ghstudio

When will we get comand online on the e series in the US...it's already on some of the other 2011 mercedes cars according to the mercedes site.

Will early 2012's be upgradeable to software that supports comand online?

guho

Let's go on a buyer's strike until we get the same Comand Online capability as European buyers of 2012s with COMAND 4.5. It bothers me that each time the US specs are lower. W211 was similar with Euro-COMAND being able to play movies and MP3s from DVDs while US-COMAND (except for early versions) was limited to CD and lacked the DVD-decoder hardware.

acr2001

COMAND online is included in all of the new US models, the idiots at MBUSA just disable it.

If you want to enable it, simply get into engineering mode and find the 2 options under HU options. Not sure what the key combo is for engineering mode in the E, I enabled it in my 2012 C. The code on the C is hangup + 1 + #. Maybe it's the same for you guys?

COMAND online does not work (in the EU or the US) with any iPhones, or most other modern cell phones for that matter. This is because Mercedes chose Bluetooth DUN protocol to get internet access through your smart phone - an antiquated technology which isn't supported by many cell phones.

Diesel Benz

That antiquated technology is supported by almost all BT capable phones, even very old ones. It is just the iPhone that has chosen BT PAN, which is not new but could be considered new in cell phones. Android has the same issue as far as I know but they have promised to bring BT DUN support too (Apple has not).

So the MB selection works with almost any other BT capable phone, except iPhone. If they only supported BT PAN, then COMAND Online would only work with a few phone models (I don't think it would work with all iPhones).

Don't always blame MB if your iPhone does not work perfectly in your car.

In any case, I guess BT PAN support is coming to the MB head units too.

By the way, is there any advantage from PAN over DUN in a point-to-point application?

ghstudio

Does enabling those two options just activate the hardware, or will see the commands to use it on the screen?

Also...for Android phone users: http://junefabrics.com/android/

ghstudio

I am trying to get into engineering mode on my comand 4.5 system. I have tried hangup 1 # held together for 10 seconds and I don't get to engineering mode. I have tried with the car off, in accessory mode and with the car running.

What am I doing wrong....or is the sequence different for 4.5?

fbezirgan

At least in europe model sequence is same.

ghstudio

I got in to engineering mode...(yes, disconnect 1 # works if you are smart enough to use disconnect on the comand console vs on the steering wheel as I did. Yes there are settings to enable DUN and enable the software on the comand 4.5 system on my US car.

My next experiment will be to enable the DUN software and internet browser hardware on comand, using my laptop as the DUN bluetooth connectivity point (instead of a phone)....and the the laptop will connect to the internet using wifi. This is getting interesting and fun (I have too much time on my hands).

At the same time, I am wondering how i would actually use internet capability in my car without a real keyboard if I get it working.

mafialink

So i got mine enabled too. Does anyone know how to pair a verizon blackberry so it get the internet over the bluetooth. I can't find a provider that works of does anyone know the settings to create a new one?

ghstudio

Does your blackberry have DUN support?

acr2001

COMAND Online works with almost no Bluetooth capable phones - at least in the US market. This is probably why it is disabled in all of the US cars.

It works with Sony Ericson phones, Nokia Phones, and some RIM phones, but that's it. Those phones have very little market share here.
According to the MB website, even after testing European phone models - No iPhone, Android, HTC, or Motorola phones work!

Text messaging support is even more abysmal, working on just 3 RIM phones out of every cell phone tested.

It's not really Mercedes fault though - It's the cell phone companies and their lack of support for Bluetooth Standards. On the other hand, Mercedes probably could have spent more R&D time to make the system support individual (popular) cell phone platforms even if they are using proprietary methods.

http://www.mercedes-benz-mobile.com/...mpare_all=true


Also, someone mentioned PDANet in order to get things working on Android - I tried that and it gets a step further - COMAND attempts to connect through the phone but it still does not work. Maybe there is a specific configuration option that will make it work - I'm not sure.

Internet access from COMAND seems to be a pretty useless feature anyway. It is wonderful for transferring Google Maps routes to the car - but that's the only genuinely useful function I can think of. Browsing the web requires an internet capable cell phone in the car - which does a much better job itself.

mafialink

Yes and its enabled. Just need to find the settings I need to input in command.

ghstudio

So you pair your iphone with comand...and you download your phonebook to comand. Everything works, although the comand screen says it's downloading the phonebook, but it says 0% complete (who knows). You can look thru your address book/phone book, you can call by name, you can read your phonebook.

Then you turn of the car...restart it and try to call someone by name...nada, no phonebook; you say read directory...nada; no phonebook, etc.

This is normal!!!! Apparently, each time you start the car (start comand) and link to your phone, the phonebook is reloaded...and during this reload time, even though you can see the phonebook, it is really reloading and comand will tell you there is no phonebook until it has finished reloading. Wait a minute or so and everything will work again.

Strange and undocumented. I am not sure if it works the same way with non iphones...but probably.

mafialink

I see there is a list of features that you can either enable or disable, etc... Does anyone have a full list of what they are with a description?

newyorktoLA

can you post pics? i don't see any enable/disable settings!

ghstudio

I forget the exact settings, but go down the page until you get to hardware and software settings (skip all the information settings). Then look for HU settings...and you'll see internet off. turn it on There probably are a couple of other settings. I need to get an android phone to test it out...it does not work with iphone because iphone does not support the DUN profile.

mafialink

So enabled internet and got the verizon BB with dial up networking. I am stuck when entering the service provider settings.

Mr Snappy

I tried the "hang-up" + "1" + "#" on my 2011 E-350 and it did not do anything. Do you have to have the radio off? Car in drive? Something weird, or is this the wrong procedure for the W212's ???

ghstudio

Use the hang up button on the comand console, not the one on the steering wheel. Hold the three buttons down together. key on but car not started (although you can do it with the car running).

You will only have the internet stuff if you have a late e build with comand 4.5.

Mr Snappy

Thanks,
I got it engineering to come up (I was not holding the buttons long enough)
I have the option for internet, but It is dark and I can not select it.

mafialink

Have you gotten the internet to work? I have it enabled but still cant get the internet to work. My BB has DUN too but i cant seem to get the isp settings right for verizon.

ghstudio

I believe that getting it to work on Verizon requires you to have the tethering feature active (in other words, you have to pay verizon another $20/mo). I don't know if that is enough to get it working...but it is enough to be able to call their technical support folks and get the IP addresses you need.

newyorktoLA

Yes, I found the settings in the HU options menu! I tried enabling other settings like the RVC trailer, which should give dynamic lines, but it didn't work

ghstudio

I'll bite...what is an RVC trailer and how is that linked to getting the internet to work?

I continue to wonder why I want internet on comand since I already have it on my iphone (or android device)...but the tech hacker in me wants to get it to work just so I can see it work.

mafialink

Yes. i have the data tethering plan. Their tech support is useless.