Odd that Shaw sold service to you since you are “very rur...

rstra
Grand Master

@GabbyGirl  Odd that Shaw sold service to you since you are “very rural,” they don’t usually allow subscribers from areas that aren’t covered. Anyway, sounds like a cell booster might work for you. Also, I wonder if putting your phone in airplane mode then turning on wifi only would force all calls on to wifi?

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I doubt that, since Airplane mode blocks wifi connections...

GabbyGirl
Grasshopper

I doubt that, since Airplane mode blocks wifi connections. 😕

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Not sure about Android, but iPhone allows you to have air...

rstra
Grand Master

@GabbyGirl  Not sure about Android, but iPhone allows you to have airplane mode and wifi on.

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It appears that my current phone does not. Either way, I...

GabbyGirl
Grasshopper

It appears that my current phone does not. Either way, I don't believe this would remedy the situation. Thank you for your suggestion.

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Here is how I interpret the networks related to my phone....

esperologist
Grasshopper

Here is how I interpret the networks related to my phone.
Cellular : The signal network used for placing wireless phone calls.
Cellular Internet : The signal network used for wireless internet from a cell phone.
Wi-fi : Connecting to a LAN via wireless, like a regular computer.
VoIP : Call service that uses Wi-fi or Cellular Internet to place calls, instead of using the Cellular call layer.
VoLTE : allows VoIP service through some forms of Cellular Internet network.

I have disabled VoLTE.
I have set Wi-Fi calling as the primary option.
I have no idea how to 'disable cellular'. If I turn on airplane mode... oh, now it lets me turn Wi-Fi back on again. I'll test that.

Texting out seems to work. Receiving text seems to work. Can place call out. Stays connected for a long call. I'll try this for a while. Just wish I could put a wi-fi calling button beside the airplane mode button, mainly so I can confirm that is it on without deep digging the settings.

My usual issue is that texts could come through right away... or up to days later. And someone calling may get through... or get a ring, but I don't get a ring on my end... or they get the 'not available'.

Oh... 56 minutes into the call, and it dropped with a boop. Can't call out... it sits for a moment and then boops and tells me to connect to cell or wi-fi. Wi-fi is still connected.
Okay... so... perhaps my issue is not with the wi-fi calling... but with the actual internet router. But, my tethered (Cat6) computer retains internet. Phone still has internet (loaded youtube to confirm). But I can send text message still... and receive. Can't call.

Nope. Just randomly can't make calls anymore. But, if I can still text then at least there is that.
Over 10 minutes of not being able to make or receive calls. Quit testing at this point.

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Summary: Turning on airplane mode and then turning on wi-fi (with wi-fi calling enabled) allows me to send and receive texts... will take time to see if it is reliable. However, calls are still unreliable.

> "do you have a Shaw cable-modem with a good Internet connection?"
Yes, my internet is through Shaw and I would qualify it as a good connection. Some wireless devices struggle when on the fringe where it jumps between the two networks (longer range, or better performance)... but usually fine.

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-- Texting out seems to work.  Sending a SMS uses your ce...

mdk
Legendary Grand Master

@esperologist -- Texting out seems to work. 

Sending a SMS uses your cellular connection, in the same way as dialing a telephone-number uses your cellular connection.

Sending via Apple's iMessage uses "data" over your cellular connection. Hopefully, your cell-phone plan includes "data". If your iPhone has a WiFi connection to your cable-modem, your Internet connection is used to reach Apple's iMessage server.

I am not sure what happens after you enable "WiFi Calling" and try to send a SMS.

Complex!

 

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I am a Freedom Mobile customer and have had similar issue...

nanuuk
Grasshopper

I am a Freedom Mobile customer and have had similar issues now and again. I determined that the WiFi issue was really the result of a poor WiFi signal to various parts of the house.

I resolved this by purchasing (actually it was an X-mas gift from my son) a WiFi mesh system by Eero to extend the range. The system is built to the WiFi 6.0 standard (although I'm sure an earlier gen. would work as well). Each pod is strategically placed throughout the house (upstairs, main floor, basement). Pods can be set up for a 2.4GhZ band (longer range) and a 5.0 GhZ band (shorter range). The 6.0 standard allows for compressed signals thus allowing more devices to be used.

 

So if you are using multiple devices in your house such as smart thermostats or fridges, or multiple tv's, computers, etc. and if you aren't upping your WiFi bandwith from Shaw, then a WiFi 6 solution might work for you.

 

Of course Shaw offers WiFi 6 modems to you now, but typically they only package it with an upgraded service. Similarly the offer their own mesh pods, but for a rental fee. This is why we purchased a system to own.

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-- Shaw offers WiFi 6 modems to you now, but typically th...

mdk
Legendary Grand Master

@nanuuk -- Shaw offers WiFi 6 modems to you now, but typically they only package it with an upgraded service. 

From: https://www.shaw.ca/internet/plans#plansOverview

I see:

Fibre+ 300

  • Up to 300 Mbps download speeds
  • Unlimited data
  • Fibre+ Gateway 2.0 included
  • Connect 8+ devices via WiFi 6
  • Add Shaw Stream for $5/mo

So, can you upgrade to Fibre+ 300, to get WiFi 6 ?

 

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I do not know. I think you can. I am on Fibre 300 using a...

nanuuk
Grasshopper

I do not know. I think you can.

I am on Fibre 300 using an older Gateway XB6 modem. The XB6 is not at the Wifi 6 standard (which is designed to increase capacity and 'increase' speeds via more channels and compression). The mesh/extender system I use is at the Wifi 6 standard and takes the inbound bandwidth and distributes it through out the house at the Wifi6 standard.

Whether you will receive higher speeds is very much dependent on the devices you use. They must be at the WiFi 6 standard to receive those speeds. My cell phones and desk computer are not. My laptop is.

So, to me, it made more sense to purchase a mesh/extender as it is cheaper than renting pods from Shaw (to get a strong signal throughout my house). I made this purchase before Shaw introduced the latest 2.0 modems. A drawback with the older modem is that there are limited USB ports when compared to the newer technology. However the older modem (XB6) had ten antennas verses the 2.0. Frankly I'm not sure what that means, but I suspect it allows for better signal distribution.

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