We get a lot ton of mail here at GM Authority. From questions to complaints and everything in between, our inbox gets flooded every single day. Though we do our best to reply to those personally, we sometimes publish the answers publicly here on the GM Authority blog. This week’s question is one we’ve been hearing more and more often:
How do I connect to the OnStar 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot connection in my vehicle?
The answer is quite simple:
- First, make sure your vehicle has OnStar 4G LTE with Wi-Fi by looking at this compatibility list.
- Get in your vehicle and start it. Press the white OnStar button on the mirror or on the overhead console (depending on your vehicle) and say (or select) “Wi-Fi Settings”. This will show you the network name (SSID) and the password to the network, which you will need in step 3.
- Now, take the device you want to connect to the Wi-Fi network. On the device, search for available Wi-Fi networks and connect to the network using the password shown on the screen.
Voila! Your device is now connected to the Wi-Fi network powered by OnStar’s 4G LTE connection.
Comments
You can also use your Mylink screen ,…. Home/onstar/wifi….. Or the like.
If your GM dealer didn’t show you this, find a new dealer.
Welcome to the future, compliments of The General !
I purchased my 2015 TAHOE LTZin July, vehicle built in JUNE, thought it had the 4GLTE wifi capability, but it does not seem to have it…What do I need to do to get this functionality? What part is needed?
Same issue (with the YUKON SLT)…did you ever receive a response on this? I hope there is something we can do to get it.
Casey, unfortunately it’s the entire OnStar system rather than a single part. you can’t get the OnStar system, but you can get one that is aftermarket (which works similarly) from a company called AutoNet.
I purchased a 2015 Cadillac SRX last year and was very disappointed to find out I can only use AT&T wifi. We pay entirely too much for these vehicles to be limited to just one wifi. I would like to if there is a way of bypassing the system so that I can connect to TWC wifi ?
Geraldine, that’s not really how it works.
The 4G LTE Internet pipe delivered to the car is provided by AT&T. The Wi-Fi distributed that signal in the car to connected devices. Time Warner Cable (TWC) is not a wireless service provider so they wouldn’t even be part of the conversation here.
TWC is a wireless service. TWC uses wifi to transmit through the Internet wirelessly like a data service does. So why isn’t it a part of the conversation. And why can’t we use Sprint or Verizon? Like I said, you pay that much money for a vehicle and you still have limitations that you should have. Sounds like a bunch of bull to me.
Geraldine twc’s wifi is only wireless because of your wireless router it’s only transmitted in your home unlike a cellular carrier.. two completely different things
Let me get this right, if you have AT&T as a service provider for the internet, you can connect your wifi from the vehicle. Just bought the 2021 RST Suburban with the media package. Don”t want to pay on star any money for their service.
Does one have to subscribe to OnStar to have WiFi in a Chevy Suburban?
I do not want to subscribe to a phone service which is available only in the car; most of my daily life is away from driving, but when I am driving I’d like to be able to use a WiFi feature tapping in my Internet provider resources.
Greg, to answer your question: no, you do not need to subscribe to OnStar to have the OnStar 4G LTE-based Wi-Fi services.
Tapping in your landline or cable-based ISP is not an option. The vehicle is pretty much a device on the AT&T wireless network. It has nothing to do with a landline ISP, as I mentioned in my reply to Geraldine.
I believe my trail wifi has expired.hiw do I go about getting it set up again?
New Question:
I bought a very slightly used Denali. With Wifi already set up from previous owner. How can I find out the password, and reset the SSID?
Also can I simply get the IMEI and SIM out of the system and add them to my existing ATT account, as if it were just another data device?
You do have to purchase a separate AT&T data plan to use the wifi hotspot capability of the vehicle… I have AT&T for my cellular serice with 6GB per month of data… I can NOT use the truck hotspot capability using the data plan on my cell phone… I have to purchase a separate data plan through OnStar for my truck to use… information per OnStar and AT&T… they confirmed what the other said. I wanted to just use my existing data plan which I have 4GB left over every month and they said NO can’t use it, I have to purchase another additional plan separate from my cell phone data plan. And yes my cell phone is capable of making a hotspot but it is soooo convenient that the truck just did it during my trial without having to mess around with my phone all the time when I wanted to do something
Thank you Dave. That is very frustrating news. I think I should be able to just add my Suburban to my AT&T data plan like I add a new iPad. Paying for a whole new plan is ridiculous and disappointing. Perhaps the players figure that people who buy trucks that cost as much as some people pay for housing, don’t count pennies on their cell phone bill. I count pennies on everything. Thanks for the clarification.
This has recently changed. See this ad from AT&T:
https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/connected-car/gm-onstar.html
And both OnStar and AT&T offer unlimited data plans now for $20/month.
And both OnStar and AT&T offer unlimited data plans now for $20/month.
Now, you’re required to buy a personal phone plan, an OnStar plan, then another AT&T plan
to access the wifi to hear music with my phone app? And all I was asking for was a CD player…
A constant drain on my frozen finances.
I have 2017 Buick envision. I was told I could use the internet 50 ft from the car. How can this done.
Since I am the only one in the truck it has a limitation for me. I want to use it while I am camping with the truck parked next to the camper but I would have to leave the key in it to keep the internet working. Sitting in the truckl I have to keep turning the key on and off while the wifi connection is broken.
How do I shut off the irritating ding and display that says my WIFI is now connected?
These comments! What a great read . I’m dead though seriously. WOW some of funniest ever!! Someone please respond with “if your dead how are you typing?” It would be perfect.
If you’re dead, how are you typing?
Is there a way to use the WIFI in the 2017 truck without having the truck running?
On my Cruze, I just use the accessory, which is accessed by pressing the start button with my foot OFF the brake. Wait till it says you are connected.
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