Which London hotels do not require a password for wifi?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,374
Which London hotels do not require a password for wifi?
I'm trying to identify which London hotels do not require a password for wifi. Most require a name and room number or honors code. This works fine for my personal laptop, but not my work laptop and I'm planning to work for a week. I recall a few don't. Doubletree Riverside, perhaps?
I think my alternatives are working off a mobile hotspot from my phone and can get a UK sim to do this. I know this not a tech forum, but if people have other ideas, I'd be v grateful. Thanks.
I think my alternatives are working off a mobile hotspot from my phone and can get a UK sim to do this. I know this not a tech forum, but if people have other ideas, I'd be v grateful. Thanks.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,374
The work laptop has additional security that's not compatible with what I understand are called 'challenge screens', ie where you enter details or a code.
Radisson Edwardian hotels in London offer registration free wifi, which works fine and I might book there. But I recall staying at one or two London Hiltons before and where I noticed there was no password and thought that that could come in handy. But now can't remember, which ones...
Radisson Edwardian hotels in London offer registration free wifi, which works fine and I might book there. But I recall staying at one or two London Hiltons before and where I noticed there was no password and thought that that could come in handy. But now can't remember, which ones...
#4
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Also consider buying one of those cheap portable routers (I like the GL-iNet devices, have several- take a look at the "Travel Technology" forum, too). That way you have the router associate to the hotel's WiFi, then on your personal device (laptop, phone, iPad) you connect to your router, then you bring up the webpage on the personal device then authenticate to the hotel. Because the hotel thinks the router has associated OK, any devices you have connected to the router (work laptop, streaming stick, other devices) are also authenticated automatically.
Devices run like $30 and if you get a battery-operated one it'll work on airplanes too.
Devices run like $30 and if you get a battery-operated one it'll work on airplanes too.
#5
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 43
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/cha...indows-10-why/
*Edit* Easier route might be to to ask the hotel to white list your work laptops MAC address. I’m sure they have a network admin or engineer somewhere.
Last edited by Leonvomp; Aug 22, 2020 at 12:14 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2019
Programs: Flying Blue, Hilton Honors, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 2,402
Given that most networks with captive portals are unencrypted (if they're WPA2, for instance, it's easy to link standard WiFi auth to the property management system), the intention may be to prevent hotel/coffee shop WiFi from being used.
#8
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Nov 2010
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OP, even some of the hotels that don't require a username and password for WiFi still present a challenge screen for you to press CONNECT.
The above is excellent advice. I have one of these and use it extensively for connecting to hotel and inflight WiFi in order to share the connection with multiple devices.
If you don't want to get one of these you can achieve the same thing with an Android device. Connect it to the WiFi and then share the WiFi with your laptop.
Also consider buying one of those cheap portable routers (I like the GL-iNet devices, have several- take a look at the "Travel Technology" forum, too). That way you have the router associate to the hotel's WiFi, then on your personal device (laptop, phone, iPad) you connect to your router, then you bring up the webpage on the personal device then authenticate to the hotel. Because the hotel thinks the router has associated OK, any devices you have connected to the router (work laptop, streaming stick, other devices) are also authenticated automatically.
Devices run like $30 and if you get a battery-operated one it'll work on airplanes too.
Devices run like $30 and if you get a battery-operated one it'll work on airplanes too.
If you don't want to get one of these you can achieve the same thing with an Android device. Connect it to the WiFi and then share the WiFi with your laptop.
#9
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 630
Let me give you an advice.
1. login to the WiFi (which requires a challenge)
2. Open command line (CMD in windows and Terminal in Mac)
3. Type ‘ipconfig’ on windows or ifconfig on mac
4. copy the IP of the default gateway (e.g: 10.0.0.1)
5. open a browser and go to https://10.0.0.1
6. You will be presented with a challenge that most likely will not get blocked by your corporate police.
1. login to the WiFi (which requires a challenge)
2. Open command line (CMD in windows and Terminal in Mac)
3. Type ‘ipconfig’ on windows or ifconfig on mac
4. copy the IP of the default gateway (e.g: 10.0.0.1)
5. open a browser and go to https://10.0.0.1
6. You will be presented with a challenge that most likely will not get blocked by your corporate police.
#10
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: DL DM, IHG Spire, Marriott Platinum, National EE
Posts: 318
Let me give you an advice.
1. login to the WiFi (which requires a challenge)
2. Open command line (CMD in windows and Terminal in Mac)
3. Type ‘ipconfig’ on windows or ifconfig on mac
4. copy the IP of the default gateway (e.g: 10.0.0.1)
5. open a browser and go to https://10.0.0.1
6. You will be presented with a challenge that most likely will not get blocked by your corporate police.
1. login to the WiFi (which requires a challenge)
2. Open command line (CMD in windows and Terminal in Mac)
3. Type ‘ipconfig’ on windows or ifconfig on mac
4. copy the IP of the default gateway (e.g: 10.0.0.1)
5. open a browser and go to https://10.0.0.1
6. You will be presented with a challenge that most likely will not get blocked by your corporate police.
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Location: DEL
Programs: Mucci du Miel d'Or
Posts: 2,374
Thanks all for the really great advice above. I suspected there may be some other ways, but tech is not my strength...
Yes, I have about a work around. They suggested creating a hotspot from my work phone. But for a week, I thought that might be excessive. and clunky
Exactly.
Exactly.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Canary Wharf, London
Programs: MyWaitrose, IC Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond & BAEC Gold
Posts: 2,685
My usual advice is to use a site that never uses SSL and it usually will then redirect you to the login page.
http://neverssl.com
http://neverssl.com
#14
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,344
My usual advice is to use a site that never uses SSL and it usually will then redirect you to the login page.
NeverSSL - Connecting ...
NeverSSL - Connecting ...