Question Android phones set to wifi calling are not using wifi -- they are using (terrible) cell tower connection instead.

[MMM]

Been having a nightmare for years because my community has terrible Verizon/Spectrum cell reception (1 bar if you're lucky) and phones don't work, nor does laptop, translator, etc. After five other Spectrum people came over over the past few months, a supervisor was here today for four hours and did endless testing to try to figure out what's happening. Although there is some interference with the wi-fi network, there was no way to detect what was causing it. New routers/modems were used, things were moved around -- didn't make a difference. I can only make and receive a phone call if I'm 25 feet away from the router/modem standing in a two-foot by two-foot spot. What seems to be happening is that when you set your Android phone to "wi-fi calling," it doesn't go to the 2.4 GHz network through the router. It continues to use the (non-existent) cell signal. Even though it's showing a powerful wi-fi signal (the Spectrum cable signal strength to my unit is very strong).

The only way to actually connect to the wi-fi is to put phones on "airplane mode" in order to "force" them to not go to the cell signal (which doesn't work), but to go to the wi-fi instead. This does not happen with iPhones -- only to Androids, and we've tested many of them, all different vintages. The iPhones have no trouble connecting and working here using wi-fi. Every single Android phone refused to switch to wi-fi calling even though the phones were set to default to wi-fi, and the phones informed you that you were connected to wif-fi. The lousy reception you were getting was the lousy cell service from Spectrum or Verizon (they use the same cell towers).

Has anyone ever heard of this, because nobody at Spectrum had encountered it, and it was only discovered after every other possibility was ruled out? Also, there's no way to know what sort of interference the router might be getting. At first they thought it might be speaker wire or all my CDs reflecting signals, but when things were moved around, the lack of a good signal remained the same. Only "airplane mode" forcing the phone to actually use the wi-fi setting you think you're already on has made a difference. That means when you leave your wi-fi (leave your home) you will have to turn off airplane mode so you can use your cell service, and when you return home you will have to turn airplane mode on again. But if I can make phone calls without disconnecting that might be worth it. Don't ask me what Android I'm using. We've tested endless ones, and Spectrum people used the latest and greatest. The two iPhones we tested were the only ones that actually used the wi-fi signal without having to turn on "airplane mode."

 

[Laura Knotek]

Is there a reason why you aren't using the 5GHz WiFi network?

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which Android phones have you tried? On my Pixel 7 Pro, there's an option in the Wi-Fi Calling menu for Calling Preference. There, I can select to prefer wi-fi or mobile. I set it to prefer Mobile, because the wi-fi at my work is notoriously terrible. In your case, you can try setting the preference to Wi-fi.

Different phones will have different menus, so where I see this option may be different on your phone. Search in the system settings for "Wi-fi Calling", and see if there's an option for Calling Preference there.

 

[mustang7757]

Is your router capable of 5ghz?
I would check the settings B. Diddy described otherwise something not correct with your WiFi , you typically want use 2.4 the further your away from the router and 5ghz when your close.

 

[Mooncatt]

Are these Android phones direct from the carrier or unlocked? I've never had issue with Verizon locked phones on Wi-Fi calling, but using an unlocked phone on Verizon can have mixed results with Wi-Fi calling.

 

[MMM]

Welcome to Android Central! Which Android phones have you tried? On my Pixel 7 Pro, there's an option in the Wi-Fi Calling menu for Calling Preference. There, I can select to prefer wi-fi or mobile. I set it to prefer Mobile, because the wi-fi at my work is notoriously terrible. In your case, you can try setting the preference to Wi-fi.

Different phones will have different menus, so where I see this option may be different on your phone. Search in the system settings for "Wi-fi Calling", and see if there's an option for Calling Preference there.

As I mentioned, every different Android phone has been set to prefer wi-fi because we get no decent mobile signal here. But every one of them will still go to mobile unless "airplane mode" is turned on. That was the entire point of my post.

 

[MMM]

Are these Android phones direct from the carrier or unlocked? I've never had issue with Verizon locked phones on Wi-Fi calling, but using an unlocked phone on Verizon can have mixed results with Wi-Fi calling.

These are all Android phones from many sources. Old phones, newer phones. The Spectrum rep tried multiple phones, as did I. Only iPhones will go direct to wifi. These are phones that have been working for a long time.

 

[MMM]

Is there a reason why you aren't using the 5GHz WiFi network?

I will ask Spectrum, but regardless, I don't understand how that would relate to my question. If you set it to go to wifi, it should go to wifi without having to put on "airplane mode," especially when there's pretty much no cell reception at all.

 

[MMM]

Welcome to Android Central! Which Android phones have you tried? On my Pixel 7 Pro, there's an option in the Wi-Fi Calling menu for Calling Preference. There, I can select to prefer wi-fi or mobile. I set it to prefer Mobile, because the wi-fi at my work is notoriously terrible. In your case, you can try setting the preference to Wi-fi.

Different phones will have different menus, so where I see this option may be different on your phone. Search in the system settings for "Wi-fi Calling", and see if there's an option for Calling Preference there.

All the settings are correct. The entire point was that the preference was set for wifi because there is no usable cell reception here. We tried about 10 different phones, including five from the different Spectrum service people, and definitely everybody had the right calling preference. That's the entire reason for my post.

 

[B. Diddy]

As I mentioned, every different Android phone has been set to prefer wi-fi because we get no decent mobile signal here. But every one of them will still go to mobile unless "airplane mode" is turned on. That was the entire point of my post.

Ok, sorry I didn't realize that's what you meant when you said "default to Wi-Fi" -- I was thinking more of the "preference" terminology used in my phone.

 

[MMM]

Different Androids use different terminologies, but regardless, you shouldn't have to set the phone to "airplane mode" in order to "force" the phone to use what you selected/want.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I will ask Spectrum, but regardless, I don't understand how that would relate to my question. If you set it to go to wifi, it should go to wifi without having to put on "airplane mode," especially when there's pretty much no cell reception at all.

What router do you have? How many devices are connected to your wireless network? Have you checked your wireless network to ensure you're using the bands that are less congested? Does your router support WiFi 5, WiFi 6, or something else?

 

[MMM]

There are only five devices on the router and the signal is strong up until the point that it reaches the router. There is 30% interference on the signal coming out of the router but nobody can find anything that could cause it. Other people in this complex have the same problem. Again, the router still works fine even with the interference. That's not the problem. The problem is that unless you put on "airplane mode" to FORCE the devices to use the router, they will go to the mobile network, which doesn't work in this area. Once you FORCE the devices to use wi-fi, they work perfectly. This has NOTHING to do with my set-up as far as Spectrum knows. It has to do with ANDROID phones that will not work with the router (we've tried multiple ones -- they all act the same) while iPhones have no trouble going to wi-fi just as you have selected.

 

[manoffewwords]

Well, the cell service in my town suks wallah, but I've never had any issues connecting to Wi-Fi by default with any of my phones in the past 10 years or so, and automatically switching to cellular once I'm a few miles down the road where the service is actually usable...

And this goes all the way back to the original Moto Razor, older galaxies & early iPhones, as well as more recent phones like our current iPhone 15, S24 Ultra & P8P....

There is 30% interference on the signal coming out of the router but nobody can find anything that could cause it. Other people in this complex have the same problem.

To me, this clearly indicates a serious source of interference being present in your complex.... perhaps somebody close by (even the complex owners themselves) are operating a signal jammer or scrambler for some reason, or someone living there is using a very high-powered radio transmitter/receiver of some sort that is messing with the WiFi frequencies....

Just because nobody can find/identify it, does not mean it is not there....

Also how was the "30% interference" measurement obtained if nobody knows where or what it is coming from ?

 

[MMM]

It's a HUGE complex, outdoors, and everyone has terrible reception no matter where they are. And we're only a mile from a big town to the north and from the west. Regardless, the wi-fi works when you force it to connect to that -- THAT'S the problem. Every single Android of every vintage has the same problem. Regardless of who your provider is. And EVERY single iPhone WORKS, regardless of who your provider is. THAT'S the question I was posing.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Have you taken a look at this guide? https://forums.androidcentral.com/index.php?posts/3164771

That's why I asked all the questions I did regarding your WiFi network.

I am convinced that the problem has to do with network settings, your router, etc., not Android devices in general.

 

[MMM]

Thanks for posting, but none of that applies. Everything was completely torn down a number of times and replaced. New updated equipment and everything. Same result. New phones from different people connecting for the first time, old phones connecting for the 100th time. The only conclusion that could be drawn is that the router wouldn't go to wi-fi unless the "Airplane Mode" was turned on. As I mentioned, so many phones of every model and vintage were tried, and it was 100% consistent. Maybe the "interference" was causing that, but it's hard to believe that somebody is interfering close by, as neighbors have come and gone through the years and the problem has been here for close to three years. Appreciated the article, though.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Thanks for posting, but none of that applies. Everything was completely torn down a number of times and replaced. New updated equipment and everything. Same result. New phones from different people connecting for the first time, old phones connecting for the 100th time. The only conclusion that could be drawn is that the router wouldn't go to wi-fi unless the "Airplane Mode" was turned on. As I mentioned, so many phones of every model and vintage were tried, and it was 100% consistent. Maybe the "interference" was causing that, but it's hard to believe that somebody is interfering close by, as neighbors have come and gone through the years and the problem has been here for close to three years. Appreciated the article, though.

You never answered my question regarding the router you're using, how many devices are connected to your wireless network, what channels you're using. If we know that perhaps we will be better able to assist. It may apply, but we need more information from you.

One more question: are you using any VPN? If so, what happens if you turn it off?