Q800PRO unable to connect via hotspot (Android)

[howpocra]

I am able to connect to the Q800PRO via WiFi, but not via mobile hotspot. The hotspot is provided by an Android device.

I am following the procedure in the Thinkware Cloud app to 'connect via hotspot'.

When registering the hotspot for the "first" time (I have tried this several times by re-setting the app), the app requires to connect to the camera's WiFi ("Thinkware_..."), which I can do without problem. Then the app prompts to turn on the mobile hotspot. The app recognises the hotspot being on and prompts to enter hotspot name and password. Once done, it says 'please wait until the dash cam is connected', but after approx. 1 minute this times out and a message is displayed: 'Failed to connect to the network. Set the dash cam to AP mode, connect to it using the WiFi menu on your mobile device, and try again'.

Once the hotspot and its credentials have been saved, the app no longer asks for connection to the WiFi, and I can go straight to 'connect via hotspot', but again the connection procedure times out after searching for the hotspot for approx. 1 minute.

I know the hotspot works because I can connect to it with other devices, but not with the Q800PRO, it seems.

Q800PRO
Firmware: v.1.03.02
App: v.4.3.29
Android v.11

 

[EijiS]

Maybe it's an android thing. Maybe some settings on the hotspot is not compatible with Q800Pro. It works on my iphone. Or what you can do it grab your SD card and open it in your computer with thinkware app. Try inputting the SSID and password there

 

[RedHotRiplets]

Mine only connects to my Android hotspot when I have the option to Extend Compatibility on. That setting is under the hotspot. What sucks is that when I enable that, my Bluetooth continually connects and disconnects from my car, so audio and phone calls constantly switch between car audio and phone...so it's not practical at all. My dashcam will not connect to my hotspot if I leave that option toggled off.

 

[EijiS]

I wonder why that is. Probably it's android's hotspot problem. I have in car wifi hotspot, wifi hotspot, it connects. Is your hotspot ssid hidden? My in car wifi ssid was hidden and my dashcam could not connect to it, but when it's not, I have no problem.

 

[RedHotRiplets]

My SSID is not hidden. I will give it a shot on the iphone and see what the behavior is, but it might be something with Androids hotspot, which seems weird. I need to look further into what the "extend compatibility" actually does to get a better understanding.

 

[howpocra]

I need to look further into what the "extend compatibility" actually does

'extend compatibility' was introduced with Android 12. Toggling it ON switches the hotspot AP frequency band to 2.4GHz only, for backward compatibility.

The frequency band used with this toggle OFF depends on the Android device you have. If your device supports WiFi 6E, it will be 6GHz, otherwise 5GHz.

(To confirm, and there is a lot about this online, if your device supports 6GHz, eg Pixel 6, you cannot create a 5GHz hotspot.)

The corresponding setting in Android 10 (and before) was called 'AP band'. It was a radio button (mutually exclusive) choice between '2.4GHz' and '5GHz', with '2.4GHz' being the default.

In Android 11, the options were re-ordered and renamed to '5GHz preferred' and '2.4GHz', with '5GHz preferred' being the default.

(Phone manufacturers that design custom UIs might have renamed the 5GHz option, eg in Samsung's One-UI it was titled 'Use 5GHz band when available'. Asus' Zen-UI had 3 options, 'Both', '5GHz' and '2.4GHz', with 'Both' being the default.)

In any case, and crucially, with the introduction of Android v11 it was decided to prioritize the higher frequency band for faster transmission speeds and less interference.

-----

I am currently awaiting feedback from Thinkware regarding this, but I suspect their dashcams use the 2.4GHz frequency band to communicate with the hotspot.

When I changed my hotspot setting (Android v11) from '5GHz preferred' to '2.4GHz', the camera was able to connect to the hotspot straight away without any problem.

This would also explain #RedHotRiplets' experience, no connection unless 'extend compatibility' (ie force to use 2.4GHz band) is toggled ON.

 

[howpocra]

I am currently awaiting feedback from Thinkware regarding this, but I suspect their dashcams use the 2.4GHz frequency band to communicate with the hotspot.

feedback from Thinkware:

The F800pro and Q800pro only support 2.4Ghz WiFi.
The U1000 supports both.
Upcoming models will also support both.

 

[RedHotRiplets]

'extend compatibility' was introduced with Android 12. Toggling it ON switches the hotspot AP frequency band to 2.4GHz only, for backward compatibility.

The frequency band used with this toggle OFF depends on the Android device you have. If your device supports WiFi 6E, it will be 6GHz, otherwise 5GHz.

(To confirm, and there is a lot about this online, if your device supports 6GHz, eg Pixel 6, you cannot create a 5GHz hotspot.)

The corresponding setting in Android 10 (and before) was called 'AP band'. It was a radio button (mutually exclusive) choice between '2.4GHz' and '5GHz', with '2.4GHz' being the default.

In Android 11, the options were re-ordered and renamed to '5GHz preferred' and '2.4GHz', with '5GHz preferred' being the default.

(Phone manufacturers that design custom UIs might have renamed the 5GHz option, eg in Samsung's One-UI it was titled 'Use 5GHz band when available'. Asus' Zen-UI had 3 options, 'Both', '5GHz' and '2.4GHz', with 'Both' being the default.)

In any case, and crucially, with the introduction of Android v11 it was decided to prioritize the higher frequency band for faster transmission speeds and less interference.

-----

I am currently awaiting feedback from Thinkware regarding this, but I suspect their dashcams use the 2.4GHz frequency band to communicate with the hotspot.

When I changed my hotspot setting (Android v11) from '5GHz preferred' to '2.4GHz', the camera was able to connect to the hotspot straight away without any problem.

This would also explain #RedHotRiplets' experience, no connection unless 'extend compatibility' (ie force to use 2.4GHz band) is toggled ON.

Good information here, and sounds spot on. Unfortunately when I have Extend Compatibility enabled, it causes my Bluetooth connection to constantly drop and reconnect to my car, so listening to Spotify or on a phone call, cuts in/out. My phone is the Pixel 5. Unfortunate that this device doesn't support 5GHz.

Sounds like a bug with Android unrelated to Thinkware, but it's caused by the Hotspot/Extend Compatibility being enabled. If that's disabled, the Bluetooth dropping stops. Another issue I need to troubleshoot now. Also, the Android Thinkware Cloud app doesn't work when trying to configure the hotspot initially, had to use an iPhone to set it up, then create the hotspot on my Android.