Wireless CarPlay Dongle

[Barqs]

After seeing this discussion, I thought I'd "upgrade" to the AutoBox unit from my old CPLAY2air. There was nothing inherently wrong with my old device, but I thought I might like a newer/faster option for $60.

Man, that was a mistake.

I can connect my phone to the AutoBox as designed, and I updated the software upon receipt. But my Ram never sees a CarPlay device when it's plugged in (on any port), and my iPhone 13 Pro Max never sees it on Bluetooth. It's going back to Amazon.

Maybe I just got a dud with defective Bluetooth, but it was a waste of time.

So...I just pushed a bunch of belated updates to the CPLAY2air and am hoping it will soldier on for another 4 years!

It sounds more like a dud situation. My Autobox has been much more reliable than my CarLinkIt. Not perfect, but much more stable and without the lag I was seeing with the CarLinkIt. Never tried the CPLAY2air.

 

[Chopperbobby]

after about a month on autobox I have switched back to Car2 play. Last 3 day the auto box would not connect. It showed connected in wifi but nothing on my radio. Cant find the instructions anymore. C

Plugged in the Car2 play and showed right up.

I may look for my instructions and try to reset and re connect to see what happens

 

[SpeedyV]

It sounds more like a dud situation. My Autobox has been much more reliable than my CarLinkIt. Not perfect, but much more stable and without the lag I was seeing with the CarLinkIt. Never tried the CPLAY2air.

Not long after posting on this thread, as fate would have it, my wireless CarPlay started glitching. It would go "gray" on me, then just drop. And once it would drop, I couldn't even get CarPlay to work with a wired connection. Uh-oh!

I detailed this on another thread, but I replaced the media hub to no avail. That was a big disappointment. Through further testing, I determined it was my CPLAY2air that had failed...and when it failed, it would take all CarPlay capability down with it until the truck was shut down long enough to reset (even with the new media hub installed).

With the previously-mentioned AutoBox debacle, I decided to try the 2022 version of Carlinkit 3.0 this time around. I've been running it constantly for the past few days, and it's been working like a champ. It also connects faster than the CPLAY2air unit did.

So my CPLAY2air did the job for 3 years, but I'm happy with the Carlinkit unit so far. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here!

 

[Joesmud1]

I have 2 AutoBoxes running (2021 Ram & 2023 Mazda) now. Both have been reliable as heck...once I found out to NOT connect/attach our phones through Bluetooth or the OEM app like Uconnect.

I hope to not gonna jinx it, but I've gone weeks without an issue...connects every time.

 

[securityguy]

I have 2 AutoBoxes running (2021 Ram & 2023 Mazda) now. Both have been reliable as heck...once I found out to NOT connect/attach our phones through Bluetooth or the OEM app like Uconnect.

I hope to not gonna jinx it, but I've gone weeks without an issue...connects every time.

I have Autoboxes running in all of my vehicles and they are the best out there IMPO and I highly recommend them. Not sure what "debacle" happened Like with anything, you will get a dud every so often.

 

[SpeedyV]

I have Autoboxes running in all of my vehicles and they are the best out there IMPO and I highly recommend them. Not sure what "debacle" happened Like with anything, you will get a dud every so often.

Explained above. I’m sure it was just a dud. Waste of time when I had a working solution…nothing more.

 

[SpeedyV]

I have Autoboxes running in all of my vehicles and they are the best out there IMPO and I highly recommend them. Not sure what "debacle" happened Like with anything, you will get a dud every so often.

For what it’s worth, your signature still promotes your Carlinkit

 

[securityguy]

For what it’s worth, your signature still promotes your Carlinkit

Guess I never changed it...will do that now...thanks

 

[Neurobit]

Not long after posting on this thread, as fate would have it, my wireless CarPlay started glitching. It would go "gray" on me, then just drop. And once it would drop, I couldn't even get CarPlay to work with a wired connection. Uh-oh!

I detailed this on another thread, but I replaced the media hub to no avail. That was a big disappointment. Through further testing, I determined it was my CPLAY2air that had failed...and when it failed, it would take all CarPlay capability down with it until the truck was shut down long enough to reset (even with the new media hub installed).

With the previously-mentioned AutoBox debacle, I decided to try the 2022 version of Carlinkit 3.0 this time around. I've been running it constantly for the past few days, and it's been working like a champ. It also connects faster than the CPLAY2air unit did.

So my CPLAY2air did the job for 3 years, but I'm happy with the Carlinkit unit so far. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here!

Yeah, Carlinkit is way better than CPLAY2air. My CP2A started having issues within a couple of weeks of purchase, and they never stood behind their product. POS company.

 

[SpeedyV]

Yeah, Carlinkit is way better than CPLAY2air. My CP2A started having issues within a couple of weeks of purchase, and they never stood behind their product. POS company.

So far, so good with the Carlinkit. But I did get a lot of miles out of the CPLAY2air adapter, so time will tell! It’ll be a few months before I do another 1,200-mile trip…that’s where I’ll see how it does running for hours on end.

 

[securityguy]

If you all like the Carlinkit...you will be ecstatic with the Autobox I found it to be far superior to the Carlinkit and increased reliability.

 

[theblet]

If you all like the Carlinkit...you will be ecstatic with the Autobox I found it to be far superior to the Carlinkit and increased reliability.

I wish autobox made an AI unit. I’ve been thinking about getting one of these instead of just a wireless CarPlay dongle.

Any experience with these?

 

[SpeedyV]

If you all like the Carlinkit...you will be ecstatic with the Autobox I found it to be far superior to the Carlinkit and increased reliability.

You know I won't...(dud)

 

[securityguy]

You know I won't...(dud)

There will always be lemons my friend regardless of what it is and who makes it. When you encounter a lemon...make lemonade

 

[SpeedyV]

There will always be lemons my friend regardless of what it is and who makes it. When you encounter a lemon...make lemonade

True that. So after my CPLAY2air died and Autobox arrived DOA, I'm very satisfied with my Carlinkit 3.0.

For what it's worth, I came across this blogger that tested 15 popular adapters pretty rigorously. He liked certain things about the Carlinkit 3.0 Mini and 3.0 enough to rate them on top of his list, but there are many tradeoffs between these devices (e.g. boot times, WiFi speeds, range, and lag are all over the place).

One thing seems apparent when looking at his test results: our factory UConnect system must be pretty quick to launch CarPlay. My "ignition-on-to-CarPlay-launch" times (even with the old CPLAY2air adapter) have been much faster than the blogger reported in his testing.

 

[Stealthall]

True that. So after my CPLAY2air died and Autobox arrived DOA, I'm very satisfied with my Carlinkit 3.0.

For what it's worth, I came across this blogger that tested 15 popular adapters pretty rigorously. He liked certain things about the Carlinkit 3.0 Mini and 3.0 enough to rate them on top of his list, but there are many tradeoffs between these devices (e.g. boot times, WiFi speeds, range, and lag are all over the place).

One thing seems apparent when looking at his test results: our factory UConnect system must be pretty quick to launch CarPlay. My "ignition-on-to-CarPlay-launch" times (even with the old CPLAY2air adapter) have been much faster than the blogger reported in his testing.

Would you mind sending a link to the Carlinkit 3.0 - the ones I see say they are not compatible with Ram, or at least do not list them under the manufacturers....

What about the Carlinkit Dongle?

Thanks!

 

[SpeedyV]

Would you mind sending a link to the Carlinkit 3.0 - the ones I see say they are not compatible with Ram, or at least do not list them under the manufacturers....

What about the Carlinkit Dongle?

Thanks!

I've come across lists on some sites stating that the 3.0 and 4.0 models are compatible with the 2018-'21 Ram 1500. (Mine's a 2019, per my signature, and it's working great. Not sure what year you have.)


Good luck!

 

[Stealthall]

I've come across lists on some sites stating that the 3.0 and 4.0 models are compatible with the 2018-'21 Ram 1500. (Mine's a 2019, per my signature, and it's working great. Not sure what year you have.)

View attachment 150811

Good luck!

Roger That...

Just ordered this one, I have a 2021 Ram 1500

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B1TZZ9K3/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1EE5VCGDAEB07&th=1

I will report back to HQ once I have a chance to mess with it...

 

[theblet]

I've come across lists on some sites stating that the 3.0 and 4.0 models are compatible with the 2018-'21 Ram 1500. (Mine's a 2019, per my signature, and it's working great. Not sure what year you have.)


Roger That...

Just ordered this one, I have a 2021 Ram 1500

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B1TZZ9K3/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1EE5VCGDAEB07&th=1

I will report back to HQ once I have a chance to mess with it...

I am looking at that one. The tbox looks really interesting too. Idk what to do

 

[Stealthall]

I've come across lists on some sites stating that the 3.0 and 4.0 models are compatible with the 2018-'21 Ram 1500. (Mine's a 2019, per my signature, and it's working great. Not sure what year you have.)


Roger That...

Just ordered this one, I have a 2021 Ram 1500

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B1TZZ9K3/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1EE5VCGDAEB07&th=1

I will report back to HQ once I have a chance to mess with it...

Update:

A little S$it show happened...I ordered the 4.0, had problems, then ordered the 3.0 had problems then pulled out my old Air2Play one which worked. for some reason I opened up the Carlinkit box again to look at the cable (I have DJI drone that requires the USB C to be in a certain direction for connection)...and I see that one end of the USB C cable has a logo/picture on it....

I go back and rehook up the 4.0 with the proper direction (I had it incorrect the first time), do the QR Code check for update and entered in my truck on the website and now she has been running perfectly for over 24hrs. Previous issues were non-responsive and then a disconnect while driving down the road and would have to unplug and replug.

So the Carlinkit 4.0 is money! Just make sure you plug the end of the USB C cable with the diagram image into the truck end. I have it plugged into the far right USB C then tuck the cable into the trim down to the passenger side/left leg "map pocket" and double side taped it into the passenger side "map pocket"