Many people who want to use public WiFi in a hotel, an airport or elsewhere find that they have a problem connecting to the Internet service.
This is not their fault, but the result of device manufacturers who consider that public WiFi Hotspots are a risk. The manufacturers try to prevent their customers from connecting to public WiFi Hotspots.
Why should manufacturers dislike public Hotspots? There are two reasons.
- Unencrypted WiFi
- No Internet access
These are technical terms that the manufacturers use.
Lets see what they mean.
Unencrypted WiFi
WiFi is a wireless signal that connects a device to a wireless router or wireless access point, which in turn connects to the Internet. All mobile devices have WiFi so that the device can connect to the Internet. WiFi that is installed in a home or a business has two parameters that are required to connect a device to the WiFi service.
- The name of the WiFi connection; this is the name that is broadcast by the wireless access point or wireless router and is listed on the screen of the computer or mobile phone. This name is called the “Service Set Identifier” (SSID for short)
- When a device connects to the WiFi a key is requested to access the connection. This key is for encryption of the WiFi connection, which means that no one can intercept the communication. The key can be found on a label underneath the wireless router, or installed in the wireless access point during configuration.
Public WiFi Hotspots have no encryption.
There are two reasons for this.
- The first is that someone would have to be at the location to give out the key or else the key is put on a sign on the wall.
- The second is that anyone can see and use the key and so it can no longer protect the information as anyone can install it and see the communications.
What is the problem when there is no encryption?
The problem is that anyone with malicious intent can install software called a "sniffer" on a laptop and capture all the messages that are being sent over the WiFi connection.
When there is no encryption the messages can be read. A malicious person with a sniffer can steal your personal information. For this reason public WiFi Internet is not secure and the manufacturers of WiFi devices try to protect users by making it hard to connect to unencrypted WiFi.
There are two situations when connecting to unencrypted WiFi is not a risk:
The first is connecting to encrypted web sites. An encrypted web site name starts with https like this
https://www…..
What happens when you try to type an address in your browser?
When the device is connected to a https:// website then the data is encrypted and cannot be read. Fortunately most websites are encrypted and all bank websites are encrypted so a snooper cannot see the password being used.
The second situation that a public WiFi Hotspot is safe is when the device has a VPN installed. This means virtual private network and encrypts all information between the device and the WiFi network.
All devices manufacturers recommend installing a VPN for connection to a public WiFi Hotspot network. However, BEWARE; make sure that the VPN chosen is reputable and has many 5-star reviews from thousands of users. There are some ‘free VPN’s that have the purpose of capturing your data and stealing your information.
It is clear why device manufacturers do not like their customers to connect to unencrypted WiFi networks. Some devices will refuse to connect while other devices may display a warning message. If a device refuses to connect then it is necessary to change some internal settings so that the device can connect, however manufacturers make this process difficult so that only people with some technical knowledge can do it.
People who travel on business frequently are aware of what is required to connect to public WiFi Hotspots in airports and hotels. Firms provide staff with devices that have protections installed. The holidaymaker who rarely uses public Internet may find that the Hotspot service cannot be accessed on the device being used.
Understanding the "No Internet access" message on your device
A characteristic of many public WiFi Hotspots is the login page. After connection to the WiFi a browser is opened and then the login page is displayed. The login page is sometimes called a landing page. The login page can have various alternative formats. In some cases the user has to click a button agreeing to the terms and conditions before access to the Internet is allowed. In other cases the user has to enter a code that is provided at check-in to the hotel. In other situations, such as an airport, it might be necessary to purchase access using a credit card.
What this means is that the device does not have Internet access after connecting to the WiFi Hotspot. Most devices check for a connection to the Internet after connecting to the WiFi Hotspot.
Not having Internet access after connecting to the WiFi is a problem for some devices. The reason for this is that a WiFi connection without Internet access can be interpreted as a type of cyber attack, called a “man-in-the-middle” attack. A person with bad intentions can configure a laptop WiFi in an access point mode and call the SSID “free-WiFi”. Device users will connect to this SSID expecting to get WiFi Internet access. The “free WiFi” web server may ask for some credential, which is then stolen.
It is clear why device manufacturers may prevent a device connecting to a WiFi Hotspot that has no Internet access. It may be necessary to change the device configuration so that the device can connect to a public Hotspot.
How to get online at a location with a public WiFi Hotspot
A public WiFi Hotspot combines the two situations that device manufactures are concerned about; an unencrypted WiFi connection that has no access to the Internet.
People who travel want access to the Internet. This might be at an airport, a motel, a hotel, a resort, an RV park, a campground or a shopping mall. Anyone who is traveling for the first time with a new mobile device should use Google to identify how the device can be configured to connect to a public WiFi Hotspot. Each device might require changing configuration settings. Devices can be grouped as follows.
- iPhones, the procedure depends on the version of iOS.
- iPads, the procedure depends on the version of iOS.
- MACOS products, MACbooks, etc, depends on the MACOS version.
- Android phones, the procedure depends on the version of the OS.
- Android tablets, the procedure depends on the version of the OS.
- Windows laptop computers, these have two software components that need configuring, the Windows Defender firewall, and an anti-virus program that also has a firewall.
If you are not able to connect to a public WiFi Hotspot then there is no one to help you. If you are at a hotel they may have a support number to call but that is rare.
The answer is to be prepared before a trip. Google is very helpful and many travelers share their experiences with all the devices listed above. You will need your device type and the operating system (OS) version. Hopefully a search will provide a report from a person with the same device and OS who solved the Hotspot connection problems and explains how this is done.
Finally, if you plan to travel and want to use WiFi Hotspots then pay for a reputable VPN service before traveling. The “free VPN’s” will end up costing you a lot more due to stolen information.