Wifi turns on by itself when in airplane mode

[masaraiva]

In the past month, some time after I put my FP2 in airplane mode, it turns on automatically the wi-fi by itself (not sure how long after it happens). Phone data and network remain offline. Anyone experienced that? I wonder if it has to do with last FP2 software update.

[AnotherElk]

In general, WiFi can be enabled after airplane mode was enabled. That seems to be normal smartphone behaviour, at least I can confirm that for my Fairphone 2/ LineageOS and my backup Lumia 640/ Windows 10 Mobile.

Question is, how does it happen automatically?
Perhaps with a setting like this one …

WhatsApp independently going online

Hi RuthiB, I had the same situation and wondered about it. At night I turn of my wifi, but still in the morning I had messages and somtimes even an email. Then I found it: It is in the Wifi-settings. If you click on advanced… The second setting about scanning is probabely enabled. This give your apps the right to ‘break trough’ and scan for messages, even if the wfi is turned off. Hope this helped you. Michelle

Or, looking at that topic, perhaps an App enables it? Mail App checking for mails? WhatsApp? Facebook? etc.?

[Patrick1]

@AnotherElk

Or, looking at that topic, perhaps an App enables it? Mail App checking for mails? WhatsApp? Facebook? etc.?

If so this would be a horrible scenario for me if usual apps were able to independently enable any network without my knowledge.
I clearly exclude convenience apps offering automated actions in trusted areas for example.
If this would be an optional feature whatsapp or any other standard app makes use of I would not use it. At last I am not on whatsapp anyway, one more reason for me not using it.
I tend to see such a setting as highly security related and therefore should not easily be enabled let alone by default on installation.
And as it looks there are users out there who are not aware of this possibility.

[BertG]

100% agreement.
But I guess the add developers/distributors are not going to advertise on this “feature”.
I sometimes wonder what some apps are asking to have permission to access. E.g. what for does a torch need access to any kind of data/location etc.
(I even wouldn’t be surprised if such an app is activating WLAN to “highlight” important news on the internet. )

[Patrick1]

@BertG

But I guess the add developers/distributors are not going to advertise on this “feature”.

I have doubts on this too.

Yes, I also wonder about some odd permission requirements. But the “Playground” is large enough and there is a vast selection on almost every app offered.
So my strikt way of purchasing new “Toys” is scrolling down to the permission details to first see what´s listed there. Some of them simply don´t suit me, so there is no way to move on with this app. (like whatsapp)

Others should require the least permissions to even keep me reading on. I only have very few apps given more permissions which are appropriate to hardware which I have purchased such as IlockIt

What I hate is sneaking for new permissions by updating and not specifically pointing out that there are new permissions required. So if I find out about this I weight if I keep the old app version if it still suits my needs or replace it by another.
So there are always apps in my list having to be updated. Am I now risking my life by not updating, hmmm

So for this I do like the different permissions handling of Marshmallow, but now I can stay patient until Nougat is available. Hopefully I then can jump directly from Lollipop 5.1 to it.