Hi, there. 

 

I have a Superb 2017, delivered in September 2016.

 

I have a question about the Columbus infotainment system. 

 

When I ordered the car it was an option if I would have a SIM card slot. I did not choose that. However there is still possible to connect the car to a WiFi. I might use my iPhone, and connect the Columbus to the 4G. 

 

When I have connected the Columbus there is an icon beside the clock that indicates it is a WiFi connected infotainment.

And when I connect with the CarPlay it appears a 4G icon.

Look at the pictures.

 

Does anybody know why this is possible?

What good can I do with that, and how?

The 4G in the first pic is just showing that your phone has a 4G signal currently, rather than a connection your car has to the internet. 

 

You can’t connect the car to your phone’s mobile data through CarPlay - CarPlay requires a physical connection and the WiFi connection to your phone only works wirelessly. 

 

More annoyingly, with an iPhone every time the car disconnects from your hotspot (when you turn off the ignition) it won’t automatically connect again, you have to go into personal hotspot on the phone and connect through the infotainment. This is a design of iOS and to my knowledge there is nothing that can be done about it. 

 

An alternative would be to buy a 4G dongle with a data plan, the car should then stay connected to that whenever you turn the ignition on. This would then allow passengers to connect to your car for WiFi access (I think Columbus allows this). 

 

At at least that’s to the best of my understanding, may be some slight differences compared with my VW Discover system. 

14 hours ago, maffyou said:

phone has a 4G signal currently

Thanks I didn’t know. 

 

14 hours ago, maffyou said:

This would then allow passengers to connect to your car for WiFi access (I think Columbus allows this). 

Yes, the Columbus does. I have done that. I parked my car home, and connected the Columbus to my WiFi at home. I then connected my iPhone to the hotspot, Columbus. It worked. 

 

My question is:

Is this all that it is good for?

What else is the reason for connecting the Columbus to WLAN?

Why is it possible?

Not sure about the Columbus, hopefully someone with a Superb can confirm. On VW Discover you can use an Internet connection to get updated traffic information to the sat nav, send destinations to the car from your phone when not in the vehicle, access some other functions like weather, and also download updates and data to the navigation too. Probably some other bits I’m forgetting. 

Yes, @maffyou, I can get traffic information. 

 

My Superb is build late summer 2016. It is MY17. There is no option for weather, and a little too early for Skoda Connect app.

 

I have tried to use the WLAN for updates, however, the Columbus is trying to look for updates just in the CD and SD-slots.

Sorry, can’t really help as I’ve never owned the Columbus. Hopefully someone else here can help you 👍

8 hours ago, EspenSolgaard said:

Thanks I didn’t know. 

 

Yes, the Columbus does. I have done that. I parked my car home, and connected the Columbus to my WiFi at home. I then connected my iPhone to the hotspot, Columbus. It worked. 

 

My question is:

Is this all that it is good for?

What else is the reason for connecting the Columbus to WLAN?

Why is it possible?

 

 

The idea is to do the opposite to what you did.

 

You connect a 4g dongle / your phone to the car then share that data connection via WiFi to other devices in your car e.g some tablets for your passengers / kids in the back so they can watch cat videos.

Yes, I have heard someone say that, @Aayjayarr.

However, I can already do that with my iPhone. The kids can connect their tablets or phones directly to my phone and use the WiFi from my phone, if they don’t have their own WiFi. 

 

There is is no need for a dongle. 

 

I think there have to be something else it is useful to. It is Simply Clever, isn’t it?

I've got a Superb with the same Columbus.

 

The WLAN feature on a car like ours with no sim card slot is basically just a massive waste of time. I looked into it a couple of years back and even Skoda didn't know wtf it was for!

 

Cars with SIM slot can get proper traffic data, weather?, and share WiFi for passengers.

Cars without SIM slot can get basic traffic data (useless), no weather, and can share a WiFi network for passengers with no internet connection (useless).

 

I was told that the WLAN and wireless hotspot features were not designed to work together, mine never has - if I connect the car to a wireless network such as my home broadband or mobile phone hotspot, I literally can't do anything with that connection. No live traffic/weather. Sharing it out by using the hotspot feature means that yes, passengers can connect to it but there is never a data connection. 

 

Edit:

The only thing it might be there for is the Skoda Media Command app which lets passengers control the media system from a smartphone/tablet.

I believe this connection has to be via WiFi, but would only work on cars with the (useless) Media command feature added as an option!

Edited 1 August, 20196 yr by drewellis
note at bottom

2 hours ago, drewellis said:

Cars with SIM slot can get proper traffic data, weather?, and share WiFi for passengers.

Cars without SIM slot can get basic traffic data (useless), no weather, and can share a WiFi network for passengers with no internet connection (useless).

 

But if you connect your car to a 4G hotspot, you would get all those same features, right? That’s how it goes with my VW Discover system. 

30 minutes ago, maffyou said:

But if you connect your car to a 4G hotspot, you would get all those same features, right? That’s how it goes with my VW Discover system. 

I assume not, only because I’ve connected mine to a working connection and did not receive these services.

Nothing in the menu for live traffic / weather. 

Nothing in my manual either. 😞

Oh that sucks!

By connecting to the car's WLAN, u can launch the MySkoda app to see additional info...

 

 

 

But yes, otherwise the WLAN feature is useless.

14 hours ago, JR RS said:

the WLAN feature is useless.

 

21 hours ago, drewellis said:

basically just a massive waste of time.

 

Ok. Thanks...

Then I will not give this more brain power....