ScrapMaker

I have been scouring the internet for weeks, but I haven't found a SINGLE example of anyone trying this on any GM vehicle with OnStar LTE. I find this amazing. With the $20/mo unlimited plan, this seems like a no-brainer.

For me personally, I want this so that my 4k dashcam can be connected 24/7. I have access to the wiring diagrams and I will be doing some research to ensure I can keep the ignition feed to the OnStar module active. When voltage gets too low, I have a separate controller that also keeps my dashcam live, which will cut that line and everything will turn off.

Has anyone here thought of this? I am surprised there is very little chatter, especially in other vehicle forums. People could probably abuse this for Wi-Fi access away from their vehicle (like parked at home,) but I just need this for my dashcam.

I'll keep people posted on the progress. Thanks!

-SS

RonC7

Put the car in service mode and connect a battery tender.

spinkick

service mode being hold down the start button for more than 10 seconds without holding the clutch down (m7, not sure what auto is)

ScrapMaker

Yeah for some reason service mode seems a bit scary to leave a car in for hours while unattended in public. If I have my vehicle in a place where I can attach a battery tender, then I likely already have WiFi available for it as well. The whole point is to keep the dash cam connected at all times.

I honestly don't understand the point of the in-car hotspot, because if I'm in the car, I already have my phone. If I can tweak the operation of the module, then that service might just be worth it.

spinkick

Yeah, i think that is why it's so cheap and unlimited. It's really a pointless gadget with everyone carrying phones. I don't understand who would have greenlit lte in a car and expected it to do well. It'd be cool if you had a tablet mounted that needed internet, I guess.

ScrapMaker

So far the diagrams look promising. I'll tinkering with it over the next few weeks. I might even using a simple microcontroller to trigger the mirror button every few minutes while the ignition is off. None of this is rocket science. I might be able to do it from the OBD2 port, even. Though I'm really trying to avoid using my CANBUS Triple to do any of this. Hoping for $5 or less of permanent gear to get this working.

bsedwebt

I was just reading about the 20/mo unlimited plan and was thinking it may be a good internet option for me at home. The car is in the garage and I could just use it for all my internet needs instead of the rising cost of home internet. I could just leave the car in service mode connected to a battery tender all the time but I was wondering the same thing - what kind of bad things are going to happen leaving the car like this for hours on a regular basis?

ScrapMaker

I haven't been home in months, but I do still hope to figure this out. I won't encourage your goal there, but I'm interested in how you achieve it. Sevice mode and battery tender seems ridiculous though. Trigger the OnStar without ignition instead.

bsedwebt

That is what I started thinking. I wonder if I can find the fuse that runs the hotspot and run a jumper wire to just that fuse and leave the key off. Anybody know where that fuse is and has done something similar?

ScrapMaker

No one has. You'll need the wiring diagrams for these systems and do it yourself.

Flame Red

Your battery will not last very long with a 4K dash cam on Wifi. I have a Blackvue DR900s-2CH with a Cellink NEO Battery to power it and it lasts for maybe 18 hours parked before it turns off.

Actually, the OnStar is on so that you can unlock your phone from the Chevy App, but the LTE hot spot is not. I can imagine your battery would not last very long with the LTE going let alone the drain from the dash cam. Best to use a cell phone for tethering rather than dealing with the immovable objects that the GM computers are! I think my family plans let me add another line to an for $20/month unlimited. Don't think I really need that I need unlimited as my Blackview does not upload stuff to their cloud until the app requests it.

Good luck with your quest.

ScrapMaker

I would say that the suggestion to use the cell phone hotspot is a good one, but doesn't do much in the way of assisting the dashcam connectivity when you're away from the vehicle. That's the entire point of this post, is to have remote connectivity.

I also do understand that the OnStar and LTE modem are on at all times. My suggestion is to trick the OnStar module into thinking the ignition is also on, therefore also activating the LTE hotspot portion of it.

based on the wiring schematics that I've seen, I believe this is doable, but I haven't had any time to dedicate to it. I also would never condone the abuse of the OnStar LTE system, for something like home internet. You are very likely to be noticed for this, and banned.

the only other option for me, is to install a battery operated mobile hotspot. Easy with this is that it would likely overheat in the vehicle, and battery Life Would Suck. I also haven't seen the same results as you in terms of dash cam longevity on battery. I direct wired mine into the vehicle and it lasts for days. Unfortunately I have that terrible direct wire system from blackvue, and it only goes down to 12. 5 volts. As soon as I get home in the next week, I will be ordering a $1 microcontroller from Amazon, that I have another Vehicles, which will allow me to more cranial early control the voltage. My preference would be 12. 0v. That should give me almost a whole week of recording.

Matthewstorm

ScrapMaker

I like the actual camera quality enough to own two of them, but the ecosystem needs major work. Also, Blackvue tries to force you into a paid plan if you have a camera in two vehicles. (I got around this with Secure Folder.) I am unsure if the competition is really any better.

They finally updated the firmware to allow OTA updates via hotspot -- before that you had to connect directly to the camera's OWN wifi hotspot. Not very convenient. I feel like they are getting better, but the cloud access to your recordings is horrific and slow.

I run my phone hotspot while driving, so clips DO upload instantly, and also my camera connects to 3 (that's the max) wireless networks at the various places I park. I wish it would download the wireless networks from my phone like my Samsung Watch does. If my camera would connect to HotSpot 2.0 stuff like "CableWifi" that would be tremendous.

Last but not least, I have a script that pulls the files off my camera whenever I get home. It really helps since 128GB only gives you about 16-20 hours of footage before it overwrites.