connected services Connected Services - Use via Bluetooth

[Steve Oliver]

So, I'm trying to setup my Infotainment system in my new NX 300h so that it can display fuel prices (and Street View) when not connected to WiFi. When the car's sitting on my drive and connected to my home WiFi, it happily lists nearby garages with fuel prices; but when I'm away from home with a good 4G signal on my Bluetooth connected phone, the map doesn't display the fuel prices. I thought that the connection would be via Bluetooth if WiFi is unavailable, but I can't find any settings to tell it to use the Bluetooth internet link. Any ideas?

[NemesisUK]

Have you tethered your phone to the car and allowed to share it's internet connection?

[Steve Oliver]

12 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Have you tethered your phone to the car and allowed to share it's internet connection?

Lol, yes of course. Great 4G signal when I was trying it out.

[Andy B]

Hi Steve,

I'm assuming that you are attempting to tether your phone to your car via Bluetooth and not via the phone's WiFi hotspot capability. You may find it better to use the WiFi hotspot (this is what I use in my NX). This setup allows your car to use the phone's 4G WiFi to connect to the internet (so therefore will have an impact on your phone's data usage, albeit very minor).

When you are away from home, do you have the white WiFi icon appearing in the right hand corner of the infotainment screen? If not then this would indicate that you do not have an active internet connection.

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here 😄

[Steve Oliver]

8 hours ago, Andy B said:

Hi Steve,

I'm assuming that you are attempting to tether your phone to your car via Bluetooth and not via the phone's WiFi hotspot capability. You may find it better to use the WiFi hotspot (this is what I use in my NX). This setup allows your car to use the phone's 4G WiFi to connect to the internet (so therefore will have an impact on your phone's data usage, albeit very minor).

When you are away from home, do you have the white WiFi icon appearing in the right hand corner of the infotainment screen? If not then this would indicate that you do not have an active internet connection.

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs here 😄

Hi Andy, thanks - yes, tethered via Bluetooth. I find my phone gets hot (and of course: through its battery) if I leave the hotspot on for too long, so I kind of try to avoid it. The connected services do work if the systems are connected via the hotspot, but I was hoping to make them function in normal tethered Bluetooth mode. The wifi icon only lights up when the car's on the drive at home. For some reason, the system doesn't seem to want to use the Bluetooth connection to connect to the internet (it downloads contacts and messages etc but won't do anything "more complex" 😞)  - was hoping there may be a setting to say "USE the Bluetooth link for everything!!!". 😄

Cheers

[Andy B]

15 hours ago, Steve Oliver said:

For some reason, the system doesn't seem to want to use the Bluetooth connection to connect to the internet (it downloads contacts and messages etc but won't do anything "more complex" 😞)  - was hoping there may be a setting to say "USE the Bluetooth link for everything!!!". 😄

Cheers

Hi Steve,

Thanks for clarifying. The downloading of contacts and messages are, I believe, being executed via your phone's standard Bluetooth connection to the car - not anything wifi related.

Why you can't tether via Bluetooth is more likely to be due to a setting (or restriction) on the phone itself. What phone is it that you are using? Iphone or Android?

[NemesisUK]

Have you checked your phone is compatible?

https://www.lexus-tech.eu/Bluetooth/searchdedicated.aspx?lang=en

 

[Steve Oliver]

8 hours ago, Andy B said:

Hi Steve,

Thanks for clarifying. The downloading of contacts and messages are, I believe, being executed via your phone's standard Bluetooth connection to the car - not anything wifi related.

Why you can't tether via Bluetooth is more likely to be due to a setting (or restriction) on the phone itself. What phone is it that you are using? iPhone or Android?

Andy, I agree, normal Bluetooth link no problem for contacts etc, and I can tether the car to the phone and then it works for all the complex stuff, I was just hoping to not have to leave the wifi hotspot switched on. It's a Samsung Galaxy S8 so should be well up for it....

[Steve Oliver]

6 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

Have you checked your phone is compatible?

https://www.lexus-tech.eu/Bluetooth/searchdedicated.aspx?lang=en

 

Hi Peter, yes, the phone is very compatible. So, has anyone else got things like Street View working across a Bluetooth-only connection??

[NemesisUK]

2 hours ago, Steve Oliver said:

Hi Peter, yes, the phone is very compatible. So, has anyone else got things like Street View working across a Bluetooth-only connection??

You sure? The website doesn't list the S8 and only two Samsung models (S4 and Mega) show as compatible with Connected services via DUN/PAN

I know Samsung are problematic when used in Mercedes for anything other than the basics..

Do you have a different phone you could try?

[spacenase]

I use a 4G wi-fi dongle (about £15 to £40) with a 6GB EE SIM valid for 12 months (about £18). Plugged into one of the USB ports, or the cigarette lighter socket via an adapter, it powers up with the ignition and everything connects and works happily. You’ll also need a USB extension cable as the dongle is too long for the compartment.

Once it’s setup you can pretty much fit and forget until the data runs out (it gives you 500 MB per month) or the 12 months are up, then just get a new SIM. You can monitor your data usage with the EE app on your phone.

 

[NemesisUK]

Can the car's system handle two simultaneous connections?

Can you still use you mobile for calls through the car?

[spacenase]

4 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Can the car's system handle two simultaneous connections?

Can you still use you mobile for calls through the car?

Yeah, the phone connects through Bluetooth as usual for phone calls and music and the nav system uses the wi-fi connection from the dongle.

 

[Steve Oliver]

1 hour ago, NemesisUK said:

You sure? The website doesn't list the S8 and only two Samsung models (S4 and Mega) show as compatible with Connected services via DUN/PAN

I know Samsung are problematic when used in Mercedes for anything other than the basics..

Do you have a different phone you could try?

Peter, see attached, if I follow the link you provided the S8 and SO are both shown as compatible on the 300h..., But it also says that the hotspot needs to be enabled, which is disappointing...!

[NemesisUK]

Sorry, I got the wrong software version!

You are correct 

When I use the phone on long journeys I plug it into the USB power, keeps the Battery topped up but my Pixel doesn't get warm. Plus the centre armrest cubby seems to be cooled? Perhaps the same on your NX, you could keep the phone in there?

[Steve Oliver]

57 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

The centre armrest cubby seems to be cooled? Perhaps the same on your NX, you could keep the phone in there?

Interesting, will have to look into that, cheers, certainly an option if so. 👍👍

[Steve Oliver]

OK - so I sorted this. I installed an app called MacroDroid on my phone - which is a brilliant automation app. I created two rules - one "If Bluetooth connects to Lexus", then "Enable Hotspot" and another "If Bluetooth disconnects from Lexus", then "Disable Hotspot" - so simple and works perfectly. 😄 😄

Happy bunny.

 

 

[Chris Krix]

Excellent, used on my UX and it works fine.

[Tel]

Thanks to the above had Traffic Issues displayed on the Screen yesterday but only one was Live.

Tel

[Steve Oliver]

Guys, have just found that you don't need to enable a WiFi hotspot on your phone if you have a Bluetooth connection that you can also setup tethering on. On my Samsung Galaxy S8, there is a setting called Bluetooth Tethering, which has to be set ON to allow Bluetooth connected devices to use the Bluetooth connection for internet access. When I switch this on and disable my phone's WiFi hotspot, the Lexus uses the Bluetooth to fetch Streetview, fuel prices, traffic info, etc.... 

I've been vocally complaining that the car has to have two connections Bluetooth and WiFi, and it doesn't. I just needed to enable Bluetooth Tethering on my phone. I imagine most other high end phones will have this setting too, not sure what iPhones do....