Absolute best app to track down why WIFI stays on

[harzem]

Hello fellow Note 2 owners.

New member here, so please treat me kindly

My wifi stays on during screen off, and drains battery. I've so far done these:

1. Settings > wifi > advanced > keep wifi-on during sleep > never
2. Google Now > Settings > Google Now OFF
3. Settings > Location Services > Location and Google Search > OFF
4. Phone > *#0011# > Wifi Power Save Mode > ON
5. Maps > Settings > Location Settings > Everything OFF

I don't know what else to do to keep Wifi OFF during sleep. I believe some application is keeping the wifi on somehow? Is there any app that can report me what application is causing the problem?

Btw, my phone's "Awake" stats is weird. Looks like it doesn't sleep well rested, and maybe that somehow causes the wifi to stay on? I'd like to track down the application causing this.

 

[eckl]

It looks normal. Perhaps background sync was keeping it awake. But those awake status were rather short and you should not be too worried.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jrockttu]

What carrier are you on? It could be a carrier bloat app like AT&T adds their "Smart Wifi" app.

If you're in an area where you have wifi connection, and you normally sync apps or any data like email in the background, you probably save battery by keeping wifi connected. It takes additional juice if the phone has to find a cell data connection and maintain it for background syncing.

A lot of people use apps like Llama to automate turning off wifi at particular times or locations.

Here is the market link: https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...tails?id=com.kebab.Llama&hl=en&token=mgJ4qnii

But according to the dev, the Jelly Bean version is still in beta on his website: KebabApps

 

[gafly]

In my opinion, it's a good thing that your WiFi stays on while the phone is sleeping. If it didn't it would switch to your wireless carrier's network when your screen turns off and that would drain your battery more than WiFi being on.

 

[pete1118]

In my opinion, it's a good thing that your WiFi stays on while the phone is sleeping. If it didn't it would switch to your wireless carrier's network when your screen turns off and that would drain your battery more than WiFi being on.

Not to mention using carrier data unless your unlimited!

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 2

 

[the_mcallan]

When I need to extend battery life I turn off data all together. This will shut down WiFi and 3&4 G, but still keep the phone radio going. This turns your phone from a smart phone to a dumb phone but the battery will last a very long time.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Android Central Forums

 

[harzem]

I'm not on a bloated network with apps like "smart wifi". That would be too easy to fix

My 3G data plan is 1GB/mo which is quite enough to keep the phone on 3G during my sleep time without overages, but the d*mn wifi won't turn itself off

Does 3G network use more battery than wifi? I always thought 3G data plan used less battery than wifi, considering in either case the phone is connected to the cellular network.

 

[jdub1981]

I would think it uses more data on 3g because it has to transmit over much larger distances than your typical wifi signal. In order do do this the radio has turn up the power.

Why does it matter about wifi anyhow. Im getting a day and half typically with wifi on. In fact I never turn it off. Gps stays off unless im driving some place ive never been

 

[gafly]

Does 3G network use more battery than wifi? I always thought 3G data plan used less battery than wifi, considering in either case the phone is connected to the cellular network.

Yes, using your carrier's network for your data connection will drain your battery much faster than WiFi being on will. Keep your WiFi on. You'll have worse battery life than you do now if you find a way to make it turn off like you want.

Sent from my Galaxy Note II

 

[anon(830829)]

I've been having the same issue you are. Also new to android, and although the note 2 has ridiculous battery life, I've been using BetterBatteryStats to make sure my phone is not waking up during deep sleep. One issue I was having was apps using wifi to check if any new data needed to be pushed. Biggest problem I've been having is maps.

On my quest to properly set up my sync intervals so that my phone will stay in deep sleep when I want it to, I tried changing my wifi settings. I wanted my wifi to stay off during sleep because I don't use my phone for long periods at a time. If the phone can stay asleep, battery life will trickle down. But I ran into the same issue you're having. the two attached pictures shows "Wifi during sleep only when plugged in" and "never on sleep". However as you can see, neither setting will keep wifi off. My phone will, on a consistent basis, wake up from sleep to reactivate the wifi. This cycling issue only happens when the phone is dormant. If the screen is on, I have no problems with wifi.

In my quest to understand the way Android checks for data, these two images were taken with all location, google now, push, and sync settings turned off after a reboot.


It seems like the only way to control wifi being active is by manually shutting off the wifi when not in use (not really the biggest deal). I have to say though, as my first android phone, maybe I just don't understand the function of the wifi settings and it is working as it should be.

I've found the most optimal set up for the lowest awake vs screen on ratio to be with google now off, wifi off, location services off...pretty much everything that makes a smartphone a smartphone. Of course, buying such an expensive device to do all these things and then turning them off is really silly. And it seems like the only way to make the note 2 not last the whole day is by really trying to suck the battery down. So this analysis is more just a little hobby than a serious concern.

But I'd like to find that sweet spot where my phone will not be waking up unless it's for things that I want pushed to be pushed. I have unlimited so staying on wifi constantly is not a priority. I'd much prefer my phone to be syncing in the background at predetermined intervals (like at night when plugged in on wifi). I'll slowly be turning on different push settings and hopefully I'll understand my phone better. But I'd like to just leave wifi on, pushing data when it should and not have issues with it constantly pinging for data over periods of sleep.


(Contrary to what others have said, I've read its not as simple as "leaving wifi on all the time = more battery" when you consider how wifi behaves during sleep)


EDIT: In rereading this thread, I see we actually have to different problems even though our settings are similar. huh... the wifi advanced settings sure are funky...

 

[pkskier1]

Not sure why people have a hard time just plugging the phone when you go to bed. Having wifi on doesnt use network data plan ,it is free other than having to pay for the internet connection. I found that using a dock works great when i get home just drop it in the dock it charges it and lets me play my tunes (with speakers plugged into the dock).

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Android Central Forums

 

[ScandaLeX]

The last thing I'm going to do is be put out that wifi stays on. For me it's 24/7 and these are my stats per charge.

 

[crowncokeandsoda]

Dial *#0011# and a menu will come up
press you settings button and choose wifi
toggle your WIFI Power Save Mode to ON


Now I just wish I could get my GNII to stay on a wifi network for more than 60 seconds.