Wi-Fi hotspot

[mackfam]

On upcoming Baltic cruise I have the WiFi package for one device. Is it possible to create a personal hotspot with my phone so I can also have access to internet on my iPad? I only ask because I understand it’s hard to switch back and forth between devices (maybe I’m wrong). I don’t really need WiFi on both but have been spoiled previously when traveling in YC (but no YC on this ship) and just wonder if it’s possible. 

[freeon]

It's not hard to switch from device to device, it's impossible. Once you login on you wifi plan the plan is locked to that device only. You mention iPad so I assume you have iPhone as well? If so you can't turn on hot spot on iPhone with data plan off and only running wifi. You can try it,setting, cellular and turn off cell data you will see personal hot spot is greyed out.

[mackfam]

Thanks, I figured it was a no go. Will make do with my phone.

[DaKahuna]

 

 I have a travel router that i plan to bring to get around this.  I played with it briefly on our last sailing but gave up without really trying very hard.  This time I plan to try a couple of things if the default does not work.  I normally carry 3 devices (MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone and my wife has her iPad and iPhone) and my wife 2 devices.  So need the extra connection. 

 

[JamieLogical]

Fortunately, I have a Google Pixel, which is capable of hot-spotting wifi. I cruise enough that this is a feature I always look for when shopping for phones. iPhones do not have this feature. As @DaKahuna said, a travel router is an option, but you need to get one that is capable of handling captive portal. Captive portal is the login method where you have to browse to a specific web page in a web browser in order to log into wifi (like you see at hotels). The other challenge with a travel router is that you are then tethered to the router for accessing the internet, which means you can't access the internet from your phone when you are out and about on the ship, only when you are in your room, in proximity to the router.

[mikefromny]

13 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I have a travel router that i plan to bring to get around this.  I played with it briefly on our last sailing but gave up without really trying very hard.  This time I plan to try a couple of things if the default does not work.  I normally carry 3 devices (MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone and my wife has her iPad and iPhone) and my wife 2 devices.  So need the extra connection. 

 

I'm just wondering if you have any experience getting this to work with a GL.iNet GL-SFTG1200 travel router? I tried and tried on RCL, but couldn't get it to work.

[Mrdell]

41 minutes ago, mikefromny said:

I'm just wondering if you have any experience getting this to work with a GL.iNet GL-SFTG1200 travel router? I tried and tried on RCL, but couldn't get it to work.

I have this same travel router and have not had any luck getting it to work properly on Celebrity or NCL … maybe I’m not tech savvy enough 😊… I gave up taking it with me.

[DaKahuna]

5 hours ago, mikefromny said:

GL.iNet GL-SFTG1200 travel router?

 

4 hours ago, Mrdell said:

I have this same travel router and have not had any luck getting it to work properly on Celebrity or NCL

 

 I have two GL-iNet travel routers.  My latest one is the GL-SFT1200 and I have had it working multiple times on Celebrity.  I will be taking it with me in 11 day on the Seascape and will see if I cannot get it working.  This is the one that I only put about 15 minutes of effort into in February but plan to put in the time it takes to exhaust all possibilities.  

 

 The process is pretty straight forward on Celebrity and should also work in a similar fashion on MSC.  

 

  Power up the travel router and log into whatever WiFi network you have set up on it.  the Default is GL-xxxxx if memory serves me correctly.  I changed me to something unique. 

 

  The Default IP address  for the router is 192.168.8.1.  Once your tablet or laptop is connected to the WiFi network, use a browser to go to http://192.168.8.1 

 

  In the Repeater, click on Scan 

 

 A alphabetical list of WiFi networks will show up . 

 

 Select the ships WiFi network name and once connected, open a new browser tab and wait for the captive portal to show up.  This can sometimes take a while and I think this is were I ran out of patience the last time on MSC. 

 

 Once the captive portal shows up, verify you are still connected to the GL's WiFi network and follow the instructions to create your onboard WiFi account.  

 

 You should then be able to use any of your electronic devices to connect to your GL travel router and then be connected to the Internet, through the ship's Wifi your Travel router is connected to.  

 

 If you have connectivity problems, always check that the GL Travel router is connected to the ships network before doing anything else. 

 

 I normally have my laptop with me and I use a short ethernet cable to connect my laptop to the GL travel router instead of connecting to it via WiFi.  I never take my laptop out of the room so it's not a problem having it tethered to the router. 

 

[mikefromny]

@DaKahuna Thanks for the step-by-step. I tried most of this on RCL in July on Oasis and couldn't get it to work, but I was using my phone and didn't try opening another browser window. I tried going to the web address RCL listed for the login page but had no luck. I also think part of the problem may have been I had an old firmware version and I've read their updates made these connections easier. I'm going to copy your post into a keep document so I can pull it up easily.

[DaKahuna]

 

 I keep meaning to do a video walk through of doing this and may give it a go in less than two weeks when we sail