CarPlay does not work in area with poor cell reception
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
Likes: 68
From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
CarPlay does not work in area with poor cell reception
Guess what?! You need a cell signal to use CarPlay. I was in the middle of nowhere. At least I could use the car navigation which I think is Satellite based?
😂😂😂
😂😂😂
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 409
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From: Atlanta, GA
2020 S450 4Matic, 2022 GLS450 4Matic, 2015 C300
On page 375.26 of the owners manual it clearly states that owners should carry a pile of CDs with them, in the event that cellular service isn’t available 
Just go buy some CDs 🤣
Note, it’s not CarPlay that isn’t working, it’s the streaming service that isn’t working. CatPlay is just the interface that displays your iPhone on the screen.
Or you could subscribe to SiriusXM and listen to compressed music that is quite the opposite of lossless. I mostly do this, or FM, I use Apple Music at home, just not in the car. Picking a station that someone else is curating means one less thing that I have to that I have to think about when wafting along in my S Class! 🤪
Just go buy some CDs 🤣
Note, it’s not CarPlay that isn’t working, it’s the streaming service that isn’t working. CatPlay is just the interface that displays your iPhone on the screen.
Or you could subscribe to SiriusXM and listen to compressed music that is quite the opposite of lossless. I mostly do this, or FM, I use Apple Music at home, just not in the car. Picking a station that someone else is curating means one less thing that I have to that I have to think about when wafting along in my S Class! 🤪
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
CarPlay works fine, but the specific navigation app likely won't as it needs to load the maps online. Google Maps has some offline capabilities, and there's also the HERE app where you can download entire continents onto the phone to navigate offline. All navs are satellite based. GPS is satellite based, but the car navigation has its maps stored locally, so it doesn't depend on a data connection. You won't get live traffic w/o a cellular connection, but you can still navigate. On older models live traffic also came via satellite from SiriusXM, so that continued to work w/o cell signal.
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Joined: Jun 2015
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
I travel a lot in southern WV where there is not great cell reception. I would encourage you to activate the wireless hotspot in your car, it runs on AT&T and the antenna is WAY more powerful than what is in your phone. I almost never have service disruptions with maps, music, even calling (I have my Verizon iPhone set to use WiFi for calling and the signal is great). The difference between using the phone's signal for those things in that area and using the car's WiFi is huge.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
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From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
I travel a lot in southern WV where there is not great cell reception. I would encourage you to activate the wireless hotspot in your car, it runs on AT&T and the antenna is WAY more powerful than what is in your phone. I almost never have service disruptions with maps, music, even calling (I have my Verizon iPhone set to use WiFi for calling and the signal is great). The difference between using the phone's signal for those things in that area and using the car's WiFi is huge.
How does one do this? I call up AT&T and say I have a car and……
I can’t get their website to work on any browser or any device. Frustrating. I enter my VIN click and nothing.
Last edited by zitsky; Aug 1, 2022 at 01:20 PM.
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
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Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
Are you an Att cellular customer? Is this Wi-Fi service really that good? Does it work in the middle of nowhere?
EDIT: Here's a reaaaallly dumb question. So my car shows a 4G signal. It seems to be used for looking up addresses on the internet, even though (I believe) there is a nav database in the car, in the navigation unit. So I'm thinking of an AT&T hotspot. I'm the second owner. Is it possible that I already have an active wifi hotspot in the car? Or do all W222s have some form of internet access for navigation etc.
Last edited by zitsky; Aug 1, 2022 at 03:44 PM.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,062
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From: Maryland
2024 S580
I called because the website I had not the one you had didn’t work. They quoted $25 a month for non Att customer. 120 for 6 mo and 200 for 1 year.
Are you an Att cellular customer? Is this Wi-Fi service really that good? Does it work in the middle of nowhere?
EDIT: Here's a reaaaallly dumb question. So my car shows a 4G signal. It seems to be used for looking up addresses on the internet, even though (I believe) there is a nav database in the car, in the navigation unit. So I'm thinking of an AT&T hotspot. I'm the second owner. Is it possible that I already have an active wifi hotspot in the car? Or do all W222s have some form of internet access for navigation etc.
Are you an Att cellular customer? Is this Wi-Fi service really that good? Does it work in the middle of nowhere?
EDIT: Here's a reaaaallly dumb question. So my car shows a 4G signal. It seems to be used for looking up addresses on the internet, even though (I believe) there is a nav database in the car, in the navigation unit. So I'm thinking of an AT&T hotspot. I'm the second owner. Is it possible that I already have an active wifi hotspot in the car? Or do all W222s have some form of internet access for navigation etc.
Its possible it has a plan, but I think the 4G signal it shows it just showing you its there. When you pull up WiFi hotspots on your phone in the car, is there one for the car?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
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From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
There must be a way to check hotspot config in the car yes? Or if I look for a Wi-Fi network in the car what would it look like? So I don’t connect to an unknown network?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
Likes: 68
From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 635
Likes: 68
From: Raleigh, NC
2020 S560 4Matic
I found something for in car WiFi in the Mercedes Me Connect app, in Service Activation, Infotainment. A little hard to find next time. I was looking all over. It says:
In-Car WiFi (Incomplete) and there is no option to switch it on. Is that because I haven't signed up with AT&T yet? Or maybe because I activate in the car?
In-Car WiFi (Incomplete) and there is no option to switch it on. Is that because I haven't signed up with AT&T yet? Or maybe because I activate in the car?
