Restrict Android Internet usage to WiFi without Internet Access

Question

I am building an android app that needs to communicate over a WiFi network that will not have any internet access. The problem is that even when the WiFi is connected android chooses to use cellular/mobile data when no connection internet is present on the wifi network.

I have read many posts on the issue many of which involve rooting the device but that is not possible with a production app (rooting devices is not an option). other solution (like my code bellow) suggest using bindProcessToNetwork() which works perfectly on my Sony Z2 but not on other devices I have tested on (all running 6.0.1)

private void bindToNetwork() {
    final ConnectivityManager connectivityManager = (ConnectivityManager) mActivity.getSystemService(Context.CONNECTIVITY_SERVICE);
    NetworkRequest.Builder builder;
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
        builder = new NetworkRequest.Builder();
        //set the transport type do WIFI
        builder.addTransportType(NetworkCapabilities.TRANSPORT_WIFI);
        connectivityManager.requestNetwork(builder.build(), new ConnectivityManager.NetworkCallback() {
            @Override
            public void onAvailable(Network network) {
                if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {


                    connectivityManager.bindProcessToNetwork(null);
                    if (barCodeData.getSsid().contains("screenspace")) {
                        connectivityManager.bindProcessToNetwork(network);
                    }

                } else {
                    //This method was deprecated in API level 23
                    ConnectivityManager.setProcessDefaultNetwork(null);
                    if (barCodeData.getSsid().contains("screenspace")) {

                        ConnectivityManager.setProcessDefaultNetwork(network);
                    }
                }

                connectivityManager.unregisterNetworkCallback(this);
            }
        });
    }
}

Answer 1

You can check if wifi is connected then proceed else show a dialog to user asking him to connect to a wifi network

Since the method NetworkInfo.isConnected() is now deprecated in API-23, here is a method which detects if the Wi-Fi adapter is on and also connected to an access point using WifiManager instead:

private boolean checkWifiOnAndConnected() {
    WifiManager wifiMgr = (WifiManager) getSystemService(Context.WIFI_SERVICE);

    if (wifiMgr.isWifiEnabled()) { // Wi-Fi adapter is ON

        WifiInfo wifiInfo = wifiMgr.getConnectionInfo();

        if( wifiInfo.getNetworkId() == -1 ){
            return false; // Not connected to an access point
        }
        return true; // Connected to an access point
    }
    else {
        return false; // Wi-Fi adapter is OFF
    }
}