W176 problem with internet on Comand NTG 5.1

[nikolasr200]

Hi guys,

recently i upgraded the unit on my w176 from audio 20 ntg5.1 to comand ntg5.1.
Everything works great, apart from the internet connection. I keep getting a message "Internet connection temporarily unavailable".
I have read related thread over here about browser having been discontinued, and other issues, but still can't figure out what's wrong with my case and the unavailability of the internet connection.
The issue appears on all internet related screens, i.e internet radio, mercedes apps, browser, etc..
I have read on mhhauto the posibility of not having correctly configured the comand serial somewhere, but not clear where this is.

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[rf065]

I have ntg5.2 and tried the internet once when I first got it, decided it was practically useless and have never bothered with it since. I also read that half the things it could do then have been abandoned or switched off, so not sure if it good for anything at all now?

 

[nikolasr200]

I m not relying on it to be honest, it is just that I wanted since I have retrofitted it to be able at least once to see it functional end to end.

 

[markjay]

I don't know why the Internet connection isn't working, but it's not related to the fact the the Internet browser is no longer supported.

Are you referring to Bluetooth tethering via your mobile phone (using DUN/PAN protocol), or to Internet connection via the car's built-in 3g Modem?

If the former, than what smartphone do you have? Android or iPhone?

If the latter, then are you aware that MB discontinued all services relying on the Vodafone 3g network?

 

[nikolasr200]

Hi,
I m referring to the Internet connection through either Bluetooth tethering or WiFi (we installed WiFi antenna as well with the command).
Both connections (phone and ntg unit) seem to connect ok but on the next step of establishing Internet connection I get the failure message.

I use iPhone.

 

[markjay]

Also, did you get the COMAND unit SCN coded to the car? The SAMs need to know that the car has COMAND if the COMAND unit is to communicate with other component in the car via CANBUS. Not to mention that SCN coding is required if you want to be able to generate a PIN code for maps update.

And, it's best to upgrade the COMAND firmware to the latest version.

On another note, COMAND NTG5*1 has native support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but you may need to replace the USB socket and wire before you can SCN code the relevant options (14U/15U/16U/17U) to the car.

All of the above require genuine STAR with active subscription, BTW.

 

[markjay]

Hi,
I m referring to the Internet connection through either Bluetooth tethering or WiFi (we installed WiFi antenna as well with the command).
Both connections (phone and ntg unit) seem to connect ok but on the next step of establishing Internet connection I get the failure message.

I use iPhone.

I know that with COMAND NTG4.5, iPhone connectivity was only introduced in 2014 with the last hardware version (Gen 3 aka NTG4.7), before that only Android phones were supported.

I wonder if early versions of COMAND NTG5*1 had the same issue? Are you able to try the connection with an Android phone?

 

[nikolasr200]

Yes I will try with an Android and get back with feedback!

 

[markjay]

Interesting discussion here:

Can not access network on Comand NTG5s1

1

mhhauto.com

The conclusion was that NTG5*1 needed to be SCN coded to the car for the Internet connection to work (MBRACE is an MB online service available only on the US, btw).

Also note this:

"Same problem on my W117 NTG5S1 after latest software update and activate Carplay and Android auto.

Solved by activating Bluetooth tethering on my phone and connecting to internet via Bluetooth not via Wifi Hotspot."

But I think you've done all that already?

 

[nikolasr200]

I have read on mhhauto the posibility of not having correctly configured the comand serial somewhere, but not clear where this is.

Correct! This is the post I was referring at, but I don’t currently have a subscription over mhhauto to seek for further info on where and how this process should / could take place. As far as I am aware, appropriate actions were taken by the garage that installed the unit in my case, but it is quite likely that they may have missed a step or two ?

 

[markjay]

Correct! This is the post I was referring at, but I don’t currently have a subscription over mhhauto to seek for further info on where and how this process should / could take place. As far as I am aware, appropriate actions were taken by the garage that installed the unit in my case, but it is quite likely that they may have missed a step or two ?

Run the VIN in an online VIN decoder, you'll see if the COMAND unit was correctly SCN coded to the car.

Check in the 52x and 53x section, you should see "531 COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5" or such like (and not Audio20).

 

[markjay]

These are the Apple CarPlay Android Auto codes, btw (should you wish to add them):

The first code (14U) is for the USB port that supports smartphone connectivity. The two others are software licenses that need to be purchased (I think that the Android one might actually be free).

 

[nikolasr200]

Do you have a vin decode site to suggest ?

 

[markjay]

Do you have a vin decode site to suggest ?

Just Google MB VIN Decoder... I actually use an app on my Android phone.

 

[nikolasr200]

That’s interesting.. on 2 sites that I googled it returned 505 audio 20 which was the old unit. On another one though it returned

531	COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5

 

[markjay]

That’s interesting.. on 2 sites that I googled it returned 505 audio 20 which was the old unit. On another one though it returned

531	COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5

My guess is that the site showing 531 is using a newer version of the database than the other two.

 

[nikolasr200]

Run the VIN in an online VIN decoder, you'll see if the COMAND unit was correctly SCN coded to the car.

So shall I suppose that Comand has been correctly SCN coded to my car ?

 

[markjay]

So shall I suppose that Comand has been correctly SCN coded to my car ?

It would appear this way.

 

[nikolasr200]

Tried today connecting to Internet through Android phone - Bluetooth tethering, no success.

 

[markjay]

You are saying that the initial data connection between the COMAND unit and the phone works fine, but then there's no actual access to any of the MB online services?

Keeping in mind that COMAND doesn't actually connect you to the Internet as such, instead it connects you to the MB central system via the Internet, and you can then use the MB apps installed on the COMAND unit.

My guess is that MB don't know that your car is entitled to the MB online services - but I'm not sure how this can be SCN coded.