One Of Life's Unanswered Puzzles.

[Old_Geezer]

Unsure if I've asked here before but... why do cafés and supermarkets claim to offer free WiFi, get your device to claim it is connected, then have it say you aren't connected to Internet ?

 

Is it some kind of hilarious jape that I'm missing the humour of ? They all seem to do it.

[davebro3]

Dunno - it's obviously a mystery. Fortunately I don't give a damn!

[barry1010]

No idea, I refuse to connect to any public WiFi. I have Mobil data if I want to connect to the internet whilst I'm out

[Arksided]

Although I can appriciate you plight OG I agree with Barry, and never connect to a public Wi-Fi server and also have Mobile Data 60 Gig for a Tenner a month.

[Old_Geezer]

I've no intention of changing my original account, which has no data. It's inexpensive and gives freedom about when to add credit. But WiFi in supermarkets is necessary if they expect customers to show store card type stuff. But apparently it's more amusing to claim to provide a connection yet not do so.

[barry1010]

My SIM costs me £4 a month, cancel at any time, unlimited calls, texts and plenty of data for me

[johnk]

Barry, who are you with?

[barry1010]

Smarty

[JJ109]

WiFi password required and then you will be connected ?

[barry1010]

Aldi doesn't need a password, it connects automatically and collects info about you. I don't like that, I want to choose the WiFi I connect to. 

Asda needs your email address to allow you to log on to WiFi. You have to register.

Different supermarkets, different ways of connecting.

Which supermarkets do you use,OG?

[1ozzy]

Public WiFi is dangerous to your online health.

Don't use it, get a better phone plan.

Won't cost much.

[Old_Geezer]

Just about all of them. My woman decides which half dozen we visit each day. (There may be a very slight exaggeration there.)

[Old_Geezer]

Password is rarely required. Sometimes, usually in public houses, one needs to log in by clicking the button though. But most supermarket WiFi hotspots are known so my mobile automatically connects, it's just often there's no access to the Internet, which means there's no point in claiming there's a connection.