Meaning of Icon

[Trom]

Visiting relatives, the signal from the tower to my phone seems perfectly okay, but the speed sucks, and sometimes, for instance with loading web pages, they'll just time out. I noticed that next to the signal strength indicator, an exclamation mark sometimes appears. (see attached screen cap) I don't know what it means, but it can't be good. Anyone? Phone is a OnePlus 7.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Damn it!

I thought this was [another] one of those 'can anyone tell me what this heart icon I surreptitiously got a picture of from my [boy][girl]friend's phone means?' posts...

 

[puppykickr]

When I see the dreaded exclaimation point it means that I am connected but there is no (or very poor) data (internet) connection.

Although I have never seen this next to the cellular service icon, I see it often enough next to the Wi-Fi icon.

This would explain the slow or nonexistant internet speeds.

 

[puppykickr]

I just noticed the key icon as well.
Are you using a VPN or a firewall that uses the VPN api?

There may be a setting in whatever app you are using that is giving the key icon that is restricting the internet from that tower.

Try it once with that app off, for something that is not security sensitive.

 

[Trom]

I just noticed the key icon as well.
Are you using a VPN or a firewall that uses the VPN api?

There may be a setting in whatever app you are using that is giving the key icon that is restricting the internet from that tower.

Try it once with that app off, for something that is not security sensitive.

I thought of that, I've turned off the VPN in addition to using different servers in various cities, didn't help.

 

[puppykickr]

So this is recurring, then?
Not just in one location with one tower?

It would almost seem as though you have data off for your mobile service, although on my devices that is an 'X' icon over the cellular signal icon.

Have you checked the settings in your device for data?
What is restricted, and what is not?

 

[Trom]

So this is recurring, then?
Not just in one location with one tower?

It would almost seem as though you have data off for your mobile service, although on my devices that is an 'X' icon over the cellular signal icon.

Have you checked the settings in your device for data?
What is restricted, and what is not?

No, it's just hot and cold. Sometimes, for a few minutes, data is fast and normal. About two third of the time, speed is slow as crap and will time out sometimes as well. I'm thinking it's just an overworked tower, as the signal strength _looks_ good, just very slow data much of the time. Unfortunately, I'm stuck here for now.

 

[puppykickr]

I don't know about your location, but here they have been doing sporatic work on the network.

Even at home on Wi-Fi, once it leaves the router it is wireless, so basically it is still using towers.

And, every so often, sometimes for extended periods of time, the service sucks.

Especially in the middle of the night when they assume that no one will notice.

An online aquaintance via a game was cut off from the game almost entirely for about a month when his network began switching to 5G.

So perhaps you are dealing with a network maintenace issue.

 

[Alexenferman]

The exclamation mark means there is no internet but your phone is connected to the cell tower.