United Wifi is Unusable / Problems Connecting to United_Wi-Fi
Jul 29, 2015, 5:10 pm
#151
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, GE/Nexus, Marriott Gold
Posts: 266
I am 1/6 on my last six international flights, including a 15-hour BOM-EWR segment. 
This is my second biggest annoyance with UA this year. (Number 1 is operational unreliability - but that is for a different thread.)
Bottom line: assume it will not work, and be pleasantly surprised if it does!
This is my second biggest annoyance with UA this year. (Number 1 is operational unreliability - but that is for a different thread.)Bottom line: assume it will not work, and be pleasantly surprised if it does!
Jul 29, 2015, 5:42 pm
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,415
I've found that when the domestic 737 system works it's pretty good. But if you want to see how much time is left and you've navigated away from the page where that is displayed you can't get back. Also, if on that page and you select 'pause' to pause your service another page comes up and the meter keeps right on chugging along -- only now you have no meter to tell you how much time is left. Those two items are MST annoying.
ST annoying.
Jul 29, 2015, 9:25 pm
#154
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Hoboken, NJ; Pembroke Pines, FL
Programs: CO Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,939
I've found that when the domestic 737 system works it's pretty good. But if you want to see how much time is left and you've navigated away from the page where that is displayed you can't get back. Also, if on that page and you select 'pause' to pause your service another page comes up and the meter keeps right on chugging along -- only now you have no meter to tell you how much time is left. Those two items are MST annoying.
ST annoying.I wonder if one can just use this link?
https://www.unitedwifi.com/portal/site/connected
Anyway, I've successfully used the pause button. It's actually one of the best features of United's wifi system.
I have to say I've become a fan of United's wifi system. I'll buy it every time. The only exception is the GoGo wifi which I find to be overpriced. But let me put on my nomex suit because I know a lot of folks in this thread feel the opposite.
Jul 29, 2015, 11:18 pm
#155
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: SAN
Programs: AS MVP 100K, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Lifetime Titanium Elite, UA 1MM,
Posts: 1,707
Anyway, I've successfully used the pause button. It's actually one of the best features of United's wifi system.
I have to say I've become a fan of United's wifi system. I'll buy it every time. The only exception is the GoGo wifi which I find to be overpriced. But let me put on my nomex suit because I know a lot of folks in this thread feel the opposite.
I have to say I've become a fan of United's wifi system. I'll buy it every time. The only exception is the GoGo wifi which I find to be overpriced. But let me put on my nomex suit because I know a lot of folks in this thread feel the opposite.
I also agree that GoGo is overpriced...and much slower from my experience. So thats at least two of us, and I am not ashamed to admit that. But lately I feel like this is the website to come tell people about how unhappy you are and how you are going to move to AA/DL.
Jul 30, 2015, 7:48 am
#156
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,415
ne that.
Jul 30, 2015, 8:35 pm
#157
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Hoboken, NJ; Pembroke Pines, FL
Programs: CO Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,939
Another option if you get desperate and nothing seems to work is to transfer your wifi to another device. I do that quite a bit as I often finish up work on my work laptop then transfer my wifi connection to my MacBook for most of the remainder of the flight - also to use iMessage to send annoying "i'm messaging you from 35,000 feet" messages to my family and friends.
Note if you do this and then want to switch back, you *will* automatically get sent to the unitedwifi page to authorize the transfer of your wifi back to your original device.
Really I just love the flexibility of the unitedwifi options.
Jul 31, 2015, 12:44 am
#158
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BOS<>NYC<>BKK
Programs: UA 4.3MM LT-GS; AA1MM; Amtrak SE; MAR LT TITAN; PC Plat; HIL DIA; HYA GLOB
Posts: 4,392
UA858 PVG-SFO 744 now over TYO. It's working pretty well -- I'm surprised! My track record is about 20% on getting reasonable service on the international Wifi- equipped birds.
Jul 31, 2015, 2:03 pm
#160
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC / TYO / Up in the Air
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, AA 2.1MM, EK, BA, SQ, CX, Marriot LT, Accor P
Posts: 6,305
Jul 31, 2015, 7:56 pm
#161
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Hoboken, NJ; Pembroke Pines, FL
Programs: CO Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,939
One thing I've noticed is that my wifi performance varies a lot between devices even on the same flight. Performance using my company's VPN is usable but terrible in many cases. What's odd is that it's not uniformly terrible, but depends on the use case. I wonder if this is due to chatty protocols or the way certain websites are built.
Speedtest.net shows decent performance when I can get the flash app to work. But over VPN it's hard to even get the speedtest flash app to work at all.
I will have remember to firebug the problem sites next time.
Speedtest.net shows decent performance when I can get the flash app to work. But over VPN it's hard to even get the speedtest flash app to work at all.
I will have remember to firebug the problem sites next time.
Jul 31, 2015, 11:42 pm
#162
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Coast USA
Programs: UA GS/4 MM, AA Exec Plat, Lifetime Hilton D, Hyatt G, Marriott Titanium earned Ambassador
Posts: 7,553
UA 767-300 into EZE. No wifi. ?
The plane had a wifi sticker on it. Told by Purser service has not been working recently. Anyone know why? Thank you.
Aug 1, 2015, 4:02 pm
#163
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
One thing I've noticed is that my wifi performance varies a lot between devices even on the same flight. Performance using my company's VPN is usable but terrible in many cases. What's odd is that it's not uniformly terrible, but depends on the use case. I wonder if this is due to chatty protocols or the way certain websites are built.
Speedtest.net shows decent performance when I can get the flash app to work. But over VPN it's hard to even get the speedtest flash app to work at all.
I will have remember to firebug the problem sites next time.
Speedtest.net shows decent performance when I can get the flash app to work. But over VPN it's hard to even get the speedtest flash app to work at all.
I will have remember to firebug the problem sites next time.
Aug 1, 2015, 4:05 pm
#164
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,450
Aug 3, 2015, 12:32 pm
#165
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
The worst part is how big of a pain it is to even sign up. On some flights, it takes my United account and will automatically charge my CC on file. Other flights, I need to enter in my name, address, CC details etc. On shorter flights, they are losing out on revenue because I simply can't be bothered to wait till we are over 10,000 feet... fill all those fields on my tiny phone keyboard, then have a 50% chance the wifi will actually work for the remaining 40 min we are over 10,000 feet.
They need to settle for one sign-in paradigm and that paradigm had better include rapid sign-in capabilities.
They need to settle for one sign-in paradigm and that paradigm had better include rapid sign-in capabilities.