Phones connecting/disconnecting from WiFi


#1

Posting this to pick some brains out there…

I have 2 phones on my home WiFi that out of the blue will connect/disconnect from the WiFi so many times each day. I did not really notice this until I added a Fingbox to the network and then played with their Digital Fence. Snapshot below from one of the phones. It doesn’t happen all the time for both phones.

Any ideas on what might be causing the phones to do this?


#2

I am not sure what OS you have on your phones, but on Android, you can go to:
Settings > WiFi > Menu > Advanced > Keep WiFi on during sleep > Always
and that usually resolves it. Maybe iOS has a similar method.


#3

They’re both Android/Samsung phones. The part that puzzles me is it doesn’t do it all the time? There would be days when you see it connect when the users get home and disconnect when they leave.


#4

My Android/Samsung phone is rock solid when that setting is set to “Always”… Also, a side note, whenever the OS updates itself, you may have to go back in to change that setting. (Samsung likes to turn it off)


#5

Might be radio interference from others in your neighberhood.

To keep my Androids’ connections more reliable, I had to set the location to high accuracy (WiFi, GPS, etc. on) … but you probably have done this already … and what @WCmore said.


#6

Oh yea, good call @elf. You can go into your modem/router settings and try changing your WiFi’s channel to a less congested channel…

There is a great free app in the Google Play store that shows a live graph of which channels near you are least populated. It is called Wifi Analyzer, and is highly recommended. You can walk around the house and see both the strength of your WiFi signal, as well as the strength of all your neighbors signals. Try to find a number from 1 to 11 that is least crowded, and force your router to use that channel.

Sample screenshot:

Also, I force my phone into using the 2.4 GHz instead of the faster 5 GHz since it is more reliable and reaches a farther distance. (I don’t need ultra fast speed on my phone when I am home)


#7

I will check the wifi status when this starts happening again. So far, this morning it is quiet as far as drop offs but it seems interference is also low so there might be something to look at… My 2G channel is manually assigned to 3 as my zigbee channel is on the higher end and if my router channel gets too close, I get flaky performance from the zigbee devices.

image


#8

Yeah, I use Wifi Analyzer too. I remembered monitoring the signals for a week, then picked out a less crowded 5 GHz signal … then I cranked up the Wifi signal output on both my APs, LOL — take that neighborhood :smile:


#9

Just a heads up, for some reason it is hard to find the option to switch between 2.4 and 5 GHz in that app. (you definitely want to check both) I have highlighted a green rectangle in the top left below. Touching that area will switch between 2.4 and 5 GHz.


#10

So I got the itch to try and figure out this connect/disconnect issue this morning. I ended up comparing what the fingbox log and the access point log is showing… big difference!

Fingbox event log…

Access point log…

I’ve been chasing my own tail it seems like… :cat2::cat2:


#11

it looks like Fingbox catches every little hiccup, while your Access point waits a few minutes to confirm before logging it… The only times that are even close are 7:01 in Fingbox vs 7:06 in your AP

I think the general principle for Presence sensors is:

  • That which responds quickest, is bound to have false alarms
  • That which responds slower, likely already has checks built in
    (NOT present for X minutes before taking action)

#12

Not sure what fingbox is doing but the barrage of connect/disconnect seems like it happens after midnight.


#13

I think it is next to impossible to have a wireless device connected 100% of the time. Brief hiccups are normal in a wireless network. I think your Fingbox just logs EVERYTHING, and your Access Point only logs when it is confirmed. (they each have pros and cons)


This part sounds like your phone is trying to go into hibernation while you are asleep…


#14

I would be tempted to install BetterBatteryStats on the offending phones to let it analyze overnight. It logs some useful data. (Wifi state, Network state, Wake lock etc)

It is $2.50 on Google Play
Or free on xda-developers (BetterBatteryStats_xdaedition_2.2.2.0.apk)

I believe both versions are the same, but if your phone is not rooted, I recommend following the install tips found on the Google Play page.

This app is also GREAT for finding apps that are using too much batteries…