How to be connected at all times without LTE and without iPhone?

[HappyDude20]

Hello,

So having just purchased the AW GPS only version and not the LTE version, I’m wondering how I can be connected at all times even without my iPhone.


I ask this because I realized that this year I mainly go to the same places all week long.

I’m usually at home, at my kids school where I volunteer weekly, Target store to shop, the post office once a week and my in laws house who live 25 minutes away.
ALL of these locations have (Free) WiFi and I’ve always connected to them no problem with my phone.

Seeing as I’m in this places all of the time with the exception of driving to each place, couldn’t I theoretically leave my iPhone at home and go about my errands throughout the day knowing that at each WiFi connected location I can still be reached?

 

[QCassidy352]

The AW will not automatically reconnect to wifi networks that require a login each time, which is often the case on public networks. Also, AW cannot join 5 Ghz networks, just 2.4 Ghz. Take a look here:

About Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Learn about Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for your Apple Watch and how your watch uses both. And learn how cellular on GPS + Cellular models fits in.

support.apple.com

So whether your plan will work depends on the specifics of the wifi in the places you're going.

 

[HappyDude20]

The AW will not automatically reconnect to wifi networks that require a login each time, which is often the case on public networks. Also, AW cannot join 5 Ghz networks, just 2.4 Ghz. Take a look here:

About Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular on your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Learn about Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for your Apple Watch and how your watch uses both. And learn how cellular on GPS + Cellular models fits in.

support.apple.com

So whether your plan will work depends on the specifics of the wifi in the places you're going.

Ah. I just assumed my AW would automatically connect to WiFi networks just like how my iPhone does.
I guess I’ll have to try this out individually with each location I visit.

 

[waw74]

If the wifi has a log-in web page that you have to use, then the watch can't join it.
even the page is just a "click here to accept terms" button with no name or password needed, That network won't work on the watch.
These kind of log-ins tend to time out, so if every time you go to school your phone joins the wifi automatically, but a webpage pops up at the beginning of each time you're there, the watch won't work on that network.

if it's just a wifi password, that appears when you try to join for the first time, the watch can do that.
Those passwords should be already be in your watch if your phone has joined the network before, or you can enter a new password on your watch using "scribble" but that's not the easiest to use.


You should be ok at your in-laws house and at your house.
The others... not so sure.


Also, this depends on you, but I'd never go completely phone less, I'd at least have it in the car.
if you need to send a long or involved text, you'll really want the keyboard
and unless you have Bluetooth headphones, anything more than a very short phone call will quickly get annoying.

You'll also be "Kickin' it 80's style" anywhere on the road between those places, and completely unreachable.
If you have a break down in the middle, you'll not be able to summon help, or let others know you'll be a few minutes late while you change a tire.
Not sure how old your kids are, but make sure your spouse/co-parent is ok with you not being reachable, or able to call in reinforcements. (a 15 year old can help you push a car to the side of the road, a 5 year old is going to be standing with you off in the grass, while looking at your car with the flat tire sitting in the middle of the road, with possibly one or both of you crying)
or the fallout if you miss a "I really need _____ to finish dinner, can you grab some" text.

Not to mention you'll be stuck with terrestrial radio or tapes/CDs in the car (maybe satellite radio if you have it)
If you have Apple Music, you can sync music to your watch, and use Bluetooth to the car, but your battery life will be not be the greatest.

 

[HappyDude20]

If the wifi has a log-in web page that you have to use, then the watch can't join it.
even the page is just a "click here to accept terms" button with no name or password needed, That network won't work on the watch.
These kind of log-ins tend to time out, so if every time you go to school your phone joins the wifi automatically, but a webpage pops up at the beginning of each time you're there, the watch won't work on that network.

if it's just a wifi password, that appears when you try to join for the first time, the watch can do that.
Those passwords should be already be in your watch if your phone has joined the network before, or you can enter a new password on your watch using "scribble" but that's not the easiest to use.


You should be ok at your in-laws house and at your house.
The others... not so sure.


Also, this depends on you, but I'd never go completely phone less, I'd at least have it in the car.
if you need to send a long or involved text, you'll really want the keyboard
and unless you have Bluetooth headphones, anything more than a very short phone call will quickly get annoying.

You'll also be "Kickin' it 80's style" anywhere on the road between those places, and completely unreachable.
If you have a break down in the middle, you'll not be able to summon help, or let others know you'll be a few minutes late while you change a tire.
Not sure how old your kids are, but make sure your spouse/co-parent is ok with you not being reachable, or able to call in reinforcements. (a 15 year old can help you push a car to the side of the road, a 5 year old is going to be standing with you off in the grass, while looking at your car with the flat tire sitting in the middle of the road, with possibly one or both of you crying)
or the fallout if you miss a "I really need _____ to finish dinner, can you grab some" text.

Not to mention you'll be stuck with terrestrial radio or tapes/CDs in the car (maybe satellite radio if you have it)
If you have Apple Music, you can sync music to your watch, and use Bluetooth to the car, but your battery life will be not be the greatest.

Ive had the Watch for 2 days now and enjoy it immensely. Tomorrow I'll be trying being out and about with only my watch.

I have a feeling the watch will connect when im at Walmart and Mcdonalds, but not Target or my local grocery store. In-Laws I'm sure I'll connect.