The Fi Collar will always try to use the least amount of battery possible. Whenever it's in range of your Fi Base, Wi-Fi, or smartphone with the Fi App installed and running, the collar will use those connections to locate your dog and display their activity. See: How Can I Improve My Fi App Mobile Connectivity?
Once the collar is out of range of those options (Fi Base, Wi-Fi, or smartphone with the Fi App installed and running) the Fi Collar will use GPS/LTE to acquire your dog's location. It is important that the Fi Collar only connects to GPS/LTE outdoors, as GPS/LTE is not reliable indoors. To achieve the longest battery life, it is also essential that GPS/LTE is only used when needed (when you are apart from your dog, and they are outdoors). See: How Do I Improve Battery Performance for My Dog’s Fi Collar?
To access GPS, you will need a Fi GPS/LTE Subscription/Membership, which gives you access to the full capabilities of your dog's Fi Collar - allowing Fi remote access to your dog's location and activity. See: What's Included in My Fi GPS/LTE Subscription/Membership?
If your dog is lost, Live Tracking/Lost Dog Mode relies on GPS/LTE and we recommend familiarizing yourself with the different connection states of your dog's Fi Collar, and coverage in your area. See: Testing Live Tracking/Lost Dog Mode _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Steps to Test Fi Collar GPS/LTE Reports in the Fi App
The best way to truly understand GPS coverage in your area is to do some testing, and we've built a function just for that!
- Go outside, GPS/LTE will not be accurate indoors.
- Open your Fi App.
- Tap on the lower left tab to access the Live Tab:
- Tap your dog's profile photo on the top left:
- Your dog's location map will open. For this test, you need to be connected to your mobile device.
- If you see a
blue circle with your initial (or blue circle with a different owner's initial
), then your dog is connected to your mobile device.
- If you are not connected to your mobile device, you may still be in range of your Fi Base or Wi-Fi. Continue walking until you are out of range.
- If you see a
- Once you have confirmed you are connected to a mobile device, you can exit the map by taping the arrow on the bottom left:
- Next, go into your dog's profile. Tap your dog's profile picture in the lower right corner. Once you are in the profile, tap the 3 stacked lines:
- Tap System Diagnostics:
- Tap on the collar you want to test, and tap the pet's image to enter Diagnostic Mode:
- Scroll to the bottom of the Diagnostic Report and tap Test GPS & LTE:
- Tap Start Test:
- If your test is successful, you will see a result under Latest GPS/LTE Report with the location of your dog's collar during the test. If your dog were lost, we'd report their location from this spot. If your test is unsuccessful, see: Infrequent & Inaccurate GPS/LTE Location Reports
Repeat this test around your neighborhood, or areas you know your dog escapes too often.