WiFi and battery power 3.17.3

tschucha · 08-25-2015, 12:33 AM

I typically keep the WiFi off on my Aura HD and only turn it on when I want to sync. I also have it set to turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity.

Am I really saving much in the way of battery power by doing this?

It is my understanding that the WiFi will turn itself off if it isn't being used.

GeoffR · 08-25-2015, 05:02 PM

If you leave wi-fi enabled then it will turn itself off when not in use, but it will also turn itself back on quite frequently to send data back to Kobo.

How much extra power this uses will depend a lot on how you use the device: if you just spend hours on end turning pages of a book then wi-fi will rarely be activated, but if you change the settings a lot, create annotations, sleep and wake the device frequently, etc. then wi-fi will get more use.

If you disable wi-fi then the data your activities generate are stored for later transmission.

I only enable wi-fi to sync or use the bookstore, and always disable it immediately afterwards. I think that gets me about twice the battery life I would get if I left it enabled, but it has been a long time since I left it enabled so I can't be sure.

tschucha · 08-25-2015, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffR

I only enable wi-fi to sync or use the bookstore, and always disable it immediately afterwards. I think that gets me about twice the battery life I would get if I left it enabled, but it has been a long time since I left it enabled so I can't be sure.

That's the way I have been using it. If I can get twice the battery life out of it then I'll keep doing this.

Thanks.

robko · 08-25-2015, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tschucha

I also have it set to turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity.

I assume you mean you have it set to power the device off after 15 minutes? Not sure anyone has tested recently, but generally speaking powering off versus just sleeping the device won't save you a lot of power.

eenk · 08-26-2015, 01:36 PM

Your particlar Wifi installation will also influence how much Wifi will eat into your battery budget. Near your access point and without obstructions any wireless communication will use much less energy than when you are in a remote room, maybe on another floor and with concrete & steel in between.

It can even give you a two-fold penalty, in terms of sending power as well as in terms of sending duration, as speed may drop heavily so the radio needs to be on much longer.

08-25-2015, 12:33 AM	#1
tschucha Zealot Posts: 147 Karma: 52546 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo Sage	WiFi and battery power 3.17.3 I typically keep the WiFi off on my Aura HD and only turn it on when I want to sync. I also have it set to turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity. Am I really saving much in the way of battery power by doing this? It is my understanding that the WiFi will turn itself off if it isn't being used.

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08-25-2015, 05:02 PM	#2
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	If you leave wi-fi enabled then it will turn itself off when not in use, but it will also turn itself back on quite frequently to send data back to Kobo. How much extra power this uses will depend a lot on how you use the device: if you just spend hours on end turning pages of a book then wi-fi will rarely be activated, but if you change the settings a lot, create annotations, sleep and wake the device frequently, etc. then wi-fi will get more use. If you disable wi-fi then the data your activities generate are stored for later transmission. I only enable wi-fi to sync or use the bookstore, and always disable it immediately afterwards. I think that gets me about twice the battery life I would get if I left it enabled, but it has been a long time since I left it enabled so I can't be sure.

08-26-2015, 01:36 PM	#5
eenk carrier lost Posts: 62 Karma: 14000 Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: 2001:db8:e:b00c::f00d Device: Kobo Forma, H2O v1, Aura HD	Your particlar Wifi installation will also influence how much Wifi will eat into your battery budget. Near your access point and without obstructions any wireless communication will use much less energy than when you are in a remote room, maybe on another floor and with concrete & steel in between. It can even give you a two-fold penalty, in terms of sending power as well as in terms of sending duration, as speed may drop heavily so the radio needs to be on much longer.