No WiFi in underground garage

[Jetex Jim]

My Model 3 lives in the apartment building underground car park. My apartment is on the second floor, so there are several layers of reinforced concrete between my WiFi router and the car. Software updates require a WIFI connection.

I tried to set up my phone as a WiFi hotspot, but it was painfully slow AND used all my data for the month AND was not completed.

I tried to park the car as close as possible to my router, but it doesn't pick it up.

I've installed a Tesla charging station that is connected to the electricity meter which also feeds my apartment. It is multi-phase. I like the idea of a WiFi Powerline repeater, but before I could try it, I would have to get an electrician to add an outlet to one phase of the feed to my charger installation. And I'm not sure if it would work!

How can anyone find a solution to the Apartment WiFi update problem?

 

[webbah]

I had the same issue and installed a Teltonika RUT850 automotive wifi router hidden in the car. This might not work for you though. Where I live I have unlimited data on a shared plan with my phone. Never had an issue here, but perhaps there is a more generous data plan for a dedicated SIM card? Otherwise your idea sounds like it might work.

 

[jeffnz]

I am in a similar situation and picked up an small wifi hotspot that charges from USB. I’ve got a data plan that lets me have multiple SIM’s (eg. design for an iPad, etc) so it doesn’t cost any more. I leave the hotspot plugged in and it charges whenever the car is awake. Works great.

This is the one I have but I don’t think it works in US. However, I’m sure anything similar would work fine and Huawei is out of favour these days anyway: Buy the Huawei E5783B 4G/LTE CAT6 Mobile Wi-Fi 2 Pro with 1500mAh battery and... ( E5783B-230 ) online - PBTech.co.nz

Quick search came up with this: Verizon Ellipsis Jetpack MHS900L | Verizon Wireless

EDIT: Ahh, just saw you’re in Europe. So, just need to pick one that works with your cell carrier.

 

[webbah]

Here is the one I bought: RUT850 - 4G/LTE Wi-Fi Automotive Router | Teltonika Networks

The nice thing is it only uses 5 watts of power and has 2 hidden 3 dB gain antenna’s I installed in the front window pillars. It also works when the car is sleeping as I tapped into the 12v circuit.

 

[ewoodrick]

Once you are on the later releases of software, you should get notifications that software is available. Once available, you should then be able to pair with your phone and download a relatively small update.
Map updates are big and my require trips to locations with Public WiFi for a little bit.

Also look a WiFi extenders, even one sitting in the clear in the car can be advantageous.

 

[Akikiki]

@Jetex Jim, I would suggest you sit in your car and try to connect to WiFi. Make note of the strongest signals that appear on the car's WiFi settings list. Then use those names and visit your neighbors closest to the garage. Ask until you find one or two of the strongest. Strike up a conversation explaining your problem in the garage. Offer that person part of the payment for their WiFi to let you connect/piggyback their signal so the few times you need a download, it will work. They just might help you. Cost you nothing to try. You don't have to buy anything to test that it works to maybe find a solution. Just ask around. Someone might help you for free using their WiFi since its not every day, and they have a cool story to tell.

 

[Jetex Jim]

I was able to plug a WiFi extender into a socket on the balcony of my apartment. I parked the car pretty much under it and then had a strong WiFi signal. It took a while to download the update and I had to stay with the car as I was a semiprivate road leading to the garages of a private house.

Someone told me there is public WiFi in the towncentre. I didn't get around to trying that. Unfortunately public WiFis often have signup protocols, (tick to agree conditions etc) and I don't think there's a way to do this on the M3's Wifi join interface.

A socket connector for a WiFi powerline repeater pigbacked off the mains supply to my charging circuit (in the underground garage) remains the nicest options. Perhaps I can jury rig a way to test it before having some expensive German craftwork done.

 

[yuhong]

Someone told me there is public WiFi in the towncentre. I didn't get around to trying that. Unfortunately public WiFis often have signup protocols, (tick to agree conditions etc) and I don't think there's a way to do this on the M3's Wifi join interface.

I think with the latest updates all Model 3s have the web browser now.

 

[PascalB22]

my Tesla lives in an underground public car park (-1) and the mobile GSM/G4 signal is not strong enough to reach my car. My apartment is on the 3th floor. To get WiFi to my Tesla I did the following.

Parallel to my power cable (for Tesla wall connector 11kW) I also installed a coaxial antenna cable with SMA plug and jack. With the 15 meter coaxial cable I extended one of my WiFi router antennas to the garage ;-)))

Benefits:
- low budget solution
- the antenna cable is not a security issue like a RJ45 ethernet jack in a more or less public garage
- full WiFi signal for my Car
- the electrician installed my cable for free together with the power cable

So this fixed my WiFi update problem finally ;-)

 

[towndrunk]

Pick up a 12v or 5vdc travel router, preferably one that has a screw on antenna. Then plug it into the lighter jack or usb port and park outside near your apartment. If you have trouble picking up your router, then buy a 10-15db gain antenna and plug it into your travel router. When your Tesla says to connect to wi-fi, park outside and plug in your router.