I got a new router that is ridiculously good and has exceptional range. A side effect of this is when I go for a walk, I have to be walking for at least 5-6 minutes at a brisk pace, before the WiFi connection on my iPhone 4S is lost. Basically, beyond 100 yards/meters there will be 1 WiFi bar and it will be all but unusable (e.g. Web Browser times out, Siri doesn't work, etc…). Under these conditions, I'd rather use 3G (ahem, 4G).
Is there a way to automatically disconnect from the WiFi when it gets down to 1 bar?
Best Answer
There isn't a way to specify this in the current OS, but I've found when I am in the margins of coverage - flipping AirPlane mode on and then off will prevent re-joining the Wi-Fi. Basically, the OS is trying to maintain an existing connection for as long as possible to avoid inconveniencing people who have spotty coverage or temporary disruptions and for you it's not so good.
When the signal is this low, the phone won't re-join until you get closer so you'll kick things to cellular data sooner than waiting to get out of range or it to eventually time out.