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What can you do on WiFi?

AKRowdy said:
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.
Click to expand...

I did some test about this issue. And my found is that the watch's Wi-Fi connection is not as strong as the iPhone. The Watch need to be much closer to the station (or remain line of sight) than the iPhone to have Wi-Fi connection.

Since there is no indication about the watch's Wi-Fi status, it's really hard to realise that the watch is out of range (you need to check the client list on the access point).

I tested it with my normal network setting (one TC at the upper floor, and one TC at the lower floor), the watch is not working quite well (lost connection at certain location). And then I install an extra airport express as a Wi-Fi extender, it makes my watch able to perform all over my place now.
 
I've found that the iPhone needs to be connected to wifi using the 2.4ghz channel for a wifi connection to work between iphone and watch when out of range of bluetooth.
EDIT- Not the case, tested further and it also works with phone connected using 5ghz.

Once they are connected with wifi I've found everything works exactly the same, including phone calls.

It definitely seems as though the watch directly connects to a router as opposed to a wifi connection between watch and iPhone, but for whatever reason, the iPhone also needs to be on the same network, even if you simply want to use twitter/bbc news/maps on the watch. As soon as the iPhone leaves the wifi network or is turned off, all connection to the watch is terminated.

I can also confirm that for the watch to use the wifi connection, a bluetooth connection between watch and iPhone needs to be lost immediately beforehand, turning on the phone with wifi enabled but not bluetooth won't begin a connection. This really doesn't make sense so I'm thinking this is a bug.
 
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confirmed

So, I have confirmed that the above steps do indeed work.

If you have not started with a Bluetooth connection (which technically really is not possible) then it won't work.

But, if you are within a wifi network that the phone has credentials for, AND you originally have the bluetooth of the phone on, then turn OFF the bluetooth on the phone, all calls and messages, etc, will come in to the WATCH.

If bluetooth on the phone is OFF, RANGE of bluetooth is irrelevant. But, in order to try this out, I took the watch nearly 300 Ft from the phone, but within range of the router still (on opposite sides) and calls still came through.

This also SORT OF solved my other problem which was that no calls would come in on the WATCH when in the home.

My phone is connected via Bluetooth to the HOME PHONE network then the WATCH is second on the list, and then a CAR is next.

It APPEARS that if a call comes in on the iphone, it's ringing the HOME PHONES (as was always the case) but it's not ALSO ringing the WATCH.

when I turn OFF the bluetooth, the connection between the iphone and the HOME PHONE via bluetooth is stopped so the WIFI connection to the apple watch is what it is using

Neat, this will be neat in the office, where I am often away from the phone or at the gym, or other LAN based areas.
 
According to the manual:

Apple*Watch uses Bluetooth® wireless technology to connect to its paired iPhone and uses the iPhone for many wireless functions. Apple*Watch can’t configure new Wi-Fi networks on its own, but it can connect to Wi-Fi networks you’ve set up on the paired iPhone.

If your Apple*Watch and iPhone are on the same network but aren’t 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


Strange that people are getting different results
 
Razdom said:
I've found that the iPhone needs to be connected to wifi using the 2.4ghz channel for a wifi connection to work between iphone and watch when out of range of bluetooth.

Once they are connected with wifi I've found everything works exactly the same, including phone calls.
Click to expand...

I've read other people say that it's network based regardless of what band the phones connected to.
 
Perhaps people with simultaneous dual band networks are having issues if the watch picks up 5Ghz but doesn't switch over to 2.4Ghz when out of range.
 
Good info ! I hope apple monitors these threads lots of free troubleshooting data for them
 
I have tried making calls when connected to wifi and out of bt range and it fails. Also, i hate that red phone icon on the top when not connected to bt. Cant event tell the weather on wifi
 
must be on the wrist

I DO think there is an issue/feature with the "presence" indicator for the watch.

It knows when it is on the wrist and when it has been taken off the wrist (that's why we keep getting the pin code requests), and you have to have it on the wrist, THEN disco the Bluetooth on the phone and then it will ring to the Watch.

when I simply handle the watch, disco the bluetooth, even after putting in the PIN code, it often does NOT ring the Watch.
 
h9826790 said:
I did some test about this issue. And my found is that the watch's Wi-Fi connection is not as strong as the iPhone. The Watch need to be much closer to the station (or remain line of sight) than the iPhone to have Wi-Fi connection.

Since there is no indication about the watch's Wi-Fi status, it's really hard to realise that the watch is out of range (you need to check the client list on the access point).

I tested it with my normal network setting (one TC at the upper floor, and one TC at the lower floor), the watch is not working quite well (lost connection at certain location). And then I install an extra airport express as a Wi-Fi extender, it makes my watch able to perform all over my place now.
Click to expand...

Hmm this is a great point! My router is on my first floor, which is where I was when I was away from iPhone all day on the 24th. When I tried it without Bluetooth it was in my basement, where wifi signal comes but is weak (t mobile wifi calling breaks up down here even though internet works)
 
Newbie67 said:
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
Click to expand...

This totally worked for me! Watch would never connect to wifi before. Now I can use all apps without bluetooth :)
 
Can you handoff to your Mac? Say you get a notification through for an email on the :apple:Watch does an icon appear on the dock to pick it up?

If it did then would that suggest that wifi is being used for the handoff function?
 
It appears the Watch only functions off 2.4Ghz after all so my dual band theory is out the window. I was going off people saying they got it to join 5Ghz but I tested myself and wasn't possible and now see Apple clearly notes 2.4Ghz only in the specs. Those of you who said 2.4Ghz were correct. My apologies and should have known better to take the word of others without testing and looking into myself. I have no other theories on why WiFi works for some and not others at this point. I've noticed that the watch doesn't ways connect to WiFi at all until out of Bluetooth range however.
 
wifi status

Someone somewhere showed a WIFI STATUS Glance, but I can't seem to find it..anyone know where it is?
 
tivoboy said:
Someone somewhere showed a WIFI STATUS Glance, but I can't seem to find it..anyone know where it is?
Click to expand...

Just download Fing from the Appstore. It's a free network scanner and if the watch is connected to wifi it will show up. Check your watches mac address first in the apple watch app.
 
rolexwatch said:
Just download Fing from the Appstore. It's a free network scanner and if the watch is connected to wifi it will show up. Check your watches mac address first in the apple watch app.
Click to expand...

This won't show which wireless band a device is connected to other that the phone itself but you can see from the router administration info.
 
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macgeek01 said:
This wion't show which wireless band a device is connected to other that the phone itself but you can see from the router administration info.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I meant only as a quick info if the watch is actually connected. It should be easier than logging in to the router page everytime.
 
well

Well, I know it is working since I can shut off the bluetooth on the phone and yet I get all alerts, calls, etc, but I can't find the WIFI MAC address on the router, so not sure what is going on.
 
What can be done while the phone is off? There's a MacRumors article that suggests you can still send texts, query Siri, and use Digital Touch. Can anyone confirm?
 
viperGTS said:
What can be done while the phone is off? There's a MacRumors article that suggests you can still send texts, query Siri, and use Digital Touch. Can anyone confirm?
Click to expand...

With the WiFi and BlueTooth off the iPhone I don't think I've been able to do anything but will verify.
 
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