Surface and public wifi

[sashlon]

This might be a dumb question, but why can't my Surface (either RT or Pro) connect properly to public WiFi networks?

The kind of situation I mean is like at our public library, you connect to the network, but then have to complete the process in browser. This kind of connection never seems to work for my Pro and my RT had the same issue. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[kristalsoldier]

This might be a dumb question, but why can't my Surface (either RT or Pro) connect properly to public WiFi networks?

The kind of situation I mean is like at our public library, you connect to the network, but then have to complete the process in browser. This kind of connection never seems to work for my Pro and my RT had the same issue. Am I doing something wrong?

Well, my first reaction would be that perhaps that is the kind of authentication process that the wifi service requires. For example, where I am, there is a free service called The Cloud, which is available at a whole host of places - coffee shops, arcades etc. When I pull out my RT, I can see the service in the list of available wifi connections. When I click on it, I am asked whether I have an app or would I like to connect via a browser. Since I don't have the app, I use the browser. For the duration that I am connected, I keep the browser tab open. When I move out, I just go to the tab and disconnect the service from there and close the browser. I believe there are other similar (free and paid) services in my area which either require an app-based log in or a log in process through the browser.

Could it be that some of the networks that you are trying to access has a similar system?

 

[sashlon]

Well, my first reaction would be that perhaps that is the kind of authentication process that the wifi service requires. For example, where I am, there is a free service called The Cloud, which is available at a whole host of places - coffee shops, arcades etc. When I pull out my RT, I can see the service in the list of available wifi connections. When I click on it, I am asked whether I have an app or would I like to connect via a browser. Since I don't have the app, I use the browser. For the duration that I am connected, I keep the browser tab open. When I move out, I just go to the tab and disconnect the service from there and close the browser. I believe there are other similar (free and paid) services in my area which either require an app-based log in or a log in process through the browser.

Could it be that some of the networks that you are trying to access has a similar system?

That sound exactly the same. My Surface will ask me to connect via browser, and for a few minutes its connected, then it stops and will not reconnect. It happens every time.

However, if I connect via Chrome, Chrome will stay connected, and I can web surf on there. But, NONE of my other apps will connect at all. I can be viewing web pages on Chrome, but Metrotube won't connect, IE won't connect, Mail, News, etc. It seems really weird.

 

[jnjroach]

Put the Public WiFi Landing Page in your Compatibility List and see if that fixes it. I needed to that with Hotel Landing Pages.