Welcome to the series of “Beginners Guide to Basic Android Settings”. This is the second part of the series which discusses about various settings you can play with related to Wireless & networks, in your Android device.
Here’s the first part of this series, visit Beginners Guide to Basic Android Settings: Part 1.
TIP 7: HOW TO SETUP APN SETTINGS ON ANDROID
APNs in Android (access point names) can be simply understood as a gateway for your Android phone to get connected to the internet. APNs lets you access mobile internet, but you’ll have to setup APN settings which varies depending upon your mobile service provider.
Setting up APN: Android Gingerbread
- Go to Settings
- Tap Wireless and Networks
- Select Mobile Networks
- Visit Access Point Names, to create a new APN
Setting up APN: Android Ice-Cream Sandwich & Android Jellybean
- Go to Settings
- Look for Mobile Network under Wireless & Networks
- Visit Access Point Names, and create a new APN
Setting up APN: Android Lollipop
- Go to Settings
- Tap Mobile Networks
- Visit Access Point Names, and create a new APN
How To Reset To Default APN Settings
Sometimes you might configure the APN settings in a wrong way and need to revert back to default. In Android Lollipop visit settings > mobile networks > access point names, tap on options and select Reset to default.
TIP 8: HOW TO CHANGE DEFAULT SMS APP ON ANDROID
Messenger is the default SMS app on Android Lollipop. Text messages, Multimedia messages, their settings like SMS signature, push services, QuickMessage, etc are handled by this app.
Not all people have same taste when it comes to apps preferences, so some might want to change their default SMS app to some other apps like Messaging and Hangouts.
- Visit Settings
- Tap More, below Wireless & networks heading
- Open up Default SMS app
- Select the default app which you’d like to use for handling SMS
To use apps like Google Hangouts as your default SMS app, make sure you’ve already downloaded and installed them on your phone.
TIP 9: HOW TO MANUALLY SETUP AND CONNECT TO A VPN ON ANDROID
Android users can make use of VPN on their phones for browsing web anonymously and securely on a public wireless network, connect themselves to a specific network (office/home), view blocked contents like YouTube videos, webpages, etc. Using VPN on Android has one most effective use, i.e ability to download the apps which are not available in your country.
For manually setting up a VPN on Android,
- Go to Settings
- Tap More, under Wireless and networks
- Select VPN
- Click on the + button to create a new VPN profile
- Enter each specific details
- Name: Give a name to your private network
- Type: From the dropdown select the type of private network you’re connecting to. (PPTP, L2TP/IPSEC, IPSec Xauth, IPSec Hybrid)
- Server address: Type the server address of the private network. Eg, server.example.com or address can also be the IP address
- If you’d like to change the DNS search domains, click the check box that says Show advanced options.
- Tap the SAVE option, once you’ve entered all the details
You can create numerous VPN profiles. Each time just tap on the + button and repeat above steps.
TIP 10: CONNECTING TO A MANUALLY CREATED VPN ON ANDROID
After you’ve successfully created a VPN, tap the VPN to connect to it.
Now you’ll have to enter your Username and Password to connect to that specific private network. After entering your credentials hit Connect button.
When connected to a VPN, a “VPN activated” notification will show up on the notification drawer. You can tap the notification and tap disconnect to stop connecting to that private network.
This is the second part of the series “Beginners Guide to Basic Android Settings”. Stay subscribed to our blog for further updates.
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