Using the F-Droid Client with an unreliable Internet connection

Apps
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1

I use the F-Droid Android app with bad Internet connection: It is slow and sometimes interrupted.
What happens is that I click on “install” and the app starts downloading.
This might take a while. In that time, I might want to choose another app to download and install.

If at that point the Internet connection breaks for a bit, the download will stop.
To install the app, I need to search for it again and click install again.
Then it continues with the download.

For me, the following features would make using F-Droid with a bad Internet connection easier:

  1. Keep interrupted downloading apps in Updates: When an app is downloaded, it appears in the “Updates” section. When the connection breaks, I would like it do still stay there - just as not downloading. This way, I do not need to search for it again in case I install another app. Optionally, I can also click to “Download” the app again to retry the download.
  2. Since the interruption might be temporary, it would be nice to retry the download automatically. Imaging: If the Internet connection is quite unstable, one might need to click download, download, download again and again to restart it. If it could just retry to download for about 5 minutes, that would be much appreciated! After that time, I can click download again. But I know I do not constantly have to watch the process.

For me, this is also a matter of inclusion because I think most app developers are not in the position where they have to put up with bad Internet.

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2

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3

Now, I have a good Internet connection, F-Droid works: it automatically updates all the apps after loading the new indices.

When the Internet connection is unreliable:

  1. An update is only attempted once. If there is a connection issue, it is not tried again. All apps end up just listed and not updated.
  2. Sometimes, it says “not connected to the Internet” when I obviously have a connection and does not want me to update apps. Specifically also when I use mobile data.

I think, these two are worth fixing because it is important that the official F-Droid also works when you are not well off or your Internet is not the best.

See also:

4

How is F-Droid Client setup? Pics?

Client version 1.23.1?

Which Android version?

6

Sometimes, it says “not connected to the Internet” when I obviously have a connection and does not want me to update apps.

You may try https://f-droid.org/packages/com.emanuelef.remote_capture/. Sometimes that problem is automagically solved by trying to observe it, or by setting up a local firewall/VPN. I always suspect that such issues are somehow firewall-related. I had a similar issue with an alternative client (Foxy Droid) but only when connected to a particular Wi-Fi hot spot.