Finding a wifi connection in remote location

twopenny

I have the net turned off on my phone.

However when the car broke down in the middle of Exmoor and I rang the AA they kept sending me texts with What 3 Words which I couldn't open.

Question is, if I go away from houses and turn on the wifi will it pick up networks available (this is what happened in the early days of phones) and I could select one.

Can I then download the What3words app (think I have to sign into Google? so will need my password) and having done that can I just turn off wifi and the app will stay on the phone presumably.

The idea is that should I break down or break a leg on the moor I can switch on wifi and use the app.

Would this work?

Can't do it from home as it picks up the local internet companies for each house.

PS The guy from the AA was brilliant and found me on a map in about 30secs wherever he was in the country but I may not be in such a distinctive place next time.

Bradden

Cold you just turn on mobile data and use that when you are out?

oldernonethewiser

You could download the App over mobile data if you have that facility switched on.

If you search for WiFi and there is some public, ie not secured, available you could use that to download the App.

I don't understand why you can't use your home internet to download onto your pone.

oldernonethewiser

I doubt there would be any wifi anywhere on a remote moor but you never know.

Do you mean you want to be able to use data when out and about, if so you would most likely want to have "mobile data" switched on

Murmansk

Can't you just connect to the Internet on your phone via the mobile phone network? Finding a mobile phone network connection in a remote place might be a challenge however - but a FAR greater challenge would be finding a connection via wi-fi in a remote place!

twopenny

I didn't know there was a difference between just getting a wifi signal and mobile data.

I thought the mobile data charge just kicked in when you switched the wifi on.

Yes, it will be interesting to check where there is wifi signal around here. But to be honest I was amazed I could use the phone there.

It really is hit and miss in my territory. Used to be went on a journey and the texts would come though in a bunch as you arrived somewhere there was a signal but there's been a lot more  coverage for emergency services.

I guess I wasn't sure if I downloaded it at home, switched off the wifi and then tried  to find a signal in the wilds if the app would still be available to me and usable.

Frankly a whistle or personal alarm is the usual go to  but that won't get the car going

facade

Do you not have wifi of your own at home?

The Plan is you set the 'phone to never, never, never use mobile data except when you enable it in a dire emergency (because it is 1p a megabyte, which sounds cheap, but isn't) but to connect to wifi when available, which is free (as long as you don't start buying stuff), download what 3 words at home and it is ready for your next breakdown.

oldernonethewiser

You are getting confused between wifi and mobile data.

Wifi has nothing to do with mobile data.

If you can use wifi for free that's good.  Some places have wifi that you need to pay for.

If you want to connect to the internet when out and about or where there is no wifi then you need to have mobile data enabled.

savergrant

twopenny said:

I didn't know there was a difference between just getting a wifi signal and mobile data.

I thought the mobile data charge just kicked in when you switched the wifi on.

Yes, it will be interesting to check where there is wifi signal around here. But to be honest I was amazed I could use the phone there.

It really is hit and miss in my territory. Used to be went on a journey and the texts would come though in a bunch as you arrived somewhere there was a signal but there's been a lot more  coverage for emergency services.

I guess I wasn't sure if I downloaded it at home, switched off the wifi and then tried  to find a signal in the wilds if the app would still be available to me and usable.

Frankly a whistle or personal alarm is the usual go to  but that won't get the car going

Hi. Think of WiFi as free Internet, it allows your phone to access the Internet through your home broadband or a public broadband like a supermarket. You can download the app for free over WiFi. However for the app to work it will need to connect to the Internet when you launch it, so you will need to turn on mobile data (provided and charged by your network) when you launch the app. This will be a small amount of Internet data. If you are in a very remote location you may not have phone reception so it is not guaranteed.

twopenny

OK...yes I have connected to my home wifi so that's a start.

I've found 'Mobile Data. Enable data access over mobile network'

and 'Data roaming Connect to data services when roaming'

and 'Network mode CSM/WCDMA (auto mode)

and 'Network operators Select a network operator'

It's probably better to ask you than state my guesses as to what is what

And thank you all for the help and keeping it very clear.

I used to be the wizz at tech when it all started and at work but now I'm more sunsets and bird song as are most of the people around me so no help.

victor2

If you install What3words then it's on your phone and will give a location without a data connection using the phone's GPS position, assuming it has that capability. Emergency services will use it, as well as rescue services like the AA. 
A friend recently reported an incident to the police and they asked him if he had What3words to pinpoint his location. He did, and from the reference he gave them, they knew exactly where he was.