Connection preference question

[thebignewt]

Today both my wife (has an iPhone) woke up and no data (via Wifi at home), but voice was OK. I was probably our cable provider. I suddenly get data when I got to work (no WiFi). Why does one have to turn their WiFi off in a situation like that in order to send/receive an email? Same thing if I go into a place where I've established a WiFi network (Barnes & Noble). I get no data until I log onto their little title page and "agree". This isn't just the GN, I think it's built into all android phones. I wish when it can't connect to WiFi automatically goes to 3G.

 

[anon(596177)]

Today both my wife (has an iPhone) woke up and no data (via Wifi at home), but voice was OK. I was probably our cable provider. I suddenly get data when I got to work (no WiFi). Why does one have to turn their WiFi off in a situation like that in order to send/receive an email? Same thing if I go into a place where I've established a WiFi network (Barnes & Noble). I get no data until I log onto their little title page and "agree". This isn't just the GN, I think it's built into all android phones. I wish when it can't connect to WiFi automatically goes to 3G.

Most companies that offer public wifi do this. They will revert you to their own intranet website and require you to agree with the terms before the access point allows you outside access. They do it primarily to have you acknowledge that you are using a public connection and your device could be vulnerable to outside threats, and to cover their own butts in the situation your phone/mobile device drops dead on their network, so you cant blame it on them.

Thats of course just 1 example of why, but yeah most corporate public wifi's do that.

The email thing has to do with data connection. Email runs off of data only, so you have to be connected to 3g/4g/wifi in order to receive emails.

 

[Nakrohtap]

Today both my wife (has an iPhone) woke up and no data (via Wifi at home), but voice was OK. I was probably our cable provider. I suddenly get data when I got to work (no WiFi). Why does one have to turn their WiFi off in a situation like that in order to send/receive an email? Same thing if I go into a place where I've established a WiFi network (Barnes & Noble). I get no data until I log onto their little title page and "agree". This isn't just the GN, I think it's built into all android phones. I wish when it can't connect to WiFi automatically goes to 3G.

I can see at home if you are connected and your service is flaking out. But, if you are in a public wi-first area, it should just tell you there are connections available. It shouldn't automatically try to connect you. Maybe it's setup to remember this particular connection.

 

[thebignewt]

I can see at home if you are connected and your service is flaking out. But, if you are in a public wi-first area, it should just tell you there are connections available. It shouldn't automatically try to connect you. Maybe it's setup to remember this particular connection.

Yeah, I think that once I connect to a public WiFi site using their password that when I reenter that location it automatically connects, like it does at home. My HTC phone would then not allow me to browse until I "agreed", which was a PIA because I had to find the home page for Barnes & Noble first. If I tried a bookmark it wouldn't connect. So far the GN doesn't make me do that.