Nexus 7: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Yucca Patrol

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My workplace has a free public wifi network. It works great with my laptop and soon to be replaced iPhone (getting Nexus 4). With each of these devices, I am directed to a login page upon connecting to the wireless network. At this page, I have to check a box and click a button to connect to the internet.

The problem with my Nexus 7 tablet is that it does not automatically open this login page in the browser, so it can never connect to the internet even though it does connect to the wifi network (grey wifi signal). In the past, the notifications bar would have a popup that said something like "sign in to wireless network" after connecting to the wifi hotspot. I would click on that, a browser window would open, and I could connect to the internet. However, it no longer does this. Opening a browser window and trying to connect to any site does not cause it to automatically open the login page for the network.

Forgetting the network, turning wifi on and off, restarting the tablet, all fail to resolve this problem.

How can I force the tablet to open this login page so I can actually use the internet with this device?

Thanks for any help you can offer to help me solve this problem.
 
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Diknak

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Yeah, this seems to be a pretty common issue with some networks that require a secondary authentication. My work actually has 2 networks, one for associates that have this login and one for guests that does not. I have the exact same issue when trying to get on the associate network, so I just stick to the guest network for now.

I didn't have this problem before on my last tablet (Acer Iconia A100 running ICS). Then, on my A100 I used a custom ROM to get jellybean and started having this problem. I thought it was an issue with the custom ROM, but now that I have this same issue on this tablet, it looks like it is a problem with JB.
 

ski522

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Is it a special login URL? If so can you type that login URL into the browser allowing you to log in?
 

Suntan

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Did you try a different browser?

In my experience, you can click that notification to get onto the protected network, then close the browser and open a different one to use.

-Suntan
 

shona001

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

My workplace has a free public wifi network. It works great with my laptop and soon to be replaced iPhone (getting Nexus 4). With each of these devices, I am directed to a login page upon connecting to the wireless network. At this page, I have to check a box and click a button to connect to the internet.

The problem with my Nexus 7 tablet is that it does not automatically open this login page in the browser, so it can never connect to the internet even though it does connect to the wifi network (grey wifi signal). In the past, the notifications bar would have a popup that said something like "sign in to wireless network" after connecting to the wifi hotspot. I would click on that, a browser window would open, and I could connect to the internet. However, it no longer does this. Opening a browser window and trying to connect to any site does not cause it to automatically open the login page for the network.

Forgetting the network, turning wifi on and off, restarting the tablet, all fail to resolve this problem.

How can I force the tablet to open this login page so I can actually use the internet with this device?

Thanks for any help you can offer to help me solve this problem.

I've been having exactly the same problem for the last couple of weeks, I've mentioned it on a couple of threads on here but nobody has come up with anything that works, please, please let me know if you find a fix.
 

Yucca Patrol

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I posted this question elsewhere and was told to try using the dolphin browser set to "desk top". I'm not sure what the desk top part meant, but when I connected to the network and then opened Dolphin and tried to go to a random website, the sign in page appeared and it now works.
 

DroidXcon

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I've been having exactly the same problem for the last couple of weeks, I've mentioned it on a couple of threads on here but nobody has come up with anything that works, please, please let me know if you find a fix.

When this happens uncheck the box that says keep me signed in. I think Its a cookie limitation on defaulr and some other browsers

From my Galaxy Note 2 via Tapatalk
 

mathelm

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I've kind of had this with the crome browser while trying to log into the router to work on it via the N7. I get a 404 error page, but just hit the reload icon a few times and the "enter usernam/password" will finally pop up....
 

Diknak

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

haha, I tried that over and over again and it never seemed to work for me. . . .
 

shona001

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I posted this question elsewhere and was told to try using the dolphin browser set to "desk top". I'm not sure what the desk top part meant, but when I connected to the network and then opened Dolphin and tried to go to a random website, the sign in page appeared and it now works.

Thank you so much for posting this, at last an easy fix that works, I just installed Dolphin and like you tried to go to a random website and the sign in page appeared immediately. That's what always used to happen before the last update with Chrome but I'll stick with Dolphin now.
 

alan sh

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I have this with the Hilton Hotel wifi. What seems to happen is that it connects and then a few minutes later a notification will appear asking for sign-in credentials. If I don;t want to wait, then I also use the "random web site" method. Works with Dolphin and Firefox.

Alan
 

Jessica Savage

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Just wondering.g if anyone has a fix that doesn't involve connecting to any network? I'm overseas and I can't get it to connect to anything so no downloading. It occationally tries to connect to a log in page but always fails. Any tips? My only browser is opera.
 

Michael Vieux

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Thank you so much for posting this, at last an easy fix that works, I just installed Dolphin and like you tried to go to a random website and the sign in page appeared immediately. That's what always used to happen before the last update with Chrome but I'll stick with Dolphin now.

This is the what all my android devices have required on most public sites

I have to try to open a page in a browser, then the login screen will pop-up.

All this time I thought it was normal :)

Posted via Android Central App
 

Michael Vieux

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Just wondering.g if anyone has a fix that doesn't involve connecting to any network? I'm overseas and I can't get it to connect to anything so no downloading. It occationally tries to connect to a log in page but always fails. Any tips? My only browser is opera.

It may be the wifi sites themselves.
I can fly out of the same airport, one time it connects with out problems.
The next time I'm there it won't connect at all, keeps disconnecting, or just won't stay connected.

When you see the open wifi site can you click on it and connect.?
If so just open Opera and type in Google.com, the log in screen should open

The Opera browser should work like the one from Dolphin.
I've used both.

Sorry if this doesn't help, or doesn't address what you were asking.

Years of travel have taught me that nothing about using a free wifi site is straight forward or 100% guaranteed.

Posted via Android Central App
 

repligation

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

On our BYOD network at work, the connection is often intermittent from one day to the next. One of the things I found when doing research is that the Cisco router Access Control Policy default is set to approve iOS which can cause problems when you are detected as a mobile device which is not on the pre-approved list (iPhone).
Cisco regards it as "impractical" to account for all the devices out there. This of course means that your network admins have to go in and change settings.

This may in part explain why Dolphin's desktop toggle is working for some by fooling the router into thinking the device is a desktop.
 

fja5001

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

That login webpage is cached on your device, which makes your tablet think its a regular webpage and thus doesn't take you there automatically. Do if you go to setting > apps >chrome and click clear cache or clear data you can then use the random webpage method and it will redirect you to the login. I know it's a lot of work, but it does work. Especially if you don't already have those other browsers downloaded.
 

angus2012

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I have this same problem connecting to my employer's network. Our IT people are sympathetic but not enough to help me connect my private phone for non-work related reasons.
With my old phone the problem was just to try to get the browser to display the network login page. I tried all variations of trying random sites, clearing caches, cookies etc. I could get connected about 1/2 the time. So I could connect within a few seconds to a wi-fi network I couldn't use because I could never get the login page.

With my new Galaxy S3 I tried unsuccessfully to connect for several months and eventually just wrote it off as impossible.

Then one day I really needed to connect and after several failed attempts I pulled down the shortcut menu from the top of the screen to disconnect wi-fi again, sorry, don't know the technical name for it. When I did I noticed a notification from either from my phone or the network saying I needed to log on to the network to use it. It was in the same place of all the other notifications I get so I didn't see it before. I selected it and was immediately take to the login page.
I used that regularly for a couple months and it worked perfectly. I went to use wi-fi today after being gone for a week and the notification doesn't come up. Without it I'm back to where I was. I haven't changed anything on my phone and unless Samsung or AT&T pushed out updates nothing has changed on my phone.
I'm running Android Ver. 4.1.2, Kernel version 3.0.31-1300972 dated 7/8/13.

The notification was independent of the browser and appeared to be either a function of Android, Samsung or AT&T. I have the stock browser, Firefox and Dolphin and it doesn't make any difference which one I use.

I would greatly appreciate any assistance anyone can give m.

Thanks
 

Haris Ali1

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

My workplace has a free public wifi network. It works great with my laptop and soon to be replaced iPhone (getting Nexus 4). With each of these devices, I am directed to a login page upon connecting to the wireless network. At this page, I have to check a box and click a button to connect to the internet.

The problem with my Nexus 7 tablet is that it does not automatically open this login page in the browser, so it can never connect to the internet even though it does connect to the wifi network (grey wifi signal). In the past, the notifications bar would have a popup that said something like "sign in to wireless network" after connecting to the wifi hotspot. I would click on that, a browser window would open, and I could connect to the internet. However, it no longer does this. Opening a browser window and trying to connect to any site does not cause it to automatically open the login page for the network.

Forgetting the network, turning wifi on and off, restarting the tablet, all fail to resolve this problem.

How can I force the tablet to open this login page so I can actually use the internet with this device?

Thanks for any help you can offer to help me solve this problem.
 

B. Diddy

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

Welcome to Android Central! Do you have a question? All you did was entirely quote the OP.
 

Madzmadz13

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Re: Cannot connect to free public wifi network that requires a sign in/login page?

I am having the same issue as the user above me. I have a Nexus 7 with Kit-Kat.

My workplace has a login-page (or splash page) for the network where you accept the user agreement and type in the network password. I work in IT and no one seems to know the answer or how to work around it.

I have cleared the cache in chrome, tried dolphin, restarted my Nexus 7, restored it to factory settings- nothing works. My iPhone, along with various other people who have android devices and iPads are able to connect normally.

I can connect to any other network such as my home network, people's hotspots (even in the office I'm working at) but I cannot connect using the login page.

Help!!! Anyone!! I definitely think it's an issue with the web browser bringing it up as a cached page as someone mentioned before. But since I can't get Dolphin to work either- I'm not sure.