how do i know if i'm on wifi or using data plan?

When I look at my phone I don't know if it's using the wifi we have or it's using my data plan. When I'm using the wifi at work it shows 'Disconnected to xyz's wifi'. So I know right away to stop using, cause it switched over to my data. I have no idea when I'm here at home. The phone shows the wifi symbol on the left upper corner with a little ? next to the symbol.

Accepted answers

tikibar1

When you're connected to wi-fi, the wi-fi symbol should be visible in the status bar and the 4G symbol grayed out. When you pull down the notification shade and look at the wi-fi quick setting, it should say the name of the wi-fi that you're connected to underneath the button.

Suggestions:

go to Settings > Wi-Fi > tap More in the upper right-hand corner > tap Advanced

then ensure that you have the following turned On:

Show Wi-Fi Pop Up

Wi-Fi Notifications

Keep Wi-Fi On During Sleep

and ensure you have the following turned Off:

Smart Network Switch

And to be on the safe side, you also may want to open the Play Store app, tap the three bars in the upper left-hand corner, scroll down to Settings and tap it, tap Auto-Update Apps, and change it to Auto-Update Apps Over Wi-Fi Only.

All comments

Tidbits

That means wifi nearby and you are not connected to any of them.

tikibar1

Suggestions:

go to Settings > Wi-Fi > tap More in the upper right-hand corner > tap Advanced

then ensure that you have the following turned On:

Show Wi-Fi Pop Up

Wi-Fi Notifications

Keep Wi-Fi On During Sleep

and ensure you have the following turned Off:

Smart Network Switch

SuzyQ

The screenshot below shows both cellular and wifi - the arrows are under the wifi meaning that's where the data is being used; they light up when data is being exchanged. If I was using my cellular connection, the arrows would show under the 4G symbol. If there is a question mark near the wifi, it's not totally connected for some reason - it sees it but needs a login?

dekahorn02

I followed your instructions and looked at SuzyQ's diagram she sent after doing what you said. I'm still seeing the WiFi icon on the left with the '?' next to it and I see under the 4G the arrow up and arrow down going on and off. What I mean by that it's going the colors of white then to grey. Like an on and off switch. Sometimes a second apart and sometimes a minute or more, on or off. So what I tried doing was an App update on for my Facebook. The 4g arrows were off while updating and the icon for wi-fi was there, but with the'?' mark still. Then 4g arrows went on while it was installing. I checked my data usage before and after completing the update. The data usage did go up.

tikibar1

Yep, you're on cellular data and not wi-fi. As noted earlier, it sounds like you have wi-fi nearby but haven't connected for some reason, like maybe a missing password? When you go to Settings > Wi-Fi and ensured it's On, there should be a list of available/nearby wi-fi and if you're connected to one of them, it'll say Connected below that wi-fi name. Since it sounds like you aren't connected, you should just see a list. Tap the name of the wi-fi you want to connect to, enter the password if required, and tap Connect.

dekahorn02

Ok I think I'm starting to figure out what is happening. I was always getting wifi at work cause it was available to sign in there using their password. Now that I'm off for the summer and at home it's not accepting our password we use at home for our Centrylink wifi. I have no problem signing on the wifi with my ASUS Laptop at home. I bought the phone and a tablet the end of August and hardly ever use at home cause I'd get home at 7:00 at night and up at 4:00 and go to work at 5. So now I'm realizing after all this time I can't get on wifi for phone or tablet at home only. I tried signing on to KFC from a parking lot I was parked at and I was able to get on the wifi (no password required).

When I bought the phone and tablet was there something I needed to setup to use our Centrylink wifi at home? What I do at home is click on settings > wifi > my Centrylink7746 > 'CONNECT' > Password pops up for me to enter, I key in our wifi password hit done on the key pad, then it come back and says in red 'Incorrect password'. So did I miss something I have to do on both the phone and tablet to get our homes wifi? The tablet is a Samsung Galaxy Tab S. Phone is a Galaxy S6.

dekahorn02

You asked for a screen shot. I don't know how to do a screen shot.

I was in KFC's parking lot one day and was able to connect my Galaxy S6. Also, when I was working I was able to connect my phone and my Tablet to the work's WiFi with no problems.

dekahorn02

ok, I got the screen shot. Now who do I send it. All I'm doing is using up my Data Usage trying to figure out how this and how that. How can I send the screen shot that's in my phone now? Right now and all the other communications have bene done one my laptop.

Ann154

Sign into the community using the desktop version either on your computer or on the phone and navigate to this discussion thread. Click on the reply button to open a text editor and click on the icon for image (it is in gray on my image below). A dialog will pop up and you can select the screenshot to add to the post.

dekahorn02

as you can see the top area is not completely filled in. I have the image but can't send. Unable to open my gallery

Ann154

Can you send the screenshot to your computer and upload it from there?

dekahorn02

I don't know how to do that. It's in my phone. If I could send it to your email addy I might be able to do it that way. This is coming from my laptop now. It shows all the symbols on top. If you could email to :

[removed] maybe I could reply to your email with the screenshot.

Personal information removed as required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service

Message edited by Verizon Moderator

Verizon_Support

No worries trying to send the screen shot dekahorn02. We want to make sure you are able to connect to the wifi in your home. You mentioned you were able to connect to KFC’s connection that is great. That let’s us know that your phone doesn’t have a problem connecting. It was connect as that was a public connection and no password is needed. You stated your laptop can connect to the wifi at home. Have you changed your password since you established it on your laptop? I recommend changing the wifi password and trying to connect on all devices.

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dekahorn02

Ok, I've been thinking a lot about my issue of not getting on to the WiFi at home. I mentioned I'm able to, 1) get on WiFi using my laptop at home. 2) using KFC public WiFi 3) a work Wifi (using their password) with no problems for both Samsung devices. Well something just clicked in my head earlier and now I will try to explain. When we power up our laptop we do the same thing with our desktop. Which is not on the WiFi, it's uses Ethernet. Well after thinking about what we do at home, I'm realizing now (Breath) we are signing into our SYSTEM with a password and not into the WiFi. The desktop and laptop sign-ins are the same, da, cause it's for the SYSTEM. And that password is not for the WiFi. The next thing I do on the laptop once it's ready, I go to use either Internet Explore or Google Chrome. NO PASSWORD is required. The home WiFi is automatically on for the laptop.

Ok, now when I need to connect to WiFi using the Samsung S6 phone or my Samsung Tablet it shows the same WiFi the laptop uses which is CenturyLink7746 (that's our home WiFi). It has a lock on it on the phone and tablets display for the WiFi's so it is asking for a PASSWORD. I've never had to sign in on the laptop. So are you ready for this?............ How do I find out what the PASSWORD is for both Verizon Samsung Devices? OR, why is it locked requiring a password when the laptop don't need it. Long story, but I think and hope I might get a quick and easy answer from the Community that's been helping me all along.

dexman

Forgive me if this angle was already covered...(the topic is quite lengthy)...is it possible that you are logging in as a guest as opposed to a regular user?

When accessing a WiFi node as a standard user, the devices will store the password for future use. When accessing a WiFi node as a guest, you usually have to manually enter the password every single time.

Ann154

From your computer, you should log into your CenturyLink router and find out the wifi password to allow your devices to access it. While you are in there you should update its firmware, review the router configuration and check to see if you have the MAC address filtering turned on or not.

rcschnoor

dekahorn02 wrote:
Ok, I've been thinking a lot about my issue of not getting on to the WiFi at home. I mentioned I'm able to, 1) get on WiFi using my laptop at home. 2) using KFC public WiFi 3) a work Wifi (using their password) with no problems for both Samsung devices. Well something just clicked in my head earlier and now I will try to explain. When we power up our laptop we do the same thing with our desktop. Which is not on the WiFi, it's uses Ethernet. Well after thinking about what we do at home, I'm realizing now (Breath) we are signing into our SYSTEM with a password and not into the WiFi. The desktop and laptop sign-ins are the same, da, cause it's for the SYSTEM. And that password is not for the WiFi. The next thing I do on the laptop once it's ready, I go to use either Internet Explore or Google Chrome. NO PASSWORD is required. The home WiFi is automatically on for the laptop.
Ok, now when I need to connect to WiFi using the Samsung S6 phone or my Samsung Tablet it shows the same WiFi the laptop uses which is CenturyLink7746 (that's our home WiFi). It has a lock on it on the phone and tablets display for the WiFi's so it is asking for a PASSWORD. I've never had to sign in on the laptop. So are you ready for this?............ How do I find out what the PASSWORD is for both Verizon Samsung Devices? OR, why is it locked requiring a password when the laptop don't need it. Long story, but I think and hope I might get a quick and easy answer from the Community that's been helping me all along.

Actually, you originally typed the password in to your laptop the very first time you connected to your wifi network. The laptop automatically saves it and then you do not have to type it in each subsequent time. The wifi network is asking for the same password in order for your Samsung cellular devices to log into the wifi network. This is either a password you set up or is the default password for your wifi router. It appears the wifi network name is CenturyLink7746 which is likely the default wifi network name which was on the router when installed by your CenturyLink broadband provider. If you did not change the default network name, it is also likely you did not change the default password. The default password may be listed on the back of your wifi router(I know it is on the back of my Verizon Fios wifi router). Otherwise, you will need to log into your CenturyLink account in order to retrieve your wifi password. You may also be able to call CenturyLink and ask them for it.

dekahorn02

OMG! 1000 x's. All this time I was trying to sign in using our system password that we use for the desktop and laptop.

I found the sticker on my router and keyed in the KEY/PASSPHRASE number Century Link has. That now gives me access to the Wi-Fi on both my cell phone and my tablet. I turned them off and on several times to make sure it still worked and it did. All's it took was that passphrase one time to enter.

Thank you all for putting up with me and never once gave up.

cliffwoman

I checked the phone and both the Wi-Fi and Cellular icons had blinking arrows underneath them. The Cellular icon only had the upward pointing arrow blinking the Wi-Fi had both arrows blinking. ???

Verizon_Support

Hi, cliffwoman. Know if your using data or Wi-Fi is important. Do not worry, we'd be happy to help address your questions and concerns. To best assist, I'd like to gather some information. What is the make and model of your phone? Are you worried about using too much data? Are you having any trouble with either Wi-Fi or Cellular data?

GinaU_VZW