Bluetooth & WIFI connectivity for CarPlay

[K9Pyro]

Possibly a dumb question. I've had my GTi 8.5 since the end of January, connectivity between iPhone and car seems to be via just WIFI, as if I switch off WIFI on my phone, carplay disconnects. Now, my issue, it came with an eSim installed and I'm sure the salesman said I have a free SIM connection for 2 years, like the VW connect, but that doesn't seem to be true as if I go into the eSim settings its asks me to pay for a SIM 'package'

My issue is that as the phone connects vis WIFI the apps, like WAZE, Google Maps, Apple Maps & Music don't work in the car, I think this will be because the eSIM isn't connected so gets no service but the phone, being connected via WIFI trys to use the WIFI to work, which it cant. If I stop, switch off the cars WIFI hotspot & eSIM the phone and apps work as they should on the phone but not via carplay, as the WIFI is off and CarPlay has disconnected.

Am I just being dumb here, or am I being forced to sign up to an eSIM package (that I thought I had anyway) just to make CarPlay functional?

Advice would be great@ 

[HBW13]

Can only give info on an android phone but principal the same.
My phone connects both WiFi and Bluetooth
So that android auto (has Waze, WhatsApp, Spotify) all play via that and the WiFi side updates the maps for traffic/police/accidents etc

Try turning your WiFi off and connect via Bluetooth only see what options that gives you?

[JoeGTI]

Possibly a dumb question. I've had my GTi 8.5 since the end of January, connectivity between iPhone and car seems to be via just WIFI, as if I switch off WIFI on my phone, carplay disconnects. Now, my issue, it came with an eSim installed and I'm sure the salesman said I have a free SIM connection for 2 years, like the VW connect, but that doesn't seem to be true as if I go into the eSim settings its asks me to pay for a SIM 'package'

My issue is that as the phone connects vis WIFI the apps, like WAZE, Google Maps, Apple Maps & Music don't work in the car, I think this will be because the eSIM isn't connected so gets no service but the phone, being connected via WIFI trys to use the WIFI to work, which it cant. If I stop, switch off the cars WIFI hotspot & eSIM the phone and apps work as they should on the phone but not via carplay, as the WIFI is off and CarPlay has disconnected.

Am I just being dumb here, or am I being forced to sign up to an eSIM package (that I thought I had anyway) just to make CarPlay functional?

Advice would be great@ 

CarPlay (wireless) does use your phone's WiFi connection yes. But once connected, your apps such as Maps, etc should work absolutely fine, assuming your phone has a decent cellular (3G/4G) connection. Its your phone's cellular connection that is used for data once connected to CarPlay, not the eSIM in the car.

The car's eSIM is only used for the car's built in stuff, things you'll probably never/rarely use at all, like Internet radio or the built in Spotify app.

[fredgroves]

The car's eSIM is only used for the car's built in stuff, things you'll probably never/rarely use at all, like Internet radio or the built in Spotify app.

Well its also used by the car for map updates, built in sat nav traffic updates and whatever the stupid VW app is called too (for locking doors etc) but all of that is free for the first three years.

But internet radio, Alexa and other crap needs a paid for internet service.

For CarPlay it needs none of any of this. Your phone just connects to the head unit (using wifi) but thats not the same as a general wifi connection.

[Monkeymagik]

Picked my car up today and connected the phone via Bluetooth only and CarPlay works fine.

[fredgroves]

Picked my car up today and connected the phone via Bluetooth only and CarPlay works fine.

Yeah it does the initial handshake using Bluetooth then triggers a WiFi connection for the main data exchange. That's how it works.

[Royle92]

Possibly a dumb question. I've had my GTi 8.5 since the end of January, connectivity between iPhone and car seems to be via just WIFI, as if I switch off WIFI on my phone, carplay disconnects. Now, my issue, it came with an eSim installed and I'm sure the salesman said I have a free SIM connection for 2 years, like the VW connect, but that doesn't seem to be true as if I go into the eSim settings its asks me to pay for a SIM 'package'

My issue is that as the phone connects vis WIFI the apps, like WAZE, Google Maps, Apple Maps & Music don't work in the car, I think this will be because the eSIM isn't connected so gets no service but the phone, being connected via WIFI trys to use the WIFI to work, which it cant. If I stop, switch off the cars WIFI hotspot & eSIM the phone and apps work as they should on the phone but not via carplay, as the WIFI is off and CarPlay has disconnected.

Am I just being dumb here, or am I being forced to sign up to an eSIM package (that I thought I had anyway) just to make CarPlay functional?

Advice would be great@ 

Hi mate. I’m having exactly the same issue. Have you managed to get it sorted? Have had the car for 2 months been fine, did a trip to Scotland and this happened to me on the way back. Haven’t been able to connect now for 4 days. Can’t use Waze, Apple Maps, Spotify etc. I’m also convinced this is something to do with the ‘free’ 2 year data plan which presumably uses the ‘esim’ integrated into the car.

[fredgroves]

Don't connect your phone to the car wifi...

Just use bluetooth

[Royle92]

Don't connect your phone to the car wifi...

Just use bluetooth

Yes but issue is as stated originally, do that and it won’t connect to Car Play. This is the problem.

[fredgroves]

Don't connect your phone to the car wifi...

Just use bluetooth

Yes but issue is as stated originally, do that and it won’t connect to Car Play. This is the problem.

You don't need to connect your phone to the car's wifi for carplay to work. You connect it to bluetooth and the head unit connects the phone via wifi during the bluetooth handshake - which is different to connecting it to the car wifi.