Help Noob Extended controls and Mobile Network question

[1+9+8+7]

Ok, so...

As you will all know, holding down the power button on the top of the desire brings up the 'Phone options' box. In here there is the 'Mobile Network' option to turn the mobile netwrok on or off.

I wanted to place a widget on my home screen which was a shortcut to this, a simple press turning the Mobile Network (internet connection) on or off.

I am using extended controls and thought the 'Data Network' option to enable/disable the APN would do this, but it seems it doesnt? What exactly does enabling/disabling the APN do?

 

[1+9+8+7]

Ok I feel very silly, it would appear that the 'Mobile Network' needs to be on in order for it to work, however when you do disable it using extended controls it still says in phone options it is on? Does that make any difference? Also, will this (disabling the APN) cause any problems when receiving MMS?

 

[nacatomi]

Not sure if its the case with extended controls but when most of these apps disable the APN what they actually do is slightly change the settings so that the connection no longer works, so as far as the phone is concerned Mobile Data is still enabled but it just cant connect to the net.

With regards to your MMS question it would depend on:

a) if you have separate APN settings for data & MMS (3UK have now moved to a shared APN so I would think it will disable both)

b) exactly which APN(s) extended controls disables

 

[cozmoisme]

so are there apps to turn off the mobile network like the HTC sence widget? (I am using laucherpro and therefore cannot use the HTC sence widgets.)

 

[SB13X]

Yeah the connection must be on under the settings but all Extended Controls does is circumvent access to the APN. Been using the Extended Controls widget in this fashion with no issues at all.

 

[cozmoisme]

humm, well for me it seems to currpt the APN and I have to re-input all the info to get it working...

 

[bendi]

does leaving the mobile data enabled caused battery drained even if it is not connected?

 

[sonny123]

does leaving the mobile data enabled caused battery drained even if it is not connected?

Sorry for resurrecting an old question, but I'd like to know this as well.

I come from an old windows mobile background. The phones I had always showed a 'G' (GPRS), '3G', 'H' (HDSPA) in the top status bar to show the 'quality/speed' of the mobile network available. Then, when you used an app (such as email) OR internet (which uses the mobile network), these symbols would flash to show the mobile network is being used.

I did not have to enable/turn on 'mobile network' - All I had to do is simply click on an app/internet and it would automatically connect using the 'mobile network'.

Now, with my Desire I use the HTC Sense 'Mobile Network' widget to switch on mobile network. And, only then, does a G, 3G or H symbol come up.

To repeat the above question, does leaving Mobile Data/Mobile Network on affect the battery in anyway if I am not using it?

I went into 2 phone stores and one salesman said 'no', and the other said it would use the battery a little.

 

[jeremy_inc]

Yes leaving mobile data on will use more battery power. There is an option in the network menu to turn "always on data" off, which as I understand will then only connect data when an app requests something from the internet. As I use messaging programs and push email that need data constantly anyway I don't bother with this.

 

[sonny123]

Thanks for that. I guess I will leave it off then. When I need to use an app that requires the mobile network, I will switch it on before clicking on the app.