topic Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone in Electronics

Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

qualityshopper — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:28:49 GMT

Hate to ask this because I probably should be able to figure this out for myself, but here goes. My existing Tracfone, for some reason, constantly has the Wifi on when I turn the phone on. I always turn my wifi off when I turn the phone off, but recently I am finding it turning on by itself every time I turn the phone back on. I've even had it turn back on, after I've turned if off, while the phone is still in use. I'm sure there has to be a setting to keep it from turning on automatically, but I'm having trouble finding it. Would anyone be able to tell dummy here how to locate the setting I need to remedy this? Thanks so much!

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

laluzdelmundo — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:37:33 GMT

@qualityshopperFellow dummy here! Mine does that as well. Annoying--I thought it was just me.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Mz iMac — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:50:13 GMT

@qualityshopper "I always turn my wifi off when I turn the phone off, "

By doing the following?

From Tracfone FAQ

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

kittyloo — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 00:50:26 GMT

@qualityshopper i have been a tracfone user for years. i just tried it on mine, and the wifi stayed off.

if you have wifi in your home, why are you turning it off on your phone? it isn't burning data, or time or anything. just wondering why this bugs you.

as soon as i leave the house, it automatically turns itself off, as i don't have a connection outside of the home.

if i have to use my phone for something other than texting or something, i just turn on my mobile data. HTH

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Xivambala — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 01:04:16 GMT

@qualityshopper

I have a Samsung Galaxy J7 Crown phone. I'm wondering how you turn off the wifi before you turn off your phone. I turn mine off only when I have trouble with internet access, which is rare. I do so through the Settings Icon ----> Connections. When I do turn it off, it stays off until I go back and reverse it.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

qualityshopper — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 02:41:41 GMT

@Mz iMac --Yes, I know how to turn it on and off as I indicated in my posting. My issue is that it does not stay off when I set it to "off." It turns itself on automatically even after I've just turned it off. It never used to do this, which is why I am wondering, first, why it's now doing it, and second, how to make it stop.

@kittyloo and @Xivambala --I know I could just leave the wifi on, but I prefer to choose when to have it on. I don't use my cell phone like most people, In fact, I rarely even have it turned on. It truly is more for emergency usage. The whole point of my posting was simply to see if there was a fix to keep the phone from automatically turning the wifi on. It should not be doing this as you should both know since both of you mentioned that your wifi stays off when you set it to do so. Mine does not.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Nuttmeg — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 03:42:54 GMT

I use a shortcut to turn off Wi-Fi. When I pull down the navigation bar from the top the screen, I see an airplane icon. This icon is the fastest method to turn off Wi-Fi.

You should be able to find an unboxing and YouTube videos to help set up your phone.

I keep my phone connected to my home Wi-Fi.

I have two favorite apps, Speedtest and SwiftKey.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

qualityshopper — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 02:48:37 GMT

@Nuttmeg --I've done this, too. But, whether I turn wifi off this way or by going to settings and sliding to "off," it turns itself back on. Something isn't right with this phone.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Mz iMac — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 03:26:45 GMT

@qualityshopper Have you tried resetting/restarting your phone?

Have you checked your settings for software updates?

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

x Hedge — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 04:50:19 GMT

@qualityshopper ,

You probably have given some feature or app permission to connect to WiFi whenever it's detected within range.

The phone came set that way, and you haven't gone thru and shut off all those pre-set options.

For example, if you allow it to automatically update whenever an update is available, or if you use location services, it has to connect to WiFi.

Since apps can turn on other apps, and this is a recent change in your phone, I'd guess it's a recent permission or a newly started app.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Nuttmeg — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 14:58:41 GMT

@qualityshopper

Samsung writes one of the best user manuals.

Tracfone has an interactive guide on their website.

Please find help disconnecting your phone from a network.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Pook — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 08:05:41 GMT

@qualityshopper While I am not tech savy, my understandinig is that it is always on and uses your home wifi, your tracfone data or public wifi when not home. Those options can be changed to save data you pay for. If you turn off your home wifi then it automatically goes to your paid data for updates, etc. For someone like me it does not matter since I have so much stockpiled data.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

gardenman — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 12:29:46 GMT

I think the issue is likely what @x Hedge said. There's an app that's been allowed to access your wifi that turns it one when you start the phone or when it wants to check for an update. Some apps only look for updates when connected to wifi and not when you're on your mobile data. I don't really see where it's a problem, but if you truly don't want it on, then finding that app or those apps and removing them will solve the problem.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

qualityshopper — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 02:56:50 GMT

Just an update. I called Tracfone today to see if they could explain why my Wifi turns on by itself. He said that certain brands and models of phones are set to do this. So, even though I turn if off, it will automatically turn back on and connect. It's not a big deal, but I would still prefer the choice of whether or not the Wifi is on to be mine.

As far as an app doing this, I should have clarified in my original posting that this phone is fairly new, and as such, I actually have not installed any apps. All that's on there is what came on the phone. This means, of course, that one of those could be doing this. You're right, I need to check the settings for these apps to see if that's the problem. May or may not be. I'm not sure based on what Tracfone said. I'll check into it further. Thanks for the help.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Marp — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 20:12:00 GMT

@qualityshopper, while you are checking app settings also take the time to go to your playstore account and disable automatic updates. That alone might solve your problem.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Runner26 — Tue, 25 Aug 2020 22:40:05 GMT

@qualityshopper wrote:
Hate to ask this because I probably should be able to figure this out for myself, but here goes. My existing Tracfone, for some reason, constantly has the Wifi on when I turn the phone on. I always turn my wifi off when I turn the phone off, but recently I am finding it turning on by itself every time I turn the phone back on. I've even had it turn back on, after I've turned if off, while the phone is still in use. I'm sure there has to be a setting to keep it from turning on automatically, but I'm having trouble finding it. Would anyone be able to tell dummy here how to locate the setting I need to remedy this? Thanks so much!

Go to settings > network & internet > touch Wi-fi (do not turn it on) > you will see "To improve location accuracy turn on Wi-fi scanning in scanning settings" (see attached pic) > click on "scanning settings" > make sure "wi-fi scanning" and "bluetooth scanning" is turned off

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

qualityshopper — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 11:24:17 GMT

Thanks, @Runner26 , for the info. I'll check into that.

Re: Question about wifi setting on Tracfone

Ainhisg — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 13:36:41 GMT

@qualityshopper , guess what? I just received a new Tracfone with Android Pie, and it's turning on the wi-fi by itself, so I feel your pain. First time ever I've had a Tracfone do this. I realize in the big scheme of things, that it's not going to hurt anything or even drain the battery "that much," but I want to control it myself--not have the phone doing it. Anyway, I changed every setting I could in wi-fi and even on some apps I suspected were causing the problem to no avail. I did a search on Howard Forums, and several knowledgeable posters suggested this:

Do you have the Tracfone app or WiFi Utility installed? Check make sure you disable WiFi Optimizer in the settings. That auto connects to the WiFi access point that is known or open even if you have not connected to it before.

So I went to my WiFi Utility app in my apps folder and disabled it, and then went to the Tracfone My Account app>network settings>Wi-Fi Optimizer>and clicked on Disable Wi-Fi Management. Hopefully this works--we will see

ETA: This worked! So if anyone's wi-fi is turning on automatically, and you want to stop that from happening, do the steps above, and you should be golden. If you've not downloaded the Tracfone My Account app, obviously there is nothing to do there, but the WiFi Utility app is automatically on your phone, and it needs to be disabled. Ignore the warnings about it affecting your phone if you disable it--it won't do anything but stop your wi-fi from turning on.