"Wi-Fi Assist" keeps turning on despite very strong wifi signal

[s2mike]

Any idea why the "Wi-Fi Assist" iOS feature continues to kick in, despite being in the same room as my modem/router unit that constantly puts out 250mbps speeds?

I've got unlimited data, so it's no big deal...just can't figure out why Wi-Fi Assist keeps kicking in when I've got such a strong wifi signal in my small apartment.

This has been happening since the feature was introduced in iOS 9. I've also had a few different routers since then and it's happened with all of them. Thoughts?

 

[C DM]

How are you noticing it "kicking in"?

 

[s2mike]

How are you noticing it "kicking in"?

The word "Wi-Fi" appears between the carrier name and the wifi icon.

 

[Shirasaki]

How are you noticing it "kicking in"?

Perhaps through noticing how much data Wifi assist feature uses. Or there might be a change of icon indicating Wifi assist kicks in.
[doublepost=1472111293][/doublepost]

QUOTE="C DM, post: 23280132, member: 630404"]How are you noticing it "kicking in"?

The word "Wi-Fi" appears between the carrier name and the wifi icon.

View attachment 646554 [[/QUOTE]
I would rather guess this is "Wifi Calling", not Wifi assist.

 

[C DM]

The word "Wi-Fi" appears between the carrier name and the wifi icon.

That just sounds like Wi-Fi Calling: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-enable-at-t-wi-fi-calling-on-ios-9/

(Wi-Fi Assistant simply drops your Wi-Fi connection and uses your cellular connection when it kicks in, meaning you'd see it as if you are no longer on Wi-Fi and simply on your cellular connection.)
[doublepost=1472111385][/doublepost]

Perhaps through noticing how much data Wifi assist feature uses. Or there might be a change of icon indicating Wifi assist kicks in.
[doublepost=1472111293][/doublepost]

The word "Wi-Fi" appears between the carrier name and the wifi icon.

View attachment 646554

I would rather guess this is "Wifi Calling", not Wifi assist.

Well, as you can see, getting the answer from the OP directly can be fairly important.

 

[s2mike]

Oh. I may be completely mistaken here, then.

For some reason I thought it was Wi-Fi Assist, but I guess it's actually Wi-Fi Calling. I just turned Wi-Fi Calling "OFF" and the icon went away.

Sorry for being an idiot. Feel free to delete this thread.

Thanks!

 

[Shirasaki]

Well, as you can see, getting the answer from the OP directly is fairly important.

Yeah. I should have thought about your approach at the first time. I tend to do stuff with resources I already have.
Thank you a lot.

 

[fisherking]

right. wifi showing up there means your cellular signal is weak, and calling now routes thru your wifi.

because cellular is so bad at my GF's apartment, i turn on airplane mode, then turn wifi BACK on... and 'force' wifi calling. works great...

 

[VSMacOne]

OP brings up an interesting point. It would be nice for iOS to tell you somehow when you're using WiFi Assist so you can tell a difference. It would probably save people some money.

 

[C DM]

OP brings up an interesting point. It would be nice for iOS to tell you somehow when you're using WiFi Assist so you can tell a difference. It would probably save people some money.

As mentioned earlier, you can tell because when you are using it you are not using Wi-Fi and thus there's no Wi-Fi icon that shows up and just the regular cellular connection one (like LTE or 4G or 3G, for example). So it's basically like any other use of the device when you are not on Wi-Fi.

 

[VSMacOne]

As mentioned earlier, you can tell because when you are using it you are not using Wi-Fi and thus there's no Wi-Fi icon that shows up and just the regular cellular connection one (like LTE or 4G or 3G, for example). So it's basically like any other use of the device when you are not on Wi-Fi.

No offense, but the description for Wi-Fi Assist in iOS 10 is "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor". This implies that even though you may be connected to Wi-Fi and have a strong signal displayed, the connection may be so slow that it switches to cellular data (while still displaying the WIFI connection). There's no way to tell when that happens AFAIK.

 

[C DM]

No offense, but the description for Wi-Fi Assist in iOS 10 is "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor". This implies that even though you may be connected to Wi-Fi and have a strong signal displayed, the connection may be so slow that it switches to cellular data (while still displaying the WIFI connection). There's no way to tell when that happens AFAIK.

From Apple's support article about it at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205296:

"When Wi-Fi Assist is activated, you'll see the cellular data icon in the status bar on your device."

 

[VSMacOne]

From Apple's support article about it at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205296:

"When Wi-Fi Assist is activated, you'll see the cellular data icon in the status bar on your device."

That's good to know and easy enough to spot.

 

[TurboPGT!]

Oh. I may be completely mistaken here, then.

For some reason I thought it was Wi-Fi Assist, but I guess it's actually Wi-Fi Calling. I just turned Wi-Fi Calling "OFF" and the icon went away.

Sorry for being an idiot. Feel free to delete this thread.

Thanks!

You are indeed completely mistaken. That is the Wi-Fi Calling logo.

You can however lookup your specific Wi-Fi assist data usage, which will tell you exactly how much it has "kicked in", if ever. I have a properly setup Wi-Fi network around me 99% of the time, so my All-Time WiFi Assist data usage is about 8 MB.
[doublepost=1472134304][/doublepost]

No offense, but the description for Wi-Fi Assist in iOS 10 is "Automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor". This implies that even though you may be connected to Wi-Fi and have a strong signal displayed, the connection may be so slow that it switches to cellular data (while still displaying the WIFI connection). There's no way to tell when that happens AFAIK.

Your assumption is incorrect.

Wi-Fi Assist works exclusively when Wi-Fi signal strength is LOW, not when data transfer speeds are considered low.

A perfect example of this is connect to any router that has no internet access at all. As along as you maintain a strong connection to the Wi-Fi network, Assist will never kick in at all.

 

[s2mike]

You are indeed completely mistaken. That is the Wi-Fi Calling logo.

You can however lookup your specific Wi-Fi assist data usage, which will tell you exactly how much it has "kicked in", if ever. I have a properly setup Wi-Fi network around me 99% of the time, so my All-Time WiFi Assist data usage is about 8 MB.

Looks like my Wi-Fi assist usage is 18.1 mb.

 

[VSMacOne]

A perfect example of this is connect to any router that has no internet access at all. As along as you maintain a strong connection to the Wi-Fi network, Assist will never kick in at all.

This is correct. Just tested that. Thanks for the clarification.
[doublepost=1472134993][/doublepost]

Looks like my Wi-Fi assist usage is 18.1 mb.

Mine is 8mb since June.

 

[TurboPGT!]

Looks like my Wi-Fi assist usage is 18.1 mb.

Yeah and if that is All Time (aka you haven't restored/setup as new phone recently) that is nothing.

 

[VSMacOne]

Yeah and if that is All Time (aka you haven't restored/setup as new phone recently) that is nothing.

There should be a date for the last reset all the way to the bottom of the screen.

 

[GreyOS]

My only criticism (if you can call it that) of WiFi Assist is it takes a little too long to kick in! There's an area in my house which always has very weak signal... Let's call it... the toilet... a place I like to do a lot of browsing. If I wait long enough it drops down to 3G. But now I just turn off WiFi before it gets a chance. Usually forget to turn it back on though...