Database Users

Mobile web - GPRS Auto Attach - does it kill the battery?

I have just set my mobile web connection to 'always on'. I've done this through the 'Advanced Config' app - GPRS auto attach: Enabled. Will this take more battery? I've read old posts for other phones, that claim this does kill battery but I've also found a post in this forum that says it doesnt! http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=546359
I have had endless trouble with my data connection - not being able to connect to internet, google maps, email etc and the only way to fix it was to either toggle airplane mode on and off or to actually soft reset. I'm hoping that having the GPRS auto attach will solve this trouble.
Any thoughts?

I'm doing experiments now with the battery life.
I charged phone to 100% and left in standby overnight with mobile web connection running. When I checked this morning, after 9 hours battery life was at 98% (received 1x sms and 1x email during the night).
Mobile web has now been connected for 17.5 hours and battery life is at 79%. 22mins device usage, mostly internet. No calls today and just the 1x sms and 1x email (Im not very popular - as is evident from the lack of replies to my post )
I will do the same experiment tonight with mobile web not connected.

Hi
It doesn't drain the battery. You have a permanent connection to the network anyway to receive phone calls. When you "attach" a data connection you're phone obtains an IP address and keeps it. To get an IP address requires an initial bit of talking to the cell and once it has it, that's it, it's doing nothing unless being actively used. If you disconnect all the time you will use more power as it costs power each time you have to negotiate for an IP address. Networks also prefer the connection to remain on as it cuts down on network traffic.
The only way your power is used more is if you have an application that is using the data connection continually.
Regards
Phil

Thanks PhilipL, exactly the answer i was hoping for as my connection seems a lot more stable since enabling auto attach.

Data connection, no auto-disconnect?

Hi guys,
I have recently moved from symbian platform to WinMo. I do have a question regarding data connection. Does it ever auto disconnects? (for example in my old N95 if I clicked sync in my mail application, the phone would connect, download new mail and then auto disconnect when the job was done)
Also the phone would disconnect from data connection after closing app that was using it.
Now with my HD2 when I sync email, refresh weather etc the data connection stays on. Do I have to disconnect it manualy every single time so it doesnt drain my battery? It is very annoying since I have to do it manually very often.
Please advise... maybe I am missing something...
Cheers
Pete

Hi,
There's a few threads on here on data connection disconnection. There is also a hints & tips thread right at the top of this page.
Use this tool to find what you are looking for..http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=+site:http://forum.xda-developers.com&hl=en&lr=&as_qdr=all
WB

install the 1 min disconnect tweak thats on this forum.
if you only set emails to check automatically it will disconnect ok using the above tweak but if you have weather and/or twitter apps connecting to update for some reason it will not close the connection at all i have told htc but never heard back

The only real reason for disconnecting a data connection is if you want to prevent unwanted costs associated with data exchange.
If you're in a weak signal area you can save battery by switching the connection band to GSM rather than 3G, but in a strong signal, 3G is more power efficient.
An open, but quiescent data connection has little or no effect on battery life as it's simply using the network infrastructure; battery usage only occurs during actual data exchange. So, if you turn off all the auto-update features and set email polling to a longer interval you should be OK. Kind of defeats the purpose of the device though

NeilM said:
The only real reason for disconnecting a data connection is if you want to prevent unwanted costs associated with data exchange.
If you're in a weak signal area you can save battery by switching the connection band to GSM rather than 3G, but in a strong signal, 3G is more power efficient.
An open, but quiescent data connection has little or no effect on battery life as it's simply using the network infrastructure; battery usage only occurs during actual data exchange. So, if you turn off all the auto-update features and set email polling to a longer interval you should be OK. Kind of defeats the purpose of the device though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From my experience all Symbian devices and the iPhone auto disconnect from the network once the data connection is no longer needed. They also reconnect in the blink of an eye. It kind of irritates me that Windows Mobile doesn't allow you at least the OPTION of doing so. It's particularly annoying if you're connected to a speaker and can't get 3g as there's a constant noise going off. I also think it can't be great for your balls having that connection constantly active! It's not HTC's fault though, just I think a result of Windows Mobile being inherently quite archaic...perhaps Windows have just overlooked it.
There's a great free app HERE to tweak the WinMo connections for individual apps. It's a must have for me.

petexx said:
Hi guys,
I have recently moved from symbian platform to WinMo. I do have a question regarding data connection. Does it ever auto disconnects? (for example in my old N95 if I clicked sync in my mail application, the phone would connect, download new mail and then auto disconnect when the job was done)
Also the phone would disconnect from data connection after closing app that was using it.
Now with my HD2 when I sync email, refresh weather etc the data connection stays on. Do I have to disconnect it manualy every single time so it doesnt drain my battery? It is very annoying since I have to do it manually very often.
Please advise... maybe I am missing something...
Cheers
Pete
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This really isn't a problem, I've seen N95's that retain their connection at all time (and some that don't) and to be honest it just makes your handset a little quicker.

WMLongLife is the nuts. You need it.

Thanks for the link, I pay per minute on my connection (rather than data transferred) so an open connection is not good for my bank balance

Always on Internet Query

Was having a debate elsewhere and a few of us have realised, that we are not actually sure what this does and if really required?
I turned mine off a while back for example and my widgets would still update as I wanted and I still received emails etc.
Therefore can anyone actually explain what "Always on Internet" is actual for?
I read a somewhere on Google that the G1 users in the past who used the "Always on" option, found that when they went abroad, they were getting charged a fortune in roaming charges. Is this a sneaky reason for it being included maybe?

There's another setting which enables / disables data whilst roaming.
Personally I have found that it is better to have the Internet Always on as it is quicker for any app to use the data connection. With it off, sometimes apps failed but since enabling it again, no probs
Vince

I think what the option does is leave the 3G or whatever connected so that when apps need it your phone doesn't need to reconnect each time.
Without it checked i imagine apps will connect the 3G, download the data they need, then disconnect the 3G connection.
Makes sense anyway, ive never had it off.

If you turn on the always on internet, your device will stay connected to the intenet so you dont have to keep connecting, if you turn it on, you can still connect to the internet when needed but it will turn it back off after x amount of minutes idle i think lol

@xxThugxx
Thanks for just rewording my post....

Cheers guys, have put mine back on, just hope battery drain doesn't get too bad.

Connect to WiFi network timeout?

Hello. I'm sure that this must have been discussed but I cannot find the answer using search. As is surely normal, I use WiFi within the home and GPRS when there is no WiFi available. If WiFi is connected and I go out for a short while, then when I get back in a WiFi area, the WiFi is still connected. However, if I go away for a long time, and GPRS is used for perhaps a regular weather update, then the WiFi disconnects and has to be manually reconnected upon return to home. This leads to GPRS being used in a WiFi area unnecessarily if you forget to re-connect WiFi. Is there a WiFi connection timeout value or any other setting that can be changed? My old TyTN II did not have this problem. Thanks.

Try this CAB
It disable disconnecting WiFi when phone is in sleep mode and with this phone automaticly connects to WiFi when Leo will be in range.

Thanks Franq_23_pl. I think that the CAB just stops WiFi disconnecting when the device is in sleep mode. That will just drain the battery, surely? My old TyTN used to disable WiFi when in sleep mode, but as soon as you switched it on again, WiFi would be enabled and it would connect if in range. The problem with my HD2/Leo is that if I am away from my WiFi for some considerable time (ie, most of the day), then when I get back home and switch the device on, WiFi is disabled, and I have to manually toggle in on. So my question is..... What are the circumstances that cause WiFi to disable itself, and Is there some way of stopping it happening?

OIC now. I think you having some battery saving app and this app turning off WiFi when iz not used. What apps or registry mods you have installed on Leo?
You have the same behavior after hard reset?
My Leo don't disable WiFi. When i go outside (for ex to work) and back after few hours my Leo connecting to my home wireless network automaticly.
I remember, that i had the same problem like you and it was caused by app, which had duty to save battery.

University wifi stops text messages

I'm having a problem. My university wifi often requires me to use a browser before I can actually use the internet. The problem is that my email and text messages rely on the internet.
Is there any way to shut down wifi after some minutes if there is no internet connection? I really like my battery life when wifi is on, as opposed to always having 3g on.

Why would text messages rely on Wifi? (assuming you are using SMS through provider). You can turn 3G off and then use the notification power controls to turn wifi off quickly.

Gigamaster89 said:
Why would text messages rely on Wifi? (assuming you are using SMS through provider). You can turn 3G off and then use the notification power controls to turn wifi off quickly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well when wifi is on it shuts off 3g and android uses data connection to get emails and MMS. Regular text dont use the data connection I guess. I have noticed I cannot recieve MMS when im on wifi as well. Any wifi

oldarney said:
I'm having a problem. My university wifi often requires me to use a browser before I can actually use the internet. The problem is that my email and text messages rely on the internet.
Is there any way to shut down wifi after some minutes if there is no internet connection? I really like my battery life when wifi is on, as opposed to always having 3g on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure about that option, but you sure can shut down Wifi, when the phone goes into stand by.
Settings >> Wireless & Network >> Wifi Settings >> Click on Menu & select Advanced >> Wifi Sleep Policy. Select when Screen turns off.

I would also mention, any type of wifi setup that requires you to login via the browser will not be a good option. As soon as the phone puts wifi to sleep, you logout, so when it wakes up, wifi might be connected, but that doesn't mean you get past the login page. Luckily at my university, there is a special wifi for faculty/staff that doesn't have that page like it does for students/guests.

I use Google voice for everything so my text messages rely on the internet. Disconecting wifi during sleep would solve my problem, but now I'm relying Solely on wifi since I switched to the Samsung tab data only plan, which oddly enough doesn't work on android phones.
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