Internet connection

[tony withnall]

Anyone else having trouble making the connection for Street View etc. I have had my Takumi model for 5 weeks now and in that time the Internet icon in the top right hand corner of the screen  has hardly shown. I am connected to the Lexus portal and the phone signal is strong - mainly 4G. I must be going wrong somewhere along the way. Any ideas.

[Steve Oliver]

Hi Tony, I don't think you're doing anything wrong by the sound of it. My connection to my phone's hotspot drops out occasionally but then reconnects almost straightaway. It's irritating (as I've said before) that the car can't use the Bluetooth connection for everything-internet instead of needing 2 connections active simultaneously.

[tony withnall]

14 minutes ago, Steve Oliver said:

Hi Tony, I don't think you're doing anything wrong by the sound of it. My connection to my phone's hotspot drops out occasionally but then reconnects almost straightaway. It's irritating (as I've said before) that the car can't use the Bluetooth connection for everything-internet instead of needing 2 connections active simultaneously.

Hi Steve - It's basically all the time. In fact I hardly experience a signal at all!!

[pobrown]

In mine it does use Bluetooth for the internet connection (with an iPhone) as long as I have the personal hotspot function switched on. 
However I use it so rarely that the connection status isn’t something I monitor. When I do use it I find it ridiculously slow. 

[pobrown]

I should add, there isn’t an internet icon as such. There is Bluetooth (C in the attached picture) and WiFi (D in the attached picture) - both are methods of connecting to the internet. Just because you don’t have the WiFi icon doesn’t mean you don’t have internet. 
 

[tony withnall]

HI Phil. Good Afternoon.

I only have A to D on my system probably because I have not activated Miracast ( what is this?)

What was confusing me is that D( the Wi Fi icon) is hardly registering at all and as you have noticed I thought this was the Internet connection. Appreciate your explanation and will try it shortly to see if i can get Street View without a display on D.

Finally got agreement in writing from Lexus for 3 year free map updates for 17CY MM system. Apparently, as you know Phil they update twice yearly in the Spring and Autumn.When I first approached Lexus they claimed not to know of the facility to update FOC.

Thanks again

Tony

 

[pobrown]

WiFi icon will only light up when it is actually connected to a WiFi network. This could be your home WiFi whilst parked outside your house or if your phone has WiFi Hotspot mode switched on.  Each individual network will need to be registered / programmed into the car (just like connecting your phone to a friends WiFi)
Miracast is some old proprietary system that allows phone screens to show - only worked with a limited number of devices. I’ve never used it. 
 

For Bluetooth connections I sometimes find I need to cycle off/on the personal hotspot mode on my Iphone.

Glad you’ve got confirmation on the updates - not something I’ve looked at getting. I’ve just been taking the wording of the update website as true. 

[tony withnall]

18 hours ago, pobrown said:

WiFi icon will only light up when it is actually connected to a WiFi network. This could be your home WiFi whilst parked outside your house or if your phone has WiFi Hotspot mode switched on.  Each individual network will need to be registered / programmed into the car (just like connecting your phone to a friends WiFi)
Miracast is some old proprietary system that allows phone screens to show - only worked with a limited number of devices. I’ve never used it. 
 

For Bluetooth connections I sometimes find I need to cycle off/on the personal hotspot mode on my iPhone.

Glad you’ve got confirmation on the updates - not something I’ve looked at getting. I’ve just been taking the wording of the update website as true. 

Hi Phil

Sat on the driveway yesterday afternoon with connection to my home Wi Fi and not a glimmer of light on the icon.So bearing in mind your comments I tried to connect to Street View via Bluetooth but all I got was a message"on line connection to the server could not be established"Also tried using BT Wi Fi Hotspots.

Think I'll have to get into Lexus although they don't fill me with hope.

Tony

 

[tony withnall]

would you believe it Phil. Just been out to the car and even though only a couple of bars on the icon are lit managed to connect to Street View - tried it several times and although slow to respond it did get there in the end.Let's see what happens on the next occasion 

[Tel]

Tony

Written confirmation of updates from Lexus ?

Which Lexus Customer Service sanctioned as Inchcape told me they did not offer the service !

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...

Hope this helps and that I'm not teaching you to suck eggs!

[pobrown]

As I said above, works with Iphone too. Just need to ensure ‘personal hotspot’ is switched on. No need to connect via WiFi - hotspot works over Bluetooth too. 

[Steve Oliver]

1 minute ago, pobrown said:

As I said above, works with iPhone too. Just need to ensure ‘personal hotspot’ is switched on. No need to connect via WiFi - hotspot works over Bluetooth too. 

Phil, for clarity, does Iphone call it Bluetooth Tethering or just "Personal Hotspot", ie is the difference between a Bluetooth hotspot and a WiFi hotspot obvious on the phone?

 

[pobrown]

Just personal hotspot. One setting supports both WiFi and Bluetooth connections. 
 

[Steve Oliver]

Thanks for that, it helps when advising others. Must say in typical apple fashion, makes it look quite confusing, like you have to be part of the family to use your connection ☺️

[pobrown]

Family sharing is a relatively new feature in iOS which means family members on your iCloud account can use the hotspot without needing to know the WiFi password. You can approve/deny access in the family sharing sub menu. 

[tony withnall]

25 minutes ago, Steve Oliver said:

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...

Hope this helps and that I'm not teaching you to suck eggs!

It's a big problem for me too Steve - need to check out my I Phone 6Plus to see if it is available. I can't get Wi Fi once I am off  my drive.

[tony withnall]

17 minutes ago, pobrown said:

Just personal hotspot. One setting supports both WiFi and Bluetooth connections. 
 

Hi Phil

Doing as above illustration - I've set up a password. Do you then have to follow" to connect using Wi Fi"?

Learning from you Phil but I am not the best pupil

Tony

[tony withnall]

1 hour ago, Tel said:

Tony

Written confirmation of updates from Lexus ?

Which Lexus Customer Service sanctioned as Inchcape told me they did not offer the service !

Tel

My Lexus dealer denied all knowledge of free map updates for 3 years so I copied the page from the website and took it in to the dealership - it is irrefutable. They did refer to Lexus for confirmation which was duly received.

You want Lexus-tech.eu website which will direct you to the page for your Sat nav system.

[pobrown]

Tony - try the following steps. 
 

Start the car

On the car switch WiFi Power OFF. This is to stop the car trying to connect to your home WiFi. 
 

Check you Iphone to ensure it is connected to the car via Bluetooth (for hands free calls etc)
 

Switch ON personal hotspot. (If already on, switch is off then on again to wake it up). 
 

On the car try accessing something on-line like street view. When the car makes an internet connection to the phone, the phone will show a blue banner across the top - the two interlocking rings is the symbol for personal hotspot.  (On my Iphone XS I just get a blue clock in the top left but on an Iphone 6 you will probably get a banner across the top). 
 

see attached pictures. 
 

 

 

[tony withnall]

2 hours ago, pobrown said:

Tony - try the following steps. 
 

Start the car

On the car switch WiFi Power OFF. This is to stop the car trying to connect to your home WiFi. 
 

Check you iPhone to ensure it is connected to the car via Bluetooth (for hands free calls etc)
 

Switch ON personal hotspot. (If already on, switch is off then on again to wake it up). 
 

On the car try accessing something on-line like street view. When the car makes an internet connection to the phone, the phone will show a blue banner across the top - the two interlocking rings is the symbol for personal hotspot.  (On my iPhone XS I just get a blue clock in the top left but on an iPhone 6 you will probably get a banner across the top). 
 

see attached pictures. 
 

 

 

Hi Phil - followed the steps you identified but reached an impasse when trying to connect because all I get is a ping ping sound and thus I cannot get into Street View.

Wonder if the problem lies with Personal Hotspot.I have set a password which I use when prompted and get the following screen - however after waiting for several minutes I have no connection. Message " connection unsuccessful.

I'm finding this hellishly frustrating.

[pobrown]

The personal hotspot password is only applicable to WiFi connections. Not used for Bluetooth connections as you will have already ‘paired’ the phone (and therefore already authorised the connection). 
Based on what you’ve said it sounds like it is still trying to connect via WiFi?  Did you turn WiFi power off on the car settings?

[tony withnall]

2 minutes ago, pobrown said:

The personal hotspot password is only applicable to WiFi connections. Not used for Bluetooth connections as you will have already ‘paired’ the phone (and therefore already authorised the connection). 
Based on what you’ve said it sounds like it is still trying to connect via WiFi?  Did you turn WiFi power off on the car settings?

I will go out now and try again

[tony withnall]

9 minutes ago, tony withnall said:

I will go out now and try again

Just tried again and followed your steps. I was able to get into Street View but the connection could not be made.On Bluetooth alone I have no success at all Phil.

At a loss as where to go now.You must be tearing your hair out.

[pobrown]

Not tearing my hair out - just confused as mine connects without any issues. 
 

does your phone display the blue banner across the top at any point when the car is trying to connect?

have you put your Lexus portal username/password into the settings in the car (no idea if these are even needed for street view to work but I know mine are entered). 
 

does your phone contract support personal hotspot (also known as tethering)? (majority of contracts do so unlikely to be an issue).