The iCar Pro Wi-Fi is the Wi-Fi member of Vgate's iCar Pro family: a small, battery-saving adapter that works with Torque, DashCommand and other ELM327 apps on iPhone, Android and Windows, with firmware upgrades for later fixes.
Vgate makes the iCar Pro in several radios, and it says so on the box: a Bluetooth 4.0 version is available for iPhone and Android too. So the Wi-Fi model needs a reason. For some owners the reason is an app, for others a device that speaks Wi-Fi more readily than Bluetooth LE.
Wi-Fi adapters became popular because of the iPhone. For years, cheap Bluetooth dongles simply never appeared on Apple devices, while a Wi-Fi adapter worked with every app that offered a network connection. Bluetooth LE has since closed most of that gap, but Wi-Fi still has a place.
With a suitable app, the iCar Pro Wi-Fi reads and clears check-engine codes and shows live sensor data. Vgate names Torque, DashCommand and BimmerCode, and warns that some apps charge for full features. For BimmerCode, check the app's own adapter list for your chassis before relying on Wi-Fi.
It fits 12V petrol cars built from 1996 and 12V light diesels up to 6.5 tonnes. The body is small and weighs about 60 g, so it tucks under most dashboards without catching a knee. The Wi-Fi adapter guide explains how Wi-Fi and BLE compare in daily use.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand | Vgate |
| Model | iCar Pro Wi-Fi |
| Link type | Wi-Fi |
| iPhone / iPad | Yes |
| Android | Yes |
| Windows | Yes |
| Named apps | Torque, DashCommand, BimmerCode; some need in-app purchases |
| Functions | Read and clear check-engine codes, live sensor data |
| Power saving | Battery-saving design for long-term fitting |
| Firmware | Upgradable |
| Petrol vehicles | 12V, US-built from 1996, OBD2 |
| Diesel vehicles | 12V light diesel up to 6.5 t, OBD2, from 1996 |
| Not for | 24V diesel vehicles |
| Weight | 60 g |
| Dimensions | 1.85 x 1.42 x 1.06 in |
| Power | Vehicle OBD port |
| In the box | Adapter, instructions |
| Sister model | iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) |
A Wi-Fi adapter does not join your home network. It creates its own, and your phone joins that instead. Vgate's Wi-Fi adapters commonly broadcast a network called V-LINK, but go by the name on your instruction card.
On an iPhone, expect a warning that the network has no internet, and tell the phone to stay connected. On Android, accept the prompt to keep the connection when it appears.
Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto also use the phone's Wi-Fi, so many cars cannot run both at once. If you rely on wireless CarPlay, a BLE adapter avoids the clash. When the adapter connects but the car stays silent, the ELM327 connection fixes apply to Wi-Fi units as well.
Vgate designed the iCar Pro to stay in the port. The Wi-Fi model is micro-sized and built around a battery-saving design for long-term fitting. It also takes firmware upgrades, which cheap unbranded Wi-Fi clones rarely offer.
Firmware support is the quiet win here. When an app update or a newer car exposes a quirk in the adapter, a firmware upgrade can fix it without replacing the hardware. Vgate supports upgrades across the iCar Pro range, and keeping the firmware current is part of owning one.
Leaving it plugged in still calls for common sense. Wi-Fi radios draw more idle power than Bluetooth LE, and Vgate's own figures for its Bluetooth models show sleep currents around 3 mA. The iCar Pro Wi-Fi's saving mode helps, but a car stored for weeks should have it unplugged.
| Situation | Leave it in? |
|---|---|
| Daily driver, healthy battery | Usually fine |
| Car parked for a week or more | Unplug it |
| Weak battery in winter | Unplug it |
| Street parking | Unplug it; the network may be open |
The security point is easy to overlook. Most Wi-Fi OBD adapters broadcast an open network, and anyone nearby with an app could connect while it is powered.
If the adapter ever stops answering after a firmware update or a flat battery, unplug it for ten seconds and reinsert it firmly before assuming a fault. Most apparent failures are a loose fit in the port.
The ELM327 app guide covers which apps handle Wi-Fi connections best on each phone.
Vgate sells two Wi-Fi adapters, and unbranded clones fill the rest of the shelf. All read the same generic codes. The differences are battery saving, firmware support and how clearly the maker documents the product.
| Adapter | Devices | Stand-out point |
|---|---|---|
| iCar Pro Wi-Fi | iPhone, Android, Windows | Firmware upgrades, battery saving, 60 g |
| Vgate iCar2 Wi-Fi | iPhone, Android | 10 mA standby, auto-sleep, all five OBD2 protocols named |
| Generic Wi-Fi ELM327 | iPhone, Android | Lowest cost; no sleep mode stated |
| Vgate iCar Pro BLE 4.0 | iPhone, Android | Same family on Bluetooth LE, 3 mA sleep |
Against a generic clone, the iCar Pro wins on support and battery care. Against the iCar2 Wi-Fi, it adds Windows to the device list and firmware upgrades; the iCar2 quotes a specific 10 mA standby figure. Against its own BLE twin, it trades lower power and no network setup for Wi-Fi's broader app and device reach.
Vgate itself makes the case for Bluetooth on its newer models: the iCar Pro 2S is pitched as simpler to set up than Wi-Fi adapters, lighter on power and free of the lost-internet problem. That is a fair summary of the trade. The Wi-Fi model remains the right call when an app, a tablet or a laptop needs a network connection rather than Bluetooth.
Whichever you pick, check the car runs on 12V; none of these adapters is for 24V trucks.
Yes. The iPhone joins the adapter's Wi-Fi network, and apps with a Wi-Fi connection option talk to it.
Many Vgate Wi-Fi units use 192.168.0.10 with port 35000. Check the instruction card, since it gives the exact values.
Yes. Vgate makes the iCar Pro Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE) for iPhone and Android.
On a daily driver, generally yes, thanks to its battery-saving design. Unplug it before long storage or on street parking.
No. It is for 12V petrol cars and 12V light diesels up to 6.5 tonnes.