WiFi Connection Issue

[WSUMed2022]

Hello all,

I have been having some significant issues with connecting to WiFi networks, specifically those in public spaces that require a popup menu to connect to the network (eg connecting to the hospital WiFi requires selecting "I agree" to a privacy statement before connecting). I have no trouble connecting with my laptop, but these menus never pop up on my phone, preventing me from signing in. Has anyone had this issue and found a solution?

Thank you sincerely for any help you can provide!

 

[Dannydet]

Depending on the phone you may have wifi settings that are preventing it from using unsafe connections

 

[svim]

The technical term for this is 'captive portal' login. It's often used in public WiFi networks as an alternative way to authenticate people wanting to use them. If you want more of the dirty details:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captive_portal
But basically it's a matter where your device connects to their WiFi network but you don't get online access until you're able to get past the captive portal login. If you're having troubles, try installing an additional browser app, just use to logged in (this newly added browser won't be retaining whatever failed login config files). Once you are logged in, then you can just go back to using your preferred, primary browser.

 

[WSUMed2022]

Hello,

Thank you for your response! I tried using a different browser and encountered the same problem. For some reason it just skips the captive portal and says that I am connected without WiFi. Any thoughts on the next step?

Thank you!

 

[svim]

OK, on a browser app you don't rely on for much of anything, go into your phone's Settings >> Apps menu, find and open that browser app's listing, tap on 'Force stop' and then find and tap on 'Clear data'. Using Clear data wipe's that app's cache and any of its settings/config files, essentially returning the app to its original, first time used state. Now using that browser app try and see if that elusive login page pops up.

Another thing to try that sometimes will work get that captive portal login page to show is to use an IP address directly. You need to know the source router's IP address though. Common ones to try are
192.168.0.1
or
192.168.1.0
or
10.0.0.1
or
10.0.1.1
One of those 'might' work, they're common defaults but don't be surprised if none of those work as using a different gateway IP address is itself a common security measure.

The issue that might be confusing is when you're trying to get on someone's WiFi network, you just choose the detected SSID of the WiFi network, enter its password, and then you should be all ready to go. But with a captive portal your device can just connect itself to that public WiFi network as that itself has no password, but there's an added step where you need to use that login page in a browser to then be able to get access to the Internet.