Android 5.0.2 - Wi-Fi Issues

[smjohns]

Hi,

My Z3c phone received the Android 5.0.2 update last week and although I have been generally happy with the update, the wi-fi performance has taken a big hit and doesn't seem as reliabile as it was. I have also noticed that connections are dropped and recreated randomly throughout the day even though the device has not moved from the access point. This is particularly true when using application such as Situations and Smart Unlock. The developers of these apps have confirmed that there are problems with the 5.0.2 update and that Google fixed these with v5.1. Do we know when Sony will be releasing this update for the series Z devices?

[Rickard]

Sorry to hear that you still have issues with WiFi.

We have been testing this but i'm afraid we can't find any issue with the software that could cause this.

As sunshower says, it might be possible that you have a Google backup causing issues. When you add the Google account, backup and restore is normally enabled by default and old WiFi-settings are restored. As the software repair seemed to help at first this might be the cause.

But to check this i'm afraid you need to perform a master reset again as this is the only way to clear those settings that have been restored. When you then add the Google account in the setup guide, make sure that you disable the option to backup and restore with Google.

Would it be possible for you to test this?

[smjohns]

Hi Rickard,

Thanks for the continued support. As I confirmed in my previous post, after I rebuilt my phone a couple of weeks back, I forgot to re-enable Google backup and as such my old wi-fi settings were not restored when I performed the various tests which proved that the WiFi issues that I had been experiencing before the re-build were not caused by my old settings. I only reinstated google backup when sunflower reminded me about the setting and I can confirm that this has not had any further detrimental effect on WiFi performance....but the original WiFi stability issues persist. 

Can you confirm if there are any updates in the pipeline? Is 23.1.A.0.740 a genuine release or is this something that will be specific to certain devices? Is there an intention to roll out Android 5.1, which is supposed to address a few problems with 5.02, including battery drain and WiFi performance?

[Rickard]

If this is not the cause of the issue it would help to have logs from your phone. Is that something you can help us with? If so, could you please send me a PM and i'll send you instructions on how to collect logs.

But you are sure that you turned off Google Backup? Google backup/restore is enabled by default so it's not something that you would forget to enable. You would have to manually turn it off during the setup guide in order to have it disabled. If it was on and and an issue was restored, turning it off afterwards will not help either, only a master reset will.

Yes, we actually started rolling out a new update today, 23.1.A.1.28 (see this thread) but i don't have any information regarding Android 5.1 yet.

[smjohns]

Ok I will PM you.

Yes when I rebuilt my phone I stepped through the initial configuration screens without adding my Google Account as I wanted to perform some cleanup tasks before entering my account details. With no account details added, the backup function remains switched off and when you then manually add an account it does not automatically enable it. This is the state I found my phone in when I was reminded about the backup feature although as confirmed I have reinstated this now without further detriment to the wifi service.

Happy to help with yout investigations and will send you a PM.

Kind Regards

Si

[sunshower]

Nice to see work on this trouble in progress. Although my assumption that Google backup is the cause, I cannot understand why previously correct backed up network password becomes wrong all of a sudden after backup is restored.

[smjohns]

Yeah confused by this too although I have definitely experienced the issues without old settings being restored. I am guessing that even if you didn't go for a rebuild then you could switch off google backup, which deletes all the data from the central servers. You could then try forgetting all saved wifi connections and re-create them from scracth. Fingers crossed Sony/Google come up with a solution to this.

[sunshower]

Here we can see more reports on the same issue with wifi from other users after the upgrade http://forum.xda-developers.com/z3-compact/help/wifi-disabled-lollipop-t3081030

[marcioavmartins]

IM having issues with WiFi as well. I have a Z3 and My wife a Z2. We both are having serious issues with WiFi after lollipop upgrade. Rebooting the router and factory resetting the device didnt help. Others devices like my ipad are not having issues with the same WiFi connection. Please release a fix ASAP.

[desertfox52001]

Go to your advanced Wi-Fi setting and uncheck 'save power' or something like that. It is quite possible that your wi-fi modem gets shut down on its own after no activity for 10 mins or so.

[Grisu]

If I am connected to " 802.11 ac " the performance is very poor . (Fritzbox 7490)
The other WLAN standards work well .