Adam Hrebeniuk asks:
I was hoping to find a step by step guide to transform my Old HTC Hero (sprint) into a WiFi only device. I need to be able to download and update apps from the Google Play store. Whenever my phone attempts to run the Google Play store updates or install a new app it fails.
Browser: Safari 5.1
System: Mac
Tagged: android, android tips, connect to wifi, google play, smartphone, wifi
System: Mac
Tagged: android, android tips, connect to wifi, google play, smartphone, wifi
14 Answers -
Ryan Dube
June 24, 2012Hi Adam – could you describe how/when it fails in more detail? On my devices, if it’s running the Android OS, you just turn on airplane mode, which turns off any cellular access, and then enable Wi-Fi. If you’re within range of your home network it should recognize the network and you shouldn’t have any problem connecting.
Can you provide more information?
Ryan,
June 29, 2012-It is running Android OS version 2.1 update 1.
-Phone Identity/Current username = [wifesname@sprintpcs.com] How do I remove that?
-In Airplane mode and succesfully connected to wifi,
-Attempt to access Google Market replies, “Attention, A server error has occurred. Retry, or cancel and return to previous screen.”
-Web browser access successful.
-Gmail and other internet services run succesful.
-I want to run the Google Play/Market on this phone without a Cellphone data contract or connection. Existing apps respond and open but cannot update or upgrade via Google Play.
Truefire_
June 25, 2012It should be as simple as going to settings > network > (uncheck) data > (uncheck) roaming.
I use mine as wifi only, + phone, and it works great.
I go to settings/Wireless & Networks/Mobile Network Settings,
Data Roaming off
Roaming = Automatic (no off option).
Interestingly when I too it out of airplane mode the Cell Service Bars light up as though I am getting service from the Cell Company towers.
June 29, 2012Yes. Neither checked nor unchecked helps the App Store connect and use applications. However, it was interesting to see the Cell Tower indicator light “as if” I was fully connected to a service provider. The App Store still responded with the error mentioned in above post. Thanks for the help thought and at least I know it’s working for ya. Gracias!
June 29, 2012Dalsan
June 25, 2012You could go into manage apps and select Play Store, then delete cache, if that doesn’t help delete data, and if that doesn’t help uninstall updates. Try those first and see, and update the Play Store when it comes up. This would be the starting point to do to try to get it working again.
Although, if you didn’t setup the wifi for your network, then that would be a different story.
June 25, 2012Deleted cache. While in airplane mode same result. However when I turn off airplane mode it moved me through the terms of service agreement for android market. I accepted and kapow…market loaded. Nice!
June 29, 2012Dalsan,
June 29, 2012Well I get into the App/Play store now but whenever I attempt to download a free app the phone reports, “Download was unsuccesful, please try again”.
Update: Factory Reset and new gmail account seemed to do the trick. Up and running.
June 29, 2012Ravi Meena
June 25, 2012Turn off the mobile data connection and turn on WiFi, that makes your device a WiFi only device. apart from that if you have set your mobile to turn off WiFi connection after a timeout period then set it to never disconnect from WiFi and then clear your play store cache.
after this you might not get any problems.
Clearing the cache seems to have worked. Thanks to Dalsan and Ravi.
June 29, 2012Glad that it seemed to have worked. Hopefully it keeps working and you don’t run into any other problems. If you do, you know where to find us.
June 30, 2012i nedd help with my samsung admire it seems to be connected to wifi but i wont let me downlad any games please help me!
October 2, 2012If you’d asked this question as a new by posting it on the below link -
http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/ask/?q=
To download games and apps,you need to have a Google account and then after it gets created,tap on Play store(Android Market formerly) and install any games you wish.
October 25, 2012Susendeep Dutta
June 25, 2012You can find step by step guide in the first comment of the forum link below -
http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f41/guide-usb-tether-sprint-htc-hero-cdma-27289/
Thanks Susendeep,
June 29, 2012If in the future I want to turn off those settings I will follow the guide. Gracias.
Josh Vogler
June 25, 2012Are you trying to run it without a SIM card? Like you no longer want to use it as a phone, just a ‘wifi only’ device to browse the internet and run apps and stuff? I did this with an Atrix by disabling the sim check during the boot process. I think this would be able to be accomplished on a Hero also if it is indeed what you are trying to do, I’m not sure by your question if you still want the phone part functioning.
Josh.
June 29, 2012I do not need or want to use the Cellular portion of the phone. I do want to use wifi and google apps in order for my son to be able to connect to a wifi network and send a message to me via an appropriate application (IM, WhatsApp, Skype etc.). I think I am getting there after clearing the Google Market cache and reloading the google market.
Adam Hrebeniuk
June 29, 2012Thanks to all the replies. I will respond and test this weekend.
~adam
Here is some extra info for you to peruse for either extra you might like to do to your phone, or just extra knowledge. I don’t know if you have rooted a device before or have your Hero rooted, but doing so will allow you to use Adfree, which will block most advertisements from popping up within applications and games, just to make better use of the screen and user experience. Super One Click is a very simple yet powerful tool to root and unroot your device quickly and easily. Also, rooting allows you to gain access to bloatware so you can remove virtually any app to make more room on the phone and even get more usable system memory by uninstalling apps that automatically run even if you don’t open it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/HTC_Hero/CDMA
June 30, 2012Leticia M. de gracia
August 9, 2012I really dont know how to be on line please help me
Richie
August 16, 2012I had been using my old G2X as a wifi only device just to be able to test mobile browser size for work and also download all my spotify playlists.
I took it camping over the weekend and ran the battery down. A few days later it wouldn’t sync with google.
Took me a bit, but I found the problem was that I had the date and time of the phone to Automatically use network-provided values.
Once I set it to NTP Sync, problem solved!
Hope this helps anyone who has this same problem.
Thank you Richie! I followed your advice and I’m already seeing downloads. Lol
September 18, 2012vishal
September 23, 2012i have sony xperia mini pro
this phone has android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system and upgrat upto 4.0
i will upgrate my phone to 4.0 but i am not satisfied with 4.0
and i want my old version of android 2.3 (Gingerbread) how can i do
md m momin
September 24, 2012somedays ago i bought a new cell phone is HTC DIAMON 3G from ebay. now i don’t know how to use internet or wi-fi without sim card. so can tell me pls how m i use wifi with internet without sim card or any connection.
Steve
October 15, 2012So why not see the solution?
IDIOT admin
Nur Adlina
October 26, 2012I do not want to use wifi, I want open movie download that can not use the wifi .. Can or not?
Kindly elaborate and ask your question as a new under the link below -
http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/ask
November 18, 2012Ron D.
January 2, 2013My 7in tablet (Polaroid) will not download a jobulator mobile app-. So I was thinking about buy an old cell phone that works with wifi. Is this idea workable? Please let me know
Ron