The Wi-Fi hotspot supplies internet connectivity for drivers so they can use the Samsara Driver App and manage daily tasks from their phones and tablets. As an administrator, you can also verify that a driver is signed into and using the hotspot.
The Vehicle Gateway (VG) license includes a fixed amount of Wi-Fi data. After the data limit is reached, the Wi-Fi hotspot will no longer be available to applications except for the Samsara Driver App. The Samsara Driver App will remain fully functional regardless of whether or not the data limit was exceeded. After the data limit is exceeded, your device’s Wi-Fi management menu can indicate that there is no internet connection. This is expected behavior and not an indication that the Samsara Driver App will have issues functioning.
Mobile and tablet operating system updates can consume a large amount of data. If your devices are left on standard update settings it is likely that operating system updates will consume a large percentage of your Samsara device Wi-Fi data cap. To reduce unwanted data consumption, review the following best practices:
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On the iOS device, disable settings to download iOS updates (Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates > Download iOS Updates).
This will prevent your Apple devices from downloading available operating system updates. If you disable automatic downloads for devices in your organization, make sure to schedule time to update your mobile devices and tablets when connected to an internet connection that is not provided through a Samsara hotspot when it is convenient for your day-to-day operations. Making sure your devices have up-to-date operating systems will help with general device stability as well as reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities being leveraged maliciously.
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On the iOS device, enable Low Data Mode (Settings > WiFi > [name of your Samsara access point] > Low Data Mode).
This setting will stop data consumption behaviors such as automatic updates, downloads, device syncing and can be set for specific Wi-Fi networks (for additional information, see https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210596).With this setting enabled, it is important to plan regular operating system updates for your devices when they are connected to an internet connection that is not provided through a Samsara hotspot.
A Samsara Wi-Fi access point remains active while its gateway operates in either high or moderate power. Often, a significant portion of a gateway’s data consumption occurs after a vehicle finishes a trip and powers down. Usage can occur when drivers are on breaks or forget to disconnect from the Samsara hotspot after they are done driving.
To reduce post-trip Wi-Fi usage:
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Adjust the Samsara VG Power Mode Settings to limit Wi-Fi usage when a vehicle is no longer on a trip. By limiting the post-trip time when the hotpot is active, you can actively reduce the volume of non-work-related data consumption.
For the maximum impact on data consumption, set the Low Power Transition Delay to 1 hour in your Samsara Dashboard (Settings > Devices > Configuration > Gateways).
An added benefit to this setting is reduced battery consumption for all Samsara vehicle gateways across your fleet when the vehicle is off. Reducing the overall power consumption should reduce the number of dead batteries especially for vehicles within your fleet with lower utilization and longer time between trips.
Note
Please carefully review the implications of adjusting the Vehicle Gateway Conservation Mode settings and the impact that changes will have to the default behavior for Samsara’s vehicle gateways.
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Set the password for the Samsara hotspot and preconfigure your mobile devices and tablets to use the password. Limit knowledge of the password to a small number of individuals to reduce the number of drivers that can connect personal devices.
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