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Android 5.0 has a new "feature": If a wifi network has no connection to the internet, it will remain connected to it but route traffic over mobile data instead. A small exclamation mark shows in the status bar over the wifi symbol.

Unfortunately, for some reason Android has decided that my home wifi does not have a good internet connection - which is not true, as I'm using it to access Stackexchange at the moment - and is, instead, trying to send everything over GPRS.

With mobile data disabled, things work over wifi just fine, despite the exclamation mark - so it isn't a problem with the wifi not working, per se.

Is there any way to override this "smart" feature? The only way I have found to make things work at the moment is to disable mobile data while I am in my house - which is not a practical long-term solution.

EDITING to add that I have now solved this problem by buying a new router! I was using something very old... But, I'll leave the question here for the benefit of anybody else with the same difficulty.

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  • I'm a developer and I connect to a special device via WiFi, I've the same problem but I've no solution for now. Let me know if you find a something, thanks.
    – Seraphim's host
    Nov 17, 2014 at 22:46
  • I remember there is a similar option to enable/disable this on KitKat, but yeah, I don't know why Google removed it on Lollipop. Then, there is a WiFi dropping case on Nexus 4 that made this a lot worse.
    – Andrew T. ♦
    Dec 1, 2014 at 6:37
  • @Andrew What are you talking about on Kitkat? Please explain :)
    – Seraphim's host
    Dec 19, 2014 at 14:35
  • @Seraphim ah, I was talking about "Avoid poor connection" on Jellybean and KitKat WiFi advanced setting, which I don't see it anymore on Lollipop. I thought it's replaced by "Aggresive WiFi to Cellular handover" on developer menu, but it seems I was wrong.
    – Andrew T. ♦
    Dec 19, 2014 at 15:56

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Just disable captive portal detection. In the terminal, or in adb shell, issue the command

settings put global captive_portal_detection_enabled 0

and reboot.

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When you are connected to your home wifi do you see the notification to 'Sign into Wi-Fi network'? If you tap on that item and then the 3 dots menu you will have the option to 'Use this network as is.' I'm in a similar situation as @Seraphim's host and so far this solution seems to be working.

edit: This solution isn't working 100% fo my situation, hopefully it will help for yours though.

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  • No, I don't see that.
    – Flyto
    Nov 20, 2014 at 22:37
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    This option is on the "Sign in to network" dialog/screen - see here.
    – Mr. Buster
    Dec 3, 2014 at 18:23
  • @Mr.Buster ...which would be great, if I ever saw that screen :-) Presumably that page is only shown if Android thinks it is behind a captive portal.
    – Flyto
    Dec 9, 2014 at 8:05

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