Local network connectivity - is the app supposed to find the car on the network?

[mickeys_stepda]

My car is currently connected to my WiFi and it is in my garage. I can see it on my network. Why is it that the phone *must* connect to the car via LTE for remote commands? Like, it often takes 2 or 3 clicks to start the heat in my car from my phone. It shouldn’t take upwards of a minute, on the same subnet, same network, etc, for my phone to reach the car. I also notice that I can’t view sentry cameras even if i am on the same network. I don’t pay for premium connectivity, but, surely If I did, I would be accessing the cameras locally if my phone is on the same network as the car, right?

Am I missing something here?

 

[jjrandorin]

No, your phone is not communicating with your car over your local network.

I don’t pay for premium connectivity, but, surely If I did, I would be accessing the cameras locally if my phone is on the same network as the car, right?

No, thats not correct.

Am I missing something here?

That the reason your car is on your network at home is to download updates, and basically nothing else. Communication from the car is to tesla, its not open to other devices on your network for what should be fairly obvious security concerns.

 

[jcanoe]

Sentry Mode Live Camera requires Premium Connectivity, only functions over LTE.

Some Tesla app commands including unlock, lock, start/stop charging, climate, open frunk, open/close trunk open/close hatch will function over BT if you are within range, else over LTE.

Recently I went a few weeks without reliable WiFi connectivity for my Model Y. My Tesla Model Y eventually displayed a message that without a WiFi connection my Model Y would not be able to download map updates in addition to being unable to download software updates. (I resolved my WiFi issue, for now, by installing a WiFi repeater ($40 from Amazon Choice.)

 

[mickeys_stepda]

Right.
But my cell phone tesla app, on my wifi network, should be able to find my tesla on my local network.

The latency is just god awful for the app to run commands.

 

[fiehlsport]

No matter how your devices are connected, they speak through Tesla's servers first. If your car is on Wi-Fi, it'll use Wi-Fi for everything, but you can't directly connect to its IP address on the LAN to make things snappier.

(IIRC, when the vehicle is asleep, the car receives an SMS text as a wake command, then connects to Wi-Fi when it's awake)

Once my car is awake I find the app has barely any latency. It's always been super responsive.