of a building. Those not seeing their phone hotspot are probably using 5ghz.

Strangely I have sometimes seen 5ghz work, albeit poor signal, but I think that was actually a bug. Not tried recently.

5 GHz works, it's just the antenna is poor on the Tesla so the signal it receives is very weak. You will have much more success with 2.4 GHz.

 

[fsman]

I plan to do the same and use my iPhone hotspot when driving so I and listen to Spotify when driving. Not really interested in the "earth map".

One concern I have is software and map updates - which could be huge. My understanding is that Tesla will "download" the software update when connected to Wi-Fi (it won't install the update). So that could be gigabytes of data.

When at home the car will connect to my home Wi-Fi, but I'll switch to my phone hotspot when driving (which will stay connected now).

Is there any way / workaround to stop it downloading a software update from my hotspot?

 

[Irata]

5 GHz works, it's just the antenna is poor on the Tesla so the signal it receives is very weak. You will have much more success with 2.4 GHz.

When you say poor, do you mean it's actually a 2.4ghz antenna and hence is poor with 5ghz.

Because this is my understanding and hence it's a bug it even has the 5ghz radio enabled.

 

[yessuz]

When you say 'tasker' do you mean the Shortcuts app? Will be interested in experimenting with this myself when I get the Tesla. Still not sure it's going to work fully automatically if I understand what people on this thread are saying. Even if I can use Shortcuts to make my iPhone hotspot available when connected to the Tesla's bluetooth, if my Tesla is connected to my home wifi when I get into it, and it won't switch between networks while in drive as others are reporting here.

Sounds like to make it work automatically you'd have to not add your home wifi to the Tesla, so that it isn't already connected to a network when you get into it? But that would have other drawbacks with things like overnight software updates and things so not ideal either.

No.

There is app called Tasker.

You can automate the behaviour.

For example: turn on hot spot when phone is connected to car's BT

 

[AutomaticMan]

No.

There is app called Tasker.

You can automate the behaviour.

For example: turn on hot spot when phone is connected to car's BT

Hmm... that's strange, I can't find it on the Apple App Store. But I think I can do similar in the Shortcuts app anyway, so not to worry

 

[MrT3]

When you say poor, do you mean it's actually a 2.4ghz antenna and hence is poor with 5ghz.

Because this is my understanding and hence it's a bug it even has the 5ghz radio enabled.

No I believe it's a dual 2.4/5 GHz antenna that is poor quality and has a long cable run to the wifi module which attenuates the signal. The 5 GHz signal has already been attenuated more than 2.4 GHz passing through objects so what the wifi module receives is very weak.

 

[morrishey]

Hmm... that's strange, I can't find it on the Apple App Store. But I think I can do similar in the Shortcuts app anyway, so not to worry

If you manage to get Shortcuts to do it, can you let us know? I’ve had a few goes, but never got it to work (which may be down to my very limited knowledge of Shortcuts!)

 

[AutomaticMan]

If you manage to get Shortcuts to do it, can you let us know? I’ve had a few goes, but never got it to work (which may be down to my very limited knowledge of Shortcuts!)

Ah, maybe not then! Should have said “I assume you can do similar in Shortcuts” but I haven’t tried it yet!

 

[yessuz]

Hmm... that's strange, I can't find it on the Apple App Store. But I think I can do similar in the Shortcuts app anyway, so not to worry

Android