Galaxy Note 2 Issues
dlcj21
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hi, I purchased a galaxy note 2 exactly 1 month ago today.  The first 2 weeks were amazing.  About 2 weeks in I was prompted to update the phone.  Since that update, the phone has been erratic.  It can't connect to wifi without giving me "authentication error" even though the password is correct.  The only way I get it to connect is standing a few inches away from the router even though I have 5 bars a few rooms away where it gave me authentication error.  It's not a problem because I have an unlimited data plan, but it would be very annoying if I couldn't use wifi if I was on a tiered plan.  In either case I want it to work like it was working before the update.

The other problem I'm having is the battery.  It used to last almost a day and a half is now barely lasting me half a day at work with the bulk of the time being on standby.  I've turned GPS off and I've put it in power saving mode (which i didn't have it in prior to the update) and it still has not helped.

For example the phone died yesterday at 6 PM.  I put it on the charger and charged it to full, pulled it off the charger this morning when I woke up at 8 AM.  I made a 3 minute phone call and the battery went from full to 30%.

I've tried factory resetting the phone and nothing seems to work.  Anyone else having this problem? Or having any ideas?  I bought this phone to replace my tablet and the battery not even lasting me 3-4 hours before going red with minimal use is unacceptable being that it's such a big battery.

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
mortb
Specialist - Level 3

Truthfully, with the security update, my battery seems to be lasting longer than before. Usually, when anything like this happens, I always check my apps. First, do you happen to have a battery saver apps? How about an apps killer, such as Advanced Task Killer? If so, get rid of them, they drain a battery faster than you can say Rip Van Winkle. With today's smartphones, you do not really need such apps. The Galaxy Note II has its own power saver, as you well know. Check some of your other apps which may be on all the time. Hope you find the dirty battery eatin' varmin soon. Having a battery drain faster than a sink of dirty water is no fun.

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
dlcj21
Enthusiast - Level 2

Nope haven't used those apps since the original droid and cupcake.  I factory reset it a few days ago, I've only reinstalled facebook and handcent, and my associated my email accounts with the email app and gmail.  The rest are just the default apps.

Today it's been on the battery for 6 hours and it's at 40% remaining.  Screen on time 44% has been 1 hour and it's on auto brightness.  Android system is the 2nd target at 20%, Voice Calls is at 11% and I've only made an 11 minute phone call today. Android OS rounds out the top 4 usage stats under battery at 9%.

I wish I would have paid closer attention to the stats preupdate.  Like I said, I haven't used it much today compared to how much I used it before the update and the battery would be around 75-80% at this point in the day.

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
mortb
Specialist - Level 3

Okay, let's rule out apps, which usually are the culprit. That leaves the OS and the battery itself. I too have the same OS. The upgrade was a security upgrade and I'm still waiting for Android version 4.1.2. So, for now, let us rule out the OS. This leaves the battery. You may have a faulty battery. I know that in the days of yore, with candy bar  and clam shell cell phones, we used to have two batteries, one for use and a spare. Every once in a while the battery went belly up and we had to replace it. You might try putting in a new battery and see what happens. On an outside chance, it may be the OS, but we both have the same phone with the same OS. Why should it work for one and not the other? This is why I'm leaning on the faulty battery idea. As for the WiFi, it may be the router itself. I learned the hard way that routers do not last forever. Have you tried using your phone in a place that has free WiFi, such as Starbuck and several fast food restaurants? As for the 5 bars, if you are tallking about the straight bars next to the 4G, that is the strength of the 4G and cell phone, nothing to do with WiFi strength. WiFi has its own symbol, which are curved lines. Try the phone in one of the places which offer free WiFi

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
dlcj21
Enthusiast - Level 2

So a month later still having the same issues.  Wifi is hit and miss unless I'm right next to the access point, it won't connect a room away, just keeps telling me I have an incorrect password but when I walk into the room the router is and hit connect (without changing the credentials) it connects fine.  The internet is pretty slow when connected via the phone but with the laptop I have sitting right next to the phone has no issues getting to websites.

The battery life is so bad I even bought the samsung note 2 spare battery with charging dock.  Same issues with the new battery so it's definitely the phone.  When switching batteries, I have to plug the phone into a charger for a few seconds until the battery meter shows up on the screen before it even allows me to turn it on.  You'd think a fully charged battery being put it would be enough to turn on the phone but it's not.

Here are my stats from yesterday

Time on battery 10 h 38 m

Voice Calls

Time On: 43 minutes

Screen

Time on 45 minutes

Cell standby

Time on 9 hrs 10 mins

Device idle

Time on 8 hrs 15 mins

I guess I'm just puzzled how a 43 minute phone call and 45 minutes of screen time drained the whole battery.  It was at 90% when I got done with the phone call and didn't use it again until I got home and when I unlocked the screen it was at 4% prompting me to charge it.

Anyone else having these issues?

I've factory reset the phone twice now.  The last time I reset it I didn't restore my profile/apps that were backed up, I added everything back manually thinking that maybe I had something wrong with my profile, but that didn't work either.  Same problems on the phone prior to adding a single app back.

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

Based on your latest post, I would suggest getting a warranty replacement.  It sounds like the batteries are fine, but the charging port or a connection in the phone is not working.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
dlcj21
Enthusiast - Level 2

I took your advice and called for a warranty exchange yesterday, they had the new phone (well like new re-certified) at my doorstep today right as I was leaving for work!  I'll post back after a few days but the battery life in the first hour or so is definitely much better on the new phone.  I turned them both on at the same time with fully charged batteries, went through the setup on the new phone while having the old phone for reference for screen layout etc.  When I was done, new phone had 99% remaining, old phone had 83% remaining.

Hopefully the wifi issue is solved as well but won't be able to test that out until I get home tonight.

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Re: Galaxy Note 2 Issues
mortb
Specialist - Level 3

Good luck.

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