Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

Are you manually opening Wifi Buddy each time? Once the auto-connect is set up, it works in the background. Only trying to use the map and the full list of hotspots nationwide would require data.

You can manually connect to a VM hotspot by using the connection list. I've just used it to manually connect to a nearby VM SH3 hotspot labelled "Virgin Media". Didn't need to use WiFi buddy for that.

In theory I could buy a cheap PAYG VM smartphone(£25 total), install an app on it, and get a free internet connection to my PC via a neighbour without them being involved. Useful to know if my connection went down.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

When I connect to a VM hotspot I don't use up my Vodafone mobile data..

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

I never open VM WiFi, just let it do its thing in the background

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

So is it actually Wifi Buddy that using is the data? If it is, there seems to be another connection managers available that will do the same thing.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

As discussed the Virgin Media WiFi app will only use data when it needs to show the map.

It'll do this over whichever data connection is currently active.

Once your device is configured there is no need to regularly run the Virgin Media WiFi app, but it does need to remain installed in case the SSIDs or security certificates need updating for the service.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

I don't have a mobile internet device as such, just a WiFi tablet. I started up WiFi buddy and it loaded the map and the list of hotspots. I then disconnected WiFi access(aeroplane mode), and then started WiFi buddy up again and it still displayed the map. What it couldn't do is overlay the map with the hotspots because that list isn't cached.

Is that a tweak needed for the app? 1) to cache the list and 2) to have an option to only update the list using WiFi.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

The first one I supposed it depends how far people move around. There would have to be a cache limit, and then would the whole cache need to be updated next time the app had a data connection? Do you risk making the data usage higher because of the cache then an immediate feed?

For the second option, I suppose it could be something added as a choice. However you can end up a in a Catch-22 i.e. to use the map to find a location with WiFi, you need a location with WiFi to use the map.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

The list won't change that much from week to week and an incomplete list is better than no list.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

I suppose, but for an area you have already cache'd then you'd probably know the locations already.

Where you need the map is in a new area where you may not have a map downloaded, so the locations list wouldn't help over a blank location. I also don't know whether the location list first needs the map and location to work.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

y'all keep banging on about maps, the o/p used 10MB in a day and travelled 5 miles.

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

We keep on going on about the maps, as that's the only thing in the the Virgin Media WiFi set up that would use data on an ongoing basis.

The app does two things:

1. Configure the device for WiFi access. After first setup this doesn't use any data
2. Display maps for the hotspot locations. This uses data

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

well I never look at the maps, and don't travel around much, yet used 100MB in 20 days, so I beg to differ

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

How do you it is WiFI buddy using up the data?

Re: Wifi Buddy using lots of Data
 

attached is an image of my data usage, the removed app at top was VM Wifi, from the day in question