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Wireless CarPlay

IWMTom

Autocross Newbie
One more question. Hopefully some tech savvy individual can answer. In looking at the Carlinkit I see there are two versions; regular and mini. The mini is about half the size. Looking at the specs it seems the only difference is that the regular can connect to your phone via wifi or bluetooth. The mini can only use bluetooth. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to using wifi vs bluetooth?
Uh, no. Wireless CarPlay is always transmitted over WiFi.

First time seeing the mini variant, but I'd avoid personally. The original Carlinkit suffered badly from overheating, so making the damn thing even smaller isn't going to help matters.

The regular is pretty small anyway.
 

Jeffapotamus

Ready to race!
Location
NW Indiana
Car(s)
2019 GTI
Uh, no. Wireless CarPlay is always transmitted over WiFi.
Ok, they are about the same price anyway. Do you think this is because it needs the higher bandwidth of wifi?
So I don't buy the wrong one, is the original the one with the attached data cable instead of the separate usb cable?
 

IWMTom

Autocross Newbie
Ok, they are about the same price anyway. Do you think this is because it needs the higher bandwidth of wifi?
So I don't buy the wrong one, is the original the one with the attached data cable instead of the separate usb cable?
Yes. The redesigned Carlinkit V2 with the detachable USB C cable is very stable.
 

quality_sound

hmm.......
Location
Shaw AFB, South Carolina
Car(s)
'21 GTI S DSG
One more question. Hopefully some tech savvy individual can answer. In looking at the Carlinkit I see there are two versions; regular and mini. The mini is about half the size. Looking at the specs it seems the only difference is that the regular can connect to your phone via wifi or bluetooth. The mini can only use bluetooth. Is there any advantage or disadvantage to using wifi vs bluetooth?

You want wifi. WAY more bandwidth. If you want to use BT you could just use the built in BT, you just won't have the CarPlay interface. Also, I'd us the CPLAY2AIR over the Carlinkit. I found it worked better than Carlinkit, BUT..do NOT update it, even if it says there is one available, unless you're having issues. If you plug it in and it works, leave it alone.
 

Jeffapotamus

Ready to race!
Location
NW Indiana
Car(s)
2019 GTI
Got the Carlinkit and hooked it up to he car today. Worked right out of the box. Even though it is supposed to have wifi, the directions said to connect via BT. I'll take a drive later and I'll try streaming music while running Waze and see if it can keep up.
 

IWMTom

Autocross Newbie
Got the Carlinkit and hooked it up to he car today. Worked right out of the box. Even though it is supposed to have wifi, the directions said to connect via BT. I'll take a drive later and I'll try streaming music while running Waze and see if it can keep up.
That's how Wireless CarPlay works. It uses Bluetooth for the initial connection, then the iPhone and the dongle negotiate a WiFi connection.
 

Jeffapotamus

Ready to race!
Location
NW Indiana
Car(s)
2019 GTI
For some reason, Waze doesn't work. The app seems to launch on the display when I click the icon but seems to freeze. I can't type a destination, the map isn't scrolling as I drive. Apple and Google maps both work flawlessly though. I may investigate more later, but as I truly don't have a map preference it isn't a huge deal.
 

2018gti

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Massachusetts, USA
Car(s)
Golf GTI Autobahn MT
For some reason, Waze doesn't work. The app seems to launch on the display when I click the icon but seems to freeze. I can't type a destination, the map isn't scrolling as I drive. Apple and Google maps both work flawlessly though. I may investigate more later, but as I truly don't have a map preference it isn't a huge deal.
Thought was the only one, I get this constantly too! I have to open up Waze on my phone, then swipe up to kill it, that usually fixes it.
 

IWMTom

Autocross Newbie
For some reason, Waze doesn't work. The app seems to launch on the display when I click the icon but seems to freeze. I can't type a destination, the map isn't scrolling as I drive. Apple and Google maps both work flawlessly though. I may investigate more later, but as I truly don't have a map preference it isn't a huge deal.
This seems to be a Waze bug more than anything. On first use it'll usually ask you to go to the app on your phone and accept a bunch of nonsense about not using your phone while driving.
 

bobloblawGTI

Autocross Champion
Location
DC
Car(s)
19 GTI SE 6MT
For some reason, Waze doesn't work. The app seems to launch on the display when I click the icon but seems to freeze. I can't type a destination, the map isn't scrolling as I drive. Apple and Google maps both work flawlessly though. I may investigate more later, but as I truly don't have a map preference it isn't a huge deal.
Thought was the only one, I get this constantly too! I have to open up Waze on my phone, then swipe up to kill it, that usually fixes it.
As IWMTom said, it's largely a Waze bug; I usually have to pull out my phone and swipe up/force quit Waze, and re-launch from the phone. Usually works after that.
 

GenX Retread

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Canada
Car(s)
2021 GTI Autobahn
Today I discovered that the CarPlay on my '21 will work wired as well, through the USB-C. At least I presume that's what was happening, because when I unplugged the charger the app quit immediately. I don't charge in the car often, so it's usually wireless, and it hadn't occurred to me that it might do both, nor do I know what the differences might be.
 
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