Does the AW still work if I'm far away from my phone but still on a large area WiFi network?

[iolinux333]

I'm thinking about getting an AW, but if I'm stuck chained to my phone I have no interest.

If I'm in an area with a large WiFi network (a few hundred acres) and the network has multiple APs but all with the same SSID, can I leave my iPhone somewhere and go out and wander and the AW will still work?

Does this change with the new beta AW OS?

Or will some of the independent apps still have the ability to work on WiFi only?

 

[CobraPA]

This ought to work, as long as:
- it's all 2.4GHz wifi where the watch is used
- the phone is on the same network, either on 2.4G or 5G.

(I've only personally tried it on the same AP though. I read a post that someone did that at a hospital though and it was working for them. Not sure how much the tried the watch to phone connection though, as iMessage should work without the phone on the same network. And a couple other things as well.)

 

[iolinux333]

This ought to work, as long as:
- it's all 2.4GHz wifi where the watch is used
- the phone is on the same network, either on 2.4G or 5G.

(I've only personally tried it on the same AP though. I read a post that someone did that at a hospital though and it was working for them. Not sure how much the tried the watch to phone connection though, as iMessage should work without the phone on the same network. And a couple other things as well.)

OK, that's helpful.

Ideally I'd like to be able to get all of my Gmail on my watch, wherever I am. My Gmail email account is my main form of communications. Google Voice messages would be good too, but I can work around that for a while by forwarding those to my Gmail -- annoying, but workable.

 

[papbot]

I'm thinking about getting an AW, but if I'm stuck chained to my phone I have no interest.

If I'm in an area with a large WiFi network (a few hundred acres) and the network has multiple APs but all with the same SSID, can I leave my iPhone somewhere and go out and wander and the AW will still work?

Does this change with the new beta AW OS?

Or will some of the independent apps still have the ability to work on WiFi only?

As long as both are on the same wifi network you can be anywhere in the building and all functions will work even if you leave the phone in a desk somewhere. Even if you shut the phone off Messages and Siri will still work on the watch.

 

[Warbrain]

As long as both are on the same wifi network you can be anywhere in the building and all functions will work even if you leave the phone in a desk somewhere. Even if you shut the phone off Messages and Siri will still work on the watch.

I haven't been able to get this to work. I can be across my apartment on wifi and my Watch will no longer be connected to my iPhone.

Update: I found this and it may have fixed my issue: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7011282

 

[iolinux333]

As long as both are on the same wifi network you can be anywhere in the building and all functions will work even if you leave the phone in a desk somewhere. Even if you shut the phone off Messages and Siri will still work on the watch.

What if I walk into an area covered by a different access point but with the same SSID?

 

[papbot]

I haven't been able to get this to work. I can be across my apartment on wifi and my Watch will no longer be connected to my iPhone.

My phone can be on the first floor of my house while I'm in the 3rd floor bathroom and I'll get all my incoming calls on the watch. My wifi network coverage in my house is quite good.

 

[Gav2k]

What if I walk into an area covered by a different access point but with the same SSID?

Yep that's fine I do it at work. If I'm working on something that I'd leave my phone in my locker I can roam around on the works wifi without a hitch.

 

[papbot]

What if I walk into an area covered by a different access point but with the same SSID?

That should work fine. At my hospital we have routers throughout the building but it's all the same network and my watch still connects fine to the phone. But even if it didn't the watch has its own wifi radio and can use Messages and Siri without making a connection to the phone. Any network that the phone has been previously connected to can be used by the watch. Unless it's one of those that logs you off after a short period of inactivity. The network where my wife works is like that in some of the areas so she occasionally has to log the phone back on.

 

[JSB1540]

It will not work on 5G - My phone sometimes connects on 2.4 or 5, I believe 5G will not work with the watch and if you leave bluetooth range the message functions, etc stop. If you reset your phone on 2.4 and bluetooth is connected,the watch should reset? Someone clarify this if you have any information.

 

[JSB1540]

Found this:

Your Apple Watch can connect to a Wi-Fi network:

• If your iPhone, while connected to your watch with Bluetooth, has connected to the network before
• If the Wi-Fi network is 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz

For example, Apple Watch won't connect:

• To 5GHz Wi-Fi, or public networks requiring logins, subscriptions, or profiles
• If your paired iPhone has never connected to that network before

 

[Gav2k]

It will not work on 5G - My phone sometimes connects on 2.4 or 5, I believe 5G will not work with the watch and if you leave bluetooth range the message functions, etc stop. If you reset your phone on 2.4 and bluetooth is connected,the watch should reset? Someone clarify this if you have any information.

It depends how the network is set up. My home setup allows my phone to be on the n band and watch to be on g for example and they will still communicate with Bluetooth off. I can roam to the access point in the garden without a hitch too.

 

[papbot]

It will not work on 5G - My phone sometimes connects on 2.4 or 5, I believe 5G will not work with the watch and if you leave bluetooth range the message functions, etc stop. If you reset your phone on 2.4 and bluetooth is connected,the watch should reset? Someone clarify this if you have any information.

If it's a 5G only network then the watch will not connect to it but will operate through the phone. However most wifi networks are not gong to be 5G only. At home my Apple Time Capsule broadcasts both frequencies but it's the same network ( same SSID )so there's no issue.