I know you can get notifications and do calls on a wifi connection, but what else? Apps? Siri?
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What can you do on WiFi?
- Thread starter WayneHixson
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I am not sure if this is what you are asking BUT..
I tested the wifi thing today at the gym with my phone in a metal locker and through two cinder block walls. Since the watch and phone were on the same wifi network all worked just fine. I did a phone call and a few messages. It was AMAZING. It was nice to get exercise credit for my rowing for once.
I tested the wifi thing today at the gym with my phone in a metal locker and through two cinder block walls. Since the watch and phone were on the same wifi network all worked just fine. I did a phone call and a few messages. It was AMAZING. It was nice to get exercise credit for my rowing for once.
The Manual states: If your Apple*Watch and iPhone are on the same network but arent connected by Bluetooth, you can also do the following on Apple*Watch without iPhone:
Send and receive messages using iMessage
Send and receive Digital Touch messages
Use Siri
All my stuff is on one network for both 5 and 2.4 Ghz channels, and Im using Airport Xtreme. I have switched off Bluetooth on my phone and I get the red disconnect from iPhone symbol at the top of the screen of the watch. I cannot connect to Siri.
Has anyone had any luck with this? Is there something 'special' that you have to do to get this working???
Send and receive messages using iMessage
Send and receive Digital Touch messages
Use Siri
All my stuff is on one network for both 5 and 2.4 Ghz channels, and Im using Airport Xtreme. I have switched off Bluetooth on my phone and I get the red disconnect from iPhone symbol at the top of the screen of the watch. I cannot connect to Siri.
Has anyone had any luck with this? Is there something 'special' that you have to do to get this working???
Apps can connect to wifi. I'm able to read my Twitter feed while the phone is out of range.
Initially, it gives me the red "no phone" icon, but then three blue dots appear and then the updated feed loads. I'm also getting mail notifs, but I haven't tested calls or texts yet.
Siri is a little slower than usual, but was also able to give me a weather update.
Edit: just tested a text and phone, and got notifs of those also. I even got the option to message the number back when I didn't pick up the call. It's pretty impressive.
Initially, it gives me the red "no phone" icon, but then three blue dots appear and then the updated feed loads. I'm also getting mail notifs, but I haven't tested calls or texts yet.
Siri is a little slower than usual, but was also able to give me a weather update.
Edit: just tested a text and phone, and got notifs of those also. I even got the option to message the number back when I didn't pick up the call. It's pretty impressive.
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How do I check to see if I'm connected to Wi-FI. I turned off bluetooth on my phone and I have the red icon on the watch and it says my watch is not connected to my phone. I didn't see anyplace to turn on the wi-fi.
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
That's good to hear. My experience hasn't been quite as good. I received texts but I did not receive phone notification :-(
I had the same issue, I believe I tracked it down to an overly long WPA2 passphrase. After trimming it to 32 characters the watch could join my WiFi network at home. It can still occasionally take a little while for that to happen, but it does work.
From the watch, the only indication that WiFi is connected is that it says "Connected" even though BT on the iPhone is off. This indicator does not change instantly with the connection status, so you have to give it a bit of time to be sure.
It's a little buggy right now (took a watch restart to work properly) but when the watch is in the same network as the iPhone they can be outside Bluetooth range and act as though they are still paired.
So **everything you can do over Bluetooth you can do when they are 500+ feet apart on shared wifi.**
The people who post "it can't do anything on wifi it requires Bluetooth connection to your iPhone" are giving you incorrect information.
So **everything you can do over Bluetooth you can do when they are 500+ feet apart on shared wifi.**
The people who post "it can't do anything on wifi it requires Bluetooth connection to your iPhone" are giving you incorrect information.
I believe that all functions seem to work on wifi provided there is an established Bluetooth connection with the phone first. I ran a few tests on wifi
1- shut off BT on phone- watch working all functions go (Edit- see below no calls)
2- shut off wifi on phone- watch lost connection, red disconnect icon displayed. No functions
3- next turned wifi on phone. No change in watch, no connection
4- restarted watch, phone still on wifi only. No connection after watch restarted
5- turned on BT on phone wifi still on. Immediate connection on watch. All functions
6- turned off BT on phone. Watch still connected via wifi
Simply seems like the watch needs a BT handoff in order to exchange network information so it can stay connected on wifi.
That's my science project for Saturday morning. Any input from my geek brethren ?
SS 42 model
1- shut off BT on phone- watch working all functions go (Edit- see below no calls)
2- shut off wifi on phone- watch lost connection, red disconnect icon displayed. No functions
3- next turned wifi on phone. No change in watch, no connection
4- restarted watch, phone still on wifi only. No connection after watch restarted
5- turned on BT on phone wifi still on. Immediate connection on watch. All functions
6- turned off BT on phone. Watch still connected via wifi
Simply seems like the watch needs a BT handoff in order to exchange network information so it can stay connected on wifi.
That's my science project for Saturday morning. Any input from my geek brethren ?
SS 42 model
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EXCELLENT post! Thank you....works great for me too now after following your lead! Thanks!!!!!
Thanks folks! Just learned a little more...
1- just because it's on wifi it doesn't mean you can take or make calls over wifi. Still need to be in BT range. I tested this with a wifi to watch connection with the BT off on the phone. All calls are dropped . So apparently watch must have BT on for calls? Someone please verify
2-therefore it appears like the wifi is limited to data only? AND the range is very limited as if the receiver in the watch is so tiny it needs to be in relatively close range of the wifi network antenna to work or to be around a strong signal. Could be just my wifi network. Need independent verification...
1- just because it's on wifi it doesn't mean you can take or make calls over wifi. Still need to be in BT range. I tested this with a wifi to watch connection with the BT off on the phone. All calls are dropped . So apparently watch must have BT on for calls? Someone please verify
2-therefore it appears like the wifi is limited to data only? AND the range is very limited as if the receiver in the watch is so tiny it needs to be in relatively close range of the wifi network antenna to work or to be around a strong signal. Could be just my wifi network. Need independent verification...
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Hmmm. KauaiBruce reported he could do phone calls while his phone was in his gym locker and he was exercising far out of BT range, but with both devices on the same WiFi network
Could very well be that all the mode switching on my part to test may be an issue but clearly the range should be verified with some repeatable results
Edit- someone just proposed in another three that the phone is just using airdrop technology not wifi.
Very confusing
I think it's a bit flaky but it does work - I had a few "call failed" messages too, then restarted watch and it worked fine. iPhone was upstairs (perhaps 200 feet away) and I successfully took a call on my watch.
It also seems to vary between making and receiving calls.
Bottom line - I have demonstrated (to my satisfaction
) calls work outside Bluetooth range but it is pretty buggy.
I think it's a bit flaky but it does work - I had a few "call failed" messages too, then restarted watch and it worked fine. iPhone was upstairs (perhaps 200 feet away) and I successfully took a call on my watch.
It also seems to vary between making and receiving calls.
Bottom line - I have demonstrated (to my satisfaction
Just tested again. Here are the status settings of my Watch and iPhone during a successful call (attached) - note that Bluetooth is OFF on my iPhone but the Watch is making a phone call.
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I was able to use my Watch downstairs all day yesterday while my phone was upstairs on my bed, and I live in a fairly large home and was definitely outside of wifi. However, later in the day when both were right next to each other I turned the bluetooth on my phone off and wasn't able to use Siri on my Watch.
I remain puzzled. Immensely.
I think we need to be careful regarding maps that have already been cached locally. My watch seemed ok with phone off until scrolled to a new location then it failed (attached).
And just to clarify my earlier statement, when I say "it can do everything over wifi it can do over Bluetooth" I mean it can still successfully reach your iPhone on the same wifi network and function as though it were within Bluetooth range. I believe you will still need your iPhone on and connected to the same wifi network somewhere. In theory it could be hundreds of feet away.
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AirDrop uses a ad hoc network created by the iPhone but if you check the wireless clients on your router you will see the watch is directly connected to your network.
Not sure why you wouldn't be able to make and receive calls out of Bluetooth range because I believe you can do it with a Mac and iDevices just just WiFi using Continuity: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204681
Can you guys use HandOff from the watch to the phone once outside Bluetooth range? Not sure if this is even possible with other devices. Not sure why it would be required?
Yes it just showed up as my apple watch on my wifi when I disabled the BT on my phone