Connect to public wifi without password

Tracker said:
Ok follow up - I tried it but it didn't work.

Somehow it shows up as connected under wlan0 with ifconfig (shows connected ssid of the network) but it will only let me ping 8.8.8.8 - no other site works like even www.google.com
Click to expand...

If you can ping IP addresses but not by name, you're not getting DNS resolution from your upstream, presumably they'll allow DNS when you are logged in. It's a cheap way for them to deny unauthorised access.

Tracker said:
On the mobile phone it automatically redirects to an additional verification page (which asks for phone or email) - but on the laptop it just doesn't show any such redirection when attempting to open Google or Bing or whatever.
Click to expand...

Yeah we have a network here that works like that. Here at least, once you "enrol" it will remember your bssid for some hours or days before doing so again.

Tracker said:
Do I need to do something to get to their local authentication/verification page?
Click to expand...

It may not be a redirection but a pop-up window?

You could try allowing pop-ups on your browser; maybe your phone browser allowed these? No warranty ...

If not, maybe try with links or lynx text-mode browser to get logged in, or examine page source to see why not.
 
smithi said:
Sorry, but what's your point?
Click to expand...


sysctl -n net.wlan.devices
iwm0

device names
OP's

ifconfig_re0="DHCP"
wlans_rtwn0="wlan0"

the device naming too maybe faulty

logically looking at mine

wlans_iwm0="wlan0"
wlans_ath0=wlan0

the 1st line give it the alias the 2nd line authorizes it.

ifconfig_wlan0="SYNCDHCP"

tells it what to use

either SYNCDHCP or just DHCP whichever one works WITHOUT the WPA for open public wifi on 13.x


docs.freebsd.org

Chapter 34. Advanced Networking

Advanced networking in FreeBSD: basics of gateways and routes, CARP, how to configure multiple VLANs on FreeBSD, etc
docs.freebsd.org docs.freebsd.org
 
hruodr said:
This is how it worked for me years ago, but now I forgot to leave dhcpd configure resolv.conf.
Click to expand...
and they change the WPA thing too on v12 it was in the rc.conf then I left came back on v13 and luckily found out if I remove the WPA part open wifi works then on installing the system I dicovered if I skip that FCC part then it no longer rescans again and again and again trying to get an IP off of public wifi . it did it on the first try even added the DNS's on the next part. I just dropped to shell and removed the WPA then rebooted into the system getting WiFi off the bat.
 
hruodr said:
Just visit any web page, you will probably be redirected to the authentication page.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I tried - I tried google.com, bing.com from my browser - it did not work.
smithi said:
If you can ping IP addresses but not by name, you're not getting DNS resolution from your upstream, presumably they'll allow DNS when you are logged in. It's a cheap way for them to deny unauthorised access.
Click to expand...
Hmm ok. Was weird to be able to only ping 8.8.8.8 and nothing else when I tried pinging
smithi said:
It may not be a redirection but a pop-up window?
Click to expand...
Hmm possibly, didn't come across my mind.
smithi said:
If not, maybe try with links or lynx text-mode browser to get logged in, or examine page source to see why not.
Click to expand...
Or another incognito mode window might show any such popups attempting to show up?
smithi said:
Worth a try. Tracker can only use an IP address, but I just checked, https://8.8.8.8/ works fine.
Click to expand...
Yea that's the weird part - only pings that address (didn't try 8.8.8.8 in the browser only cli) ..... Does something have to be done with /etc/resolv.conf as well for things to work?
 
actually, it works. I can connect to the internet with that setup. But when upgrading to RC6 and applying patches I got a sudden power off, and after that I can't connect to the internet again, weird
BTW, how to reply with a quote?
 
unicorn said:
actually, it works. I can connect to the internet with that setup. But when upgrading to RC6 and applying patches I got a sudden power off, and after that I can't connect to the internet again, weird
BTW, how to reply with a quote?
Click to expand...

With mouse cursor highlight section for quotes. Can perform highlight quotes on more than one messages. Then in reply click on "Insert Quotes" Icon that show up at bottom left of reply window, just after the "attach files" Clicking on triple dots icon, in upper window opens "more options":
code, highlight, command, filename, port program, manual page, ports manual page. These perform distinct coloring of the high lighted words.

Who is a smart wizard, that will read the source code and write a short document on file /etc/rc.conf line ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP" changing into ifconfig_wlan0="DHCP" or "SYNCDHCP" being of the proper configuration to use FreeBSD 13.2-Release (and previous versions) ?? Will the end user, need to manually edit file /etc/rc.conf to connect to an OPEN non-encrypted wifi network access point? I lost a whole day trying to connect to an OPEN, non-encrypted (no WPA-PSK) network. Through many failures, I found removing "WPA" , allowed me to finally connect to an open public wifi network.
I did document a manual wifi connection setup in 2 forums.ghostbsd.org posts. Read both posts for gaining knowledge and techniques
https://forums.ghostbsd.org/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=526 Edimax EW-7811un USB wifi Dongle
https://forums.ghostbsd.org/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=570 RTL8188ce PCI Wifi card

Help yourself and use NetworkMgr preferably, or Wifimgr apps to assist making a network connection. NetworkMgr, will edit the /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf file with the proper setup for WPA-PSK and for OPEN networks. pkg install NetworkMgr thanks to Eric Turgeon, founder of ghostbsd
I am typing this from A Raspberry Pi 4B with 8 GB dram, running FreeBSD 14.0-CURRENT using a wired ethernet cable. This is good desktop using XFCE4.16 Desktop Environment. We still need a FreeBSD WIFI driver for the CYW43455 chip ported from OpenBSD or NetBSD raspberry pi wifi drivers.
Infineon-CYW43455_Single-Chip_5G_WiFi_IEEE_802.11n_ac_MAC_Baseband_Radio_with_Integrated_Bluetooth_5.0_Datasheet-AdditionalTechnicalInformation-v16_00-EN-GzzZDd.pdf
 
wb7odyfred said:
With mouse cursor highlight section for quotes. Can perform highlight quotes on more than one messages. Then in reply click on "Insert Quotes" Icon that show up at bottom left of reply window, just after the "attach files" Clicking on triple dots icon, in upper window opens "more options":
code, highlight, command, filename, port program, manual page, ports manual page. These perform distinct coloring of the high lighted words.
Click to expand...
that sounds like a two day night course at a community collage, (oximorn intended) I'm supprized I figure it out to post a quote of your post on how to post a quote.
 
wb7odyfred said:
Who is a smart wizard, that will read the source code and write a short document on file /etc/rc.conf line ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP" changing into ifconfig_wlan0="DHCP" or "SYNCDHCP" being of the proper configuration to use FreeBSD 13.2-Release (and previous versions) ?? Will the end user, need to manually edit file /etc/rc.conf to connect to an OPEN non-encrypted wifi network access point? I lost a whole day trying to connect to an OPEN, non-encrypted (no WPA-PSK) network. Through many failures, I found removing "WPA" , allowed me to finally connect to an open public wifi network.
I did document a manual wifi connection setup in 2 forums.ghostbsd.org posts. Read both posts for gaining knowledge and techniques
https://forums.ghostbsd.org/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=526 Edimax EW-7811un USB wifi Dongle
https://forums.ghostbsd.org/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=570 RTL8188ce PCI Wifi card
Click to expand...

Wish someone just wrote a guide to connect to open/partially authenticated wifi hotspots - kinda disappointing it takes so much effort and persistence and still not be able to do it.

I also noticed how I would be required to change the order of the network in the /etc/rc.conf settings since the last one among them apparently wins (which won't allow me to connect to my home network when away from public hotspot and vice-versa) - or am I misunderstanding things?

(Yet to get back to the public hotspot for this experiment in wireless connection to continue :D )
 
Tracker said:
Wish someone just wrote a guide to connect to open/partially authenticated wifi hotspots - kinda disappointing it takes so much effort and persistence and still not be able to do it.

I also noticed how I would be required to change the order of the network in the /etc/rc.conf settings since the last one among them apparently wins (which won't allow me to connect to my home network when away from public hotspot and vice-versa) - or am I misunderstanding things?

(Yet to get back to the public hotspot for this experiment in wireless connection to continue :D )
Click to expand...
I agree, as from what I see they've changed it to from 12 to 13 becase on 12 I had the WPA in that line in rc.conf and not it has to be removed if open wifi is being used. and you cannot have it both ways if you have a laptop that moves from a passwd wifi connection to a no passwd connection then that rc.conf WPA part is going to byte you in the ass every time as well.
 
Tracker said:
That's exactly what I tried - I tried google.com, bing.com from my browser - it did not work.
Click to expand...

You need access to a DNS server to resolve domain names. This upstream host is denying you access to its DNS server until you comply by registering, apparently.

Tracker said:
Hmm ok. Was weird to be able to only ping 8.8.8.8 and nothing else when I tried pinging
Click to expand...

They're only blocking DNS, not IP access. Ping doesn't need DNS access if you give it an IP address directly.

Have you tried another valid dotted-quad IP address that normally responds to pings?

Tracker said:
Yea that's the weird part - only pings that address (didn't try 8.8.8.8 in the browser only cli) ..... Does something have to be done with /etc/resolv.conf as well for things to work?
Click to expand...

If it works from your phone to see the signup page, it must be this browser that's blocking access to it. 'Block pop-ups' (ono) is a common anti-nasties browser setting; are you sure you have that one turned OFF? (at least until you've signed in).
 
smithi said:
They're only blocking DNS, not IP access. Ping doesn't need DNS access if you give it an IP address directly.
Click to expand...

smithi said:
If it works from your phone to see the signup page, it must be this browser that's blocking access to it. 'Block pop-ups' (ono) is a common anti-nasties browser setting; are you sure you have that one turned OFF? (at least until you've signed in).
Click to expand...
Sorry for the late reply - got back to the public hotspot.

Same result after trying unblocking popups for the browser.

Interestingly it won't even let me ping: 1.1.1.1 (iirc that's cloudflare isn't it?) Or
8.8.4.4 (google right?)
It only allows 8.8.8.8 that too not from the browser but only command line

- if it was allowing pinging IP and not DNS then it would have gone through but it isn't.

I tried wifimgr as well it - that seemed to write down a different name in the /etc/wpa_supplicant file on another channel - the gui shows multiple networks the same network SSID with different channel values.

Any other ideas?
 
It looks like this whole thread is just another demonstration of why wifi is such a pain point on FreeBSD.

I tried net-mgmt/wifimgr... I have to run it as root, and there are several issues:
  • Just starting it is unreliable - sometimes the GUI pop-up to type the root password works, sometimes not.
  • It still has a truckload of options to fill in. Correct details don't always correspond to available connection instructions, even if you know what you're doing. And remembering the correct details is not a given, either (but should be, IMHO).
  • Wifi hotspots are ubiquitous. Windows, Macs, and Linux have figured out how to make the process (of connecting to wifi) a standard thing that hides the complexity. It's not about being scared of complexity, it's about having a low tolerance for spending time on figuring out the correct details required for making a connection happen. A popular example is wifi in airports...
I'm hoping somebody from the Foundation sees this thread... I have to warn Discord users that wifi is still a pain point on FreeBSD. And it looks like conversations like that will keep happening until that pain point gets actually properly addressed.
 
Try removing /var/db/dhclient.leases.* and see if you are being blocked by the user-agent. Install a Firefox plugin and assign a value similar to phone, Android/Chrome.

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CuatroTorres said:
Try removing /var/db/dhclient.leases.* and see if you are being blocked by the user-agent. Install a Firefox plugin and assign a value similar to phone, Android/Chrome.
Click to expand...
Sometimes, I want my leases to be remembered - but then the retrieval has to be organized (and applied) a bit better, I'd think. But, I like the idea, it's noted. :)
 
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