Columbus WLAN and data services

[drewellis]

Hi all, wondered if someone could shed some light on this for me, it is doing my head in. I have a 2016 l&k with the Columbus nav system (standard one, No sim card slot).

 

There is a function listed called WLAN, but it does nothing useful as far as I can tell. Apparently you can use it to play media - fair enough, but I'm not bothered about that. The manual says that you can use it to connect a phone so that the Columbus system has a data connection (I.e. internet) but explains nothing more. Is it to connect to live traffic? System updates? What?

I can connect the cars WLAN to my phones mobile hotspot, but then nothing is possible lol...

 

The manual also states that the car can broadcast a Wi-Fi hotspot itself, but I guess this is useless without the sim card slot because the manual says you cannot use WLAN and hotspot at the same time (although you actually can, but it doesn't work properly)

 

The last thing I am really confused about with this WLAN thing is that the manual goes on about Bluetooth data connections using rSAP and some other method using a mobile hotspot enabled phone, but doesn't tell you how to choose which method you want to try - I've never seen rSAP before in any options including Bluetooth setup etc so I guess this is dependent on the phone I'm using?

 

Sorry this is long winded but any info would be greatly appreciated, I hate to think I'm missing out on a potentially useful feature.

 

p.s my car doesn't have smart gate or skoda connect or any of that new connected services malarkey, not sure if that makes a difference

[MaddicIrl]

11 hours ago, drewellis said:

Hi all, wondered if someone could shed some light on this for me, it is doing my head in. I have a 2016 l&k with the Columbus nav system (standard one, No sim card slot).

 

There is a function listed called WLAN, but it does nothing useful as far as I can tell. Apparently you can use it to play media - fair enough, but I'm not bothered about that. The manual says that you can use it to connect a phone so that the Columbus system has a data connection (I.e. internet) but explains nothing more. Is it to connect to live traffic? System updates? What?

I can connect the cars WLAN to my phones mobile hotspot, but then nothing is possible lol...

 

The manual also states that the car can broadcast a Wi-Fi hotspot itself, but I guess this is useless without the sim card slot because the manual says you cannot use WLAN and hotspot at the same time (although you actually can, but it doesn't work properly)

 

The last thing I am really confused about with this WLAN thing is that the manual goes on about Bluetooth data connections using rSAP and some other method using a mobile hotspot enabled phone, but doesn't tell you how to choose which method you want to try - I've never seen rSAP before in any options including Bluetooth setup etc so I guess this is dependent on the phone I'm using?

 

Sorry this is long winded but any info would be greatly appreciated, I hate to think I'm missing out on a potentially useful feature.

 

p.s my car doesn't have smart gate or skoda connect or any of that new connected services malarkey, not sure if that makes a difference

The Connect services use a separate sim which you don't get access to, only through the Connect App or the buttons on the ceiling so this works pretty much independently from the WLAN functions of the car.

 

My system is Amundsen but there should be some similarities. Turn on tethering (Personal Hotspot on iPhone) on your mobile, go to hotspot settings on your infotainment and connect your infotainment system to your personal hotspot. Once connected this will give your WLAN access to the internet, which you can connect the kids devices to, etc. it also brings the SAT NAV to life in terms of announcements for road works, etc (even if you don't have SAT NAV displayed or a destination set), the online services should also work (if available in the main menu of the infotainment).

 

I mainly use the data connection to download destinations I have sent to the car via the connect app, much easier to enter on a mobile, if your SATNAV under destinations, has an online option then there must be another way to do this without connect. Other uses, tomorrow I have a 5 hour round trip (a date with Taylor Swift), I have the tablet holder for the rear centre arm rest and the tablet connected to the cars WLAN and to the cars bluetooth, using my phone as internet access, my young passengers can stream their Spotify playlists (I am guessing Taylor Swift ) through the cars speakers. I already know this is a bad idea just don't know how bad, yet!

 

rSap is for Columbus system, the manual seems to suggest that is only for connecting a mobile phone for internet access (using bluetooth rather than wifi) and only if it has the sim module but I'm sure about this.

[MaddicIrl]

Wrote the above from memory, just checked and the menus are little confusing as it calls everything a hotspot a some point, in WLAN Settings, WLAN is to connect to your personal hotspot (e.g. Phone) and Hotspot is the cars wifi settings. Probably obvious once you get in there but for clarity thought I would mention it.

[Ivan8192]

Hi Drew,

 

rSAP is a mechanism whereby the Columbus system with SIM slot can piggyback on your phone’s SIM instead of putting a separate SIM in the Columbus slot.

 

I’ve not got the SIM slot. So I’m left with being able to:

 

- connect the car to home WiFi to get a data connection

- connect the car to phone WiFi hotspot to get a data connection

- connect the car to phone via USB to get a data connnection

 

The car can then create its own in-car WiFi hotspot that passengers can connect to, and all the data they desire will go through however connected above. (I am not sure if the last option actually gives this, got a vague recollection that as well as connecting the phone via USB, for CarPlay for example, I also had to do the phone WiFi hotspot for passengers to get a data connection via the car - in which case they may as well just have connected to the phone.)

 

Anyway, is it useless? I have only used it to update maps without faffing with SDCards. The other “apps” are a bit poor. And it will do better mapping taking account of current conditions but I tend to use Apple Maps rather than the car nav.

 

Regards,

Ivan. 

[drewellis]

Thanks for the replies, I didn't think you could update the nav in this way. I wondered if the nav was better online too for traffic info etc.

 

I've done the hotspot thing a few times but it never works for me (only ever worked once) - those connected to the cars hotspot can't get a data connection even though the car is connected to my hotspot on my phone. May as well just connect them all directly to my phone lol 

[drewellis]

Update: just tried doing an update via my home Wi-Fi. Columbus connected to the WiFi fine, but failed to update, saying there was no media connected or available data.

 

Whilst it was connected to the house I configured the WLAN and broadcast a Wi-Fi hotspot from the car, got several devices to connect fine but none of them had an internet connection.

 

This is how it's been since I bought the car so I think it's time to get to Skoda and ask what's wrong with it....

 

As I said mine does not have the sim card slot, so if what I am experiencing is normal please point it out before I rage at the service desk 

[syanide]

On 16/06/2018 at 19:19, drewellis said:

Update: just tried doing an update via my home Wi-Fi. Columbus connected to the WiFi fine, but failed to update, saying there was no media connected or available data.

 

Whilst it was connected to the house I configured the WLAN and broadcast a Wi-Fi hotspot from the car, got several devices to connect fine but none of them had an internet connection.

 

This is how it's been since I bought the car so I think it's time to get to Skoda and ask what's wrong with it....

 

As I said mine does not have the sim card slot, so if what I am experiencing is normal please point it out before I rage at the service desk 

My query was identical to the OP. I'm very technical, but the manual seems to have been translated via a game of Chinese Whispers. It's shocking! I too have no SIM card slot Sonam bemused as to what the WLAN Client feature and WLAN Hotspot feature is .I will play about and see if I can shed more light 

Edited 20 October, 2018 by syanide
Correction

[xman]

WLAN client feature = media command, remote operation by back seat passengers using their phones+media command app

 

WLAN Hotspot is tethering via WiFi. It becomes a WiFi router for your passengers to use up your data allowance. Requires mobile data connection via a sim if you have that or connected phone.

Edited 20 October, 2018 by xman

[drewellis]

On 20/10/2018 at 11:32, xman said:

Requires mobile data connection via a sim if you have that or connected phone.

This is the bit I don’t get. I do not have a SIM card slot. But I still have the WLAN feature. So what’s it for? 

 

I have tried the the following on numerous types of mobile phone and it never works:

 

1) turn on mobile hotspot on mobile phone

2) on Columbus, find the mobile hotspot network and connect the car to it 

3) use the WLAN feature in Columbus to emit a second mobile hotspot (this time from the car)

4) connect other devices to the network emitted by Columbus, which should be using the internet connection provided by the mobile phone hotspot network mentioned in step 1. 

 

The above is how other people have described how they use WLAN, but no matter which devices I use, it NEVER works for me and I don’t really understand the point in it, why not just connect your additional devices straight to the mobile phone hotspot?

[xman]

No phone hotspot required.

 

First pair your phone by bluetooth (turn it on). It is picked up automagically by Columbus. First time connection will require confirmation on your phone and Columbus. Make sure all the correct boxes are ticked in the Columbus menus under settings. Then Columbus takes over your phone sim.

 

Not entirely certain, but then actual phone calls and mobile data (if enabled in the settings menu) is done through the cars antenna (better signal). Bluetooth supplies phone book, media access etc

 

From then on pairing is done automatically every time you enter the car with your phone.

 

Enable WLAN on columbus to give a local WiFi router that uses your phone sim for the internet connection, so the kiddies in the back can surf on their tablets using your data plan.

Edited 23 October, 2018 by xman

[drewellis]

2 minutes ago, xman said:

No phone hotspot required.

 

First pair your phone by bluetooth (turn it on). It is picked up automagically by Columbus. First time connection will require confirmation on your phone and Columbus. Make sure all the correct boxes are ticked in the Columbus menus under settings. Then Columbus takes over your phone sim.

 

Not entirely certain, but then actual phone calls and mobile data (if enabled in the settings menu) is done through the cars antenna (better signal). Bluetooth supplies phone book, media access etc

 

From then on pairing is done automatically every time you enter the car with your phone.

 

Enable WLAN on columbus to give a local WiFi router that uses your phone sim for the internet connection, so the kiddies in the back can surf on their tablets using your data plan.

Aaaah maybe I’ve been trying this from the wrong angle. I thought you had to effectively create 2 mobile hotspots, one from the phone and then another from the Columbus (with the Columbus connected to the internet via the phone hotspot)

 

I’ll give this a shot later today - do you know if it should work ok with an iPhone 8? 

 

Thanks 

[xman]

1 minute ago, drewellis said:

do you know if it should work ok with an iPhone 8?

 

Indubitably! 

[rtj70]

But you can only use the Bluetooth rSIM profile to connect to the SIM in the mobile if you have the Columbus head unit in the glove box with a SIM card slot. Current cars have that but older cars only had that as an option. So mine from 2017 does not have it for example.

[drewellis]

29 minutes ago, rtj70 said:

But you can only use the Bluetooth rSIM profile to connect to the SIM in the mobile if you have the Columbus head unit in the glove box with a SIM card slot. Current cars have that but older cars only had that as an option. So mine from 2017 does not have it for example.

Yeah, mine has no sim slot. I tested it today connected to my car via Bluetooth, and it still didn’t work. Same symptoms - additional device connected to the Columbus hotspot ok but said “no internet connection”

 

So.....back to my original thought - why the heck does my car have mobile hotspot ability built in? It literally does nothing!

[rtj70]

Because if you had the SIM slot you could create a hotspot.

[drewellis]

6 minutes ago, rtj70 said:

Because if you had the SIM slot you could create a hotspot.

That’s stupid don’t you think? Why enable the feature if it doesn’t do anything lol

[rtj70]

The Infotainment system comes in two parts - the unit in the dash and the unit in the glovebox. We're missing the version in the glovebox with the SIM cars slot. The unit in the dash is the same so the option is there.

[drewellis]

4 minutes ago, rtj70 said:

The Infotainment system comes in two parts - the unit in the dash and the unit in the glovebox. We're missing the version in the glovebox with the SIM cars slot. The unit in the dash is the same so the option is there.

Yes, it’s the same dash unit but cars without a camera in the windscreen for example don’t have TSR or HBA options in the menus...

[JR RS]

5 hours ago, drewellis said:

That’s stupid don’t you think? Why enable the feature if it doesn’t do anything lol

 

scenario 1 - taxi driver.
i'm a taxi driver who would like to offer "free wifi" to passengers when they're travelling in my car.  so i have the Columbus connected to my phone or 4G dongle (for the internet connection), and make the Columbus Hotspot available to the passengers.

this way, my phone is "protected" as the passengers don't connect to it directly.

passengers r happy, and impressed with the extra class of service offered in the Superb.

 

scenario 2 - parent with kids on a road trip

as above, instead of my 3 young kids connecting each of their phones/tablets to my phone's hotspot, then can connect to the Columbus hotspot.  that way each time they jump in the car, its automatically connects.

but in this scenario, being my own kids - there is really no added benefit.  they could hotspot to the 4G dongle, or my phone directly.

 

[Ivan8192]

2 hours ago, JR RS said:

 

scenario 1 - taxi driver.
i'm a taxi driver who would like to offer "free wifi" to passengers when they're travelling in my car.  so i have the Columbus connected to my phone or 4G dongle (for the internet connection), and make the Columbus Hotspot available to the passengers.

this way, my phone is "protected" as the passengers don't connect to it directly.

passengers r happy, and impressed with the extra class of service offered in the Superb.

 

scenario 2 - parent with kids on a road trip

as above, instead of my 3 young kids connecting each of their phones/tablets to my phone's hotspot, then can connect to the Columbus hotspot.  that way each time they jump in the car, its automatically connects.

but in this scenario, being my own kids - there is really no added benefit.  they could hotspot to the 4G dongle, or my phone directly.

 

 

Scenario 3 - kids in the back want to play Minecraft together, they can do that via the Columbus Hotspot without needing to get to the internet.

 

It is a real shame that the Columbus can't use the network connection available from a phone when plugged in via USB, I guess these different functions (USB/CarPlay/Android Auto and WiFI) within the Columbus unit simply aren't designed to integrate together.

[drewellis]

12 hours ago, JR RS said:

 

scenario 1 - taxi driver.
i'm a taxi driver who would like to offer "free wifi" to passengers when they're travelling in my car.  so i have the Columbus connected to my phone or 4G dongle (for the internet connection), and make the Columbus Hotspot available to the passengers.

this way, my phone is "protected" as the passengers don't connect to it directly.

passengers r happy, and impressed with the extra class of service offered in the Superb.

 

scenario 2 - parent with kids on a road trip

as above, instead of my 3 young kids connecting each of their phones/tablets to my phone's hotspot, then can connect to the Columbus hotspot.  that way each time they jump in the car, its automatically connects.

but in this scenario, being my own kids - there is really no added benefit.  they could hotspot to the 4G dongle, or my phone directly.

 

Does your car have a SIM card slot? If not, mine must be faulty as I’ve never ever been able to get it working as you’ve described. 

[JR RS]

5 hours ago, drewellis said:

Does your car have a SIM card slot? If not, mine must be faulty as I’ve never ever been able to get it working as you’ve described. 

 

Nope, no SIM card on mine.

 

If I did have a SIM card, then I won't need to connect the Columbus to an internet source (phone or 4g dongle) as it would have it's own source.

 

With a built-in SIM, It would simply b a matter of ensuring the Columbus hotspot is on for other devices to connect to it.

[drewellis]

5 minutes ago, JR RS said:

 

Nope, no SIM card on mine.

 

If I did have a SIM card, then I won't need to connect the Columbus to an internet source (phone or 4g dongle) as it would have it's own source.

 

With a built-in SIM, It would simply b a matter of ensuring the Columbus hotspot is on for other devices to connect to it.

Thanks. Can I ask what phone you have? And do you connect the Columbus to your phones mobile hotspot or just via Bluetooth?

[syanide]

5 minutes ago, drewellis said:

Thanks. Can I ask what phone you have? And do you connect the Columbus to your phones mobile hotspot or just via Bluetooth?

I plan on playing with the various options tomorrow. No SIM card on mine either. I plan on :

1. Connecting Phone (Android) via cable

2. Activating WiFi hotspot on my phone. 

3. Looking for my phone's hotspot on Columbus.

4. Assuming above works, will try to update Nav firmware.

5. Again, if 4 works, I will then activate WIFI Hotspot on Columbus.

6. Then try and connect other handsets to Columbus WiFi (and hence use my Androids data).

 

fingers crossed.

 

 

[drewellis]

1 minute ago, syanide said:

I plan on playing with the various options tomorrow. No SIM card on mine either. I plan on :

1. Connecting Phone (Android) via cable

2. Activating WiFi hotspot on my phone. 

3. Looking for my phone's hotspot on Columbus.

4. Assuming above works, will try to update Nav firmware.

5. Again, if 4 works, I will then activate WIFI Hotspot on Columbus.

6. Then try and connect other handsets to Columbus WiFi (and hence use my Androids data).

 

fingers crossed.

 

 

I’d be very interested to hear how you get on. I’ve tried exactly that procedure many times but no joy. Step 4 always fails, it just comes up with an error message like “no media inserted” or similar. Step 6 always fails, other handsets connect fine to the Columbus WiFi but they always say “no internet connection”

 

I took a photo of the result but ignore the misleading name of my Columbus WiFi hotspot lol..... I think the Premium WLAN is the one with a SIM card which I do NOT have, so I’ll have to rename it!