# WiFi hotspot mode



## AudiVW guy (Feb 7, 2006)

Well i finally figured it out and used it.. 
basically gave my VW a SSID " VW BEAST MODE" - might change it to VW VIRUS INFECTED lol with a WPA2 password

then it looks for another wifi signal and then you connect to it and it repeats it.. cool..
parked myself in front of my house, pizza joint and some restaurant.. 

works as advertised


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## Mitch82 (Oct 15, 2018)

I haven't really understood the goal of having a hotspot wifi.

TO replicate a wifi, you need somehow an internet connection somewhere. So, I might have my hotspot on my iPhone turned on. But then, why not connecting directly to that phone ?!

I honestly don't understand the purpose/benefit of the embedded hotspot in the car...
If someone can describe some of the benefit, could be nice...


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## knedrgr (Jun 6, 2011)

AudiVW guy said:


> Well i finally figured it out and used it..
> basically gave my VW a SSID " VW BEAST MODE" - might change it to VW VIRUS INFECTED lol with a WPA2 password
> 
> then it looks for another wifi signal and then you connect to it and it repeats it.. cool..
> ...


Could you elaborate on how this was done?


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

Mitch82 said:


> I haven't really understood the goal of having a hotspot wifi.
> 
> TO replicate a wifi, you need somehow an internet connection somewhere. So, I might have my hotspot on my iPhone turned on. But then, why not connecting directly to that phone ?!
> 
> ...


Might there be other folks in the vehicle with devices they wish to connect to wifi?


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## AudiVW guy (Feb 7, 2006)

Mitch82 said:


> I haven't really understood the goal of having a hotspot wifi.
> 
> TO replicate a wifi, you need somehow an internet connection somewhere. So, I might have my hotspot on my iPhone turned on. But then, why not connecting directly to that phone ?!
> 
> ...


it makes perfect sense - you are in a parking lot or in your driveway or on the beach and there is a restaurant with wifi and you want to rebroadcast it to reach you and your devices - many reasons.. My wife has the best yet.. she hates sitting the in the Dojo at karate waiting for our son to finish so she prefers to sit in the car, so now we can re amplify that wifi and use it.. 



knedrgr said:


> Could you elaborate on how this was done?


if you have an atlas with highline or better - we have the execuline - you click on your infomat, menu then settings then scroll down to wifi settings
set up your SSID and WPA2 password then click search - it will show you all that is available - click on it if it is open lol or if it is locked - punch in the password and done.. it will remember it, then reconnect if you are near by again or if it is a McDs or franchise restaurant they usually have the same info for all their locations and your VW will just auto connect.


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## knedrgr (Jun 6, 2011)

AudiVW guy said:


> if you have an atlas with highline or better - we have the execuline - you click on your infomat, menu then settings then scroll down to wifi settings
> set up your SSID and WPA2 password then click search - it will show you all that is available - click on it if it is open lol or if it is locked - punch in the password and done.. it will remember it, then reconnect if you are near by again or if it is a McDs or franchise restaurant they usually have the same info for all their locations and your VW will just auto connect.


I have the Launch Edition, US market, and saw this option as grayed out. I'm pretty sure the US market doesn't have this option, regardless of the trim level. 

I'd thought you'd hacked a US market Atlas to get this feature. 

Meanwhile, I can turn my phone into a personal hotspot and get the kid's tablet online, if they want to watch something online.


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## AudiVW guy (Feb 7, 2006)

knedrgr said:


> I have the Launch Edition, US market, and saw this option as grayed out. I'm pretty sure the US market doesn't have this option, regardless of the trim level.
> 
> I'd thought you'd hacked a US market Atlas to get this feature.
> 
> Meanwhile, I can turn my phone into a personal hotspot and get the kid's tablet online, if they want to watch something online.


greyed out what what point ? mine was greyed out until i configured it.. 
you have click on it and enable it.


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## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

AudiVW guy said:


> Well i finally figured it out and used it..
> basically gave my VW a SSID " VW BEAST MODE" - might change it to VW VIRUS INFECTED lol with a WPA2 password
> 
> then it looks for another wifi signal and then you connect to it and it repeats it.. cool..
> ...





Mitch82 said:


> I haven't really understood the goal of having a hotspot wifi.
> 
> TO replicate a wifi, you need somehow an internet connection somewhere. So, I might have my hotspot on my iPhone turned on. But then, why not connecting directly to that phone ?!
> 
> ...





knedrgr said:


> Could you elaborate on how this was done?


Not to belabor this, but you guys should take a second to look through the forum. This wifi situation has been discussed at nauseam-

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthr...hare-App&p=108714233&viewfull=1#post108714233
https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthr...-hotspot&p=112535851&viewfull=1#post112535851

It is only on the 2018 SEL-Premium, and will be on the 2019 SEL, SEL R-Line, and SEL-Premium. It is called "Media Control with WLAN Module." 

Basically, the media control system is a way that you can connect tablets in the rear to the main head unit via the integrated WLAN module to project movies, see/input navigation information and see/control audio. It was standard in the discover pro system (we do not get this 9.2" system in the USA) and optional in the discover media nav system (this is the 8" top system for VWofA). 

The 9.2" discover pro system has the sim card embedded with the option to get an in car data plan (this is part of the reason it is still n/a in the usa) whereas the 8" discover media system only has WLAN network capabilities, but has no access to the internet unless you tether your cell phone, or use a "carstick LTE" (which is technically not available in the usa although you can purchase it, insert a verizon sim, and create a true hotspot). 

https://shops.volkswagen.com/de_DE/web/zubehoer/p/carstick-lte-000051409e-10


The reason it was included whatsoever in the USA is because before the file sharing laws went into effect in late 2017, VW was planning to tout this Media Control system as their form of a rear seat entertainment system in the USA. When the file sharing laws put a damper on this plan, they just abandoned it as if it never happened. There is a video that shows I am not crazy however: Watch at 1:40.


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## AudiVW guy (Feb 7, 2006)

well that is a nice bonus .. but i like the way i am using it as well.


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## Mitch82 (Oct 15, 2018)

AudiVW guy said:


> it makes perfect sense - you are in a parking lot or in your driveway or on the beach and there is a restaurant with wifi and you want to rebroadcast it to reach you and your devices - many reasons.. My wife has the best yet.. she hates sitting the in the Dojo at karate waiting for our son to finish so she prefers to sit in the car, so now we can re amplify that wifi and use it..


Ok, interesting.
But if you are on the beach, and you want to rebroadcast the signal, can you do that with your car locked and engine turned off (engine or the accessories turned off) ?

When I played with the system, I-ve seen that as soon as I turn off the system, the wifi stopped to be broadcasted. 

This is why I don't understand the feature so far.
Maybe some other features to that that I don't understand yet...
Am I missing something ?


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## Mitch82 (Oct 15, 2018)

Hey ice4life,

Thanks for sharing this.

I didn't know there was such a feature. I just downloaded the app on my iphone. Can't wait to try it...


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## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

Mitch82 said:


> Hey ice4life,
> 
> Thanks for sharing this.
> 
> I didn't know there was such a feature. I just downloaded the app on my iphone. Can't wait to try it...


My favorite feature was that you could look up google destinations and send them to the main headunit just like with the car net app- only much more sophisticated through the media control system.


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## Mitch82 (Oct 15, 2018)

ice4life said:


> My favorite feature was that you could look up google destinations and send them to the main headunit just like with the car net app- only much more sophisticated through the media control system.


I played with the app yesterday. Sounds nice the fact that you can send the destination. I haven't tried yet.

I have not understood how to configure the access rights from the infotainment.
I open the correct app from the menu on it, but shows nothing.

Also, it's only me or the app is not optimized for retina display on iPhones ?
I got the app on the US store.

Thanks


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## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

Mitch82 said:


> I played with the app yesterday. Sounds nice the fact that you can send the destination. I haven't tried yet.
> 
> I have not understood how to configure the access rights from the infotainment.
> I open the correct app from the menu on it, but shows nothing.
> ...


It is designed for ipads/tablets more than it is designed for phones although they do work as well. You need to go in the menu and select "activate data transmission" in order to establish the initial connection between the device and car. I had a hell of a time doing this as the system was updated to delete the media control app by VWofA, however it is still embedded in the system and sometimes shows up.. I would read my whole thread for more info on that. Once it is working, it is really cool. The app even shares the car info like avg mpg, speed etc on the app with the map/music display.


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