Egonvdv

IF i get an internet subscription for the car itself, how long does it keep functioning after the engine has been turned off?

I'm thinking of getting a cloud based dashcam, and for this to work the wifi/internet would
need to stay on for a resonanble amount of time (24hrs+)

thefisch

I suspect the car's data connection drops when the accessory power drops (i.e. when you open door after shutting engine off).

Egonvdv

Thanks, but in that case what's the advantage of having internet directly in the car, rather than through your phone?

thefisch

I presume so that car manufacturers can provide the data needed for car features without relying on the customer setting up their phone to share a data connection.

dae123

Yeah, if i did a lot of family road trips it would be worth it to prevent the kids from draining my mobile data plan. But for a commute vehicle it doesn't make sense at all.

Egonvdv

Ok that makes sense indeed. but for most features you don't need a data plan (locking car, tracking, checking status, satelite radio) so really they only thing that's left is creating a wifi network...?
i would get the internet if i was sure the wifi stays on so my dashcam stays connected to it,

arnsbrae

You can download map updates via the SIM but I wouldn't recommend it!

Egonvdv

Well, also for this you don't need a data/internet plan, but.. now I am curious to know why one shouldn't do this???

arnsbrae

In the UK the speed of connection via the car is rather slow - even in an area of good reception. These updates are big!

I think it must be 3G only in the car.

Better to cancel the download in the car. Download the updates onto a USB stick using a fibre connection, then put it in the car to install the update.

Egonvdv

Thanks for the info. do you download the updates through the Mercedes me page?

Also, would it be possible to download using the phone's internet, rather than the car?

arnsbrae

Yes, I think it was the Mercedes Me portal on my PC (I'm on my iPad now so cannot check...)

I haven't found a way to hook my car up via my phone, which is a pity as I have good 4G here and unlimited data...

Egonvdv

on my present car (w212) I just connect to the iPhone hotspot.
basically you connect the phone via Bluetooth and then switch on hotspot.
is that different on the w213?

arnsbrae

I will need to have a play. I thought the hotspot option simply shared the car's internal SIM connection as a hotspot and not that of the phone.

Egonvdv

no it's actually the iphone's internet that's being used. I use it to play internet radio.
other than that it's quite useless as the only other thing u can do is "google" on the radio screen.
the car itself can not update via the phone's internet

arnsbrae

Oh, okay thanks. Merci.

Diesel Benz

The update being slow should not be a reason to switch off automatic on-line updates? I believe you can always update manually even if the automatic update was ongoing. Most often even at a "slow" connection, the updates would be done before you notice there is something to update manually. Are you actually aware of some more serious issues from automatic updates? I think I've seen discussions at UK sites but cannot remember any details.

Depends on the Hermes option, the modem in the car can be 2G/3G or 2G/3G/4G. At my place the manual download from the MB servers is slower than typical 3G speed (don't know if the car makes use of full 3G speed) and the manual downloads tend to fail in many odd ways. Quite often the car says one update area is not compatible with the car. Surely the server was supposed to build the download file to fit this specific car. The download manager too stops responding etc. etc.

Considering the hotspot discussion, the 212 and 213 are quite different. The 212 uses your personal phone for internet connectivity (may share it further via the WLAN hotspot in the car) while the 213 has an internal modem. Quite unfortunate in my opinion that the 213 has no option to use internet connectivity provided by a personal phone (as an option e.g. for internet radio if one does not want to pay the 213 subscription).

Egonvdv

Really? - that's very much a pitty...

----

So the "internal internet" definitely stays connected i take it,
since you can acces the car with your phone from a distance?

is there anybody that can confirm that the wifi also stays on?

mickhoog

Actually I don't get the integrated WIFI hot spot and what its use for.

In Australia i asked the dealer and he was really no help

I see the car has an inbuilt WIFI hot spot but that has to actually connect to your mobile phone for it to work.

So what's the point? Why not just use your mobile phone instead of the car hot spot

Dealer said its basically for people that may be drivers and passengers canconnect through the car hot spot (which is in turn connected to your phone) instead of directly through the phone.

Am i missing something.... maybe the service/s are different here in Oz.

Egonvdv

the idea is to get a internet subscription for the car, so the wifi hotspot goes through
that, rather than through your mobile phone.

See this: https://internetinthecar.sfr.vodafon...Id=ha60106op_6


as stated in my first post, I want to install a cloud based camera which would
stay connected to the wifi when car is parked.

it sends warnings to the phone when something's happening and you can
then watch the live image.

that's the only reason why I would be interested in it, cos as you said for anything else
you might as well use your mobile's internet

Diesel Benz

Are you talking about a W213 or about some older MB model? The W213 does not use internet from your cell phone but it has an integrated modem. The WIFI hotspot also gets data from the internal modem but this is a paid option, equally as internet radio is.

Egonvdv

According to the manual the car CAN connect to the internet through the phone.

Diesel Benz

Could you post a copy of that manual page please?

ua549

The US manual has wifi connection instructions starting on page 250.

Egonvdv

PAge 250;

Setting up an Internet connection via Bluetooth
®
Requirements
R Connect a mobile phone to the multimedia
system via Bluetooth® (→ page 237).
R If you use the telephone module for Internet
functions, you require a SIM card in the telephone
module or a Bluetooth®-capable SAP
mobile phone.
To connect via Bluetooth®, the mobile phone
must support one of the following Bluetooth®
profiles:
R DUN (Dial-Up Networking)
R PAN (Personal Area Network)
You can obtain more detailed information from
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center or at:
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/connect.
Multimedia system:
, System . öConnectivity . Internet
Settings
# Highlight a mobile phone.
# Select¥.
# Select Change Configuration.
# Switch Automatic Configuration on O.
If the mobile phone supports the Bluetooth®
PAN profile, Internet access is set up. You
can use the Internet functions. If the mobile

Egonvdv

I stand corrected: when you have the internetmodule intergrated in the car you can NOT get internet through the phone it seems.
(so you are forced to buy a bundle)
Only cars without the module can connect ot the inrernet via the phone as per info on page 250 and onwards