OK so I've bought a Sandisk Wifi card, now what? A Google search showed that BT Openworld has the monopoly around here (N. Wales) along with Boingo. A recent trip to McDonalds sprung my XDAII into life, asking for a PIN to connect to the internet - if I subscribe to BT will I get a pass code, etc?
i read that mcd and 7-11 had wifi spots which was free of charge try asking the mcd people for the pin
also not 100% sure what you mean when you say a monopoly when it comes to wifi
any wifi router which is not protected will let you access the internet be it your own wifi router or the guy next door or at mcd or ......
What I meant was that Openworld seems to be used by 99% of the pubs and cafes around where I live. McDonalds uses Openworld so I guess I'd have to pay. I realise that if I pick-up a domestic server, I can try PASSWORD to see if it will let me in, but at the moment I would just like to get the hang of it, not start hacking someones broadband connection!
Maybe there's an idiots guide to wifi out there?
Think you can just create a PAYG account here http://www.bt.com/openzone/
when you turn your Wi-Fi on it should just connect and ask you for your username and pasword you created on the site above
Related
Hey guys.
I bought my XdaIIs almost a year ago, but have had no need to use the WiFi until quite recently. I'm with O2 on the 200 Plan (light user) and everything works fine with the phone, including the GRPS: apart from the WiFi. When the phone was sold to me I was told very clearly, and on multiple occasions, that if I can pick up a WiFi signal, and that it's free, then I can connect and browse for free. I don't have a WiFi connection at home, so it's only when out and about that I need to connect. However, when I tried this at a Coffee House that had free access I could only connect via one of two of O2's "Gateway Partners" and they wanted to charge me for this, which I find outrageous! Can someone confirm to me whether this is correct, as O2 told me that I have to be a "Business User" on a Business Plan to get free WiFi, and that the fact that the phone has WiFi doees not mean that they support it!
If the above is the case, is there anyway around this, such as unlocking the phone, or connecting via a completely different network? I just find it galling that O2 can mis-sell me the phone on the basis that I can connect via WiFi "anywhere and anytime for free" and then to be told that this isn't the case.
Thanks in advance.
Tron
Tron,
WiFi isn't free. It's usually provided by some operator (e.g. BT, The Cloud, T-Mobile, etc), and these guys want money for providing a service.
Generally you can create an account with them whilst you are in a WiFi Hotspot - and their charges vary. It's nowhere near as prevalent as GSM, so you'll find that not all of these operators have agreements between themselves; basically this means that you can use an operators account only with it's partners.
As for if "if you can see a wifi signal it's free" - it's not true. Not wishing to condone anything illegal, you can generally get away with it if there's no encryption on the access point; but it is illegal to use a signal that is not meant for you. The idea of unlocking your phone doesn't really apply in this case either - it's nothing to do with the network lock but the way the people who run the equipment choose to charge; remember the equipment for WiFi is completely separate from the Mobile GSM network you use when you call someone on your mobile.
As for the O2 WiFi network/partners, I've no idea about the pricing. But it does make sense that they would have a different tariff for those subscribing to their wifi service, like their Business Plan.
No doubt the salesperson over-played this a bit when selling it to you!
Hey Bal, thanks for the reply.
So, if I'm sitting in a Library, for arguements sake, and they have a completely free and open WiFi connection, how am I meant to connect? Surely O2 via "The Cloud" cannot charge me to use someone's network who are letting me use it for free: can they? Likewise, if I pop around your house and you let me use your connection, do I have to connect via one of O2's partners? That's what I'm trying to get at, I guess.
Thanks once again.
wifi is just like a normal network between computers you set up at home
you can let people from the outside hop on if you want
but you are to blame if they abuse your network connection though i guess
some places offer free wifi too some plane companys offer it in their planes
some trains offer it
7-11 offer it and so does mcdonals i believe
Rudegar is right of course, if it's free and you open your wireless lan manager you should see the network and be able to connect without a password.
This has nothing to do with the mobile operator you have a contract with.
It's the same as you bringing your laptop over to my place and plugging it into the wired lan - only difference being that there are no wires involved.
If you think of your wifi as just a way of "plugging into" a network rather than as part of your mobile it makes more sense.
I would suggest that you find somewhere with wifi access and have a play - you'll learn much more that way
well if the mobile operators wanted to they could offer it
and charge people for it of cause it would require them
to set up MANY hotspots and repeaters to service all their customers
Okay, cool. Thanks for all of the help guys. I guess I'll have to wander around an find a free WiFi spot (there are none that I know of anywhere near me).
Ross
or you could just get a wifi router for your internet connection for your normal computers should you have a such
and make your own hotspot
How can i check if there is a Wireless Network in my area? I mean networks like Universitys have and coffee shops?
I know that at my house it connects automatically because i have no security whatsoever on my network, but it doesn't semm to work at commercial places or my university.
http://www.aspecto-software.com/rw/applications/wififofum/
kramerica2 said:
How can i check if there is a Wireless Network in my area? I mean networks like Universitys have and coffee shops?
I know that at my house it connects automatically because i have no security whatsoever on my network, but it doesn't semm to work at commercial places or my university.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take a tip and protect your wireless network at home. Up until recently mine was unprotected as I didnt think anyone lived close enough to me who was into computers. Was down late one night and just happened to see the wifi light on my router blinking. I knew no one else was up on the laptop or psp and I wasnt using my phone so I started to wonder what the hell was going on.
On investigating I found a computer as part of my workgroup called mikey_234234 or something similar. Seems there was someone close enough and they were kindly using my broadband and probably sharing my files ( although it was only a small folder with ppc stuff in it ).
I protected it straight away and the light stopped blinking and now the mikey computer has gone. Someone somewhere has lost their free ride.
Seriously protect your network my friend.
I always protect my Wireless Network(s).
Or via TKIP (password authentication), or simple MAC Adress Filtering.
Although I don't have a datalimit, it's fun to see unprotected networks and fun to use them.
Buying a wireless router is just like buying a car, it works plug-and-play, but you gotta lock it, otherwise people will get in
sorry for the newb questions but couldn't find an answer searching and figured someone who knows would be able to give an answer easily
the question is, when in the office, sitting near my laptop (dell lat 620 w wifi) I connect my phone to the wifi network 'wfield1' and the display on the laptop turns green, and the phone shows the little antenna signifying wifi connectivity. ok- now does this mean
a) that all data sent/rec'd will not appear on cingulars bill?
b) will my works firewall (vpn) infringe upon my browsing (ie if I hit a blocked site will it say blocked on my phone?)
I originally thought it would but I turned wifi on and walked away from my laptop and realized that the wifi connection stayed on throughout the building so therefore it has nothing to do with my laptops connection to our vpn server then right?
if so, c) would I be able to use the phones wifi connection and then usb tether the phone to the laptop to browse on the laptop off the firewall and off cingulars rate charges? I have unlim anyway but keeping usage down seems worth the small step it takes to tether
hopefully I am at least a little accurate in my guesses and not way off wack. if anyone could drop some knowledge on me id appreciate it
Your phone's connection to WIFI has nothing to do with your laptop. It should connect to your WIFI router in your office. Your phone should display a different symbol on the top line of the LCD, rather than your regular "antenna" symbol.
You need to check the above before you can confirm if you are actually connected to your WIFI router.
When you are on WIFI, it is subjected to the same firewall regulations as your laptop
yes it changes from the normal "phone" antenna to the wifi icon, i do know that much.
however i'm still unsure of whether or not it is using routered data vs cingular data. i think it is using the wifi data because as i said it is showing the wifi symbol and not the E or G that shows up when connected to cingulars service
and i think i mispoke, i dont actually use the wifi on the laptop to connect to the internet. i need to dial up with a verizon card, and it connects that way, and also launches a VPN which i think is what regulates the internet usage.
i am less worried about the routers firewall than i am my (proxy?) servers abilty to record sights that i visit, ie the forums/ebay. if i visit those on wifi and my server could see that (not worried about the wifi router seeing it since i am in different offices a lot), i will just stick with using GPRS/EDGE. confusing? sorry
If it was using Cingular data, you would get a message that your phone is 'Connecting to Cingular GPRS' ..in which case you would be billed, you don't get billed for using wifi because you are NOT using cingulars network to connect to the internet, you are using your own.
after checking it again, it seems that i cannot get to the iinternet with the wifi alone. i turned off the phone and had wifi enabled and could not connet to the internet.
so normally, if it wasn't a work firewalled network, wifi will let you get to the internet without being charged via cingular. got it, thanks all
hey i was going to do wifi connection to my work laptop too till i decided its pointless cause im sitting right in front of the thing and if i actually walked away from it its going to be a decent distance and the wifi wouldnt connect anyway.
besides theres not a whole lot you can do with the connection other than read a web page or browse a network folder.
so going to alaska to work for 3 months with my dad and brother. Brother says he cannot use his HTC HD2 up there with T-mobiles network so they will allow us to get unlock codes for them and then we will use AT&T's Unlimited talk and text but we would like to see if there is a way to use the Wifi on our phones to surf the web on either browsers. We would be doing small things like checking our email and bank accounts.
Any help would be appricatied
rlacsamana1989 said:
so going to alaska to work for 3 months with my dad and brother. Brother says he cannot use his HTC HD2 up there with T-mobiles network so they will allow us to get unlock codes for them and then we will use AT&T's Unlimited talk and text but we would like to see if there is a way to use the Wifi on our phones to surf the web on either browsers. We would be doing small things like checking our email and bank accounts.
Any help would be appricatied
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely, as long as you're within range of a wifi network that you have access to (i.e. one at your home/office or a public access point like starbucks, stc). You don't have to have a data plan to use the wifi, if that's what you're wondering
Another thing to remember if you have a nationwide plan with TMO using other towers is usually not a problem.
At home I use an AT&T tower about 30% of the time, I live in the boonies , so a nationwide plan has no roaming charges no matter who's tower you are using ...
watcher64 said:
Another thing to remember if you have a nationwide plan with TMO using other towers is usually not a problem.
At home I use an AT&T tower about 30% of the time, I live in the boonies , so a nationwide plan has no roaming charges no matter who's tower you are using ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha I wish that it would even get a bit of service. Brother is already there and he says he can't even make a call without losing service. T-Mobile said they will suspend service for 3 months or how ever long it takes and will add it to our 2 year contract.
And so he trys using Wifi which the building he stays in has and when he goes into opera or internet explorer he gets an error, trying to find the error from him and will post. Does anybody know if their is settings that need to be changed. He is checking this by turning off the phone radio and only connecting to wifi. He does not want to be charged extra by AT&T, thanks for your help.
we do have custom roms on our HD2's. FYI
EDIT:Error for Opera Could not locate remote server
You tried to access the address http://www.htc.com/ which is currrently unavailable. Please make sure that the web address (URL) is correctly spelled and punctuated, then try reloading the page.
rlacsamana1989 said:
haha I wish that it would even get a bit of service. Brother is already there and he says he can't even make a call without losing service. T-Mobile said they will suspend service for 3 months or how ever long it takes and will add it to our 2 year contract.
And so he trys using Wifi which the building he stays in has and when he goes into opera or internet explorer he gets an error, trying to find the error from him and will post. Does anybody know if their is settings that need to be changed. He is checking this by turning off the phone radio and only connecting to wifi. He does not want to be charged extra by AT&T, thanks for your help.
we do have custom roms on our HD2's. FYI
EDIT:Error for Opera Could not locate remote server
You tried to access the address http://www.htc.com/ which is currrently unavailable. Please make sure that the web address (URL) is correctly spelled and punctuated, then try reloading the page.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like the phone is not getting everything it needs from the access point, some type of misconfiguration, needs to make sure he is getting and IP address , gateway and DNS servers .... should browse over wifi without using the phone radio with no problem, do it all the time at home ...
But if you are just going to be web browsing, turning off the phone radio does save some battery ...
watcher64 said:
Sounds like the phone is not getting everything it needs from the access point, some type of misconfiguration, needs to make sure he is getting and IP address , gateway and DNS servers .... should browse over wifi without using the phone radio with no problem, do it all the time at home ...
But if you are just going to be web browsing, turning off the phone radio does save some battery ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I basically found out that the network adapters were set to manual config and I should set them to automatic. Which I did and was able to connect to recieve my mail and go on the web via wifi with radio turned off but this is at my home which is my belkin.
I then tried calling him and having him set it up (he's not so tech savy) and he was connected to linksys and it still gave him the errors, He is going to the office of the company he works for to see if he can get the password for the other wifi network that is on the list. He sees people on their laptops browsing internet. So maybe i'll just buy a little Netbook for going up there.
Thanks for all your help you guys.
Every day I go to my local coffee shop. When I want to connect to the net, my Nexus shows wifi points available and I choose the appropriate one for the cafe. It doesn't need a password, but it does show a webpage where you have to agree to the terms by click the Ok button.
Is there anyway to automate this, or get around this? Its such a pain in the ass! I have Tasker if that makes any difference.
Thanks,
Jon
That is called a captive portal and no.
Or called a splash page. I worked for a hotel wifi company and we used devices called "nomadix." When you connect, the device gives you an IP, then sticks you in a pending stage until you click OK or Accept on the portal page. Until then, it won't let any IP based traffic through. Usually there's a timeout that they can modify. But being in a cafe, I highly doubt it. They're probably using a walmart bought wifi router with ddwrt firmware. I know starbucks has a splash page for their wifi.
Well, there is *sort* of a way around it, but not very convenient for cafes/etc. I am currently staying at a hotel that has said portal to access the WiFi network. What I have done is connected to said WiFi network with my laptop, then utilized "connectify" to re-transmit that authorized WiFi to me and my wife's devices. Basically turning my laptop into a wireless router. Another plus is that I can set my own WEP/WPA/etc protection to the retransmitted signal. So while this may not be a solution for cafes, etc - it certainly is a fantastic one for hotels!
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
I believe there are a few apps in the market which can automate this for some portals, but it's basically just scraping the page and trying to guess some information to put in, etc, so it won't work 100% of the time.
I haven't used any, so no specific suggestions, but here's a few from search:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=wifi login
i have this exact problem with the wifi in the pub i chef in. our broadband is provided by HEINEKEN beer. we also must connect then load browser window to accept terms.
the pub owner would also like it removed to allow people to auto-connect in the normal way because obviously when a customer steps outside for a ciggerette as it is illegal to smoke inside a public place in the uk now,. they would then need to keep re-connecting theyre phones/tablets...
ive managed to switch a total of 8 staff and about 25 customers to ditching ios for android there normaly at least 3 nexus 7's at any one time in my pub now :victory::victory: and our bar now also has nfc tags.
The app Wi-fi web login seems to be working for me.