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Help Wi-Fi issue

I was never pleased with the Bluetooth connection on my S4 (my S3 was much better), so installed 4.3. The Bluetooth connection is better, but suddenly the S4 no longer makes a secure connection to our 2.4 wi-fi. It recognizes the difference between a correct password and an incorrect one. It just won't connect in secure mode.

AT&T customer service said they're aware of the problem. Sent me a replacement phone which had the latest updates on it. Same symptoms, so I'm sending the replacement back.

I wonder if the update is merely faulty or if it expects some newer protocol or handshaking? Even if it did, you'd think it would be backwardly compatible.
 
Canesfan said:
I'm convinced it's a Samsung issue.
Click to expand...

And I understand why you think so. Thus far, no one can explain why your experience (and a few others) is so radically different from the majority with no issues.

Not to take away from your issue. But if it is a Samsung issue, I would think the issue would be 100%.
 
New info.

Per my post above, after the software update to my S4, it wouldn't make a secure connection to our home Wi-Fi.

I just downloaded an update to my Netgear wireless router -- and the S4 made its first secure connection.

So, my best guess is that the update to the phone is assumes some update to the handshaking/connection sequence and isn't as backwardly compatible as it should be.

If you're having problems connecting after a software update to the phone, see if there's an update for your router.

Best of luck.
 
speedlever said:
And I understand why you think so. Thus far, no one can explain why your experience (and a few others) is so radically different from the majority with no issues.

Not to take away from your issue. But if it is a Samsung issue, I would think the issue would be 100%.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. Someone who never uses WiFi would never have issues. Others might be using some type of AP that isn't actually having a problem, there may be some.

Regardless, this problem is very widespread, there's a lot of people having WiFi issues with the GS4, it's definitely more than "a few." If you're not having issues, congratulations. But in my professional opinion, after collecting information and doing testing, this is an issue with Samsung's Android build.
 
I wonder if it's carrier specific? I have an AT&T/i337 and have no issues connecting to any wifi anywhere, even after the update to 4.3. I see a wide range of routers from home to commercial units.

I don't doubt your issue at all. But am reluctant to label it a Samsung issue.
 
speedlever said:
I wonder if it's carrier specific? I have an AT&T/i337 and have no issues connecting to any wifi anywhere, even after the update to 4.3. I see a wide range of routers from home to commercial units.

I don't doubt your issue at all. But am reluctant to label it a Samsung issue.
Click to expand...

Nope, I'm on AT&T and definitely had WiFI issues after the 4.3 update. Curiously not before the 4.3 update. And a factory reset fixed it. That argues strongly for the Samsung software.
 
My WiFi turns on and off completely on its own as much as a stoplight changes. Others with non-Samsung smart phones don't have the problem with a given WiFi location. This is a main component of my WiFi dysfunction.

What it is good at doing is using up data and draining my battery.

Until shown otherwise it's all Samsung....I can't blame AT&T or specific WiFi routers.
 
Here's a video of what my wife's phone is doing. I'm new to Android...we've both had A**** phones for the past few years. Talk about a change in operating systems...

So far I've updated the firmware in my router, I've reset the phone, I've changed settings based on what I've found online and nothing seems to be working.

In the video, the phone connects to my wifi at the start of the video and in 1 minute and 15 seconds, it connects three times. Each time it drops wifi, connects to 4G, and then connects back to wifi.

4.2.2
Netgear router (2.4/5ghz)
Motorola surfboard modem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLRwAv4zPUc
 
username0048 said:
Here's a video of what my wife's phone is doing. I'm new to Android...we've both had A**** phones for the past few years. Talk about a change in operating systems...

So far I've updated the firmware in my router, I've reset the phone, I've changed settings based on what I've found online and nothing seems to be working.

In the video, the phone connects to my wifi at the start of the video and in 1 minute and 15 seconds, it connects three times. Each time it drops wifi, connects to 4G, and then connects back to wifi.

4.2.2
Netgear router (2.4/5ghz)
Motorola surfboard modem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLRwAv4zPUc
Click to expand...

Sounds like that could possibly be where the phone thinks the wifi is weak and transfers to mobile data.

BigRedGonzo says, "try unchecking "Auto Network Switch." That keeps my phone attached to the WiFi network at the office, even though the internet drops frequently. If I have "Auto Network Switch" checked, I get messages all day long telling me the WiFi has been turned off because of poor internet connectivity."
http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/821219-w-fi-problem-s4.html

Don't know if that will help or not, but may be worth a try.
 
Interestingly, my WiFi works best signing in via my newly installed Firefox for my internet.

Some of you other unlucky Samsung Galaxy S4 users with similar WiFi woes as me might also find this useful.
 
It sounds like the issue most of you are having is well covered by the fixes mentioned in the posts above.

I'll mention an oddball but potentially-effective thing to try if you experience problems related to wifi on any of your devices or computers- power cycle your wifi router (turn it off for 15 seconds and then turn it back on).

Here's how I discovered it. We seemed to have lost internet to all devices so I called the helpline of our ISP. They suggested to power cycle our router... I thought it was another silly waste of time but tried it and it worked to restore our internet. I'm now finding it cures a lot of other oddball intermittent things related to our connection. For example sometimes I can't connect from my phone (ES file explorer) to Windows 7 shared network folder on my pc... it's cured by power cycling router. Sometimes I get periods of frequent disconnect (page did not load)... cured by cycling router.

It may not apply to everyone but for us it is an easy fix to most wifi problems (power cycle the router). We have a Belkin N150
 
electricpete said:
I'll mention an oddball but potentially-effective thing to try if you experience problems related to wifi on any of your devices or computers- power cycle your wifi router (turn it off for 15 seconds and then turn it back on).

Here's how I discovered it. We seemed to have lost internet to all devices so I called the helpline of our ISP. They suggested to power cycle our router... I thought it was another silly waste of time but tried it and it worked to restore our internet. I'm now finding it cures a lot of other oddball intermittent things related to our connection.
Click to expand...
Oh, it's definitely for real. I had an Amped Wireless router with that problem. What was happening was that the DHCP never released an ip address
 
speedlever said:
Sounds like that could possibly be where the phone thinks the wifi is weak and transfers to mobile data.

BigRedGonzo says, "try unchecking "Auto Network Switch." That keeps my phone attached to the WiFi network at the office, even though the internet drops frequently. If I have "Auto Network Switch" checked, I get messages all day long telling me the WiFi has been turned off because of poor internet connectivity."
http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/821219-w-fi-problem-s4.html

Don't know if that will help or not, but may be worth a try.
Click to expand...

GunmetalX said:
Yep, that is what I posted in http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/715023-wi-fi-issue-4.html#post6382236. This has solved the issue for me.
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Auto Connect is not checked...the box can be seen in the video. oddly...I "forgot" my 5g wifi network and connected the phone to the 2.4 and it seems to be working much better.
 
Ambival said:
Thanks for the affirmation. I've found several other places around where the S4 had some compat issues with certain routers. As I said, it works fine for me at the office, but at home, it repeatedly hangs and re-acquires a lease every once in a while.

I understand that other people have not had this issue, the point was to discover which routers they might have trouble with. This one is an older 802.11n/g/b D-Link RangeMax from several years ago.

I've also read online that the S4 supports the newer AC standard as well. I might get a new router that supports it...
Click to expand...

Hey guys!!! :)

It is definitely the router! Note guy who switched and all is well... Guys whose experience is diff at diff locations... And now me, whose router died (as my wife would say; "Routers are stupid!") and who then had to dig his old one out and is now having probs with only his Sammy Mega (of course)!

And so, as my wife would say (twice in one day)..... Anyone??? ...

That's right you! The guy in the corner over there! Uh-huh! You guessed it!

Okay! Everyone together now! 1... 2... 3!

"ROUTERS ARE STUPID!!!"

So anyway, meanwhile, back at the ranch, as Tonto mountz the Lone Ranger and Silver says; "Whoa!" ...

Yes, there is a point to this post! <smile>

Correct! The Power Saver State WILL revert back to "On" once you Reboot! A shame, since that does fix it for probably half of the people having this issue!

But while you can't do anything more than Temp thru that menu, that doesn't mean there isn't a perm solution to be found elsewhere!

What's the famous saying about your smartphone, guys?! That's right! "There's an app for that!"

Don't you guy love the way you're batting 1,000 today?! Man, you guys are good!!! And I suppose next we'll all see a link to the app in the Google Play Store just appear now, out of thin air, right?!

http://tinyurl.com/kl3j6gj

Damn you guys are F'in GOOD!!! I'm so glad I stopped by here today! You guys just helped me a lot, man! Hahahahaha! :)

The app disables power saving mode in your Droid's WiFi, so that it stays "On", so that it has (Say it, Tim!); "More Poooowaaa!!! <5 grunts>" :-)

It's helping me so far. Of course, it's only been a 5 minute test (I posted right away after install/quick check, because I've used it before), but I immediately noticed no more freezes (copy files to my own house server) and fair throughput, so it is working for me/helping me! :)

1) Install App.
2) Turn WiFi OFF.
3) Turn WiFi ON again and Connect.
4) Run App, get magnifying glass and "check" the microscopic sized box to the far right on the same line as the name of your WiFi network.
5) Tap little "Floppy Disk" looking "Save" icon all the way at the very top of the screen and to the far right, to "Save" your setting!
6) Exit App and Reboot.
7) Make sure WiFi is ON once your S3 finishes Booting Up.

ENJOY, EVERYONE! :)
 
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