Can't Activate without Wi-Fi?

[bobvanjr]

So, I brought my shiny new tablet to work and was excited to show it off. I turned it on and it just searches for wifi.

That's kind of depressing. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

So, I brought my shiny new tablet to work and was excited to show it off. I turned it on and it just searches for wifi.

That's kind of depressing. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

Nope, I noticed that too -- the first time you turn it on it forces you to connect to wifi to sign into Google and complete the setup...and you can't continue past the first page until a network has been connected.

Ironically enough, once you get connected to wifi, it IS possible to skip the Google sign in and startup with no account configured...

 

[vile4ever]

So, I brought my shiny new tablet to work and was excited to show it off. I turned it on and it just searches for wifi.

That's kind of depressing. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

Mine is doing the same, also on my work wifi. Phone connects just fine at work, and both connect just fine at home. Not sure what's going on...

 

[bobvanjr]

Well, I mean, I don't have wifi at work. IT BETTER WORK WHEN I GET HOME.

It came in the mail yesterday and I wanted to save it for the "un boxing" at work to show it off and...Doh!

 

[Unicorn Rancher]

Nope, I noticed that too -- the first time you turn it on it forces you to connect to wifi to sign into Google and complete the setup...and you can't continue past the first page until a network has been connected.

Ironically enough, once you get connected to wifi, it IS possible to skip the Google sign in and startup with no account configured...

Curious. So could someone connect to an AP that has no internet connectivity, or does the device ping some server after connecting to wifi?

.

 

[bobvanjr]

I mean, I get that you need connectivity to really do anything but I guess I was expecting to be able to watch Transformers or screw around or something.

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

Curious. So could someone connect to an AP that has no internet connectivity, or does the device ping some server after connecting to wifi?

.

Not sure about that...

I was in the process of rooting, and had an issue where I could not mount any partitions in CWM (so I could not flash SuperSU), so I wanted to boot to the OS to check to see what was going on, but knew I was also gonna do a data wipe, so didn't care to go through the full setup . I got the wifi page and realized it wasn't gonna let me go past it until I connected to my network. So I did that, but then just skipped the whole Google sign in process and it took me to a generic home screen.

(FWIW, after doing that, CWM worked fine and I was able to do a data wipe and then load SU, booted tab again and went through the setup process for real).

 

[paintdrinkingpete]

I mean, I get that you need connectivity to really do anything but I guess I was expecting to be able to watch Transformers or screw around or something.

Transformers is via Google Play...you wouldn't be able to watch without a data connection.

(At least I think?)

 

[Mooem]

I'm not sure if this will work anymore on Jelly Bean or on this tablet (I haven't tried it myself in a while) but you might be able to bypass the activation/welcome screen by tapping on the four corners of the screen starting from the top-left and then going clockwise.

This used to be the method that worked on phones.

 

[mkiker2089]

You can't put any mods on it until it's activated. By default USB is disabled so you have to set it up, enable USB, unlock and wipe, set it up again, re-enable USB' then root.

 

[Jim Carroll]

OMG! How stupid and frustrating is this!

You CANT even get to the MAC address to ADD it to a locked donw WiFi. You're required to make a trip to a place with free WiFi just to get up and running so you can THEN see the MAC address and THEN put it on a locked down network.

This is as stupid as Microsoft's user experience. No wonder people stick with Apple.

Google's User Experience people are a bunch of complete morons.

 

[mkhall]

OMG! How stupid and frustrating is this!

You CANT even get to the MAC address to ADD it to a locked donw WiFi. You're required to make a trip to a place with free WiFi just to get up and running so you can THEN see the MAC address and THEN put it on a locked down network.

This is as stupid as Microsoft's user experience. No wonder people stick with Apple.

Google's User Experience people are a bunch of complete morons.

That seems a bit extreme. I'd imagine the number of people who lock their wifi by MAC address is tiny relative to the number of tablet users. And most of them are the kind of people who root the device straight out of the box. Blasting Google for accommodating 95% of their customers just looks a bit out of proportion.

 

[cl chambers]

We ran into the same problem of not being able to access anything on the Nexus 7 beyond the wifi selection [set up] page. We have wifi at home but were on Christmas vacation at a relative's house. We knew our relatives had web access but not wifi. However, we thought our daughter would be able to play around with the non-web functions on the Nexus (just like I am able to do with my iPad). However, she was so frustrated with her Christmas gift because she couldn't do anything with the Nexus at all because it required wifi to work. There should be a warning on the product that it is unusable without wifi access. It should would have saved our family a big disappointment. I am not sure if this is an Android problem or a Nexus problem but I am going to send the Nexus back and get her an iPad Mini. I never had this problem with my iPod or iPad.

 

[mkhall]

It's just for initial setup, not that it helps your daughter's disappointment any. After an account has been created and/or assigned to the device you technically don't ever need to connect to the Internet again.

 

[Wobblin30]

Just go find a hotspot, problem solved

 

[Unicorn Rancher]

That seems a bit extreme. I'd imagine the number of people who lock their wifi by MAC address is tiny relative to the number of tablet users. And most of them are the kind of people who root the device straight out of the box. Blasting Google for accommodating 95% of their customers just looks a bit out of proportion.

Worse, he's blaming Google for a flawed security method he choose to use on his home network. WPA2 is no problem with a Nexus 7. It's the MAC filtering mock security that stymied him.

 

[Diknak]

We ran into the same problem of not being able to access anything on the Nexus 7 beyond the wifi selection [set up] page. We have wifi at home but were on Christmas vacation at a relative's house. We knew our relatives had web access but not wifi. However, we thought our daughter would be able to play around with the non-web functions on the Nexus (just like I am able to do with my iPad). However, she was so frustrated with her Christmas gift because she couldn't do anything with the Nexus at all because it required wifi to work. There should be a warning on the product that it is unusable without wifi access. It should would have saved our family a big disappointment. I am not sure if this is an Android problem or a Nexus problem but I am going to send the Nexus back and get her an iPad Mini. I never had this problem with my iPod or iPad.

I think returning it over that is a little hasty. You only need WiFi for the initial setup, nothing else. To put that on the box would be a bit silly.

 

[philba]

The locked down MAC address list problem probably affects a fairly small percentage of the population. Some routers let to you see who is trying to connect so you might be able to get the mac that way.

As for Wifi, if you have an android phone, you can get foxfi and make a hotspot.

 

[John Rigarlsford]

I think returning it over that is a little hasty. You only need WiFi for the initial setup, nothing else. To put that on the box would be a bit silly.

Sorry diknak,
As a non techy silver surfer using a steam driven desktop with XP and a DSL router. I've spent much of the last few days trying to do something with my shiny new Nexus 7 Xmas box.
So far like most new users here, I have not been able to get past the "Searching for wi-fi connection screen!
I assumed that you could at least connect it to a desktop with a USB? But when I plug the USB lead that came in the box I get the usual ding-dong connecting hardware sound but it doesn't show up in 'My Computer'?
I have ordered a wi-fi router from my ISP and just hope that this will let me use my Nexus 7?
I think it would have saved a lot of frustration for us non-techies, if it DID say a wifi connection was needed on the box.
Happy New year to all
Jonrig

 

[hichris123]

Sorry diknak,
As a non techy silver surfer using a steam driven desktop with XP and a DSL router. I've spent much of the last few days trying to do something with my shiny new Nexus 7 Xmas box.
So far like most new users here, I have not been able to get past the "Searching for wi-fi connection screen!
I assumed that you could at least connect it to a desktop with a USB? But when I plug the USB lead that came in the box I get the usual ding-dong connecting hardware sound but it doesn't show up in 'My Computer'?
I have ordered a wi-fi router from my ISP and just hope that this will let me use my Nexus 7?
I think it would have saved a lot of frustration for us non-techies, if it DID say a wifi connection was needed on the box.
Happy New year to all
Jonrig

It did. It said WiFi Only. Doesn't that show one needs WiFi?


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