HELP HELP VIOFO 139a jams my cell phone

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Rivertenderrivertender

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Had my 139A pro installed 3 weeks ago.

Been riding around with the Viofo...........unpluggeed ever since.

Why?

When the Viofo is turned on, it PREVENTS my cell phone from connecting to the internet.

Is this normal ?

Given there is Z E R O customer service fron VIOFO, I had to send an email to them. They wrote back and said to turn off my vpn on the phone and turn it in in the VIOFO. Each time? Once and done? No clue - they didn't say. Sounds to me like they are guessing.

I am ready to send it back to Amazon, but I have gut feeling there is a simple fix.

Appreciate any help.


Many thaniks.
 
Is the WiFi on the camera always on? If so, turn it off (which is the recommended setting while driving). That may just fix your issue. Let us know.
 
Using a 70mai system i just noticed that when connected to that camera ( using both BT and WIIFI as they need that ) well i can not go online and browse the internet using my mobile data for some reason.
I have to admit i find that peculiar, CUZ the camera are not using mobile data.

Like old eastsider say, we should not be connected to the camera while driving, i also just do so to generate MAX heat, just like i will have the LCD on always during testing, that is if i can some brands do not allow for the LCD to be on always.

I have not noticed this before but it is probably the same with any brand, i just got bored while in the carwash, and wanted to read the news, but was not able to when connected to the camera.
 
As @OldEastSider said + I'm guessing the cause of your issue is that phone remembers the WiFi and automagically connects to it, but you don't have enabled option for the phone to use WiFi and cellular connection simultaneously.
 
Rivertenderrivertender said:
Had my 139A pro installed 3 weeks ago.

Been riding around with the Viofo...........unpluggeed ever since.

Why?

When the Viofo is turned on, it PREVENTS my cell phone from connecting to the internet.

Is this normal ?

Given there is Z E R O customer service fron VIOFO, I had to send an email to them. They wrote back and said to turn off my vpn on the phone and turn it in in the VIOFO. Each time? Once and done? No clue - they didn't say. Sounds to me like they are guessing.

I am ready to send it back to Amazon, but I have gut feeling there is a simple fix.

Appreciate any help.


Many thaniks.
Click to expand...
The WiFi on our camera is just access to connect the camera to your phone, it is not really LTE. To enter the live view after connecting to the WiFi, you need to disable the VIOFO app from accessing the cellular data on your phone. Here are details explaining this: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/articles/19000127932-why-can-not-i-use-the-viofo-app- If you have remembered the WiFi of our camera, your phone may connect to it in priority. So it is better to turn off the wifi when you don't need it. Besides, it will also bring more heat with the wifi turning on all the way.
 
Rivertenderrivertender said:
When the Viofo is turned on, it PREVENTS my cell phone from connecting to the internet.

Is this normal ?
Click to expand...
Yes. Your cell phone connects wirelessly using one or other of wifi or your mobile network. With wifi switched on the Viofo behaves as a wifi hub so if your phone is set to auto-connect, your phone will connect to it, but as it has no internet connection all you can do is took at stuff locally on the Viofo. If you disable auto-connect to the Viofo on your phone, or disable wifi on the Viofo, then your phone will work fine with its normal mobile connection. I think a more intuitive approach would be for the phone to act as a hotspot when on mobile, and for the Viofo to connect to it. Then you could use the internet and see Viofo stuff at the same time. But setting that up is fiddly.
 
I know probably the entire world always have wifi - BT and GPS on, me i turn those on when needed.
I was not aware if there was a toggle for the APP permissions regarding cellular data, i will have a look at that for sure.
 
rozwell said:
As @OldEastSider said + I'm guessing the cause of your issue is that phone remembers the WiFi and automagically connects to it, but you don't have enabled option for the phone to use WiFi and cellular connection simultaneously.
Click to expand...





I am pretty limited when it comes to understanding the, for me, exotic science around these dash cam devices.

I am eager to try your fix.

Can you explain it differently and a little more plainly?

Appreciate any help you can give.
 
majones said:
Yes. Your cell phone connects wirelessly using one or other of wifi or your mobile network. With wifi switched on the Viofo behaves as a wifi hub so if your phone is set to auto-connect, your phone will connect to it, but as it has no internet connection all you can do is took at stuff locally on the Viofo. If you disable auto-connect to the Viofo on your phone, or disable wifi on the Viofo, then your phone will work fine with its normal mobile connection. I think a more intuitive approach would be for the phone to act as a hotspot when on mobile, and for the Viofo to connect to it. Then you could use the internet and see Viofo stuff at the same time. But setting that up is fiddly.
Click to expand...




First of all........ouch. This is normal? Hooo boy. Didn't know that when I bought into the A139 Pro.

My limited abiliuty of all things dashcam understands:

..........i need to disconnect auto connect on my phone - not sure where this is on my phone - but each time I get in the car or is thnis a permenent thing to do?

........I need to disable the wifi on the Viofo. Again - this is each tome or a permenent adjustment. If I disable this, then I would only need to turn it on when I want to see what the camera has captured? This sounds like a beter solution for me.

Am I geting the above correct?


Yeah......no..........not capable of fiddly - hah ha


Thanks.
 
VIOFO-Support said:
The WiFi on our camera is just access to connect the camera to your phone, it is not really LTE. To enter the live view after connecting to the WiFi, you need to disable the VIOFO app from accessing the cellular data on your phone. Here are details explaining this: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/articles/19000127932-why-can-not-i-use-the-viofo-app- If you have remembered the WiFi of our camera, your phone may connect to it in priority. So it is better to turn off the wifi when you don't need it. Besides, it will also bring more heat with the wifi turning on all the way.
Click to expand...



The WiFi on our camera is just access to connect the camera to your phone, it is not really LTE.

...........................have no idea what LTE is




To enter the live view after connecting to the WiFi, you need to disable the VIOFO app from accessing the cellular data on your phone. Here are details explaining this: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/articles/19000127932-why-can-not-i-use-the-viofo-app-


.......................oy. I am supposed to or can understand these instructions? I am a retired salesman in Florida, not a candidate for the Geek Squad's next hiring round. Sorry, but this A139 Pro has brought a fair amount of stress into my life...you know...$350.00-ish for the 139 and the wire harness, another 200.00 to install it beautifully and now I am possibly looking at ripping it out of the car and sending it back to Amazon.


If you have remembered the WiFi of our camera,

.....................remembered on my phone?
.....................remembered on the viofo app?

your phone may connect to it in priority.


So it is better to turn off the wifi when you don't need it.

........................so -----when I get in the car I need to turn the wifi off EACH time I use the car and then turn it back on when I exit the car? Yes? Really?


Besides, it will also bring more heat with the wifi turning on all the way.

............................with all due respect ---not my problem.



Let me ask you something. The model down from the A139, the A229? Does the A229 ELIMINATE all the wifi/remembering wifi/LTE etc and just put what the camera sees onto a chip? If so, that eliminates all these exoticly complicated fixes recommended here.........yes?

Here is what I am looking for:

..............I get in the car
..............the dashcam turns on by itself
..............I am not required to turn anything on or off - phone or dashcam
..............I am not required to adjust any of the settings on my phone that allow it to perform its job as a phone...to accommodate the A139
.............I live my life normally in the car listening to whatever I want on the internet via my phone bluetoothing to the car radio
.............the dashcam requires nothing of me to do or turn on or anytjing when I am using my car
.............the dashcam will provide video data when I need it via its chip and I guess a chip reader?
.............I finish driving and exit the car - nothing required to turn off or on on my phone or on the dashcam
I am getting the feeling the A139 Pro can't perform like what I am outlining above........yes?

Does the A229 perform as I outlined above?

Given the myriad of solutions offered here, it appears the A139 Pro is incapable of doing its job quietly in the background and does require some measure of fiddling with the phone or the dashcam or both each time I use the car...............................unacceptable. Too, it also appears that I have to modify or possibly reduce my phone's capability to prevent the A139 Pro from BLOCKING my phone's access to the internet.

Thanks for your help on all this. I had no idea the complexity arena I was stepping into.
 
Last edited:
Rivertenderrivertender said:
Here is what I am looking for:

..............I get in the car
..............the dashcam turns on by itself
..............I am not required to turn anything on or off - phone or dashcam
..............I am not required to adjust any of the settings on my phone that allow it to perform its job as a phone...to accommodate the A139
.............I live my life normally in the car listening to whatever I want on the internet via my phone bluetoothing to the car radio
.............the dashcam requires nothing of me to do or turn on or anytjing when I am using my car
.............the dashcam will provide video data when I need it via its chip and I guess a chip reader?
.............I finish driving and exit the car - nothing required to turn off or on on my phone or on the dashcam
Click to expand...
Although I am a bit nerdy and fiddle with things, that is now precisely my use case.

Simply turn off the wifi on the camera (meaning if the blue wifi light is on, press the wifi button for 15s until it goes off; or if the blue wifi light is off, then don't do anything). Then the camera just works and your phone just works on its network. The two work totally independently of each other.

Probably you should switch on the Viofo wifi when you first get it and connect to it to set up some details as that is the only way to override the default settings, but I'm not sure that is strictly necessary.
 
kamkar said:
I know probably the entire world always have wifi - BT and GPS on, me i turn those on when needed.
I was not aware if there was a toggle for the APP permissions regarding cellular data, i will have a look at that for sure.
Click to expand...
It's not in the App settings. It's in the phone's wifi settings so that the phone recognises not to automatically switch to that SSID (wifi name). You can still switch to it manually if you want.
 
I know, my phone want to do that too, but i do not allow it.
For the wifi whores it is probably a must have addition.

BTW all 3 APPS i have on my phone ( 70mai - Vantrue and vifo ) All had mobile data hogged too, so i uncheked those but have not yet tested if i now are able to browse internet while connected to camera, but i will test that later.
 
majones said:
Although I am a bit nerdy and fiddle with things, that is now precisely my use case.

Simply turn off the wifi on the camera (meaning if the blue wifi light is on, press the wifi button for 15s until it goes off; or if the blue wifi light is off, then don't do anything). Then the camera just works and your phone just works on its network. The two work totally independently of each other.

Probably you should switch on the Viofo wifi when you first get it and connect to it to set up some details as that is the only way to override the default settings, but I'm not sure that is strictly necessary.
Click to expand...



OK

Thuis I understand. Goping out now in the car..............will see if the blue light is on. I am hoping it is.......so I can turn it off.
 
Yes

Wifi always on the dashcam is useless because a) if you connect to it to check live stream it will be chopped and b) do you want to check on your footage (which disables recording) while you driving?

I only enable WiFi on the dashcam when I want to review settings or download a video. Then I disable it again
 
Rivertenderrivertender said:
The WiFi on our camera is just access to connect the camera to your phone, it is not really LTE.

...........................have no idea what LTE is




To enter the live view after connecting to the WiFi, you need to disable the VIOFO app from accessing the cellular data on your phone. Here are details explaining this: https://support.viofo.com/support/solutions/articles/19000127932-why-can-not-i-use-the-viofo-app-


.......................oy. I am supposed to or can understand these instructions? I am a retired salesman in Florida, not a candidate for the Geek Squad's next hiring round. Sorry, but this A139 Pro has brought a fair amount of stress into my life...you know...$350.00-ish for the 139 and the wire harness, another 200.00 to install it beautifully and now I am possibly looking at ripping it out of the car and sending it back to Amazon.


If you have remembered the WiFi of our camera,

.....................remembered on my phone?
.....................remembered on the viofo app?

your phone may connect to it in priority.


So it is better to turn off the wifi when you don't need it.

........................so -----when I get in the car I need to turn the wifi off EACH time I use the car and then turn it back on when I exit the car? Yes? Really?


Besides, it will also bring more heat with the wifi turning on all the way.

............................with all due respect ---not my problem.



Let me ask you something. The model down from the A139, the A229? Does the A229 ELIMINATE all the wifi/remembering wifi/LTE etc and just put what the camera sees onto a chip? If so, that eliminates all these exoticly complicated fixes recommended here.........yes?

Here is what I am looking for:

..............I get in the car
..............the dashcam turns on by itself
..............I am not required to turn anything on or off - phone or dashcam
..............I am not required to adjust any of the settings on my phone that allow it to perform its job as a phone...to accommodate the A139
.............I live my life normally in the car listening to whatever I want on the internet via my phone bluetoothing to the car radio
.............the dashcam requires nothing of me to do or turn on or anytjing when I am using my car
.............the dashcam will provide video data when I need it via its chip and I guess a chip reader?
.............I finish driving and exit the car - nothing required to turn off or on on my phone or on the dashcam
I am getting the feeling the A139 Pro can't perform like what I am outlining above........yes?

Does the A229 perform as I outlined above?

Given the myriad of solutions offered here, it appears the A139 Pro is incapable of doing its job quietly in the background and does require some measure of fiddling with the phone or the dashcam or both each time I use the car...............................unacceptable. Too, it also appears that I have to modify or possibly reduce my phone's capability to prevent the A139 Pro from BLOCKING my phone's access to the internet.

Thanks for your help on all this. I had no idea the complexity arena I was stepping into.
Click to expand...
Deeply apologize for the vague words. To make it more clear for you, there is no need to let the wifi on all the time. When you need to change the settings or playback the videos, you can turn on the wifi and connect it to your camera. And it is better to turn it off at other times to avoid interference or more heat.
 
There is a couple challenges here I would like to address. 1. I have noticed almost everytime there is an update on Viofo app on my phone it turns cellular data back on. SO much so I had to make a video on YouTube about it.

I do believe Wi-Fi should automatically be defaulted to off when you get in the vehicle as well. Due to the fact of all the other issues. There is also more issues I am currently investigating and talking to engineering about as well.
 
I just found out, that turning off cellular data for the 70mai and vantrue apps under APP permissions in the phone, well that render the APPs useless as they can not connect to the cameras then.

Mind you with cellular data back on for the vantrue APP it running in the background i was able to use my browser at the same time and look at the news while in the car washing machine.
Not sure how it is with the 70mai APP, but as i have turned back on cellular data i assume i again can not use browser with the 70mai APP in the background, but i forgot to test that just now but thats was how it was before i turned off cellular data.
 
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