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Wireless Android Auto on Scala - no internet


ajrimmer

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Hey guys, I've got my Scala recently and since then I'm struggling to connect Android Auto wirelessly and use Google maps for navigation. Has anyone managed to do it?

 

My Scala is equipped with Bolero & I got Samsung S10E with Android 10. 

 

I firstly tried with my old Samsung S7, but AA did not work (I was able to pair Scala with S7 via Bluetooth & use the phone for calls but no AA)

I tried with Samsung S10E (listed as a supported phone at the Skoda website) today and I was able to got AA working wirelessly - I managed to to play music via my Android music player and open Google maps. Unfortunately the maps showed an icon with crossed out cloud saying 'working offline' - the consequence of which was the navigation not showing routes, traffic info etc. I tried the standard turn on/off but did not help. Any ideas here?

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Third attempt was successful. Got to say the whole configuration was frustrating (shame on you Skoda🙈) - sharing my experience with Bolero & Andorid 10 (Samsung S10E), hope it helps someone! 

 

Step 1 - Android Auto preparation

1) Install Android Auto (if not available for you in the Play Store, it is very easy to find it via Google)
2) Open Android Auto on your phone, go to 'Settings' and click 10x on the 'Version' text
[Observe the app says something like 'Dev mode enabled' once finished tapping]
3) Click the three dots on the left top corner and select 'Developer Settings'
4) Check 'Add wireless projection to settings'
5) Go back to 'Settings' and select 'Enable wireless projection'

 

Step 2 - Android phone preparation

1) Open you phone Android Settings and select 'About Phone' -> 'Software information' 
2) Tap 5x times on the 'Build number' text
[Observe the app says something like 'Dev mode enable' once finished tapping]
3) Go back to 'Settings' and click 'Developer options'
4) Enable 'Mobile data always active' option

 

Step 3 - Connecting AA & the car

1) Enable WAN in the car
2) Connect your phone to the car network
3) Open Android Auto on the phone 

[At this moment, it should be possible to, at least, open AA on the car display and see icons of Google maps, calendar etc.]

4) Click on Google maps on the car display and try to navigate to some location. If the navigations shows crossed-out icon and says something like 'you are offline', continue on step 5) Otherwise congrats, you've made it! 🙃

5) On your phone, go to 'Settings' -> 'Connections' -> 'Wifi', click the three dots on the top left corner and select 'Advanced'
6) Select 'Switch to mobile data' -> 'Network exceptions'
7) Remove the name of the car network from the exceptions list

 

At this moment, you should be able to use wireless AA while being on your phone data 👍

 

p.s. Bits and pieces from other threads in this forum were used here

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  • 2 weeks later...

Glad you made it work! For me it was easier, as I did step 1 kind of intuitively (I knew the option was there so I just went and enabled it), I had already done step 2 long ago in the past and then step 3 was just about connecting it, so for me it kind of just worked, as I knew my way around and knew what to have prepared.

But I can imagine this guide will help many people in the future, so it's great that you posted it!

When I got my previous car, Fabia, it was just a couple of weeks before Android Auto was added as an option, so I was frustrated I did not get it and had to drive years without it, so that's why I was even more pumped to finally have it now in Scala - and on top of that, it is one of the first cars in the world to support the wireless version! That was satisfactory :)

So I enjoy using AA with the phone in my pocket (or in the Phonebox) very much :)

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  • 2 months later...

Hello 

 

Thanks for this great guide, sadly it does not work at all for me. 

I have a Pixel 4XL and a 2019 Kamiq.

 

the projection option is activated, i'm connected on bluetooth and WAN and the AA icon is greyed :( 

So I'm not even able to go to this step : 

 

[At this moment, it should be possible to, at least, open AA on the car display and see icons of Google maps, calendar etc.]

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got my Scala these week and im trying to figure this out. Trying to activate the Wireless Smartlink on my Bolero system.

When i bought the car there was an option (in Romania) that was called
"Wireless Smartlink - only available with Apple CarPlay"

I noticed this is the case for the UK skoda site too....

So, i did not purchase this option, because i have an android phone.

Now i wonder if THAT option, would of worked for the Android Wireless Smartlink!?!

 

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I'm not sure why they wrote "only available with Apple Carplay", because unless they actually make a different software for different countries, which I highly doubt, the Wireless Smartlink option works for both Android and iOS.

I got mine here in Slovakia and it does work for Android Auto (the description of the Wireless Smartlink option mentioned both iOS and Android here - or neither, I don't remember it well anymore, but definitely it didn't say "just for this one OS").

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Great, they f*d us.

Would that module/option be an easy install i wonder, the option itself was 40-50 euro, i wonder if it can just be enabled in the software.

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Somewhere on the internet I read that they don't add that after thr car was manufactured, that it only could have been ordered as an option prior to manufacture. However, I have no idea what reason they would have not to do this - and, moreover, I don't have that from an official source, just from an internet discussion, so definitely ask your dealer about it.

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Answer from skoda "help" line :)
"Dear Client,

If you can't buy a wireless SmartLink in your car, then unfortunately you can't buy it later. For the Scala, only Apple CarPlay is still supported with the wireless SmartLink. For more information on the wireless SmartLink in your market, please contact your local support.

Best Regards"
 

No luck it seems of them enabling the WLAN option after you bought the car, which sucks.

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Got an update from Skoda Support : "We have an information, that additional instalation of wireless SmartLink for your vehicle specificly will be available in first quarter next year."

Seems we are lucky and next year we can install WLAN too on our Scalas :D

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  • 5 weeks later...
On 11/07/2020 at 00:26, PeePay said:

I'm not sure why they wrote "only available with Apple Carplay", because unless they actually make a different software for different countries, which I highly doubt, the Wireless Smartlink option works for both Android and iOS.

I got mine here in Slovakia and it does work for Android Auto (the description of the Wireless Smartlink option mentioned both iOS and Android here - or neither, I don't remember it well anymore, but definitely it didn't say "just for this one OS").

 

When did you get yours and what did you have to do to get Wireless Android Auto working? I bought my Scala in February (also in Slovakia) and my infotainment system, in the help-menu of the SmartLink mentions Carplay via USB and Wirelesa and Android Auto and Mirror-Link only via USB. I know they made some changes in April and now even on the Configurator it says that Wireless Android Auto is available except for the Amundsen Infotainment system (guess which one I have).

 

I have been struggling with getting the wireless part of Android Auto to work while CarPlay worked seconds after pairing my wifes phone to the car, so I would be very thankfull for any help / ideas.

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Hi @M4C1N0, I got mine in March (delivered in March, ordered in January) and I specifically ordered an extra option called "Wireless Smartlink", it was not included by default (although it was only 54€ I believe) - this is what enables the wireless connection.

I have Bolero, though, not Amundsen - I did not want to pay extra for navigation when I knew I would use the navigation from my phone via Android Auto anyway. The screen size difference was not significant enough, so I stuck with Bolero.

But if CarPlay works for you wirelessly, technically Android Auto should too. There is a good guide by @ajrimmer at https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/479851-wireless-android-auto-on-scala-no-internet/?tab=comments#comment-5387318 so I suggest you check it out. It is broken down to 3 essential steps - for me the setup was much easier, as I like to dig through my phone's settings and I had already done steps 1 and 2 in the past.

 

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Thanks @PeePay for the answer. I found the guide from @ajrimmer and tried doing that, although at some point I already tried those steps before.

 

I also specifically chose the "Wireless smartlink" option thinking that I will hopp into my car and I would already have Waze on the screen and my music playing (like it works for my wife). For some time I even thought they didn't add the wireless option but once I got the CarPlay to work I knew it couldn't be that.

 

I think this has to do with the information I found in the configurator, that Android Auto Wireless is available except for the Amundsen. I don't understand why exactly the highest end Infotainment wouldn't support just Android Auto wirelessly. Unfortunatelly for me this was the only option in the trim I chose. I will write to Skoda to see if there is any chance that they are working on it and that maybe some time soon a OTA update would make it work. It doesn't seem like anything more than a software issue.

 

 

Thanks for the help anyway.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 21/08/2020 at 21:40, PeePay said:

Okay, that'd be odd if they left it out in Amundsen, anyway, good luck and maybe do let us know once you hear back from Skoda.

Hello, 


Did you get an answer from Skoda ? 

I'm also on Amundsen and have the same issue ...

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On 16/09/2020 at 00:36, fyren said:

Hello, 


Did you get an answer from Skoda ? 

I'm also on Amundsen and have the same issue ...

Hey @fyren,

I completely forgot that I had written to Skoda about this.

Yeah basically the response was "Android Auto doesn't work wirelessly on the Amundsen in the Scala" but it's "due for an update" however they couldn't tell me when it will be updated, if it will be a hardware or software update, and if it will be available for older cars...

So another false advertising from Skoda (for me at least).

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  • 2 weeks later...

As of Android 11, it is included by default. On previous versions, it may have or have not been preinstalled, you can install it from Play Store (if it's available in your country) or sideload it.

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