[Q] GPS - Does it Really Require Wifi? [SOLVED/ANSWERED]

sammyboy405 · Apr 29, 2011

Does the Tablet Really Require the Wifi to be On to use it? Only way we can get it to work is if we turn the Wifi on and then it uses AGPS.

Downloaded GPS Status and it sorta seems to confirm this. Ive read other sites of people returning the product and getting another and GPS works outta the box w/o Wifi?

Thoughts? Solutions?

--Solved -- Issue seems defective Equipment. GPS works Fine in Airplane Mode with GPS on. Tablet was returned for another and now works.

spaanplaat · Apr 29, 2011

Haven't checked this, but it seems a bit silly. Why would you need a (static) wifi connection when u use the GPS (for moving around). Doesn't make any sense. I will test this tonight.

sammyboy405 · Apr 29, 2011

spaanplaat said:
Haven't checked this, but it seems a bit silly. Why would you need a (static) wifi connection when u use the GPS (for moving around). Doesn't make any sense. I will test this tonight.

With the one we have here I can Confirm the only way i can get it to work is with WiFi on. And Acer Support confirms this..

But there is so much conflicting information out there that Id like to see if it can get cleared up.

If people are returning them and their new ones are working fine with normal GPS then did ACER have a Bad Lot? Or are these folks just making rumors.

Budadank · Apr 29, 2011

I've just quickly checked this with Chartcross GPS Test. With WIFI on I could see one satellite indoors. I switched off WIFI and then saw four satelites, so it would seem that WIFI does not have to be switched on for GPS to work. However, having a data connection is always a good thing to get AGPS data with.

Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App

theheathen · Apr 29, 2011

From my experiance, no it doesn't . I have been using mine with the wifi off with no problems. I use Copilot Live USA to get around all day at work. One thing is, is that Copilot freezes on me if I try to go into the settings menues.

T0yman · Apr 29, 2011

Acer Says Yes

I chatted with an Acer rep this morning and was informed WIFI or 3G is designed to work with the GPS. GPS will not work if there is no data signal. Being hardheaded I called hoping to find someone with more knowledge on this matter and was told the exact same thing, NO WIFI/3G = NO GPS. With this set back I have decided to return.

But I am curious why some peoples are working and others are not?

sammyboy405 · Apr 29, 2011

Im sure my Buddy will post here soon.

but he called Acer and they are saying that it requires Wifi for GPS by Design.

So if everyone else is able to do it.. and he isnt and Acer says thats the way it should be..

Then either some folks have an "added' feature design flaw or they are Fibbing about it. Or Acer just dont know what they are talking about and my buddy has a defective one.

acidicvision · Apr 29, 2011

I do not seem to need to be connected to Wifi for GPS to work. I did notice something interesting while researching this though. 22% of my battery usage was coming from cellular. Thats a huge amount of power being used up to poll for a cellular signal that a wifi device isn't doing anything with.

I added about two hours to my battery life by turning the tablet on Airplane mode and then enabled Wifi. Thankfully the little airplane icon in the status bar is only there for a few seconds

john0dean · Apr 29, 2011

The issue is not GPS need WiFi. It is the map need WiFi or 3G datalink in order to be updated with the GPS signal. Your tablet does not preloaded a map like a portable Garmin or TomTom GPS device does.

Neoprimal · Apr 29, 2011

The GPS does not require Wifi to work, however if you are using an app like Google Maps, this app DEPENDS on wifi to download map and pois. Google Maps is not like your GPS software on your TomTom or Garmin GPS, it downloads the data using the cell modem or in this case the wifi on the device.

To summarize, if you use an app like Copilot or another GPS app that has maps predownloaded then the GPS works just fine on it's own without Wifi.

I hope this clears it up.

sammyboy405 · Apr 29, 2011

john0dean said:
The issue is not GPS need WiFi. It is the map need WiFi or 3G datalink in order to be updated with the GPS signal. Your tablet does not preloaded a map like a portable Garmin or TomTom GPS device does.

Neoprimal said:
The GPS does not require Wifi to work, however if you are using an app like Google Maps, this app DEPENDS on wifi to download map and pois. Google Maps is not like your GPS software on your TomTom or Garmin GPS, it downloads the data using the cell modem or in this case the wifi on the device.

To summarize, if you use an app like Copilot or another GPS app that has maps predownloaded then the GPS works just fine on it's own without Wifi.

I hope this clears it up.

Then Why Doesn't Foursquare, Gowalla, Or even the GPS Icon Activate.. Or Even using GPS Status.. Using GPS Status It wont do anything unless WiFi is on.

Totally Understand that you need wifi For Map Downloading. But when you have a Static Predownloaded Map using like MapDroid or Even TomTom Software the Maps are preloaded nothing to download.

So you all Are SERIOUSLY saying that your GPS works Fine with out WiFi I ask you to download GPS Status and Try it with out Wifi Being on and See if you can get your GPS to come on and get a Lock.

Because Acer Support has already said that the GPS is WiFi dependent.

michaelg1030 · Apr 29, 2011

sammyboy405 said:
Then Why Doesn't Foursquare, Gowalla, Or even the GPS Icon Activate.. Or Even using GPS Status.. Using GPS Status It wont do anything unless WiFi is on.

Totally Understand that you need wifi For Map Downloading. But when you have a Static Predownloaded Map using like MapDroid or Even TomTom Software the Maps are preloaded nothing to download.

So you all Are SERIOUSLY saying that your GPS works Fine with out WiFi I ask you to download GPS Status and Try it with out Wifi Being on and See if you can get your GPS to come on and get a Lock.

Because Acer Support has already said that the GPS is WiFi dependent.

Ok, this is what I did. Turned off wifi and ran GPS status. It locked on to 3 of 6 sat so I guess it works. With wifi on it seems to locate more sat and locks on quickee.

Just to make sure in settings you do have GPS on under location and security correct?

T0yman · Apr 29, 2011

Reply

I tried using MapDroyd with all preloaded maps, it would not give me a Red X for location until I flipped on wifi. That was the only reason I contacted tech support and both chat and phone told me the same thing. There is no power to the GPS until 3G/WIFI is active. Sounds stupid I know, I like the tablet and what nothing more than to keep it but I just refuse to keep something that is configured in such a way. I can live with the AdHoc issue since I know that can eventually be resolved.

Disclaimer - These are not my words but the words directly from Acer tech support.

Trust me I was very clear that I had maps pre-downloaded and the person on the phone was very clear what they told me about how the hardware was configured.

michaelg1030 - YES

michaelg1030 · Apr 29, 2011

T0yman said:
I tried using MapDroyd with all preloaded maps, it would not give me a Red X for location until I flipped on wifi. That was the only reason I contacted tech support and both chat and phone told me the same thing. There is no power to the GPS until 3G/WIFI is active. Sounds stupid I know, I like the tablet and what nothing more than to keep it but I just refuse to keep something that is configured in such a way. I can live with the AdHoc issue since I know that can eventually be resolved.

Disclaimer - These are not my words but the words directly from Acer tech support.

Trust me I was very clear that I had maps pre-downloaded and the person on the phone was very clear what they told me about how it the hardware was configured.

Not sure I believe what they said.

I just did one more test. I turned wifi off. Reset my tablet. Made sure wifi was still off. Opened up GPS Statues and it locked on to 5 of 7 sat in less than a min indoors. I dont have any nav software with maps so I can't test that. If GPS status shows nothing with wifi off for you I'd exchange it for a new one.

Neoprimal · Apr 29, 2011

sammyboy405 said:
Then Why Doesn't Foursquare, Gowalla, Or even the GPS Icon Activate.. Or Even using GPS Status.. Using GPS Status It wont do anything unless WiFi is on.

Totally Understand that you need wifi For Map Downloading. But when you have a Static Predownloaded Map using like MapDroid or Even TomTom Software the Maps are preloaded nothing to download.

So you all Are SERIOUSLY saying that your GPS works Fine with out WiFi I ask you to download GPS Status and Try it with out Wifi Being on and See if you can get your GPS to come on and get a Lock.

Because Acer Support has already said that the GPS is WiFi dependent.

None of those programs work without a data connection. Once you use a program that works without requiring some sort of data, the GPS will work.

I don't really care what Acer says - if you call acer and ask 10 people the same question, there's a possibility you'll get several different answers.
I know what I've experienced, and that is that the gps works with wifi disabled.

I'm confused on what you're debating exactly though, are you saying that the gps does not activate/work without wifi or that it doesn't lock on to satellites?

If you want a simpler test to see if it works/activates simply refresh your weather widget manually and with no wifi connection - you'll see the gps icon pop up and it will say searching for satellites. It won't work, since the weather can't update without data but you'll see that it activates the gps.

In essence, the gps in the A500 works exactly like our cell gps, there's no difference. It's Assisted GPS (aGPS) and requires a data connection to locate the satellites quickly vs. standalone or autonomous GPS found in our Garmin/Tom Tom/etc. Without data it's going to take you 10m-20m to find a lock, with data, 3-5m. This might be what's messing with people. The good thing is if you lock on when you get into your vehicle with help from your wifi for example, then you won't have to wait for it to lock on at some other point. Since my gps is on in the tablet all the time, it's locked in and I suppose that's why I'm not having a problem in my tests.

Vereynn · Apr 29, 2011

Another thing to keep in mind is that the GPS in use on these devices uses aGPS (assisted GPS) - which uses a combination of cell tower info (if using 3G) and/or known WiFi hotspot locations to help nail down the starting location and speed up the discovery of satellites.

Y'know, the stuff that Apple & Google are getting in so much trouble for having recently

T0yman · Apr 29, 2011

michaelg1030 said:
Not sure I believe what they said.

I just did one more test. I turned wifi off. Reset my tablet. Made sure wifi was still off. Opened up GPS Statues and it locked on to 5 of 7 sat in less than a min indoors. I dont have any nav software with maps so I can't test that. If GPS status shows nothing with wifi off for you I'd exchange it for a new one.

OK I will be heading that way for an exchange and update the info once I am back home. Thanks everyone for your input, like I said I like the tablet but the no GPS thing just never made since.

Neoprimal · Apr 29, 2011

T0yman said:
OK I will be heading that way for an exchange and update the info once I am back home. Thanks everyone for your input, like I said I like the tablet but the no GPS thing just never made since.

Good Luck.

erica_renee · Apr 30, 2011

you can get app fasterfix from market t
it worked great for me.
i also can not keeo co-pilot from crashing locking up sent them email hope its fixed

soon

T0yman · Apr 30, 2011

Replacement

Ok I am back home after going to BestBuy and picking up a replacement Acer A500. This one grabs my current location using current setup.
Airplane Mode On
WIFI Off
GPS On

I will be going in to the city tomorrow and run a few more tests, will post a new update after but this is looking promising. Thanks again for the feedback!

[Q] GPS - Does it Really Require Wifi? [SOLVED/ANSWERED]

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