In Hotel requiring web passcode

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1

I am away from home for weeks. So I want to use my new Play box here in the hotel. Like most public wifi situations, you need access to the web browser in order to authenticate wifi access.

When I try to do the wifi setup, I select the SSID (network name) and then screen goes black-- and stays black.

Does anyone know any tricks I can use so that I can get on the wifi network and then provide the hotel my web-based passcode?

2

This really isn’t a WD unit operational question – it’s a “how do I connect to the crummy wifi signal in a hotel” kind of question  Hotels are notorious for hyping they have wifi, when often what they have available is marginal at best.  So, can your PC connect well to the hotel wifi.?  Run a bandwidth test at speedtest.net and you will have an idea of the quality of the signal.  Even if you could connect, you likely would not have the necessary bandwidth to use it to stream any video.  I know you just got your new TV Play toy, but suggest you be more patient to set it up until you get home.  :wink:

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I’m sorry but you are reading into my message without reading my words. The problem is the passcode. Yes, I have other devices which are logged into the network. Bandwidth is NOT the problem. It it was, I would have said so.

What I said in my message is that the Play device cannot get into the network. Read it again.

4

Sorry, but I read your message perfectly, and I have no idea how to get a brand new TV Play connected into a hotel’s wireless internet that is located in a foreign country so you can put in a passcode for access.  As I said earlier, this is not an “issue” with a WD media player. 

Nevertheless, I hope for your sake you get it all to work.  BTW, your problem is likely because the TV Play is not a laptop computer, and the hotel’s access and passcode procedure is likely set up only for browsers on computers that are accessing the internet.  I have dealt with hotel access codes myself using a laptop, and I’d be darned if I would try to get a WD media player to connect up to it.  I would likely have more success connecting it up to a banana.

5

“I have no idea how to get a brand new TV Play connected into a hotel’s wireless internet”

That is all you had to say. Thanks.

6

@Goattee,

That’s going to be the problem, that the Hotel is using a web-based login.

The Play isn’t designed to use web-based logins as it requires a browser to login.

7

Goattee wrote:

That is all you had to say. Thanks.

No, I also said I would have more success helping you get logged into a banana.

I also told you what I thought the real problem is, and Tinwarble seems to agree with me.

So, take care of yourself in that foreign land, get your work done there, and have a safe trip home

8

The following is the solution if you have a Windows 7 or Windows 8 device in your hotel room/hot spot area along with your WD Play.

  • It works with the apps I tried. (TuneIn and Sling. The Sling app successfully connected to my Slingbox in another location.)
  • It works with DLNA server on my Windows laptop. (I am running XBMC.)
  1. On your Windows 7 or Windows 8 device:
    Log in to the hot spot as usual.
  2. Download and install Virtual Router.
  3. Start up Virtual Router.
  4. Launch the Virtual Router Manager.
    (In most cases there will be a launch icon in your system tray.)
  5. Create an SSID (network name) for your Play device to connect to.
    For our example let’s call it _ MySecretWifiLan _.
  6. Create a wifi password consisting of >= 8 characters.
    For our example, let’s call it _ MySecretPassword _
  7. For shared connection: pull down the list of network connections and pick the one that describes the wifi network connection that Windows is using to connect to the hotel/hotspot.
  8. On the WD Play device:
    Do the network setup as documented.
  • For the network name, use the SSID <_ MySecretWifiLan _>
  • For the network password use the password <_ MySecretPassword _>
  1. Optional DNS enhancement: (on your Windows device)
    Doing this ensures that your internet connections will be resolved not by your hotspot’s DNS system but by OpenDNS and Google. These tend to be faster DNS searches (not faster bandwidth). And the DNS references will independent of anything your hotspot might do.

Go to Control Panel.
Search for View Network Connections.
Find the Wireless Network Connection with the same name as your virtual wifi network. <_ MySecretWifiLan _>
Right click on that connection.
Select Properties.
Scroll if necessary under “This connection uses the following items” to find Internet Protocol Version 4.
Double-Click on Internet Protocol Version 4.
Under “Use the following DNS server addresses” enter the following IP addresses:

208.67.222.222
8.8.8.8

Click on OK.
Click on OK.
(You should no longer need the Control Panel or the Network Connections window.)

Note:
If you have a software firewall on your Windows device: be sure to open up the network addresses so that the Virtual network range and the IP address of your Windows device can communicate with each other. Every firewall has its own way of doing things so I cannot give you details here.

Moral of the story:

People find it far easier to let their narrow vision obscure the possibility that solutions are possible-- even with a simple entry level device like the loveable little Play. Many find it easier to spout off when they have not a clue.

2 Likes
9

Like I said to you, I hope you find a way to make it work, and you did.  Congratulations.  BTW, nobody said it could not be done; only that there were obstacles (hotel passcode and how it needed to be entered) that would most likely prevent it from happening.

I am actually quite impressed that you found a way to make it all work ; and so quickly (with a virtual router, no less) .  And, I will close by saying I am sticking to my guns that this was not a WDTV issue, but purely an issue of connecting anything from the hotel that was not a laptop, phone, tablet, etc. running a browser to access the internet and to get the job done.  Kudos to you for finding a virtual router and doing lots of tinkering to get it done!   Most people would have just given up and turned on the TV in the room!   You story goes to show that most anything can be accomplished with all the available tools out on the internet.  All one has to do is find them, and THAT’S no easy task in itself.

10

@mike: Well give man Kudos, don´t be stingy.

@Goattee: Good job.

11

Yo, thanks for reminding me.  Gave him one!  Anybody who goes to all this trouble deserves it.  This guy probably COULD connect his TV Play to a banana!

12

 Whats with you and bananas?

mike27oct wrote:

Yo, thanks for reminding me.  Gave him one!  Anybody who goes to all this trouble deserves it.  This guy probably COULD connect his TV Play to a banana!

13

You also have to remember mike that somebody on this forum may have had the same problem with any of the other WD media players and could have supplied an answer. If anybody now asks we can point them to this thread. Of course with the other players there is a inbuilt secret web browser that could be used to input the details. This browser does not appear to exist on the Play or at least it is not opened in the same way as the other players.

14

Rich >>>>   Of course with the other players there is a inbuilt secret web browser that could be used to input the details.

I have never found this in the Live Plus – is it in this unit, or just the SMP, Hub?

15

Go to System Settings, About, while on this screen press the search button on the remote, the web browser will come up. To exit the browser press the home button on the remote. You will need a USB keyboard / mouse to input any information.

16

Isn´t Opera browser disabled in Play, at least an access to it through System/Search?

richUK wrote:
Go to System Settings, About, while on this screen press the search button on the remote, the web browser will come up. To exit the browser press the home button on the remote. You will need a USB keyboard / mouse to input any information.

17

Rich, I tried what you said, and it’s a no-go on my Live Plus.  As I said, I think this “feature” showed up first on an SMP, and which I do not have.

18

Sorry but I was replying to mike about the live. As I said I don’t believe it is available on the Play.
Mike, the browser is there on my original live, its also there on the live streaming gen3 and hub. Don’t understand why they left in out in the live plus unless they put it in on a later firmware.

19

Yes, Rich, probably a firmware issue because I still use v 1.05.04_B on my Live Plus.  Oh well.