Data usage when Wi-Fi is available?

[lb8]

When I'm home and Wi-Fi is active, I assume that email and app loading and web browsing are all done with no data usage involved... correct? And so the only time I'm accumulating data usage should be when I'm out of the house, right? But 3G Watchdog (also confirmed by AT+T's Data Usage reporting) indicates multiple megs of data usage when I'm home and well within Wi-Fi range. I also notice that when I turn on the screen, at first I see the 3G symbol at the top and then a few seconds later, the Wi-Fi symbol turns on and the 3G symbol turns off... suggesting that when you turn the screen off, you've turned the Wi-Fi off, as well and it stays off until you reactivate the screen... which, odd as it seems, would explain data usage when I'm home and the phone is periodically checking and downloading email. Is that what's happening? Why would the Captivate kill Wi-Fi simply because the screen is turned off?

 

[Infinite-t]

Yes, the default setting for the wifi is to turn it off when the phone goes into standby... stupid I know. Maybe AT&T had a hand in this so people would use more data. To fix this go to Settings> wireless and Network> wifi settings> tape the menu button on the bottom left of the phone and tap advanced> wifi sleep policy> never.

This will make it so your phone will stay connected to and use wifi always when you are connected to a wifi network. So email, widgets, apps and all that will use your wifi any time you are connected, even in standby.

 

[lb8]

Not only is the default setting absurd, but I'd say they've done a pretty good job hiding that setting, as well, since it could have just as easily been on the prior non-advanced settings page. Thanks very much for your quick and accurate reply.

 

[bmoliver]

I discovered this as well a few days ago. I agree that its likely an AT&T "feature" to increase your data usage. I set my Wifi sleep to "never" and I have not seen any adverse affect on battery life.