Configuration of the Forerunner without Garmin Connect?

That means, the following things can't be done without Garmin Connect Mobile:
• Garmin IQ related things (installing/deinstalling watch faces etc.)

These can be done in the Garmin Express application (on a PC or a Mac), when your Garmin wearable device is connected to your computer by the USB docking/charging cable, without requiring the use of one of the Garmin Connect Mobile apps (which run on Android, iOS and Windows‑10 Mobile devices).

• sleep time

This can be set using Garmin Connect online (i.e. in a browser – on a PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone).

• step width for running and walking

Walking stride length can be set in Garmin Connect online. Running stride length, on the other hand, can only be set in one of the Garmin Connect Mobile apps.

I didn't find how to control the inactivity notification with GCM

I take it you're referring to the Move Alert, for which the toggle is found under Device Settings in both Garmin Connect Mobile and Garmin Connect online.



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ASmug, did you read the point of the thread?

Add Wifi configuration as someone mentioned above

ASmug, did you read the point of the thread?

Which particular one? I see two; the first being:

Garmin, please add more menu options to the forerunner, because they are more reliable than using the quirky app.

which is not a request anyone fellow forum member or product user can entertain or fulfil. All we can do is point out if a feature or configuration setting in the status quo (of the watch's menu structure) has been overlooked by PUFFOLINO.

The second being:

I don't need to upload activities automatically or see tons of statistics - all activities are copied automatically when connecting my Forerunner to the USB port of my computer, so I do not need such a monster app like Garmin Connect.

That means, the following things can't be done without GCM:

which is an exploration of what can be done without using the Garmin Connect Mobile app at all. PUFFOLINO is already using the USB cable – and obviously the Garmin Express application on the computer – for syncing, so that's part of the status quo that isn't being rejected.

These four things are logically different:

• User interface on the Garmin wearable device itself
  
• Garmin Connect online (accessed in a browser)
  
• Garmin Connect Mobile app(s)
  
• Garmin Express application
  

and PUFFOLINO wants to actively avoid, or limit the part played by, the third in the list above.

Add Wifi configuration

I'm not aware you can do that in a Garmin Connect Mobile app. The FR935 Owner's Manual seems to suggest the only way to configure Wi-Fi connectivity for the watch is by using the Garmin Express application.
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Thanks to all (!) your replies, so I could (hopefully) fix the inactivity alert issue...

...anyhow my initial intention (and the main content of this thread) is to use the Forerunner standalone as far as possible - and ignore GCM (because I just don't like it, not only because of the bubbling circles and the app is very limitated for usage in landscape orientation), Garmin Conect in general and Garmin Express (which wants to deinstall my ANT drivers).

Sorry that I've also mentioned a special case, when I need to do more complex statistics. Then I copy the fit files to my computer and use the old Garmin Training Center or a self written program.

...anyhow my initial intention (and the main content of this thread) is to use the Forerunner standalone as far as possible - and ignore GCM (because I just don't like it, not only because of the bubbling circles and the app is very limitated for usage in landscape orientation), Garmin Conect in general and Garmin Express

You can do a factory reset on your Garmin wearable device, and remove every record of it from every instance of a Garmin Connect Mobile app to which you have paired it and from the Garmin Express application on your computer as well, if you want to use the device in a standalone manner without interference (e.g. settings being overwritten upon sync) from Garmin Connect.

In which case:

• Forget using any Connect‑IQ app (including watch faces, widgets, data fields and watch apps) to extend the functionality that the Garmin wearable device can offer you as the user.
  
• Forget receiving smartphone notifications, calendar reminders, etc. on your Garmin device.
  
• Forget getting firmware updates, revision to time zone maps, etc.
  
• Forget refreshing the EPO.BIN file containing short-term future satellite location information, that would allow your Garmin device to obtain a lock on the GPS signal significantly more quickly.
  
• Forget executing custom workouts and training plans.
  …
  

I personally wouldn't hobble what the Garmin device can offer by completely isolating it from Garmin Connect, but of course it's your prerogative to do so with yours. You just need to decide whether you dislike using Garmin Connect more than you dislike not having access to anything beyond basic capabilities on the device.

Hm, I started with the Forerunner 101, continued with the 201, then the 301,... so I am aged :)

Every time when changing the environment, I fear to loose all my activity data. So the final program for collecting my data is the Garmin Training Center, which latest version is reliable (or let's say predictable). To deal with some tiny issues, I wrote some tools and another program for doing statistics and much more...



...so after buying the Forerunner 935 I still move all activity data to the Training Center (which is done on the fly with my newest tool: Foreunner Copying Tool)

I don't need to share any data or put it into a cloud - even if garmin's android app would be more robust, I just want to do as much as possible (like configuring the watch, making training plans etc.) standalone without any additional tools. Doing a firmware update, adding Garmin IQ gadgets and such things could be done by just moving the files on the watch, therefore I wouldn't need GCM.

But... it's a nice gimmick to get notifications, and even this part has some quirks, it's relatively robust.

So I would say, buying the Forerunner 935 was a good idea for me, as it is a fine piece of work and the GPS makes a good job (nearly) as good as my old Forerunner 320XT did. The 935 just needs some software updates here and there to be a superb product for all runners.
The rest of the Garmin biosphere seems to be half-baked or at least far away from perfect.