Help My 'Waze' GPS App doesn't work when Away from Home?

[joecmiller]

I have down loaded a gps app called 'Waze'. I can set a destination, leaving from home to a destination miles from home and the app works flawlessly ... giving me verbal instructions
to navigate me to my destination.

however, when I am at a distant location and I try to set my home as the destination,
the app goes into eternal search mode [maybe looking for map info for a route?]. tracfone
says I do have voice & data internet service.

This problem I think is probably 'Waze' app specific but I submit the question on the chance that someone may respond.

 

[androidmachine]

I'm guessing you have Wi-Fi at home, but when you are at that distant location, do you have your data connection turned on so that your phone can connect to the internet?

 

[KOLIO]

If the route is a long one (cross-country),WAZE suggests breaking the trip up into several smaller segments for better results,less taxing on their resources:
https://www.waze.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6&sid=227b5d54bae4d2c952b008c78b8da70f

Here's some links to the rest of the WAZE Support page:
https://www.waze.com/
https://support.google.com/waze/?hl=en#topic=6273402
https://support.google.com/waze/answer/6274015?hl=en&ref_topic=6262587
https://support.google.com/waze/answer/6308527?hl=en&ref_topic=6273402
https://www.waze.com/forum/

 

[joecmiller]

If the route is a long one (cross-country),WAZE suggests breaking the trip up into several smaller segments for better results,less taxing on their resources:
https://www.waze.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6&sid=227b5d54bae4d2c952b008c78b8da70f

Here's some links to the rest of the WAZE Support page:
https://www.waze.com/
https://support.google.com/waze/?hl=en#topic=6273402
https://support.google.com/waze/answer/6274015?hl=en&ref_topic=6262587
https://support.google.com/waze/answer/6308527?hl=en&ref_topic=6273402
https://www.waze.com/forum/

I have down loaded a gps app called 'Waze'. I can set a destination, leaving from home to a destination miles from home and the app works flawlessly ... giving me verbal instructions
to navigate me to my destination.

however, when I am at a distant location and I try to set my home as the destination,
the app goes into eternal search mode [maybe looking for map info for a route?]. tracfone
says I do have voice & data internet service.

This problem I think is probably 'Waze' app specific but I submit the question on the chance that someone may respond.

 

[joecmiller]

thanks androidmachine and kolio.

I am talking only a few miles from home, not a long route. I will definitely read the support page links.

... and yes, I have wifi at home and until this moment I was unaware of the concept of ''data connection turned
on so that your phone can connect to the internet''.

apparently i should use the internet icon to connect to the internet??? i tried to do so here at home but so far have
been unsuccessful at touching the correct sequence of buttons and levers.


Today at 1
.

 

[androidmachine]

Most people (including me) who use Tracfones and don't have unlimited data plans keep the data connection turned off. However, I think that app requires an internet connection and when you are out and not in range of Wi-Fi, you need to turn on Data.

 

[joecmiller]

Most people (including me) who use Tracfones and don't have unlimited data plans keep the data connection turned off. However, I think that app requires an internet connection and when you are out and not in range of Wi-Fi, you need to turn on Data.

 

[joecmiller]

thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
I will mess around with the internet app, data connection on/off, etc.
thus far you guys have been an invaluable resource ... I would still be
at a dead end were it not for you.

 

[AZgl1500]

WAZE is a horrible DATA plan killer....

unless you have a Corporate gov'mint bank account, you can't afford to use WAZE.

I tried it for a short time, it is immensely demanding on the CPU and battery power.
The phone gets hot "right now", and my data plan went into the toilet fast.

His phone gets so hot, it shuts down.... he had to get a mounting clip that holds it in front of the a/c vents.

My son uses it a lot.... he has it on an iPhone, and yes, a Corporate bank account paying for his data plan. he travels across 5 states weekly, and uses it for the Traffic Alerts, so he can go around them.


You will be far better off to install CoPilot as it downloads everything to the extSDcard via WiFi, and then it never, ever, needs DATA again...... unless, you are a stickler for Traffic Alerts..... but that doesn't use much data.

There isn't any map app out there, that is as fast as CoPilot, and the Driving Alerts can be programmed to your hearts desire... unlike most apps with a fixed setup.

* CoPilot GPS - Plan & explore! - Android Apps on Google Play

 

[joecmiller]

WAZE is a horrible DATA plan killer....

unless you have a Corporate gov'mint bank account, you can't afford to use WAZE.

I tried it for a short time, it is immensely demanding on the CPU and battery power.
The phone gets hot "right now", and my data plan went into the toilet fast.

His phone gets so hot, it shuts down.... he had to get a mounting clip that holds it in front of the a/c vents.

My son uses it a lot.... he has it on an iPhone, and yes, a Corporate bank account paying for his data plan. he travels across 5 states weekly, and uses it for the Traffic Alerts, so he can go around them.


You will be far better off to install CoPilot as it downloads everything to the extSDcard via WiFi, and then it never, ever, needs DATA again...... unless, you are a stickler for Traffic Alerts..... but that doesn't use much data.

There isn't any map app out there, that is as fast as CoPilot, and the Driving Alerts can be programmed to your hearts desire... unlike most apps with a fixed setup.

* CoPilot GPS - Plan & explore! - Android Apps on Google Play

wow!!! that involves a lot of concepts of which I am entirely blank, but much appreciated ... I
will work on understanding all of it as much as possible, as soon as possible. it may [will]
take some time but well worth it i'm sure.

for the umpteenth time, many thanks to all you guys.

 

[AZgl1500]

CoPilot will let you plan a single trip from Coast to Coast, but I much prefer to just setup up the "next stop".

I use it for Trip Planning when I am out on my motorcycle tours.... then I note the WayPoints that I have found with CoPilot and then enter those as Destinations in my Garmin GPS. Each waypoint in the Garmin is set up up as a single trip, and the next one replaces it as a 'new destination'.... I do that so that all I need do is click on Recently Found Places, and wallah!! there is my next stop, next in line.

CoPilot is a joy to use when you are setting on a Park Bench or at the local ice cream shop
It lets you drag it around, you can search for "all points of interest".... I have found museums that I did not even know existed....
Depending on your needs, I would download the entire USA map in one fell swoop (WiFi please ) .... that way, when you enter a destination, CoPilot can find it within 2 or 3 seconds... unlike a Garmin or other GPS which seems to take forever to find a route or a Local point of interest.

. a word of advice..... when you download the USA map, make sure the phone's battery is fully charged, or it is plugged into a charger.
It can easily take hours if your WiFi is slow..... there are several gB of data to be downloaded...

1st piece of advice, make darn sure it is set up to store maps on the extSDcard !!!
if you don't your phone will run out of memory in a hurry.

 

[androidmachine]

I think it bears repeating: Be sure to only download maps using Wi-Fi because you will use up all of your Tracfone minutes and still not have all the maps downloaded if you try to use your data connection. On a Tracfone, Wi-Fi should always be preferred over data.

 

[AZgl1500]

I think it bears repeating: Be sure to only download maps using Wi-Fi because you will use up all of your Tracfone minutes and still not have all the maps downloaded if you try to use your data connection. On a Tracfone, Wi-Fi should always be preferred over data.

THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT, SO WILL REPEAT IT A 3RD TIME.

Only download via WiFi.... it took almost an hour to download the USA maps to my extSDcard....

and again, do NOT under any circumstances, download anything, UNTIL AFTER YOU SET UP extSDcard as the DEFAULT STORAGE DEVICE.

 

[joecmiller]

THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT, SO WILL REPEAT IT A 3RD TIME.

Only download via WiFi.... it took almost an hour to download the USA maps to my extSDcard....

and again, do NOT under any circumstances, download anything, UNTIL AFTER YOU SET UP extSDcard as the DEFAULT STORAGE DEVICE.

ok, got it ... and thank you

 

[svim]

however, when I am at a distant location and I try to set my home as the destination,
the app goes into eternal search mode [maybe looking for map info for a route?]. tracfone
says I do have voice & data internet service.

One of the highlighted features Waze has over other similar map/GPS apps is it's crowd-sourced, live traffic maps. That also means that this advantage is more evident if you're driving around in an urban area, if you're in more remote areas not so much. This also means your phone will be using GPS and mobile data connectivity (also referred to as cellular) almost constantly, plus the Waze app itself is using your phone's system resources continuously AND your screen will be on the entire time (two things that significantly drain your battery). But that's what you have to sacrifice to get live road conditions.

As Waze is so popular there's input from other users so you get notices about traffic accidents, where there are construction project slowdowns, and average road speed and backups, all in real-time. Waze is more a traffic app than a map app -- that's why it needs continuous online connectivity. Pre-downloaded maps give you good directional info, but not accurate live road conditions. WiFi isn't really a factor, you're outside away from home and even public WiFi like what you can connect to at places like your local library, different restaurants, etc. are irrelevant because you're moving from one location to another. So again, part of the price you pay for the convenience of live traffic conditions is going to come out of your phone service's data plan.

Getting back to your original query, since it sounds like you've been using Waze and it's working out well for you, your home location being problematic, try cleaning up your phone's GPS with this utility:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2&hl=en
Also in Waze, check 'My Waze' in the Settings menu. In the 'Home and Work' menu re-enter your home address just to make sure it's saved properly.

Depending on your phone model and what carrier you're on, try updating the PRL (Preferred Roaming List) and the Profile, they relate to cell tower locations and your account info, both things relevant to location issues. (I have a CDMA based phone using Sprint's network so there's 'Update PRL' and 'Update Profile' in my Settings >> More >> System Update menu. If you don't have this on your phone don't worry about it, just ignore it.)

 

[joecmiller]

thanks for all the ‘steep learning curve’ info from everyone.
the snow here in Annapolis, md, will keep me from doing an ‘away from
home test’ for a day or two.

my understanding is that waze should work when distant from home if
the cell phone is linked with the internet via my internet app icon.

regarding wifi vs the internet: how do I switch back and forth between the two?
[i.e.] how do I close the internet connection and then open the wifi connection
… and vise versa. if I make no sense it is because I am still cell phone challenged.

in the past, I thought I saw 'you are connected to wifi' messages displayed on the
screen? I have seen no such messages when connected to the internet?

 

[androidmachine]

In quick settings and in settings, there should be switches where you can turn Wi-Fi on and off or turn Data on and off. On my phone they look like switches, but on my tablet they look like buttons. It depends on your phone how they will look.

It has nothing to do with the internet icon. I think the internet icon brings up a browser. What we are talking about is the initial connection to the internet and how you connect to the internet: either through Wi-Fi or through Data.

When you are out, you probably want Data, but when you are home you want to turn off data and turn on Wi-Fi. Also, be aware, as has been mentioned, that Waze can really eat up your minutes when you are using Data. Download all maps at home using Wi-Fi.

 

[svim]

Your phone can connect to the Internet in two ways, one is WiFi and the other is mobile data (a.k.a. cellular). You're accessing same Internet either way. When your phone is connected to the Internet it's essentially just connecting to an online network -- when you're using a web browser on your phone you're basically networking with a web server computer in some other state, or country, or wherever. The same thing applies to the Waze app, it's simply connected online to one of Waze's online servers -- your phone is exchanging your location (based on GPS coordinates and nearby cell towers) and Waze is sending you current data that it compiles based on set maps and accumulated crowd-sourced info.

As for how you determine and how you control your WiFi and mobile data connectivity, you need to tell us what phone you use and what version of Android it's running.

 

[svim]

Download all maps at home using Wi-Fi.

How do you pre-download maps into Waze? It's not like Google Maps or Near, I've never seen anything in Settings to do this. And I can't see how current road conditions can be determined by pre-loaded data.

 

[androidmachine]

How do you pre-download maps into Waze? It's not like Google Maps or Near, I've never seen anything in Settings to do this. And I can't see how current road conditions can be determined by pre-loaded data.

Sorry, I was referring to CoPilot. Waze is going to cause heavy Data usage. So to end confusion, delete Waze from my post above.

 

[joecmiller]

.... and here is another 'thank you'

 

[chanchan05]

Just to correct the OP, no you do not connect to the internet via the internet app icon. That internet app is just a browser, like Chrome or Firefox. Internet connectivity on your phone is under settings. However, it will cost you to use it, and you may be surprised by the size of your bill if you do not monitor mobile Internet usage.

 

[AZgl1500]

thanks for all the ‘steep learning curve’ info from everyone.
the snow here in Annapolis, md, will keep me from doing an ‘away from
home test’ for a day or two.

my understanding is that waze should work when distant from home if
the cell phone is linked with the internet via my internet app icon.

regarding wifi vs the internet: how do I switch back and forth between the two?
[i.e.] how do I close the internet connection and then open the wifi connection
… and vise versa. if I make no sense it is because I am still cell phone challenged.

in the past, I thought I saw 'you are connected to wifi' messages displayed on the
screen? I have seen no such messages when connected to the internet?

When you are away from home, traveling down the highways and byways, gawking at the scenery, you will need to have Cellular DATA turned on.... so that WAZE can access the internet.... you really need to be in a 4g area for it to most effective. 3g is just too slow, the map is behind all the time.

and being Crowd Sourced, it was very valuable to me when I made a trip thru Alabama and Georgia, it allowed me to miss some horrible accident scenes on I-20...... but, once I got away from Birmhamham, AL and Atlanta, GA. I turned it off and only used my Garmin GPS. I just wanted the WAZE info in the metro areas.

 

[iMytch]

I have down loaded a gps app called 'Waze'. I can set a destination, leaving from home to a destination miles from home and the app works flawlessly ... giving me verbal instructions
to navigate me to my destination.

however, when I am at a distant location and I try to set my home as the destination,
the app goes into eternal search mode [maybe looking for map info for a route?]. tracfone
says I do have voice & data internet service.

This problem I think is probably 'Waze' app specific but I submit the question on the chance that someone may respond.

Do you happen to have a data network connection active while running Waze? From my experience with Waze, it requires a data network connection to operate correctly.

 

[AZgl1500]

Do you happen to have a data network connection active while running Waze? From my experience with Waze, it requires a data network connection to operate correctly.

you did not read the whole thread, that has been stated to him a minimum of 4 times at least.