BMW WiFi In Car

mattgod69 · 03-10-2022, 02:36 AM

Hi, I have a BMW 840i (2021). I know you need wifi for the updates, but I am struggling to see why it is needed normally, in fact when it is on I lose all internet connectivity on the phone as it connects to the car which has no internet connection as such (other than Spotify) so I have now turned it off (so the car connects to 4g etc). Am I missing something? Can you get the phone to connect to the wifi in the car and maintain internet connection on the phone? Can you use the car for the internet? I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+. Cheers. Matt

ewoody · 03-10-2022, 08:39 AM

To use the BMW Wifi Hotspot you need to suscribe the service here:

https://www.hotspotdrive.com

I don't have any experience with it...

ewoody · 03-10-2022, 08:40 AM

Or here...

https://www.hotspotdrive.com/#/

wtwo3 · 03-10-2022, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikebluepro

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snareman · 03-11-2022, 12:23 PM

I never fully understood the point of the car wifi either. I don't need my car to have data as a hotspot. Maybe if you are a business person that needs a hotspot for your laptop and you use your car? Maybe? Otherwise I don't understand why it's not all just bluetooth.

Edubya · 04-27-2022, 05:26 PM

Can we connect our cars to a WIFI network, or is only way to have internet via the subscription?

To clarify, the car is the endpoint, for things like downloading software updates.

Thx

Vivek. · 04-27-2022, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snareman

I never fully understood the point of the car wifi either. I don't need my car to have data as a hotspot. Maybe if you are a business person that needs a hotspot for your laptop and you use your car? Maybe? Otherwise I don't understand why it's not all just bluetooth.

I think the most applicable use is for business. It would be nice to have the laptop autoconnect to car's wifi instead of having to set up a hotspot to the cell...but if it doesn't work seamlessly there is no benefit IMO.

smrtypants44 · 04-28-2022, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vivek.

I think the most applicable use is for business. It would be nice to have the laptop autoconnect to car's wifi instead of having to set up a hotspot to the cell...but if it doesn't work seamlessly there is no benefit IMO.

It also works for internet connected radar detectors i.e. escort 360c/ dashcams

taskrov · 04-28-2022, 01:09 PM

[QUOTE=mattgod69;28671664]Hi, I have a BMW 840i (2021). I know you need wifi for the updates, but I am struggling to see why it is needed normally, in fact when it is on I lose all internet connectivity on the phone as it connects to the car which has no internet connection as such (other than Spotify) so I have now turned it off (so the car connects to 4g etc). Am I missing something? Can you get the phone to connect to the wifi in the car and maintain internet connection on the phone? Can you use the car for the internet? I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+. Cheers. Matt[/QUOTE

You don't need WiFi for software updates. They come OTA using built-in mobile internet connection (your car has a built in eSIMM card with its own phone number) that comes with your ConnectedDrive subscription. Your car has a WiFi router that has two SSIDs. One is used for Android Auto (AA) (or CarPlay) and, other is used for connection to MyBMW app and is used for BMW apps (such as Amazon Alexa). The Hotspot is a separate subscription which has limited use since we have unlimited data (and hotspot) on our phones. When the phone is fully connected, your Mobile Devices screen look like the attached pictures, except that my phone is a Google Pixel. When connected, my phone continues to function as normal, except I cannot use Google Maps if it is active in the car, but you can still use Waze. When AA is disconnected, I can use any app on the phone since the phone is still connected to 5G to my mobile ISP.

03-10-2022, 02:36 AM	#1
mattgod69 New Member 6 Rep 22 Posts Drives: 840i Grand Coupe Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: St Leonards-on-Sea iTrader: (0)	BMW WiFi In Car Hi, I have a BMW 840i (2021). I know you need wifi for the updates, but I am struggling to see why it is needed normally, in fact when it is on I lose all internet connectivity on the phone as it connects to the car which has no internet connection as such (other than Spotify) so I have now turned it off (so the car connects to 4g etc). Am I missing something? Can you get the phone to connect to the wifi in the car and maintain internet connection on the phone? Can you use the car for the internet? I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+. Cheers. Matt
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03-10-2022, 08:39 AM	#2
ewoody Private First Class 94 Rep 169 Posts Drives: BMW M760e xDrive (2x) Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Switzerland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW M760e xDrive [10.00]	To use the BMW Wifi Hotspot you need to suscribe the service here: https://www.hotspotdrive.com I don't have any experience with it...
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03-10-2022, 08:40 AM	#3
ewoody Private First Class 94 Rep 169 Posts Drives: BMW M760e xDrive (2x) Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Switzerland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2023 BMW M760e xDrive [10.00]	Or here... https://www.hotspotdrive.com/#/
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03-11-2022, 12:23 PM	#5
snareman Leave the gun. Take the Canoli. 10216 Rep 8,334 Posts Drives: ///M8 & X5 ///M60 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio iTrader: (0)	I never fully understood the point of the car wifi either. I don't need my car to have data as a hotspot. Maybe if you are a business person that needs a hotspot for your laptop and you use your car? Maybe? Otherwise I don't understand why it's not all just bluetooth. __________________ Current: 2023 M8 \|\|\| 2025 X5 M60 Retired: 2023 X3 M40 \|\|\| 2021 M4 \|\|\| 2018 M4 \|\|\| 2017 M4 \|\|\| 2014 435 \|\|\| 2009 335 \|\|\| 2007 335
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04-27-2022, 05:26 PM	#6
Edubya Private 9 Rep 61 Posts Drives: 2020 Raptor Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Denver Metro iTrader: (0)	Can we connect our cars to a WIFI network, or is only way to have internet via the subscription? To clarify, the car is the endpoint, for things like downloading software updates. Thx Last edited by Edubya; 04-27-2022 at 07:55 PM..
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04-28-2022, 01:09 PM	#9
taskrov Private 31 Rep 98 Posts Drives: 2020 530ix Sport Line Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW 530ix [0.00]	[QUOTE=mattgod69;28671664]Hi, I have a BMW 840i (2021). I know you need wifi for the updates, but I am struggling to see why it is needed normally, in fact when it is on I lose all internet connectivity on the phone as it connects to the car which has no internet connection as such (other than Spotify) so I have now turned it off (so the car connects to 4g etc). Am I missing something? Can you get the phone to connect to the wifi in the car and maintain internet connection on the phone? Can you use the car for the internet? I have a Samsung Galaxy S10+. Cheers. Matt[/QUOTE You don't need WiFi for software updates. They come OTA using built-in mobile internet connection (your car has a built in eSIMM card with its own phone number) that comes with your ConnectedDrive subscription. Your car has a WiFi router that has two SSIDs. One is used for Android Auto (AA) (or CarPlay) and, other is used for connection to MyBMW app and is used for BMW apps (such as Amazon Alexa). The Hotspot is a separate subscription which has limited use since we have unlimited data (and hotspot) on our phones. When the phone is fully connected, your Mobile Devices screen look like the attached pictures, except that my phone is a Google Pixel. When connected, my phone continues to function as normal, except I cannot use Google Maps if it is active in the car, but you can still use Waze. When AA is disconnected, I can use any app on the phone since the phone is still connected to 5G to my mobile ISP. Attached Images
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