Wifi or cellular data

[Rusty McNeil]

How do I tell if my new iPhone is using wifi rather than my cellular data plan ? I know it's connected to my wireless router at home, can see that on the wifi menu. But the AT&T logo and signal indicator are always showing even when I'm just web hopping.
Will these always use wifi if available for the Internet or do I have to force it to happen? The company data plan is only 5gb. Plenty for business use, don't want to accidentally go over screwing around on the internet.

Thanks for any help, I did already RTFM

 

[Buster Hymen]

What make and model of phone is it?

 

[Rusty McNeil]

iPhone 3GS. Brand new. I did figure out how to turn the cellular data off to make sure. But that's a pain, ...

 

[shicks16]

If you are connected to wifi it will use the wifi over the data plan. To tell you should see the wifi symbol where the 3G symbol is in the top left corner

 

[Junior6996]

Yep it should auto connect as soon as you get in your wifi range mine worked that way right out of the box no setting needed

 

[Fire-medic]

I turn mine off @ work(wifi) because it is slower & it goes thru the co. server.

 

[Redbone]

The 3gs should ask you each time you are in range of a new wireless connection (although you can turn this off) when you are attempting to use data or manually look for wireless connections. Each time you return to that wireless signal it will automatically connect back up to it.

 

[[email protected]]

Didn't even know that was possible. Do android phones do this too?

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Thanks for all the tips guys! I got onli e for the icon glossary and figured out what the wifi icon looks like. Yall of course are right. I've been on wifi all along and thought that icon was something else.

Y'all rock!

 

[gamorg02]

Didn't even know that was possible. Do android phones do this too?

which part? heh

android should easily be able to connect to wifi and remember 'favorite' networks.

 

[naughtyG]

What you want to do is 'jailbreak' your phone. It's really easy, takes about 5mns, and unlocks its true potential.
I just upgraded from iPhone 3G to 3GS (thru fleaBay), and managed to sell my 3G for the same money I spent on the 3GS (!!)

Once jailbroken, I use a utility downloaded through Cydia called SBSettings, which gives me instant access to toggle switches for 3G, Bluetooth, (cellular) Data, Location, WiFi, Autolock, Rotation, Pers. Hotspot etc without have to fumble through any menus!

Jailbreaking also allows you to fully customize the phone (it can be accessed like any hard disk), so mine has my own sounds for all its UI as well as ringtones and message tones.

I wouldn't consider using an iPhone without jailbreaking it anymore!

 

[gamorg02]

i do software testing/development for a living so i actually don't jailbreak my phones because at the end of the day i don't want to troubleshoot them. andriod has all those settings available by default which is nice!

 

[naughtyG]

yea Android's much more open - the way it should be.

Apple's most unfortunately taken to assuming 'they know best' which is downright condescending and patronizing in my book, so I'm quite happier to take control back!

After all, I own the device, I should be able to use it as I see fit.

 

[RaWarrior]

AFAIK all current smartphones will use wifi over cell if both are available. There is a way to view data counters/usage, but unsurprisingly carriers tend to hide this in a bunch of intimidating-sounding menus or generally make it hard to access. They'd much rather you not know and run over your data limit so they can rape you for per-MB fees.

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if this is quietly changed before long, so by default it always runs off cell, as a way to ring up people's data bills without them realizing it.

 

[gamorg02]

AFAIK all current smartphones will use wifi over cell if both are available. There is a way to view data counters/usage, but unsurprisingly carriers tend to hide this in a bunch of intimidating-sounding menus or generally make it hard to access. They'd much rather you not know and run over your data limit so they can rape you for per-MB fees.

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if this is quietly changed before long, so by default it always runs off cell, as a way to ring up people's data bills without them realizing it.

verizon and at&t do that but sprint is pretty nice, everything is truly unlimited.

 

[JrBiem]

verizon and at&t do that but sprint is pretty nice, everything is truly unlimited.

Depending on your Verizon plan this may or may not be true as well. I signed up under a truly unlimited data plan from Verizon and then some time after they switched to something like a 2GB limit. When I heard they were going to change it I planned on using it as an excuse to term my contract early with no fee, but then ended up being grandfathered in so I still get unlimited.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

I wouldn't jailbreak a company phone any sooner than I would put nitrous on my company truck or download pirated software on a company computer.
I would do it if it was my plan and phone.

I did find all the menus to track this stuff, not that hard to find really.

The phone most definitely goes to wifi data if available. And it's really easy to turn the cell data stream off if you want to make damn sure.

We went to the iPhones to get rid of the air cards we pay for. So it has the tethering option to to tie to my laptop.

Gotta figure out how to use that now.

 

[gamorg02]

Depending on your Verizon plan this may or may not be true as well. I signed up under a truly unlimited data plan from Verizon and then some time after they switched to something like a 2GB limit. When I heard they were going to change it I planned on using it as an excuse to term my contract early with no fee, but then ended up being grandfathered in so I still get unlimited.

i believe they throttle over 2 gig tho. i could be worng.

 

[naughtyG]

We went to the iPhones to get rid of the air cards we pay for. So it has the tethering option to to tie to my laptop.

Gotta figure out how to use that now.

Super easy:

1. turn on 'Personal Hotspot'

2. choose your connection wifi / bluetooth / usb cable

3. select the iPhone as a connection in your mac or PC and you should be online!

 

[RaWarrior]

Supposedly these grandfathered unlimited plans are subject to speed throttling in cases of "excessive" data use, supposedly to the top 5% of data users.


Give it a decade. Remember internet used to be pay-per-minute or pay per byte back when AOL would send you complimentary coasters for "1000 free minutes" or whatever? I don't even know if internet like that still exists short of maybe satellite connections for boats, rvs, or very remote locations. The technology got widespread and it got cheap. In a few years mobile internet will be the same way. One carrier will announce it's doing away with the "shackles of data limits"(as if they hated all that revenue) and all phones will have unlimited, unrestricted data included with the plan. Then another carrier will follow suit, and a year later data caps will be all but forgotten.

I'll just wait until that happens. Wifi is so prevalent now the only time I "miss" it is in the car. Have a router in my apartment, at home, the entire campus is on a seamless wifi network, so my iTouch works just fine and I have a "regular" phone to call or text with. Plus I'm not the type that needs to be constantly plugged into people....proof....I charge my cellphone maybe once a week.