Configuring Wifi to conserve data usage

[Temperance Brennon]

I set up my workplace and home wifi for my phone; however, whenever I check my phone in the car, I realize that wifi is still connected and that I can still connect to the internet. How do I set my Galaxy s4 to auto-disconnect from wifi whenever it's not free since using it on the streets seriously increases my data usage. (and typically I'm running background apps like aim and my email)

Thanks!

My friend's iphone actually asks in a dialogue box whether or not he wants to connect to a specific internetwifi or not - is this possible with the galaxy s4?

 

[Almeuit]

Wait.. Your wifi is on in the car? Or do you mean your mobile data? I'd assume mobile data. You could disable your mobile data so your phone will only use WiFi when available for data.

Sent from my T-Mobile HTC One using AC Forums.

 

[garublador]

I'm not sure I understand what you want. Your phone will disconnect from WiFi once it's not in range. If you have some other source for data (like 4G) turned on then it will use that instead. Once you get back into range of a WiFi spot your phone knows it will reconnect to it as long as WiFi is on. You can turn mobile data off and then it won't access the internet if you aren't connected to a WiFi hotspot, but you may not get some, or all, text messages.

How much mobile data do you get per month before you have to pay extra?

 

[Temperance Brennon]

Yes, both of you caught on exactly to what I meant. Sorry for the vague and badly worded question haha. So disabling my mobile data would be my best bet. Why would that stop me from getting text messages?! :O

I currently get 300 mb per month.

 

[garublador]

Yes, both of you caught on exactly to what I meant. Sorry for the vague and badly worded question haha. So disabling my mobile data would be my best bet. Why would that stop me from getting text messages?! :O

I currently get 300 mb per month.

I'm not aware of all carrier's requirements when it comes to text messages. Many don't require mobile data, but I don't know whether or not all of them do. My guess is many of them require mobile data for MMS.

Under Settings>Connections>Data usage I have an option to limit mobile data usage. You could look into that if you want to help be sure you don't go over your limit.

 

[Farish]

There is 3 programs I can only think of two of them off the top of my head. One is Llama the other is Tasker. You can program them to check your gps location and based on your location have them turn on and off certain features.

For example to conserve battery you may have Llama turn off mobile data and wifi when you leave home. Then you can have it just turn on wifi when you get back home. Same thing with other locations.

 

[Temperance Brennon]

I just checked it out and my carrier doesn't require mobile data for texting. So, I'm just going to disable my mobile data like you originally suggested. Thank you so much for your help!

One more question ... sorry for the trouble, but if I am connected to the internet in my house but I have my mobile data on, will the phone know only to use the wifi connection and not the mobile data? or will some leak over, and it will end up using a little bit of mobile data?

 

[Farish]

It will only use mobile data if your wifi connection Internet is down.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[shamelin73]

I think the AT&T Smart WiFi does. Please let me know if I am wrong.

BTW is is already on our phones.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[troshs]

Yes. Data is required for MMS but not regular SMS