Comand internet, apps, connection etc.
Discussion
After getting round t oreading my manual, all I can conclude is that the Comand online is quite a complex system, that's going to take me a fair while to learn my way around. I feel some trepidation abour getting it to tak to my iPhone 5S with Giffgaff, in terms of using data and, being an Apple user, woner if I'll be able to dump my music onto the HDD without formatting problems (as well as wondering if I should not just leave an iPod nano attached via the cable, instead).
Are there any hints, tips, or idiots guides to starting getting some proper use out of what it will do? Does anyone have a pointer to a "safety" camera database that I can download into the sat nav and get warnings?
Are there any hints, tips, or idiots guides to starting getting some proper use out of what it will do? Does anyone have a pointer to a "safety" camera database that I can download into the sat nav and get warnings?
In terms of adding music to your hard disk, you have 2 options. Both are quite simple! You can either do it by using the micro sd memory card slot on the front of your stereo. You will need to buy a sd card (the bigger the size the better). You can just copy the music files on your computer onto the memory card and then leave the card in your stereo. This is what I've done. It basically then works like an iPod. You can also copy over podcasts.
The other option is to copy your music files on to a memory stick and then copy the files on to the hard drive by inserting the stick into the USB port in the glove box.
You can link your iphone, but I think this is easier.
I haven't used data on my phone to link to command system. Looked complicated and couldn't really see the point. But maybe it's just me.
I like the functionality of having your whole music collection on a memory card in your car. But can get embarrassing when mates play about with it and find the wife's Kylie albums or my 3 year olds party songs!
Let me know if I can be of help.
The other option is to copy your music files on to a memory stick and then copy the files on to the hard drive by inserting the stick into the USB port in the glove box.
You can link your iphone, but I think this is easier.
I haven't used data on my phone to link to command system. Looked complicated and couldn't really see the point. But maybe it's just me.
I like the functionality of having your whole music collection on a memory card in your car. But can get embarrassing when mates play about with it and find the wife's Kylie albums or my 3 year olds party songs!
Let me know if I can be of help.
Unless anyone knows differently, the Command Online function does not work with i-phones. My car is March '13, I think that I read of someone that bought a Sept car in which it does work. Does anyone know if that is the case or if there's a software update?
Re music.......I've transferred music to the (relatively small) hardrive from a USB stick, I also have a USB plugged in always, as well as a 160gb i-pod!
Re music.......I've transferred music to the (relatively small) hardrive from a USB stick, I also have a USB plugged in always, as well as a 160gb i-pod!
I'll probably buy an iPlod classic, and leave it plugged in, but I do also quite like the idea of Google maps, etc.
As The new iPhone seems very unlikely to play nicely in terms if data connection, I'm happy to buy a new phone (and data plan) and leave it in the car. Can anyone recommend what to get? Will a nokia feature phone do the job?
As The new iPhone seems very unlikely to play nicely in terms if data connection, I'm happy to buy a new phone (and data plan) and leave it in the car. Can anyone recommend what to get? Will a nokia feature phone do the job?
iphones won't work with command on-line. (apple issue not merc).
Blackberry will out of the box. Andriod needs 'bluedun' app and then will.
BUT the data speed of the ensuring connection is SOOOOOOooooooooo slow that it is painful to use.
Most useful bit it to be able to send a route or destination to the car from google maps on your computer or phone. But it can take a good minute or two to get command on line to connect, then open the poi app, and then download to the car.
Frankly the 'online' bit of command is very very close to being 'not fit for purpose' from a legal point of view IMHO. The Audi equivalent (and probably BMW) is a million times better.
This is based on a 'nov 2012 W212.
Blackberry will out of the box. Andriod needs 'bluedun' app and then will.
BUT the data speed of the ensuring connection is SOOOOOOooooooooo slow that it is painful to use.
Most useful bit it to be able to send a route or destination to the car from google maps on your computer or phone. But it can take a good minute or two to get command on line to connect, then open the poi app, and then download to the car.
Frankly the 'online' bit of command is very very close to being 'not fit for purpose' from a legal point of view IMHO. The Audi equivalent (and probably BMW) is a million times better.
This is based on a 'nov 2012 W212.
My iPhone 4S running iOS 7.0.2 works with Command online - Sept 13 C63 - I tested it this morning for the first time. I got internet radio, weather, web sites.
PS it is similar to what I had in my M3 (BMW apps) but seemed better in the Merc - I never used it in the M3 (google maps etc) as it was too slow and have no interest in posting Tweets or Facebook updates from my car...
PS it is similar to what I had in my M3 (BMW apps) but seemed better in the Merc - I never used it in the M3 (google maps etc) as it was too slow and have no interest in posting Tweets or Facebook updates from my car...
Bradders901 said:
My iPhone 4S running iOS 7.0.2 works with Command online - Sept 13 C63 - I tested it this morning for the first time. I got internet radio, weather, web sites.
It's a big, big manual, and I'm a lazy, lazy man. Any chance of sharing what you do to make these wonders work?Do you need tethering on on the phone, for example, necessitating a jailbreak or a specific service provider?
Hi - you are right its a big manual but I have never read it. I did nothing other than bluetooth pair my phone with the car. Now, when I go into the Apps section of command (basically the section with the globe) and access any service there, such as internet radio - it pops up a window saying connecting to <my phone> and just works. If you look at the phone itself, it shows that it has a personal hotspot active (using bluetooth I assume).
My phone is not jailbroken - it just works out of the box.
I guess the latest Command has just been updated as the sales guy was surprised that it came with a 3 year TomTom traffic subscription - he said he hasn't seen that before - that works excellently, for routing around traffic issues.
My phone is not jailbroken - it just works out of the box.
I guess the latest Command has just been updated as the sales guy was surprised that it came with a 3 year TomTom traffic subscription - he said he hasn't seen that before - that works excellently, for routing around traffic issues.
Bradders901 said:
when you say it wont work - do you get an error or?
on occasion I have seen an error about cant access DNS, but I put that down to poor 3g signal which is not uncommon with vodafone.
I'll have to check. The phone's attached via Bluetooth for calls! but it says something like "no Bluetooth audio source" when I tell it to search for one.on occasion I have seen an error about cant access DNS, but I put that down to poor 3g signal which is not uncommon with vodafone.
I‘m not sure why people think iPhones don‘t work with Comand Online. My 4S works perfectly in my Sept 13 SL. TXT messaging, internet radio, Google local search etc.
I will be updating my phone soon. There is a really good Merc web site that allows you to select your vehicle model/year and it will tell you what phone/Command options are supported. I‘m likely to buy a 5S or Samsung Note next and expect no problems.
I will be updating my phone soon. There is a really good Merc web site that allows you to select your vehicle model/year and it will tell you what phone/Command options are supported. I‘m likely to buy a 5S or Samsung Note next and expect no problems.
Hello, I had a C63 and went through lots of issues trying to get an iPhone to work with Command.
The dealer said it would all work but it was ultimately Mercedes UK that gave me the correct information....
Firstly there is a difference between bluetooth, bluetooth streaming and data. Most people get bluetooth to work and wonder what I'm talking about when I started complaining about the iPhone not working with Command. All facelift C63s with Command will do bluetooth and bluetooth streaming (MP3 streaming) out of the box. Only newer cars (from Jul 13) will do data (weather, google and online functions) via an iPhone. Even then, you need a data plan that allows you to tether an iPhone to data (not every network has this as standard).
It is NOT an Apple issue, it is a Mercedes issue. My reply from Mercedes was that the first facelift cars (this is all C Class), have Dial Up Networking DUN as the handshake protocol, (that's the language to tell the phone how to connect to the internet). DUN died as an acceptable protocol about 10 years ago, and so Apple didn't ever implement it in the iPhone. Only in 2013 did Mercedes decided to update the protocol (and the hardware so older cars can't have it) to work with iPhones. To be fair hardly anyone uses DUN (except Blackberry, but then they are quite a bit behind on the technology front).
Actually this affects most new smartphones, it is just that the iPhone is the most popular and so people notice it doesn't work (maybe). There is a workaround with Android phones that allows you run another bit of software on the phone that emulates DUN (BlueDUN).
However, even if you get it working, all the data has to pass from your command system to the phone then to the Mercedes server and then internet. Yes that's every car in the world that tries to use the net going though the Mercedes system. Oddly enough it's a bit slow....(and why no matter how fast your phone or data connection it runs at 64k, yes you read that correctly).
Anyway, it was one of the many (many) things that I didn't like about my C63 and so I sold it.
Hope that helps someone to either get online or figure out why they can't via the Command system.
Tom
The dealer said it would all work but it was ultimately Mercedes UK that gave me the correct information....
Firstly there is a difference between bluetooth, bluetooth streaming and data. Most people get bluetooth to work and wonder what I'm talking about when I started complaining about the iPhone not working with Command. All facelift C63s with Command will do bluetooth and bluetooth streaming (MP3 streaming) out of the box. Only newer cars (from Jul 13) will do data (weather, google and online functions) via an iPhone. Even then, you need a data plan that allows you to tether an iPhone to data (not every network has this as standard).
It is NOT an Apple issue, it is a Mercedes issue. My reply from Mercedes was that the first facelift cars (this is all C Class), have Dial Up Networking DUN as the handshake protocol, (that's the language to tell the phone how to connect to the internet). DUN died as an acceptable protocol about 10 years ago, and so Apple didn't ever implement it in the iPhone. Only in 2013 did Mercedes decided to update the protocol (and the hardware so older cars can't have it) to work with iPhones. To be fair hardly anyone uses DUN (except Blackberry, but then they are quite a bit behind on the technology front).
Actually this affects most new smartphones, it is just that the iPhone is the most popular and so people notice it doesn't work (maybe). There is a workaround with Android phones that allows you run another bit of software on the phone that emulates DUN (BlueDUN).
However, even if you get it working, all the data has to pass from your command system to the phone then to the Mercedes server and then internet. Yes that's every car in the world that tries to use the net going though the Mercedes system. Oddly enough it's a bit slow....(and why no matter how fast your phone or data connection it runs at 64k, yes you read that correctly).
Anyway, it was one of the many (many) things that I didn't like about my C63 and so I sold it.
Hope that helps someone to either get online or figure out why they can't via the Command system.
Tom
Edited by findtomdotcom on Saturday 2nd November 21:30
Edited by findtomdotcom on Saturday 2nd November 21:44
isv said:
I‘m not sure why people think iPhones don‘t work with Comand Online.
I don't think my iphone 5S works with Comand online because, well, it doesn't seem to work.Could be my carrier, could be the 5S, or it could be something that I'm doing wrong, or maybe I have a different software version than you do, but it's not such a complex situation that I understand your confusion, I'm afraid.
Edited by NorthernBoy on Monday 4th November 20:26
findtomdotcom said:
you need a data plan that allows you to tether an iPhone to data (not every network has this as standard).
Hope that helps someone to either get online or figure out why they can't via the Command system.
Tom
Perfect, thanks. I bought the phone unlocked from Apple, and have a carrier that doesn't allow tethering (which is fair enough on the unlimited internet for £12 plan, I suppose). Jail breaking should allow a workaround, so I'll look into that.Hope that helps someone to either get online or figure out why they can't via the Command system.
Tom
Edited by findtomdotcom on Saturday 2nd November 21:30
Edited by findtomdotcom on Saturday 2nd November 21:44
That's great to see - I too have a sep 13 c63 , but my command online won't work with my iphone 5.
I just get "the connected telephone does not support data" or something like that. I've tried enabling wifi and hotspot access on the iPhone, but no luck.
It's on my list to pick up with mercedes , just haven't got around to it yet. Does this mean you now get the tom tom traffic info on nav as well?
I just get "the connected telephone does not support data" or something like that. I've tried enabling wifi and hotspot access on the iPhone, but no luck.
It's on my list to pick up with mercedes , just haven't got around to it yet. Does this mean you now get the tom tom traffic info on nav as well?
Badders, yours works because you have a Sep 13 car and a contract that has data enabled. I would guess that Northenboy has a new enough car but a contract that does not allow data.
C63forme has a new enough car but again, I would guess a limited data contract with his phone? He will need to have "tethering" enabled by his phone network to use the data for your car via your phone.
Not sure why Badders gets Tomtom however, most modern sat navs have TMC built in (over the RDS radio signal) which gets you the same traffic data for free.
If any of you have a car made after Jun 13 and a data connection that has tethering enabled and it still doesn't work, then you need to delete your bluetooth pairing in the car and set it up again with the data bit turned on on your iPhone. Ultimately I think the Mercedes system needs to know the phone has data when it firsts connects. If you add your phone and then later on decide to activate data/tethering the profile in the car will not recognise it. Sorry about this it gets a bit technical (and boring), because when you first set it up your iPhone the car runs a test that tells it you do/don't have a data connection and so from that point on it uses that information.
By removing the phone from the BT memory and re-adding it with data enabled, the iPhone should work. Phew.
Why Mercedes made it all so complex is beyond me, but in truth I think most users have no idea what it does and don't use it anyway.
Tom
C63forme has a new enough car but again, I would guess a limited data contract with his phone? He will need to have "tethering" enabled by his phone network to use the data for your car via your phone.
Not sure why Badders gets Tomtom however, most modern sat navs have TMC built in (over the RDS radio signal) which gets you the same traffic data for free.
If any of you have a car made after Jun 13 and a data connection that has tethering enabled and it still doesn't work, then you need to delete your bluetooth pairing in the car and set it up again with the data bit turned on on your iPhone. Ultimately I think the Mercedes system needs to know the phone has data when it firsts connects. If you add your phone and then later on decide to activate data/tethering the profile in the car will not recognise it. Sorry about this it gets a bit technical (and boring), because when you first set it up your iPhone the car runs a test that tells it you do/don't have a data connection and so from that point on it uses that information.
By removing the phone from the BT memory and re-adding it with data enabled, the iPhone should work. Phew.
Why Mercedes made it all so complex is beyond me, but in truth I think most users have no idea what it does and don't use it anyway.
Tom
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