[DervMan]

Apologies as this surely has been answered elsewhere, but putting Wifi into the search engine just... didn't... help...

Anyway! As I wait for the UK Pre to be launched... how well does the device move to and from Wifi hotspots that it knows it can use? Does the device quickly detect the hotspot and shift all data connections to the Wifi, or does it need prompting?

[dannyg417]

I connect to wifi at work and at home. I keep the Pre's wifi on all the time and when it detects wifi it automatically reconnects.

[DervMan]

That's cool. Does it do this if you are using email in "as it arrives" / push mode, too?

[edgarwong]

That's cool. Does it do this if you are using email in "as it arrives" / push mode, too?

I think so. Another way to make sure that it does is to set up exchange thru gmail, (free) exchange signals go thru the regular phone signal and not the evdo data. So as long as you get cell signal you will have your instant emails

[wynand32]

I've not yet been able to tell any difference when switching from wifi to EVDO, except maybe a little bit difference in Web page loading time. It's very seamless in my experience.

[ingenium13]

I think so. Another way to make sure that it does is to set up exchange thru gmail, (free) exchange signals go thru the regular phone signal and not the evdo data. So as long as you get cell signal you will have your instant emails

What? That's not correct. Exchange uses data just like IMAP does. Both can use 1x or EVDO, and both would work as long as you have a cell signal as long as you enable data roaming on the Pre.

[DervMan]

It's all sounding very positive - thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it!

[Trodecke]

That's cool. Does it do this if you are using email in "as it arrives" / push mode, too?

Well, sort of. Wifi is only active when the screen is on. If the screen is off then wifi is off and you'll be using the cell signal be it EVDO, 1xRTT, GSM (since you mention Europe), etc.

[joejoe1]

it switches great actually. The fact the wifi disables itself with the screen off is a battery saver. the one thing to keep in mind is if you are in a good coverage area, do not leave wifi on. if not for the simple fact that your emails will not be recieved if in wifi coverage and screen off until you turn the screen on.

[DervMan]

Oh ouch. That isn't good.

Now my S60 Symbian handset, the E71, has a different issue. If it's logged in to the GPRS or UMTS network and I approach a known WiFi hotspot, it won't connect to the WiFi. But once connected, it uses the WiFi regardless of screen status. Push email over WiFi rather than UMTS saves plenty of battery life.

Hmm. If it won't work the push email over WiFi then for my purposes, the advantage of the Pre's greater radio networks over the Pixi is very much lessened.

[Trodecke]

Hmm. If it won't work the push email over WiFi then for my purposes, the advantage of the Pre's greater radio networks over the Pixi is very much lessened.

It does push e-mail over Wifi just fine. I just forced my phone to use wifi only (turned data off) and sent myself an e-mail from my Exchange account (EAS). The e-mail came through just fine.

[DervMan]

But you forced it... With both cell data and WLAN in use, as I now understand, once the screen goes off, the WLAN connection is suspended.

[promtber]

slow

[DervMan]

Well now that will depend very much on how quick your WLAN connection is versus how quick your UMTS (or CDMA) connection is...

[Trodecke]

once the screen goes off, the WLAN connection is suspended.

You're correct but I don't see where you're seeing a problem. When the screen is on you use Wifi to get data, including push e-mail. When the screen is off the phone reverts to EVDO to get data, including push e-mail. It's works seamlessly and will work whether your phone has an EVDO only connection (Screen off) or EVDO/Wifi connection (screen on).

[DervMan]

The potential issue I see is in power consumption - this on a device that doesn't exactly have a good reputation for battery life.

I find that when my E71 is connected in email push mode, an active data connection over 3G UMTS uses approximately two to three times as much power as 802.11g. 802.11g is marginally heavier on power compared with GPRS (my network provider does not support EDGE).

So I could switch to the GPRS connection working on the assumption that the Pre can work in GPRS, GPRS / UMTS or UMTS modes as can other UK GSM non-Three network 3G handsets, or I could hack the device to keep the WLAN radio on for push email, or something.

But it sounds as though the Pre's screen off, push data functionality is identical to the Pixi.

[tnrambler]

Tried this for the first time last night. Started Pandora while under the WI-FI network in my home, headed out the door for a 30 minute walk through the neighborhood. Seamlessly transferred from WI-FI to EVDO without even a hiccup when i was out of range of my home network.

[DervMan]

That's cool! Thanks for the information.

Did it re-connect to the WLAN when you arrived back home?

[tnrambler]

That's cool! Thanks for the information.

Did it re-connect to the WLAN when you arrived back home?

Transition was seamless going both directions.

[DervMan]

Goodo. Many thanks for the information.