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Help A request for DNA owners

hilmar2k

Android Expert
Jun 29, 2011
1,369
293
New York
I am requesting some info regarding wifi behavior from DNA owners. I currently have an Inc4G, and am contemplating upgrading to the DNA. However, I want to be sure that a particular behavior that the Inc4G and other HTC phones has regarding wifi is not present in the DNA prior to pulling the trigger.

On the Inc4G (and other HTC pones), wifi goes into a sleep mode a few minutes after the screen goes off, regardless of what settings you choose. It does not come out of sleep until the screen comes back on. It does not disconnect, but will not transmit or receive any data. Since the phone will not use cellular for data when connected to wifi, no data is sent or received during this period. This leads to delayed notifications and issues with any app that uses background data. It does seem that the wifi will wake periodically and notifications will come in, but they are delayed, anywhere from 5-15 minutes, generally.

The two main apps where this is the most noticeable is WhatsApp and TouchDown email. I use Exchange email, so delivery to my phone is real time. I would receive an email on my PC, but the notification would come later. However, if I turned my screen on, they would all immediately come in. This made it obvious it was an issue with the wifi while the screen was off.

If someone could test this for me on the DNA, I would be extremely grateful. This is my biggest frustration with the Inc4G, and do not want to deal with it on another phone.
 
I am requesting some info regarding wifi behavior from DNA owners. I currently have an Inc4G, and am contemplating upgrading to the DNA. However, I want to be sure that a particular behavior that the Inc4G and other HTC phones has regarding wifi is not present in the DNA prior to pulling the trigger.

On the Inc4G (and other HTC pones), wifi goes into a sleep mode a few minutes after the screen goes off, regardless of what settings you choose. It does not come out of sleep until the screen comes back on. It does not disconnect, but will not transmit or receive any data. Since the phone will not use cellular for data when connected to wifi, no data is sent or received during this period. This leads to delayed notifications and issues with any app that uses background data. It does seem that the wifi will wake periodically and notifications will come in, but they are delayed, anywhere from 5-15 minutes, generally.

The two main apps where this is the most noticeable is WhatsApp and TouchDown email. I use Exchange email, so delivery to my phone is real time. I would receive an email on my PC, but the notification would come later. However, if I turned my screen on, they would all immediately come in. This made it obvious it was an issue with the wifi while the screen was off.

If someone could test this for me on the DNA, I would be extremely grateful. This is my biggest frustration with the Inc4G, and do not want to deal with it on another phone.

I had an incredible 4g before switching to the dna and am familiar with the issue you describe. I use Good for my work email and it comes through overnight when the phone is in deep sleep while on wifi... I don't need to wake the phone and manually refresh to pull the email down.
 
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I used to have that problem with my DNA, but it turned out it wasn't the phone it was an app. I was using Longevity to optimize my battery performance, and one of the things that it did to save on batter was to drop the WiFi and network connections while the phone was asleep. As soon as I took Longevity off my phone, I no longer had that problem.
 
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I had an incredible 4g before switching to the dna and am familiar with the issue you describe. I use Good for my work email and it comes through overnight when the phone is in deep sleep while on wifi... I don't need to wake the phone and manually refresh to pull the email down.

So none of your notifications are delayed on the DNA? Things that use background data (sports app, for instance) are updated without issues while the screen is off?

I do have a workaround for it on the Inc4G, but I'd rather not have to deal with it on my next phone.

EDIT: By the way, how was the transition from the Inc4G to the DNA for you? I love the Inc4G (other than the stupid wifi issue), but want/need a phone with a larger screen. Not thrilled about the non-removable battery and lack of additional storage options, but it seems like the DNA might just be what I need/want.
 
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So none of your notifications are delayed on the DNA? Things that use background data (sports app, for instance) are updated without issues while the screen is off?

I do have a workaround for it on the Inc4G, but I'd rather not have to deal with it on my next phone.

EDIT: By the way, how was the transition from the Inc4G to the DNA for you? I love the Inc4G (other than the stupid wifi issue), but want/need a phone with a larger screen. Not thrilled about the non-removable battery and lack of additional storage options, but it seems like the DNA might just be what I need/want.

Refresh me on the specifics of the DInc4G sleep issue - I put the phone through the same paces and let you know for sure. I work all day off WIFI, and get notifications all day, no problems. While at home and on WIFI, I also get notifications. I'm not sure how the phone behave overnight off a charger - I have my plugged in overnight and I receive my email (on my DInc4G I would have to turn on the phone and then I would get email). I don't use a sports app anymore for notifications (I use Google Now) but I do get severe weather alerts from Weather Bug.

I like the DNA a lot. I think the battery life is on par or slightly better than the DInc4G, so whatever you are getting now should be the minimum you get on a DNA. Not a fan of the 16GB of storage, but do like that more than 1GB is available for apps (believe this was a limit for apps on the DInc4G). The screen size is why I switched. I had a Thunderbolt and GNex prior to the DInc4G, and wanted to a larger screen (I travel frequently and did not want to carry a phone and a tablet). My main gripe with the phone is the Bluetooth is very spotty in my car. Some folks have luck with that and others don't. I'm happy with the switch...
 
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The issue I have is when the screen goes off, shortly thereafter the wifi goes into some semi-sleep power saving mode. It is still connected, but doesn't continuously send or receive data. If I receive an email, the notification is delayed anywhere from 5-15 minutes. If I power the screen on, I immediately receive all of the notifications. Since I use it for work with my exchange email, it is no good. Like I said, though, I have a workaround. There is an app that keeps wifi from sleeping, but it itself uses some power (likely more than the stupid wifi "feature" saves).

I appreciate the input, and will likely pick up the DNA next month when I'm eligible for upgrade.
 
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I'm still investigating this, but this is what I've found out so far… Please take this not as gospel but as an observation in progress:

The option to allow wifi to stay on during sleep doesn't seem to have any affect one way or the other. The wifi has, in my experience stayed on while on standby if the phone's set to sync anything and the battery is over 15% or thereabouts.

If you have disabled syncing through a widget or through the settings menu, the wifi will go off after some seemingly random set time, regardless of whether it's set to sleep or not in the settings. I've also found that data will shut off as well but I haven't pinned down exactly what triggers it. It may follow shortly after wifi goes off, or it may have some other event trigger, I'm not sure. In that case, with sync off, of course nothing will come through, anyway.

Data must come back on periodically because I've received text messages while in long-time standby. No idea how delayed they were.

This was the first major quirk I stumbled on with this new phone, so I'm interested in learning exactly why it behaves like it does, or if I'm on the right track. I don't mind losing wifi when the battery is very low, but I'd like it to stay on at all times if that option is checked in the settings, regardless of sync settings or anything else.
 
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I saw your note again in another thread about Touchdown. Have you tried a different exchange app or are you tied to Touchdown through work? As I noted above, I also had a DInc4G and am familiar with the notification issue when the phone is asleep. I use Good exchange email at work and do not have a notification issue on my DNA like I had on the Incredible. I leave my phone plugged in overnight but get notifications for work email on Good (and other email / notifications). I generally don't have my phone plugged in during the day but also receive notifications.
 
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I saw your note again in another thread about Touchdown. Have you tried a different exchange app or are you tied to Touchdown through work? As I noted above, I also had a DInc4G and am familiar with the notification issue when the phone is asleep. I use Good exchange email at work and do not have a notification issue on my DNA like I had on the Incredible. I leave my phone plugged in overnight but get notifications for work email on Good (and other email / notifications). I generally don't have my phone plugged in during the day but also receive notifications.

I actually just ditched TouchDown for the stock email client, and it seems better, though not perfect. Still seems like some notifications are delayed when on wifi. Not the end of the world, but slightly annoying.
 
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Before I had to switch to Good, I used K9, which was a great mail client. Maybe try that one too to see if it is any better...

The stock email client is actually quite good. Much better than it was on my Inc2. I never tried it on the Inc4, so I can't compare to it.

I think I may prefer it overall to TouchDown. This is especailly true for the calendar. The calendar in TD is abysmal.
 
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I think I have finally pinpointed the issue. While I was having issues with my Inc4G (and my wife still does, as she has it now), the DNA does not seem to have the same wifi sleep issues. The latest issues I was having with the DNA were limited to my office wifi. Not sure what the issue is, but notifications seem to be delayed here sometimes, but never on any other wifi network. It really doesn't matter, however, since when I'm in my office, I don't need my phone for email, since I am sitting at my desk.

Bottom line is that the DNA does not suffer from the same stupid power saving "feature" that the Inc4G does.

And I'm, sticking with the stock email client. It does everything I need, and actually does it pretty well.
 
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