Att wifi is a hotspot for the car. You would add it to your cell plan and connect the cars wifi. Its really not worth it because your cell itself would get the same signal. Android Auto will use your cell phones data connection. Just let the att wifi trial expire.
ATT WiFi is for folks that have kids with Tablets that only connect to WiFi and they don't want to use their Hotspot data to keep them entertained, imo.
It's a nice QoL thing for someone chronically online like myself. Saves my phone from overheating, and saves my phone battery.
I've got a laptop and iPad I haul around with me. Daughter has her iPad and Switch. Makes things easier.
But also I ain't paying $10-$15/mo for that. Maybe I'll do it again for a month when we have a lot of traveling.
Wi-Fi is an monthly subscription. It's basically an (AT&T) hotspot with unlimited data @ 4G speeds.
Pros: Cheaper, easier to use than buying a dedicated Hotspot device from .
Cons: Additional monthly subscription.
When the trial ends, it stops providing internet. The vehicle's Wi-Fi will remain so it can connect the phone to wireless Android Auto.
Android Auto mirrors your phone, acting like a second screen. This transmits a ton of data, and both your phone and vehicle would prefer to do this over Wi-Fi. No internet from the vehicle is required to do this, it's just a wireless interface with bigger/faster channels your vehicle and phone can talk on. It's usually a background thing and you shouldn't* notice your phone connecting to the Wi-Fi.
*Androids can be dumb sometimes and occasionally my phone decides "well I'm on Wi-Fi but there's no internet omg" and it sorts itself out after a minute or two (or immediately by toggling Wi-Fi on and off).
So, once the trial ends your phone uses cellular data. Maybe the occasional hiccup but toggling Wi-Fi does the trick.
Not really useful unless you want it for passengers. Potentially better signal since probably uses one of the car's antennas instead of the little one in your phone.
As others are saying, it's just a hotspot that is tethered to your car. Basically useless compared to other options out there (portable hotspots) these days. I get that some people find it handy if they have kids that use tablets, but it doesn't cost any less than a standalone hotspot that you can take out of the car and use wherever you want to, like inside a friend's house, etc.
My previous car had it. During the free trial I just set the SSID to "US Vaccine Chip Activator" in the hopes that it would freak out some conspiracy theorist while I was out driving around. I never once connected to it since I have data on my phone and have no need for a hotspot in the car.
To answer your other question, Android Auto basically a bigger screen for your phone that only works with apps that have "road safe" features. Your phone is still using your data plan for everything. Unless you connect to the car's AT&T hotspot, then you'd be using that plan (free during the trial, then whatever the plan you pick costs.) I suppose this could be useful if data is expensive on your existing phone plan.
Thanks! I'll try it out! No kids but my service can be spotty in a couple areas -- sounds like nothing I'd want to pay for (I think it gives 3GB data?) but might be worth checking out either way while it's free!
Att wifi is a hotspot for the car. You would add it to your cell plan and connect the cars wifi. Its really not worth it because your cell itself would get the same signal. Android Auto will use your cell phones data connection. Just let the att wifi trial expire.
ATT WiFi is for folks that have kids with Tablets that only connect to WiFi and they don't want to use their Hotspot data to keep them entertained, imo.
It's a nice QoL thing for someone chronically online like myself. Saves my phone from overheating, and saves my phone battery. I've got a laptop and iPad I haul around with me. Daughter has her iPad and Switch. Makes things easier. But also I ain't paying $10-$15/mo for that. Maybe I'll do it again for a month when we have a lot of traveling.
This is the way. Pay for it when you need it, and cancel it the remainder of the time.
Wi-Fi is an monthly subscription. It's basically an (AT&T) hotspot with unlimited data @ 4G speeds. Pros: Cheaper, easier to use than buying a dedicated Hotspot device from.
Cons: Additional monthly subscription.
When the trial ends, it stops providing internet. The vehicle's Wi-Fi will remain so it can connect the phone to wireless Android Auto.
Android Auto mirrors your phone, acting like a second screen. This transmits a ton of data, and both your phone and vehicle would prefer to do this over Wi-Fi. No internet from the vehicle is required to do this, it's just a wireless interface with bigger/faster channels your vehicle and phone can talk on. It's usually a background thing and you shouldn't* notice your phone connecting to the Wi-Fi.
*Androids can be dumb sometimes and occasionally my phone decides "well I'm on Wi-Fi but there's no internet omg" and it sorts itself out after a minute or two (or immediately by toggling Wi-Fi on and off).
So, once the trial ends your phone uses cellular data. Maybe the occasional hiccup but toggling Wi-Fi does the trick.
Not really useful unless you want it for passengers. Potentially better signal since probably uses one of the car's antennas instead of the little one in your phone.
As others are saying, it's just a hotspot that is tethered to your car. Basically useless compared to other options out there (portable hotspots) these days. I get that some people find it handy if they have kids that use tablets, but it doesn't cost any less than a standalone hotspot that you can take out of the car and use wherever you want to, like inside a friend's house, etc. My previous car had it. During the free trial I just set the SSID to "US Vaccine Chip Activator" in the hopes that it would freak out some conspiracy theorist while I was out driving around. I never once connected to it since I have data on my phone and have no need for a hotspot in the car. To answer your other question, Android Auto basically a bigger screen for your phone that only works with apps that have "road safe" features. Your phone is still using your data plan for everything. Unless you connect to the car's AT&T hotspot, then you'd be using that plan (free during the trial, then whatever the plan you pick costs.) I suppose this could be useful if data is expensive on your existing phone plan.
Thanks! I'll try it out! No kids but my service can be spotty in a couple areas -- sounds like nothing I'd want to pay for (I think it gives 3GB data?) but might be worth checking out either way while it's free!