Wifi hotspot through AT&T

[scottharris]

Stop functioning...I would be lucky if it worked when I drove it off the lot. It never worked from day one I feel like it is a total gimmick

Likewise, and I’m furious about it. It was one of the selling points for me and would’ve been a dealbreaker had I known the vehicle didn’t have Wi-Fi.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Can't use the phone as a hotspot?
I dislike vehicle-based wifi because it's stuck in whatever technology existed when it was built. When it breaks - then what?
So 6G comes out - then what? People trade phones pretty frequently - willing to rip into a vehicle to swap out the wifi technology? Home routers are constantly changing as well............ a 2 year old router is getting very old. Ya want 5 year old wifi and cell technology in a vehicle?

 

[sharpsicle]

Can't use the phone as a hotspot?
I dislike vehicle-based wifi because it's stuck in whatever technology existed when it was built. When it breaks - then what?
So 6G comes out - then what? People trade phones pretty frequently - willing to rip into a vehicle to swap out the wifi technology? Home routers are constantly changing as well............ a 2 year old router is getting very old. Ya want 5 year old wifi and cell technology in a vehicle?

I relate to this sentiment a lot. I have wi-fi in the truck, but it's a hotspot powered by USB. That way I can remove it if I ever want to, or replace it if I ever want an upgrade. I never saw the value to over-integration like this, especially when you're tied to a carrier that you may or may not want to use. I for one hate AT&T.

The wi-fi is handy for sure, but I would instead suggest putting in a separate unit behind the glove box and wiring it in for power. That gives you freedom of choice in carrier and the ability to change/upgrade later on.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I relate to this sentiment a lot. I have wi-fi in the truck, but it's a hotspot powered by USB. That way I can remove it if I ever want to, or replace it if I ever want an upgrade. I never saw the value to over-integration like this, especially when you're tied to a carrier that you may or may not want to use. I for one hate AT&T.

The wi-fi is handy for sure, but I would instead suggest putting in a separate unit behind the glove box and wiring it in for power. That gives you freedom of choice in carrier and the ability to change/upgrade later on.

That's even better - for those who need connectivity fairly regular.
Me - it's my phone. I don't really need internet in the truck very often.
If I have my tablet for some reason and it can't get connection (and it's pretty weak in that respect), I turn on the BT tethering on my phone. I've done that for my Chromebook as well.

But a hotspot wired in would be pretty cheap, and an easy upgrade down the road.

 

[Mbryson]

I use my Jeep to get AWAY from cell signal. I realize that other folks are different. I'm an IT professional and it's nice (maybe even mandatory for sanity) for me to unplug and not be available. I'm personally very hesitant to buy vehicles with heavy tech (good luck avoiding that) due to what I get to deal with every day. There's a bit of a beauty in KISS (keep it simple stupid) that is lost on almost all new vehicles. You get into the higher trim levels on any brand and you have an electrical/electronics nightmare.

I'm OK with telling my kids they'll have to live without InstabookTok for 2-3 hours of travel time. It's good for them to be unplugged and deal with the analog world. YMMV (and I may get flamed for posting this up?)

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