all sorts of WiFi issues

[jalov]

This didnt happen until after the update, but now a lot more recently even. I'll need to restart my phone numerous times to have it recognize my wifi networks. I will turn wifo on, and nothing will happen, then it slides back to off. Sometimes when I'm right next to my WiFi box. Any tips or help?

 

[doogald]

This didnt happen until after the update, but now a lot more recently even. I'll need to restart my phone numerous times to have it recognize my wifi networks. I will turn wifo on, and nothing will happen, then it slides back to off. Sometimes when I'm right next to my WiFi box. Any tips or help?

Which router do you have? Do you know whether it's 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, or do you have both? Do you know whether it is using security and, if so, which kind (WEP, WPA, or WPA2)? Do you know which channel the WiFi router is set to? And what is the SSID?

On the phone, settings->wifi. Tap the menu control on the bottom right, tap "Advanced", do you have "Keep WiFi on during sleep" set to "always", "only when plugged in", or "never"? Is "avoid poor connections" on? What is "WiFi frequency band" set to (auto, 2.4 GHz, or 5 GHz)? Is "WiFi optimization" turned on?

(Sorry for all the questions, but I think the more details we know, the better...)

 

[Thom]

... and did you do a Factory Data Reset after the update? (WiFi is rock solid for me on Kit Kat at both data rates.)

... Thom

 

[jalov]

Ok...here is what I know... WiFi is set to keep wifi on during sleep. Frequency band set to auto. WiFi optimization on. My fiance's phone gets.signals in our parking lot and I'm next to the computer getting nothing. I dont get it.

 

[dhbuckley]

Seems like a Factory Data Reset might help, though a pain; I assume you've power cycled the phone?

 

[doogald]

Ok...here is what I know... WiFi is set to keep wifi on during sleep. Frequency band set to auto. WiFi optimization on. My fiance's phone gets.signals in our parking lot and I'm next to the computer getting nothing. I dont get it.

What kind of phone does your fiance have? If it's different, then it makes total sense.

Try to find out the answers to those other questions, if you can. There is an app called WiFi analytics that you can install on your phone, and it will answer some of these questions. The SSID I am sure you know, since that's the name of the network that you connect to. WiFi Analytics will tell you things like signal strength, whether it's WEP or WPA, and the channel. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pinapps.amped

(The reason I ask about the SSID is that it may have a name collision with a neighbor's network, say, if it uses the default like "LINKSYS" or "NETGEAR". If you look at that WiFi Analytics screen, it should list all of the WiFi SSIDs that it can see. If you see that the channel of the one you are trying to connect to is the same as the channel of other routers in the area, you can try changing the channel to another. The reason that I ask about the type of security - WEP, WPA or WPA2 - is that I have had some phones that don't do well with WPA, but are fine with WPA2 or WEP. So, anyway, there are a number of things that could solve this.)

Also try turning off WiFi optimization. I'd wait on the factory reset for now (though that's where we may be going).

By the way, do you have any battery-saving apps like Greenify or Juice Defender, or any automatic profile apps like Tasker?

 

[Thom]

The question of whether a Factory Data Reset had been done after the Kit Kat update has not yet been answered. Doing two of them after the Kit Kat update on an un-root-ed phone should never be needed.

... Thom

 

[jalov]

No factory reset yet. I'm working on getting the other info. What I find weird is that I updated quite some time ago, and its only in the last week or so my phone is now completely not recognizing WiFi at all.

 

[Thom]

There are two schools of thought on this subject ...

1. It is not needed for Kit Kat and I won't do it. I am running fine and have since I did the update. I can't afford the time. Anyone who does a Factory Data Reset without exhausting all other avenues first is simply uninformed.

2. Do a Factory Data Reset after any major system upgrade like Jelly bean to Kit Kat when it can be scheduled because it is likely that you will end up doing one. Problems will crop up days, weeks, or months after the update and you will be forced to do a Factory Data Reset when it is very inconvenient. A factory Data Reset should not be needed for a non-major update.

I have done two Factory Data Resets after updating to Kit Kat. The first was immediately after the update. The second was a weird problem where the three buttons at the bottom of the screen simply stopped working. I assumed hardware and tried everything I could think of. I was ready to turn it in for a replacement and did the second Factory Data Reset. The problem disappeared after that reset.

There is no guarantee that a Factory Data Reset will fix your problems.

I am going to be very interested to find out what the resolution to your problems turns out to be.

I am on wifi under Kit Kat 99% of the time. My router is 5' from where I am sitting. I have had no problems.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

... Thom

 

[Kevin-B]

FWIW: No problems at all with the Kit Kat update on my device. Wifi and bluetooth are working as well as ever. I have not done a factory data reset with this update, which to me is like having to move all the furniture out of my house every time the power goes out. Or something.

Probably now that I've shared this info, my Maxx will start mis-behaving ....

 

[Flash311]

I haven't had any WiFi connectivity issues, but the speed is way slower than it should be. It's weird because it's also slower on 5Ghz networks than on 2.4, like Youtube videos play fine when on a 2.4 network, but constantly buffer when on 5G. Is anyone else experiencing these issues? From what I can tell it might be an issue with KitKat? I only got my Maxx a week ago, and it came with 4.4 already loaded, so I can compare it against 4.2.

 

[Thom]

I see no difference between Kit Kat and Jelly Bean. I just measured 4.3M download that is the maximum available through that router. Just a point of interest the Verizon 4G speed is 37.0M when not using WiFi.

... Thom

 

[doogald]

I haven't had any WiFi connectivity issues, but the speed is way slower than it should be. It's weird because it's also slower on 5Ghz networks than on 2.4, like Youtube videos play fine when on a 2.4 network, but constantly buffer when on 5G. Is anyone else experiencing these issues? From what I can tell it might be an issue with KitKat? I only got my Maxx a week ago, and it came with 4.4 already loaded, so I can compare it against 4.2.

I am not having those issues, though I'm not on 5 GHz all that frequently.

You can restrict the phone to use 2.4 GHz networks, if you wish. Settings->Wifi, menu control->advanced, it's one of the advanced settings.

You can also try turning off "avoid poor connections" and "WiFi optimization" and see if that changes things on the 5 GHz network.

Also, 5 GHz networks usually have a smaller range than 2.4 GHz networks, and they have a harder time penetrating objects like walls, so you may be having range issues. 5 GHz generally has less interference issues compared with 2.4 GHz, which can have a lot of interference problems, but, since you aren't seeing interference on 2.4, I'd try just running with that.

I have three WiFi routers in my house, one on each floor, because the way the house is built it's nearly impossible to have a single router work for the whole place, and the demarc point is in the basement at a corner of the house. (I could probably get by with two, but my wife would be unhappy about where I'd have to put the two routers, so three it is.) The two that are bridged are connected to the main router in the basement by ethernet, so it works great. However, I was having occasional issues with the Maxx (and only the Maxx) being connected but not being able to download. It was weird - toggling WiFi would always fix it; it happened once or twice a day. Even though they are on three different channels (the standard 1, 6, and 11), and there shouldn't have been interference, I finally decided to try setting two of them to lower power to see if it really was an interference issue. Since then, everything has been fine - I haven't seen the problem again.

WiFi can be a weird nut to crack.

 

[Flash311]

I've gone through all those settings in the Maxx and tried everything, but I haven't been able to solve it. I'm 99% sure the issue lies with the phone, and not with my router or networks. I've compared it side by side with my old Razr Maxx with both on my 2.4 network, the Razr speeds are what you'd expect while the new maxx lags behind.

 

[Thom]

I just tried 2.4 and 5 on my router that is 5' from where I am sitting and measured 4.3M on both of them. I normally am at 2.4 because I can lose the signal on 5 if I go into my kitchen.

(Yes I did to a Factory data Reset after updating to Kit Kat.)

... Thom

 

[doogald]

I've gone through all those settings in the Maxx and tried everything, but I haven't been able to solve it. I'm 99% sure the issue lies with the phone, and not with my router or networks. I've compared it side by side with my old Razr Maxx with both on my 2.4 network, the Razr speeds are what you'd expect while the new maxx lags behind.

Settings/data usage. Tap the menu control top right, turn on "show wifi usage". Look at the wifi usage. Is there an app (or apps) that are using a huge amount if wifi data that might be using up the full bandwidth to the phone?

If it's not an obvious app, factory reset is the obvious next step.

And, of course, one more thing is to make sure that there isn't a firmware update for the router.

 

[Flash311]

Thanks for the suggestions. No crazy usage from any 1 app that I can see and my router's firmware is up to date. I was hoping to avoid trying a factory reset, but that seems like the next logical thing to try. I'm going to see if it's the same at work tomorrow since it's a different/newer router than my home one, if it's still not right then I'll do the factory reset.

 

[Thom]

OK ... five days later ... two stated problems ... one probable solution ... what happened?

... Thom

 

[jalov]

Still having the same issue. I haven't had the time, will, or energy to factory reset yet. Just a gant pain I'm not ready for, but seems to be the next step.

 

[jamielov]

Tried that factory reset. Didn't help at all. Bummer. The rep figured it was an antenna issue. their only solution besides the reset was to send me a new (prob refurbished) phone. Oh well.

 

[Thom]

Thanks for the report. (You had to do a Factory Data Reset before sending it back anyway.)

... Thom