There's been some chatter on the RX board about the embedded AT&T wi-fi signal lately shutting itself off upon turning off the car and needing to be reset upon restarting the vehicle (and sometimes doing it while the engine is running). I am noticing that on both our 2021 RX and our 2021 LC 'vert. The systems had been stable - on and ready when the ignitions were turned on - but not so much lately. Anyone else?

 

you pay for the in car hot spot? i just don't see any value in it.

 

I didn't even know that there was the availability of an in-car hot spot in our LC's. I wouldn't pay for it, or even use it - but cool to know.

 

Hard to imagine a scenario where that would have a benefit. Maybe in a soccer mom’s van full of kids.

 

We live in and travel through semi-rural and rural areas in which Internet and cell services can be spotty - and these areas also seem to be magnets for hurricanes. The more networks we can access, the better. Having AT&T in the cars adds a network to our capabilities - and the wi-fi comes in handy when the grandkids (and wife) otherwise would be burning through cell time. For $200 a year, we're glad to have it as a backup.

 

understood. "burning through cell time" made me chuckle as just about every plan is unlimited these days.
what carrier are you phones using?

 

SAME!!!

 

Yeah, heard someone say they were waiting to get to wifi to open a message. Same thought, what carrier is that? Are they broadcasting from 2012?

 

i'm not sure what you're referring to because i get that people have coverage issues today, all over. not everyone is in good coverage areas.

and redhot's idea of having another carrier available if the one redhot is using isn't good is not a bad idea.

but 'burning through cell time' is not typically an issue today.

 

When you skeptics have grandkids who discover online videos and have parents who put them on shared family plans (as marketed by Verizon and others), you might be singing a different tune.

https://www.verizon.com/support/shar...S%3D1632449538

 

Are the antennae, electronics such that reception of signal in fringe areas is better through a car’s onboard system than our phones, tablets?

Meaning that the car could help me all by myself have a better signal?

 

it should because the car's antenna is outside while the tiny phone is inside the metal car!

 

I'm not an engineer, but I also think it's possible, given the larger antenna and other equipment (we have found the in-car wi-fi signal to be quite robust, after we make sure the system is on). In our case, as stated, the main attractions are wi-fi connect-ability for the grandkids and wide access to a network (AT&T) in addition to the networks we already have access to (Sprint/T-Mobile phones and Verizon iPads).

 

when you said burning through cell time, i thought you meant 'minutes' (calls) but you're talking about data. yes, those 'shared' plan prices stink plus only make sense if all the devices involved are using cellular data (not wifi). plus as you know, kids will burn through 5gb or 10gb in no time.

obviously for a family including all the kids to all individually have cellular data all the time, it's gonna be $$$.

fyi, verizon has a little known service called visible (visible.com) that is unlimited everything and as little as $25/mo. (INCLUDING fees and taxes) when you have a group setup as a 'party'.

i've been on visible for a couple of years. i turn on phone's hotspot if i need internet on my ipad for example.

for more of a discount ($5 first month for example), use this link https://www.visible.com/get/wJwJR

 

I have the same problem in my 21 rx 450h. WIFI turns itself off sporadically, it's no supposed to do that according to the docs.