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      10-11-2019, 09:20 AM   #1
LAR
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WiFi HotSpot - Built In vs Mobile

Other than cost, is there any reason or advantage to choose the built in WiFi HotSpot that is in the G05 instead of using a mobile HotSpot device like the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE Router MR1100?

Can you set up the iDrive and other G05 features that may need Internet connection, to a mobile HotSpot device like the above referenced NETGEAR Nighthawk M1?

Are any features in the G05 not usable if you are using a mobile HotSpot device instead of the built in WiFi HotSpot in the G05.
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      10-11-2019, 06:10 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jr1 View Post
Other than cost, is there any reason or advantage to choose the built in WiFi HotSpot that is in the G05 instead of using a mobile HotSpot device like the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE Router MR1100?

Can you set up the iDrive and other G05 features that may need Internet connection, to a mobile HotSpot device like the above referenced NETGEAR Nighthawk M1?

Are any features in the G05 not usable if you are using a mobile HotSpot device instead of the built in WiFi HotSpot in the G05.
I don't think anything in the car uses the internet from the hotspot if you have that active. It has a separate connection to the world. Downside of using the hotspot is that your phone can't connect to it and CarPlay simultaneously.... I used the 3 month trail partly because the ATT it uses in the US is frequently super-slow...ended up disconnecting to use my Verizon data instead.
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      10-11-2019, 08:12 PM   #3
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Thanks for the input.

My question came up as a result of one of the things you referenced; that if you connect your iPhone to any other WiFi it disconnects and disables CarPlay. I confirmed with BMW Genius that WiFi connection between the iPhone and vehicle is required to use CarPlay because there is too much data transferring going on to use Bluetooth.

When I try and connect my iPhone to my new BlackVue 900S dash cam to update the firmware etc. two things keep happening. CarPlay terminates and then automatically reconnects which terminates the WiFi connection to the BlackVue preventing me from completing the firmware update.

I also think the WiFi / BlackVue issue may cause me to be unable to view videos etc. but I will know more once I re-read the BlackVue manual and continue to try and set it up. I may ask about this in another thread.

BMW Apps not accessed via CarPlay:
Do not the following apps need an Internet connection and hence a WiFi connection: ParkMobile, BMW Connected, Weather, News, BMW Messages, Software Updates, etc.? In the future I see BMW moving other apps from CarPlay (perhaps Pandora and other music apps, Waze, etc.) to the BMW apps section instead of CarPlay. In doing this they can avoid Apple and force BMW owners to subscribe to and pay apps via BMW and force the need to pay more fees for in vehicle WiFi and bandwidth.

Anyway, just curious who subscribes to the builtin WiFi and what benefits do they have? Is it just so others in your vehicle can connect to the internet or so you can connect other devices to the Internet that do not have cellular service; as an example an iPad with WiFi only or no cellular service? If this is the case it would seem that a stand alone mobile hotspot device that I could take with me away from the vehicle would be more beneficial.

By the way: A BMW Genius did provide one benefit to in vehicle WiFi: the vehicle has more antennas that will provide much better reception that you would get using a stand alone WiFi hotspot.
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      10-30-2019, 09:46 AM   #4
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So I'm curious - if my iPhone is connected to the car via the car's WiFi, so I can use apple car play, does that mean that my phone is no longer connected to the internet? I don't think my phone can be connected via WiFi and also have LTE data. That would be a huge flaw because doesn't AirPlay require the data from your phone to get the maps/music/etc that you're using?

Does this mean that while my phone is connected to AirPlay, I won't get emails?
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      10-30-2019, 02:15 PM   #5
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My phone (Samsung Galaxy Android) behaves the same connected to my car's WiFi as it does on my home network. Seems to be pretty fast as well, but haven't measured the speed.
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      10-30-2019, 04:19 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VTENGR View Post
So I'm curious - if my iPhone is connected to the car via the car's WiFi, so I can use apple car play, does that mean that my phone is no longer connected to the internet? I don't think my phone can be connected via WiFi and also have LTE data. That would be a huge flaw because doesn't AirPlay require the data from your phone to get the maps/music/etc that you're using?

Does this mean that while my phone is connected to AirPlay, I won't get emails?
While your phone is connected to the car with airplay it will get its data via LTE. You just can't get data from the car hotspot (flaw) or a nearby WiFi network.
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      10-31-2019, 07:44 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by homerrr View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by VTENGR View Post
So I'm curious - if my iPhone is connected to the car via the car's WiFi, so I can use apple car play, does that mean that my phone is no longer connected to the internet? I don't think my phone can be connected via WiFi and also have LTE data. That would be a huge flaw because doesn't AirPlay require the data from your phone to get the maps/music/etc that you're using?

Does this mean that while my phone is connected to AirPlay, I won't get emails?
While your phone is connected to the car with airplay it will get its data via LTE. You just can't get data from the car hotspot (flaw) or a nearby WiFi network.
I don't experience any of what this thread is talking about, my iPhone 11 Pro will connect and use the car WiFi hotspot while connected via wireless CarPlay. The CarPlay display will show a WiFi icon instead of the traditional signal strength indicator. The car has a stronger antenna which is why I stick to this method.
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      11-03-2019, 06:01 AM   #8
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Some of the carplay apps rely on the hotspots to function properly.
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      11-05-2019, 07:42 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by edtreo View Post
Some of the carplay apps rely on the hotspots to function properly.
I believe there is a difference between the built in basic “free” WiFi that is used to connect your iPhone to the vehicle in order for CarPlay to function and also is used by the iDrive apps, and the upgraded WiFi HotSpot service you purchase so that other devices (other than your iPhone connected via CarPlay) can connect to the Internet. I believe the CarPlay apps use the basic free WiFi associated with CarPlay and not the upgraded WiFi hotspot that is paid for separately. I say this because you can use all the CarPlay and iDrive apps without upgrading to a WiFi hotspot but you cannot connect other devices to the Internet (devices like an iPad, dash cam, radar detector, a passengers iPhone, etc.) unless you have an upgraded paid for WiFi hotspot set up.
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      11-06-2019, 05:02 AM   #10
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Certain apps like Amazon Music have access to more feature with Att Wi-Fi.
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