Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2018 March 17

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March 17[edit]

Android Question Again[edit]

I asked this question about two weeks ago, but will ask again because I still haven't solved the problem. I have a Samsung Galaxy J7 running Android version 7.0. I am still having the problem when driving, that, under circumstances not under my control, the phone pings and tells me to log on to Cox WiFi. Cox is a major WiFi service provider in the area, and I assume that the message means that I have driven into the service area of a home or commercial wireless router that is providing Cox WiFi service. I don't have a Cox account, and I don't want to get these pings. How do I suppress them? Please don't give me accurate but useless advice such as turning the phone off (when I am using its GPS) (since I know that some editors here will give technically accurate but useless advice such as to turn off the phone). Robert McClenon (talk) 22:39, 17 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe try going to the screen where you select a WiFi network. Press the ... button then pick Advanced, and there deselect "Hotspot sign-in". I think either that should work or go to the nut icon in the same WiFi selection screen and deselect "Network notification". I'm not sure what's happening from your description, looks like either you're getting a notification that there's a free Cox Wifi hotspot around, or your phone has already connected and wants to sign in on the hotspot page. Another possibility is that you logged on a Cox WiFi hotspot somewhere before and your phone kept its settings in memory, and now you've come accross a hotspot with the same name, password etc. I don't know how often that happens. Another solution is to turn off WiFi connection when driving. That's what I usually do, since I have no idea what use could WiFi possibly have in a moving car, but you might have some gadget I don't (e.g. I don't have a GPS). 93.136.39.109 (talk) 02:56, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
I tried the Advanced settings, but it doesn't have a Hotspot sign-in thing. It has a Hotspot 2.0, but that is already turned off. As to name and password, the prompt that I get (that I don't want) asks me for my name and password. It doesn't appear to have them saved. (I have my name and password saved for four bands of my home wireless router, but that is unrelated.) I don't see a nut icon, not down at this level. (I get into WiFi settings from the overall Settings icon on the main screen, and that is a nut icon, if you mean nuts-and-bolts, not seeds with shells, but I assume you mean down inside the Settings.) What nut icon? (I hope that it isn't a peanut, because peanut allergy can be a medical emergency.) Robert McClenon (talk) 03:11, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
I meant the nut-without-a-bolt icon in the main Wifi selection menu, next to the ... icon for the Advanced settings :) However, what you write is a little strange. You're talking about the usual prompt that you get when you select an unknown network from the Wifi menu, or the internet browser thingy when you have to log on to a hotspot? My phone only asks me for a password when connecting to a home WiFi. 93.136.39.109 (talk) 03:39, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
At the top, I see WI-FI in black (a heading), WI-FI DIRECT (blue, clickable), and a ... thing. I agree that the phone only asks for a password when connecting to a home WiFi, but what is happening appears to be my phone asking for a password to connect to someone's home WiFi, someone whose house I am driving by. Robert McClenon (talk) 14:57, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
Last time you could not find your list of known wifi networks. It sounds as if this is one of those. You will have to delete (forget) it from the list. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 06:03, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
User:Graeme Bartlett - I don't understand. You tell me to delete or forget "it" from the list. Delete or forget what? I don't see a network that could possibly be Cox. You are evidently telling me to bring up a list of saved networks that will include it, but where do I bring up the list to delete or forget Cox? Robert McClenon (talk) 14:57, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
In Android setting select WiFi. Then touch the ... symbol to get extra actions, select "saved networks". Then find your cox network entry, touch that and then touch "forget". (that is on nougat). Graeme Bartlett (talk) 21:57, 18 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
Doesn't that forget it only for the current session? If wifi is turned off and back on again later, the whole thing starts again. Or if the phone is turned off, it starts again when next turned on, no? To me, the problem is that he's driving around with wifi turned on, so of course the phone is going to prompt him when a free network comes in range. Why does he have wifi turned on? Wouldn't it be better to turn off wifi and use mobile data instead for his GPS? Assuming he's on a data plan of course. Akld guy (talk) 19:29, 19 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]
User:Graeme Bartlett, User:Akld guy - That seems to have worked. On my Android, it is called Manage Networks rather than Saved Networks. However, Forget appears to mean Delete, and drops it from a list of all of the networks you have used in the past. I have a long list of networks that I have used in the past, but only that one was problematical, because it seems to have multiple routers whose zones of influence I drive through. Thanks. Robert McClenon (talk) 22:25, 21 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]