AVG Wifi Assistant Automatically Toggles Wi-Fi On Android Based On Cell Tower Signal Strength

Forgetting to turn off WiFi on your Android phone when you’re out and about can be quite annoying, especially when you find the WiFi scanner has drained the little battery you had left. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi toggle buried deep in the Settings app takes an extra step to reach whenever you need to enable or disable it. Even if the Android version in your phone does have quick launch toggles in the notification area for the purpose, you will still have to remember to turn WiFi off. Wouldn’t it be great if you could automate the process somehow? That is exactly what AVG Wifi Assistant does. Named ‘WiFi Hotspot On/Off Manager’ on the Play Store, this free Android app from the popular security firm remembers the cellular network towers near the locations you’re at more frequently, and then automatically toggles WiFi based on their signal strength...

This is the first time we’re seeing WiFi automation being implemented this way. We’ve seen several apps with similar purpose in the past, but most used the GPS radio of the device instead, toggling WiFi based on location alone. While GPS is great for accurate detection of a user’s location, having it on constantly will only drain the battery faster.

In contrast, AVG Wifi Assistant learns where your preferred cell towers are, and when it senses that you’re in their range, it automatically turns on WiFi. Similarly, whenever you leave those premises and the signal strength drops, the app disables WiFi on its own.

AVG cites that this practice will also ensure that you only connect to your trusted WiFi networks, in turn, protecting your device from potential WiFi tracking by retailers.

  

When you launch the app for the first time, it automatically lists all the WiFi networks near you, allowing you to toggle WiFi automation for each network separately. The ‘Assistant On’ button located at the bottom of the main screen signifies whether it’s enabled for a particular network or not.

The app also allows you to add new wireless networks without leaving its interface. Tapping an existing wireless connection lets you choose whether to automate ‘Auto WiFi On’, ‘Auto WiFi Off’ or both, or to remove that connection from the list. The Location tab on the same screen lets you view the cell ID currently registered to your device, and clear this information if needed.

  

The app also maintains a record of all its automated actions under the Log screen, complete with cell IDs.

AVG Wifi Assistant is a new and improved WiFi automation solution, one that might actually save you more than just a few points of battery life per day. Definitely worth a try.

Install AVG Wifi Assistant from Play Store