User profile for user: Bucht
Bucht Author
User level: Level 1
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How to enable iPhone to use cellular data when connected to AppleCar play over Wifi

My car has Apple CarPlay and it is more convenient to connect to it via WiFi than the cable. The problem is that my iPhone then assumes that this will provide internet connectivity when the car network does not provide it.


what can I do to have my phone use cellular internet connectivity via 3G when it is connected to CarPlay via WiFi?


I already have set settings/mobile service/wifi assist to ON.


thanks in advance for reading this and suggesting an idea.

iPhone 14 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on Sep 27, 2024 11:46 AM

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User profile for user: KiltedTim
KiltedTim
User level: Level 10
224,352 points

Posted on Sep 27, 2024 12:34 PM

I’m confused about how you’re connecting it.

The way wireless carplay works is the phone connects to Bluetooth, which then tells it to negotiate a WiFi connection with the head unit. The phone then uses cellular data for internet access and WiFi to talk to the head unit. Note that you do NOT join the phone to the cars WiFi network, This is different.


When connected to wireless CarPlay, if you were to look at the status in control center, the WiFi icon will be White.


If you’ve joined the car’s WiFi network, and it’s connecting to CarPlay, it probably believes the car should be providing data services that you have not actually subscribed to.


Forget the WiFi network. Forget the car in Bluetooth and WiFi settings. Remove the phone from the head unit.

reboot both the phone and the head unit.


Pair the phone with the head unit using Bluetooth. If it supports wireless carplay, it should prompt you and ask if you want to use wireless CarPlay.


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User profile for user: KiltedTim
KiltedTim
User level: Level 10
224,352 points

Sep 27, 2024 12:34 PM in response to Bucht

I’m confused about how you’re connecting it.

The way wireless carplay works is the phone connects to Bluetooth, which then tells it to negotiate a WiFi connection with the head unit. The phone then uses cellular data for internet access and WiFi to talk to the head unit. Note that you do NOT join the phone to the cars WiFi network, This is different.


When connected to wireless CarPlay, if you were to look at the status in control center, the WiFi icon will be White.


If you’ve joined the car’s WiFi network, and it’s connecting to CarPlay, it probably believes the car should be providing data services that you have not actually subscribed to.


Forget the WiFi network. Forget the car in Bluetooth and WiFi settings. Remove the phone from the head unit.

reboot both the phone and the head unit.


Pair the phone with the head unit using Bluetooth. If it supports wireless carplay, it should prompt you and ask if you want to use wireless CarPlay.


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User profile for user: Bucht
Bucht Author
User level: Level 1
145 points

Sep 28, 2024 3:56 AM in response to KiltedTim

Thanks Tim, that really helped. I digged into the MMI (Audi onboard IT) settings and discovered an option to provide internet connectivity once connected to wifi and this somehow had become activated.


The issue is that Audi tries to sell its customers internet access from the car so one needs to 1) disable in the MMI settings the option to use internet connectivity when the phone is connected AND 2) every time the phone connects to the MMI (onboard system) click to acknowledge that the car does not provide internet connectivity (as if this was a RISK that it needed to warn drivers ;-)


A real pain which I guess some è’’!(çè’ç » thought would increase data revenue for Audi without taking into account long term customer disappointment….

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How to enable iPhone to use cellular data when connected to AppleCar play over Wifi

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