Rather than remove this preference, Akshay suggested we modify the behavior to allow users to prefer LTE connectivity even when WiFi networks are available.

In this case, we would want to update the string and possibly include help text to explain the resulting behavior. This should support enterprise policy override.

We received additional Googler reports supporting comment#2 above.

The WiFi network panel includes a "prefer this network" option that weights a particular WiFi network over another.

If we want to enable users to prefer cellular connectivity over WiFi, I suggest we find an alternate title for this field.

As mentioned in comment#2, this field should support policy override, and should be disabled/unchecked by default.

@Jon Ann, what string do you recommend here to clearly communicate that if checked, the local device will prefer cellular over WiFi so long as cellular is available?

How about this?


Use mobile data to connect when available

Recently we fixed  issue 884177  where we allowed WiFi to be "preferred" over Ethernet. It was very confusing and there is really no use case for that.

I would like to see us remove the toggle for Cellular and Ethernet. It is only supposed to be there for WiFi. We already have a clear way to prefer Cellular over WiFi, which is to disable WiFi.

That's a fair point, Steven. Can you confirm for me that WiFi network connectivity can be disabled entirely by enterprise policy, if an admin so chooses?

If so, then I agree the most reasonable path forward here would be to remove the "prefer" toggle from the mobile network panel entirely, and allow users to 'prefer' cellular by disabling WiFi, as needed.

ONC supports disabling network types: see DisableNetworkTypes in
https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/components/onc/docs/onc_spec.md#GlobalNetworkConfiguration-type

Thanks, Toni. In that case, I think we're okay to remove the "prefer" toggle altogether, at least until (if ever) dual-SIM Chromebooks are a thing.

Tony, can you take this one on?

Yep, I'll make it so that "prefer this network" toggle is only shown on WiFi networks. 

The following revision refers to this bug:
  https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src.git/+/ee72ef692f1d8d95df0dcf0bf79a7aacd9ce9f4c

commit ee72ef692f1d8d95df0dcf0bf79a7aacd9ce9f4c
Author: Tony de Luna <tonydeluna@chromium.org>
Date: Thu Nov 08 23:05:14 2018

Hide "prefer network" toggle in Ethernet and Cellular settings.

It's not clear what preferring Ethernet or cellular means. Users can
just disable WiFi if they want to 'prefer' their cellular network.

Bug:  881557 
Change-Id: I7e53ca9e4fac2be8f952f0081868a3c255f17f0e
Reviewed-on: https://chromium-review.googlesource.com/c/1325150
Reviewed-by: Steven Bennetts <stevenjb@chromium.org>
Commit-Queue: Tony De Luna <tonydeluna@chromium.org>
Cr-Commit-Position: refs/heads/master@{#606640}
[modify] https://crrev.com/ee72ef692f1d8d95df0dcf0bf79a7aacd9ce9f4c/chrome/browser/resources/settings/internet_page/internet_detail_page.js

"Prefer network" toggle is now hidden for:
* Ethernet
* Cellular
* ARC VPN
* Blocked by policy WiFi networks