Impact of no wifi access at home?

[hybridbear]

I searched & couldn't find any information about this on the forum. The parking space underground at my apartment where the EVSE is installed is just barely too far away from my apartment to be able to access my wifi. This has never really matterd, but since the Model S uses wifi for software updates I am wondering about the impact. Will the software updates only download over wifi? Is there a way to make them download over LTE?

The AT&T cellular signal in the parking garage is also very poor. My AT&T iPhone frequently switches to "no service" when I'm underground in the garage. So I'm not sure how well installing updates over LTE would work at home. I may have to install the updates when out somewhere and the car is parked for hours.

 

[mblakele]

LTE should be fine: I don't have wifi anywhere that I usually park, and I see regular software updates. Note that the update notice means the car has already downloaded the new update, and it's ready to install. I'm not sure if it connects back to Tesla at all during the actual update process.

 

[aesculus]

The only thing you cannot get from LTE are the map updates, which probably come out yearly or so? That needs WiFi to download.

 

[kirkbauer]

Can you get wifi at work?

 

[jlewisthe3rd]

Without Wifi, and based on how often you drive or not, you can expect delayed updates due to not having access to Wifi. Updates will download over LTE but if your car doesnt have a signal underground and/or if you put your car to sleep (without stay connected option on) when not in use then you will have a delay in your updates. Otherwise its fine...

 

[Alketi]

Park in front of a Starbucks?

 

[hybridbear]

Can you get wifi at work?

I usually walk to work, so the car stays home most of the time Monday-Thursday during the day. The parking ramp is also too far away from the building to have any shot of wifi reaching down to the car.

My best shot of getting wifi might be when I go over to my parents' house. I might be able to pick up wifi from my spot where I parked growing up & where I park now when I go over to visit them. Once I get my Model S I can try it. My iPhone has spotty wifi reception when I'm out in their yard doing things like washing the car now. Hopefully the Model S has a more powerful wifi antenna than my iPhone.

 

[BertL]

OP, my POV. I have both LTE and strong WiFi in my home garage. I purposely added a WiFi extender in my garage while waiting on MS delivery because of what the Owners Manual says ...but since taking delivery last October, here is my perspective:

• Firmware updates, log transmittal, use of CID Internet Browser, Media Player Streaming, and all that sorta stuff you really need to keep your Tesla going day-in-and-day-out works via cellular (LTE) connectivity.
• Firmware updates MAY be sent via WiFi, but I have never proven that to myself. It appears download of new firmware can happen via cellular data connection over an extended period of time as connectivity comes and goes. Even if you're out of range for some period, you'll eventually get any firmware updates as you come out of your parking lot tomb into range, and when all data is received, you'll get the notification that a firmware update awaits installation. There are plenty of owners that have 3G/LTE-only and have received their firmware updates.
• The Owners Manual says WiFi is required for (the much more rare Navigon) map updates, HOWEVER a number of owners reported here on TMC they received the last influx of larger map updates via LTE. It made original sense to me that large data transmittal would be done via WiFi, but it appears Tesla may not always do what it's documentation says -- IMHO, they certainly don't prioritize maintaining documentation and providing detail like others do, so with Tesla it is harder to know what to trust. I have no way of knowing how my last set of updates were delivered to my own MS, as both LTE and WiFi was available.
• It's been reported that Tesla sends "Tile Updates" as a sort of override to Navigon map data for AP-enabled vehicles as Tesla's AP Fleet learns. I've seen zero information confirming for a fact if that data is sent exclusively via LTE, WiFi, or not. Given Elon's focus on AP, and criticality of the data, we could certainly surmise LTE is used, even if WiFi is an alternative -- I just don't know that anyone here can say it for a fact.

Net of all that IMHO, is you'll be fine with just LTE. WiFi connectivity may give me a little jump on receiving some things compared to others, but it's not a showstopper or big concern to owning a Tesla. If I were you, I'd set up WiFi connectivity to where it could get it upon occasion -- just in case --, but not worry about having it on a frequent basis like say I do now.