BMW Garage BMW Meets Register Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum iDrive, Audio, Bluetooth, Phone, Cameras, Electronics + Coding Using a mobile device as a wifi hotspot

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      12-07-2018, 06:56 AM   #1
christopheaus
New Member
1
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: BMW 530i
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE

iTrader: (0)

Question Using a mobile device as a wifi hotspot

Hello to all,

I bought a 2017 G30 530i a couple of months ago. It's great but one small thing bugs me.

I have lots of data on my work cell phone and, in my other vehicle, use it as a hotspot for my iPhone to play Spotify etc.

However, in the BMW, as soon as I turn on wifi on my iPhone it connects to iDrive and/or Apple Car Play instead of the hotspot from my work cell phone. When I try to select the hotspot via my iPhone it initially works but automatically switches back to the iDrive/Apple Car Play within a couple of minutes.

Any suggestions?

Last edited by christopheaus; 12-07-2018 at 06:57 AM.. Reason: correcting reference to BMW
Appreciate 0
      12-07-2018, 07:25 AM   #2
AP
Major General
AP's Avatar
2702
Rep
5,023
Posts

Drives: G30 M550
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: UK

iTrader: (0)

I assume you specified enhance Bluetooth which includes a wifi hotspot but my understanding is that you have to enable it with a subscription. So is this what you have? Or did you not specific that and the car is still advertising a WiFi hotspot none the less? (I will have to try this out on my car)

Either way is there a way of disabling the WiFi hotspot within the idrive? That's assuming you don't want to use it at all?
Appreciate 0
      12-07-2018, 07:26 AM   #3
Mach550
Captain
Mach550's Avatar
United_States
462
Rep
885
Posts

Drives: 2019 M550i
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Tampa Bay

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2019 BMW M550i  [8.00]
Go into your phones wifi settings and tell it to forget the cars wifi and it won't auto connect anymore
__________________
Appreciate 0
      12-07-2018, 08:15 AM   #4
christopheaus
New Member
1
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: BMW 530i
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mach550 View Post
Go into your phones wifi settings and tell it to forget the cars wifi and it won't auto connect anymore
Thanks - but I think I need the phone to be able to connect to the wifi in the car otherwise Apple Car Play won't work when choose for it to...
Appreciate 0
      12-07-2018, 08:18 AM   #5
christopheaus
New Member
1
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: BMW 530i
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by AP View Post
I assume you specified enhance Bluetooth which includes a wifi hotspot but my understanding is that you have to enable it with a subscription. So is this what you have? Or did you not specific that and the car is still advertising a WiFi hotspot none the less? (I will have to try this out on my car)

Either way is there a way of disabling the WiFi hotspot within the idrive? That's assuming you don't want to use it at all?
Thanks - the car is fully optioned and does have an option in the iDrive menu to turn off wifi - however, I think I need this on for Apple CarPlay to work when I want it to.

I can't work out if the car is using my cellular data when connected to WiFi i.e. to download tracks in Spotify
Appreciate 0
      12-07-2018, 08:28 AM   #6
ADS-UK
Captain
ADS-UK's Avatar
United Kingdom
499
Rep
987
Posts

Drives: G30 - 530d M Sport
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
It's to do with Apple CarPlay connecting to the phone via WiFi. As you might know G30 was the first vehicle with CarPlay via WiFi. Downside of that is that your phone will prioritise the CarPlay connection unless you start using iDrive phone connection. When you do that you can start to use your hotspot for other activities.
Appreciate 1
      12-08-2018, 10:57 AM   #7
timmahh
ghey
timmahh's Avatar
United_States
480
Rep
2,035
Posts

Drives: Viertürigen Fahrzeugs
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Southern California

iTrader: (1)

Could you turn off wireless CarPlay and connect it via usb?

Or, like I tell people at work, stop carrying two phones!
Appreciate 0
      12-08-2018, 04:34 PM   #8
BudgieUK
Private
United Kingdom
38
Rep
86
Posts

Drives: BMW 520d M-Sport Touring
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Coventry

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by timmahh View Post
Could you turn off wireless CarPlay and connect it via usb?

Or, like I tell people at work, stop carrying two phones!
CarPlay will ONLY work via Wi-fi... it will not work via USB ... so if you turn off Wi-fi, CarPlay will not work.
Appreciate 1
      12-09-2018, 12:52 AM   #9
christopheaus
New Member
1
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: BMW 530i
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ADS-UK View Post
It's to do with Apple CarPlay connecting to the phone via WiFi. As you might know G30 was the first vehicle with CarPlay via WiFi. Downside of that is that your phone will prioritise the CarPlay connection unless you start using iDrive phone connection. When you do that you can start to use your hotspot for other activities.
Thanks @ADK-UK. I am aware of the ability of the car to connect to CarPlay via WiFi. But you're 100% right - it always prioritises the CarPlay connection. I believe that even when I select iDrive for the phone connection, the iPhone connects to the WiFi in the car instead of other devices.

I will try again today though - thanks for your suggestion
Appreciate 0
      12-09-2018, 12:56 AM   #10
christopheaus
New Member
1
Rep
5
Posts

Drives: BMW 530i
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Dubai, UAE

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by BudgieUK View Post
CarPlay will ONLY work via Wi-fi... it will not work via USB ... so if you turn off Wi-fi, CarPlay will not work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timmahh View Post
Could you turn off wireless CarPlay and connect it via usb?

Or, like I tell people at work, stop carrying two phones!
Hi timmahh As BudgieUK says - I need wifi in order to use CarPlay.

My work phone has access to unlimited mobile (cellular) data which is why I want to use it as a hotspot rather than chewing through my personal mobile's data plan. 1 phone would be a lot simpler! But the audio quality on my iPhone seems to be a lot better than my work phone.
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:13 AM.




5post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST