CarPlay/wifi question

[Roofus]

Can someone explain to me how WiFi in the Bronco works in respect to wireless/wired CarPlay?

If I connect the Bronco to a WiFi connection, what is benefiting from that connection? Does my phone get that benefit if I’ve got it connected via power cable? Or just the Bronco console?

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[CalvinT]

Not sure what you mean by benefit. I use Carplay WiFi for Apple Maps. Works fine. I use a thumb drive for my music.

On a long drive I plug my iPhone into one of the USB ports to keep the battery charged.

 

[Brian_B]

When you use wireless CarPlay, the Bronco uses both Bluetooth and the built in WiFi (via Wireless App Projection).

You do not need to manually connect to your Bronco WiFI point, CarPlay will handle all of that when it connects. In fact, you can’t use WiFi on your phone while it’s connected via wireless CarPlay.

 

[Jason N]

If I’m understanding the question correctly, what happens when bronco is connected directly to WiFi? Like if your parked at home and connect to your home WiFi. You get over the air updates when they come out. Otherwise you have to go to the dealer to have them installed. Like the fix that recently came out to fix rear camera not working properly.

 

[brkdncr]

Can someone explain to me how WiFi in the Bronco works in respect to wireless/wired CarPlay?

If I connect the Bronco to a WiFi connection, what is benefiting from that connection? Does my phone get that benefit if I’ve got it connected via power cable? Or just the Bronco console?

the benefit connecting the Bronco to WiFi is OTA updates and being able to remotely start, lock/unlock from the ford mobile app.

these all work even without connecting to wifi using its built in ATT cellular connection.

your phone gets no advantage when you connect the vehicle to wifi.

 

[Jason N]

the benefit connecting the Bronco to WiFi is OTA updates and being able to remotely start, lock/unlock from the ford mobile app.

these all work even without connecting to wifi using its built in ATT cellular connection.

your phone gets no advantage when you connect the vehicle to wifi.

Not sure about OTA updates. I read you need WiFi connection for that.

 

[Figmo]

I do not believe that your phone can use the Bronco's WiFi connection. CarPlay's got nothing to do with internet access. It's just casting the supported apps from your phone to the dash console. How your phone get's that data for CarPlay to cast (WiFi, cellular, internal storage, whatever) is irrelevant to CarPlay.

But regardless, even if your phone could use the Bronco's WiFi for data, why would you want it to?

If you've connected your Bronco to a WiFi connection at home/work/McDonalds/wherever .... couldn't you just connect your phone to that same access point?

It would be like having my laptop connect to my phone which is connected to my wireless router. Why not just connect the laptop to the wireless router?

 

[brkdncr]

Not sure about OTA updates. I read you need WiFi connection for that.

https://corporate.ford.com/articles/products/over-the-air-software-updates.html

…have the updates applied automatically over Wi-Fi or cellular connections.

you’ll get the updates faster over WiFi, but they will go over cellular eventually. I don’t know if that’s because they throttle the cellular connection when the owner doesn’t have the vehicle hotspot plan, or if they do something else to get updates pushed over WiFi before cellular.

 

[Brian_B]

Now that I re-read the OP’s question a bit more:

No, connecting the Bronco to WiFi won’t affect CarPlay at all. CarPlay uses your phone connection for all the data.

I have a Starlink Mobile, and to use it with CarPlay I have to use wired connection so the WiFi on my phone can connect to the link. I do have my Bronco connected to it, but that really doesn’t seem to do anything except Ford Pass and OTA update stuff.

 

[DarthLincoln]

The connectivity of the Bronco is not well explained, but as best i understand it, the Bronco has an ATT cellular connection to allow Ford to connect for “maintenance” type features like updating their “AS BUILT“ module data, OTA, and some basic features like Ford Pass app ability to unlock/lock doors. You have to pay extra to add a data plan to use this cellular connection for other things like SiriusXM Satelite radio or use the Bronco as a hotspot for your phone to connect to the internet if your own phone connection is bad (i.e. you have data service with another company that has no coverage where you are).

Since the Bronco already has this cellular connection, I don’t think connecting the Bronco to a WiFi network really benefits anything except if you are in an area with poor cellular connection. Connecting Bronco to a WiFi network can ensure a good internet connection, so the Bronco can continue to connect with Ford for stuff like OTAs.

 

[RagnarKon]

There's are three different uses for Wifi. All are distinct and not really related to each other.

• Wireless CarPlay itself uses the Wifi. When you connect your phone to your vehicle, it first establishes a connection uses Bluetooth, then the phone and vehicle connect to each other using an isolated private Wifi connection. All of the internet data will come from your phone's cellular modem. (This is effectively what @Brian_B was talking about earlier.)
• You can connect your vehicle to an external Wifi network (like your home's Wifi). Doing so can help it download software updates and "phone home" to Ford's servers for diagnostics. Normally this would happen using the vehicle's AT&T cellular data connection, but if you live in an area that has poor cellular reception, this is a good alternative.
• Your vehicle can act as a hotspot for other non-cellular devices if you subscribe to Ford's connectivity package. Helpful for road trips if your kids have tablets and whatnot without their own cellular connection. Info here.

 

[Roofus]

Now that I re-read the OP’s question a bit more:

No, connecting the Bronco to WiFi won’t affect CarPlay at all. CarPlay uses your phone connection for all the data.

I have a Starlink Mobile, and to use it with CarPlay I have to use wired connection so the WiFi on my phone can connect to the link. I do have my Bronco connected to it, but that really doesn’t seem to do anything except Ford Pass and OTA update stuff.

this is what I was driving at. Thanks!

 

[Gotchaa]

The reason I use wired vs wifi carplay is specifically for audio quality, there are differences and if you have spent $ upgrading your Bronco audio system, you are going to want lossless audio when playing back you Amazon or Apple Music.

Wired CarPlay supports lossless audio, delivering the best possible sound quality. It offers a higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower distortion (THD+N as low as 0.01%), with audio bandwidth extending up to 20 kHz. Wired CarPlay can transmit Apple Lossless (ALAC) files at full resolution, so you get the highest fidelity possible

Wireless CarPlay uses Wi-Fi for streaming and is limited to CD-quality audio (16-bit/44.1kHz), which is not lossless. The signal-to-noise ratio and distortion are slightly worse than wired, and high-frequency response is marginally attenuated, typically rolling off above 17–17.5 kHz. While the difference is subtle for most listeners, audiophiles may notice the reduced clarity and detail, especially with an upgraded sound system, amp, and speakers.

Wired CarPlay offers superior audio quality and supports lossless playback, while wireless CarPlay is limited to CD-quality audio at a maximum of 16-bit/44.1kHz.

But then again if you are wheeling with the top down, it is not going to matter, go with the easier connection.

One other point to know about wireless carplay is when you use wireless CarPlay, your iPhone’s Wi-Fi is dedicated to the CarPlay connection, so you can’t share your personal hotspot at the same time. If you want to use your hotspot during a drive(kids connecting to it if they don’t have cellular plans on their devices or you don’t have cellular on the Bronco enabled), connect your phone via USB (wired CarPlay) instead.

Also an issue if you have some device like a camera you want to connect via wifi

 

[Brian_B]

Wired CarPlay offers superior audio quality and supports lossless playback, while wireless CarPlay is limited to CD-quality audio at a maximum of 16-bit/44.1kHz.

One other point to know about wireless carplay is when you use wireless CarPlay, your iPhone’s Wi-Fi is dedicated to the CarPlay connection, so you can’t share your personal hotspot at the same time. If you want to use your hotspot during a drive(kids connecting to it if they don’t have cellular plans on their devices or you don’t have cellular on the bronco enabled), connect your phone via USB (wired CarPlay) instead.

Also an issue if you have some device like a camera you want to connect via wifi

This is all true!

The difference in audio quality, for some people, is not even noticable. For others it will be day and night - but it's definitely a thing.

I've also noticed that audio sounds louder (not necessarily better) when played through CarPlay rather than through Sync. I don't know why - I suspect the phone is using whatever DSP is programming into the app you are playing through with CarPlay rather than just passing through a raw signal.

And the WiFi thing - yeah. I got a cheap backup camera to wire into my front bumper for a front cam, and yeah, to connect to that, have to connect to the camera WiFi, so no Starlink or Wireless Carplay if I want to use that.

 

[Gotchaa]

This is all true!

The difference in audio quality, for some people, is not even noticable. For others it will be day and night - but it's definitely a thing.

I've also noticed that audio sounds louder (not necessarily better) when played through CarPlay rather than through Sync. I don't know why - I suspect the phone is using whatever DSP is programming into the app you are playing through with CarPlay rather than just passing through a raw signal.

And the WiFi thing - yeah. I got a cheap backup camera to wire into my front bumper for a front cam, and yeah, to connect to that, have to connect to the camera WiFi, so no Starlink or Wireless Carplay if I want to use that.

iphone uses its DSP to encode the signal to LPCM for wired, and AAC for wireless, it’s then goes through the Sync/AMPs DAC for the digital to analog conversion and playback, that is likely where the difference is. iPhone also has a sound check setting that will normalize volume levels, so if its a problem you can turn that on and see if you like what it does via carplay.

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