WI-FI Phones on a Hotel Network

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jan 16, 2006 Posts: 1

I purchased a Wi-Fi phone (not from Vonage) but its a ZyXEL P2000W. Works great at home and at work... but doesn't work at all when I'm on a Wi-Fi hotspot that requires acceptance of an Acceptable Use Policy or entering in a credit card number.

Does anyone know of a phone that will support this?

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:57 pm Post subject:

Nope, none currently made. The "road warrior" solution seems to be carrying your own router/Wifi AP combo, using your laptop to perform the authentication through the router, then you can do whatever you wish from that point forward. It's a shame too, as the hotel authentication turns a great idea (Wifi phone) into a complicated proposition with extra equipment needed.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:27 pm Post subject:

There is no phone currently made which supports this. Most road-warriors carry a router/wireless access point combo with them just to deal with situations like this. The same problem happens when using hardwired Voip devices as well. So, you'd connect the router, use your laptop to do the hotel's authentication, then you can use anything off that router & it's access point from that point forward. It's a shame that the hotels have taken what should have been a very simple (if not elegant) concept as the WiFi phone and turned it into a mess.

Posts: 16 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 05, 2006 Posts: 16

Even the hotels with free WiFi access (generally the less expensive hotels - explain that!) have some sort of screen where you have to accept the terms and conditions of access, again making access with current WiFi phones a challenge. You really need a totally open access point for them to work.

Posts: 82 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:09 am Post subject:

Another way is to spoof the mac address of your wireless card which can be done in the device manager; to the mac address of your wifi phone. Then go though the registration page the hotel requires you to go though. After that, set back the mac address option to "not present". I have done this before; and in most cases it works. Just as long as you set back the mac address on your laptop.

Posts: 1125 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:55 am Post subject:

Hopefully the next generation of Wifi phones take this into account, and integrates some sort of stripped down web browser so you can accept the terms or enter CC info. It seems a shame that technologically something can work, but something stupid prevents it.

Posts: 1715 · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 12:10 pm Post subject:

Carrying a small router / AP is what I usually do with this situation.