Help needed pls! 1st Android phone -can't work it! Samsung Galaxy SII

longtimelurker54

Hi,

Have just taken possession of one of these phones moving from a phone from the dark ages. This is my first android phone and having trouble operating it! Is there an idiot's guide anywhere? Was expecting a thick user manual but it is very basic.

First problem is getting the internet. The phone is on 3 network with unlimited data. Yesterday I managed to switch on wifi and get online - could watch BBC iPlayer, load ebay etc. Today nothing. Everything I try it comes up with "no network connection - check your settings".

I have a 3 mobile bband dongle plugged into a laptop and that is connecting fine (using it at the moment to send this message) so I can't understand why the phone won't connect. Please can anyone help or suggest something I could try to get connected on the phone?

Second problem is if you open up something, for example radio player, how do you flick to another screen to do something else, leaving the radio open/running in the background pls?

This phone has a world of possibilities but unfortunately its user is handicapped by an inability to operate it.

Huge thanks in advance if anyone can point me in the right direction so I can play further with my new gadget...

bigdave196

longtimelurker54 wrote: »

First problem is getting the internet. The phone is on 3 network with unlimited data. Yesterday I managed to switch on wifi and get online - could watch BBC iPlayer, load ebay etc. Today nothing. Everything I try it comes up with "no network connection - check your settings".

The first thing to check is that your phone has data connection enabled. Next to the signal meter should be grey square that will have two arrows (one facing up one facing down) on the bottom and either "G", "3G" or "H" above. If you don't see that, press Menu (the button to the left of the square one in the middle, looks like an upside down box with two lines in the middle) then Settings, then Wireless and network then Mobile networks and check that there is a tick next to "Use packet data".

If there is a tick, then press Access Point Names and check that there are appropriate entries in there for 3 and that all the settings are correct (the correct settings can usually be found on the 3 website). If there aren't any entries or the settings aren't correct, you can either enter the settings yourself, or get 3 to send them to the phone for you. Hopefully, this should allow you to use your mobile data

Second problem is if you open up something, for example radio player, how do you flick to another screen to do something else, leaving the radio open/running in the background pls?

This one's easy
Just press the big square button in the middle (called the Home button) to take you back to the home screen, leaving whatever you were doing open in the background. If you want to switch between open apps, press and hiold the Home key to bring up a list of the last 6 opened apps

longtimelurker54

Hi bigdave196,

You are a saviour ... hopefully! Have tried what you suggested and you were right, there was no tick against "use packet data" When I go to select this, to tick it, it comes up with a message:

"Attentionm connecting via packet data may incur additional charges, continue? Yes or No".

Am I correct in assuming that as I'm on the 3 unlimited data package there won't be additional charges so that I'm okay to say "yes" to this?

Thx again

longtimelurker54

I think I love you - thank you so much, after hours of frustrated fiddling your suggestion has worked and I'm back online on the phone again! Is this a setting which I'll need to keep an eye on and change all the time or once it's set is that it?

There's also another option for "data roaming" - should I be doing anything with that at all or is that for when you are abroad roaming?

Apols for the dumbo questions but am a complete newbie when it comes to Android

longtimelurker54

Hi

Back again! I can get online to websites, e.g. ebay, BBC etc. But when I go to BBC iPlayer to try to watch a programme it says:

"Please switch to a wi-fi connection to play this programme".

Why should this be pls - as it worked okay yesterday and I could play TV fine.

The phone alternates between "3G" and "H" in the top bar with the arrows moving up and down, presumably uploading/downloading.

Many thx.

rodenal

The Iplayer app will only let you watch on wifi - if you try the website you should be able to watch iplayer from there on your data connection. Depending where you are though it might not be a very watchable experience

sb2_2

BBC Iplayer forces you to use wifi as a 30 min program could be anywhere between 40-400MB, depending on the quality and also as it needs a good strong connection which 3g doesnt always provide.

Also is the unlimited data truly unlimited?

I Have an 'unlimiited plan' (not on 3) but is restricted to 1GB a month as a 'fair use limit' so I have to keep watch as it gets expensive if you go over.

bigdave196

longtimelurker54 wrote: »

Hi bigdave196,

You are a saviour ... hopefully! Have tried what you suggested and you were right, there was no tick against "use packet data" When I go to select this, to tick it, it comes up with a message:

"Attentionm connecting via packet data may incur additional charges, continue? Yes or No".

Am I correct in assuming that as I'm on the 3 unlimited data package there won't be additional charges so that I'm okay to say "yes" to this?

Thx again

Yep, that's correct, it's only a warning that if you don't have a data package included then you'll be charged. Since you have a data package you shouldn't have to worry about it

longtimelurker54 wrote: »

I think I love you - thank you so much, after hours of frustrated fiddling your suggestion has worked and I'm back online on the phone again! Is this a setting which I'll need to keep an eye on and change all the time or once it's set is that it?

There's also another option for "data roaming" - should I be doing anything with that at all or is that for when you are abroad roaming?

Apols for the dumbo questions but am a complete newbie when it comes to Android

Glad it worked for you, it should be set until you turn it off, but it's usually the first thing to check if you find yourself without a data connection again.

As for the data roaming option, I'd leave that turned very firmly in the off position, like you guessed it's for when your using a network that isn't your own (like when abroad) and if you have it on you're likely to get stung with a very large bill as roaming data usage isn't usually included in the package, there was a thread on here the other day about someone that came home to a £1000 bill for data roaming :eek:

No need to apologise, everyone was new at some point

longtimelurker54 wrote: »

Hi

Back again! I can get online to websites, e.g. ebay, BBC etc. But when I go to BBC iPlayer to try to watch a programme it says:

"Please switch to a wi-fi connection to play this programme".

Why should this be pls - as it worked okay yesterday and I could play TV fine.

The phone alternates between "3G" and "H" in the top bar with the arrows moving up and down, presumably uploading/downloading.

Many thx.

Yep, like others have said, iPlayer can use a lot of data in a very short time, and mobile data speeds are rarely good enough for a good streaming experience, so the BBC quite wisely insist people use wi-fi for it.

Incidentally, if you want to keep an eye on how much mobile data you're using, there's an app on the Market called 3G Watchdog, which includes a handy widget you can stick on your homescreen to monitor how much data your using over 3G (doesn't count wi-fi though)

samba

To watch iplayer over 3G just use http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/bigscreen

Yolina

You can download the full user guide from Samsung's website: http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/detail/supportPrdDetail.do?menu=SP01&prd_ia_cd=1903&prd_mdl_cd=GT-I9100LKAXEU&prd_mdl_name=GT-I9100&srchword=Galaxy+S+II

and they also have a bunch of how-to guides that might help:)

longtimelurker54

Hello,

Just returning here to say many thanks and acknowledge the later messages from yesterday. I will follow all the advice, certainly the Samsung user guides and the 3G watchdog widget thigammy which will all come in very handy. It's a slow old learning process but am really enjoying discovering this phone's capabilities. Still keeping the brick running as a back up until I'm more au fait with it all though!