Hotspots auto-redirect to their website?

[guitareth]

:?: I'm led to believe that when you're in the range of most public wireless hotspots your web browser will automatically connect to the provider's web page so you can get info on their services and find out how to buy time etc. In fact a mate with a laptop tells me that always happens with him. However, on the occassions I've been in public hotspots (including airports) with my iPAQ 4350 ,whilst the sniffer has alerted me to the availability of the hotspots, pocket IE has never once been redirected to the appropriate web page for the provider.

Is this something unique to PDA's, or pocket IE, or is there something I can configure to fix this, .... or have I just been unlucky? It's very frustrating, as without this happening it can be impossible to find how to use the service.

[Kati Compton]

Is this something unique to PDA's, or pocket IE, or is there something I can configure to fix this, .... or have I just been unlucky? It's very frustrating, as without this happening it can be impossible to find how to use the service.

It only works if you "connect" to that hotspot (even on the laptop)... When it works on the laptop, the laptop is probably set to automatically connect.

The other possibility is that the hotspot, before showing you the connect page, does a browser check and decides you shouldn't get the page...

[guitareth]

I have connected, but it has still never changed to the web page automatically. If you've found this DOES work with a PPC with PIE then I assume something must be wrong with mine. Any idea where I'd start to look to find why the connection doesn't manage to automatically redirect me to the web page?

[Sven Johannsen]

How you access is entirely dependent on the way the hotspot provider has it set up. At the Colorado Springs airport, it is just an open AP. I turn on the WiFi on the PPC, it connects and I browse, check mail whatever. At a local eatery, Panera Bread, they redirect to a web site at which you are to read and agree to the terms and click a button to continue. In PIE I get the page, but I don't even see the button. If I open Netfront I can see the page, the button, and click, and move on. So there is an instance where the PPC browser affects the ability to use the access.

There are other possibilities that may or may not be supported by PIE, or other browsers, or even offerred to you if you are using PIE. PIE still reports as something akin to IE3, which some sites won't allow due to the security that was available in that browser, even though PIE does support 128b security.

It may cost a bit, depending on your WiFi hardware, but getting WiFi survey (sniffer) software is invaluable. I like PocketWinC on my 4155. It will tell me what is available, whether it is open or not, and allow me to initiate a connection, if allowed. It does not crack anything, BTW. It just makes open networks easy to find and connect to.

BTW, it does not automatically open a browser, or a news reader or inbox. You can establish a connection and never open an application to use it. Yo need to see the bi-directional arrows at the top of the PPC showning you have a connection. Then you can open your browser, or whatever. If required, and supported, when you open PIE and try to go somewhere, it may redirect to a special web site based on the provider.

[guitareth]

Hi Sven

I agree that this doesn't matter for free Hotspots. Also, I DO have Wifi sniffing software (as well as a keyring WiFi finder) but that's really irrelevant to this issue, as I'm not having a problem finding, or connecting to networks.

The problem is that for many of the public hotspots that charge for use, you need to either buy time, or login with an existing voucher etc. If the hotspot does not redirect you to their page where you can purchase minutes, or login, and you do not happen to know the URL for that page, then you are b*****ed as you cant make use of the service!

[Sven Johannsen]

Yea, and that is mostly a function of the browser, PIE. There is code at the source that may be hesitant to interact with what it sees as trying to connect. Then if it delivers the re-directed page, PIE may not support the code. You may be able to get better results with the tweeak that changes the identification string of PIE to something more current, but you are still stuck with the limitations of PIE and those sites that support small screens won't know they need to for you. You could also try Netfront, or some other PPC browser option.

[DustyLBottoms]

Also try turning off the "fit to screen" option, at Panera bread I have to do this in order to see the "accept" button.

Then turn the option back on...and you're all set!

[Sven Johannsen]

Also try turning off the "fit to screen" option, at Panera bread I have to do this in order to see the "accept" button.

Can't remember if I tried that. Just went to Netfront and it worked fine.