Forum Discussion
Auto Wi-Fi log in London Underground?
Is it possible to set up a phone with a Smarty SIM card to Connect automatically to WiFi at London Underground stations? I can connect manually by clicking on the THREE WiFi link but have to do this at every station. By the time I’m connected the train is often leaving and I lose the connection. In the past, when I had a Three SIM card, this the log-on happened automatically.
i have downloaded and installed the Smarty configuration profile. I have an iPhone.
Any suggestions? Thanks.
22 Replies
Hi,
Are you saying that the WiFi works but it's just the pain of filling in the registration thing each time? I use a great app that does that for you. Once you log into one of those free WiFi places where you have to put your e-mail address etc in, it remembers all that and just does it in the background for you.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androidyou.wifiloginnew
I think it was a few pounds but well worth it - especially as the WiFi at work needs a form filling in each time!
CheersQuick correction to Chalkychap 's info : EAP-AKA is not needed in order to auto-connect. EAP-AKA is needed to be able to connect at all (I didn't use the word "auto" in any of my posts). If your phone can connect at all, then it must understand EAP-AKA. "Auto-connection" is orthogonal (independent) to any authentication protocol - it just depends on how your phone's operating system's programmers chose to code it.
StevenB_1465005: I know nothing about iPhones, so I cannot specifically help you. All that I can suggest is to look around the UI to see whether there is an "Auto-connect?" check-box somewhere that you have missed (this may be an option for just the THREE_WIFI network, or it may be a more-general option somewhere under "Wireless" or "Wi-Fi"). If there is no "Auto-connect?" option that you can enable and you still have to manually connect every time you arrive in a station, then I am afraid that it would seem to be a limitation of the version of your operating system (iOS) that is on your phone.
Hope this helps. Eek.
I use an Android phone and have the same issue with needing to reconnect at every station.
Did you follow the SMARTY instructions for using free Wi-Fi at London Underground stations Bridgejunky?
There's more about this at https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/5830528-free-wi-fi-on-london-underground.
Sorry to have misrepresented your information about using the TfL station Wi-Fi network with your Android device eekamouse.
BAI Communications are currently provisioning 4G & 5G mobile network infrastructure in London Underground's network of tunnels, allowing use of mobile phones without needing to use a Wi-Fi network. They'll also be taking over the operation of the TfL station Wi-Fi network from April 2023 (from Virgin Media).
👍Thanks eekamouse my iPhone can connect so it must have EAP-AKA. There is an auto-connect option iPhone which I’ve had selected for a while now but still can’t auto-connect!
there’s a new version of the IOS to download and install which I will try and see if that makes a difference.
Thanks for this information eekamouse.
There doesn't seem to be mechanism in Apple's iOS operating system (for iPhone devices) for the user to choose an authentication method for the Wi-Fi network they're joining.The latest iOS (16.3.1) has an "Ask to Join Networks" option in Settings > Wi-Fi, which has three sub-categories:
- Off (If no known networks are available, you will have to manually select a network.)
- Notify (If no known networks are available, you will be notified of available networks.)
- Ask (If no known networks are available, you will be asked before joining a new network.)
For each of these, "Known networks will be joined automatically."
As suggested, might well be worth StevenB_1465005 'forgetting' the "THREE_WIFI" network on their iPhone. Thereafter, setting-up a 'new' connection at a London Underground station, before going underground.
It could all change from tomorrow though, because BAI take-over the Wi-Fi network operation from Virgin Media.
Forum member eekamouse found their Android handset needed to use the EAP-AKA security protocol in order to auto-connect to "THREE_WIFI" network (used by both Three and SMARTY customers).
I don't think an iPhone allows you to manually choose this security protocol when you setup a new network connection for a Wi-Fi network, but it might be worth 'forgetting' the "THREE_WIFI" network on your handset. Then maybe try setting-up a 'new' connection at a London Underground station, before you go underground.
UPDATE:
From April 2023, operation and delivery of Wi-Fi at London Underground stations will become the responsibility of BAI Communications.
BAI Communications are also busy installing 4G & 5G network infrastructure throughout the London Underground network (including the tunnels), which will allow all mobile networks to call and text throughout the underground network.
👍This is slowly happening, e.g. on the Jubilee and parts of the Central. In the meantime I’m convinced there’s a way of accessing the WiFi automatically via Smarty (via Three)!
SMARTY have the following support article, which claims you can connect automatically:
https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/5830528-free-wi-fi-on-london-undergroundBut this hasn't helped in your case though?
🍀
Odd TfL's online information seems to contradict the SMARTY online information referenced by MSF.
If SMARTY's "Free Wi-Fi on London Underground" advice was followed, then perhaps TfL are correct.
Given SMARTY have produced "Terms and Conditions of use – WiFi on the London Underground", it's strange TfL haven't added SMARTY to the list of mobile networks allowed to use the underground station Wi-Fi network.
Can you confirm that you have followed the advice in this article? https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/5830528-free-wi-fi-on-london-underground
Yes - have followed it. I can connect to WiFi at stations via Three but have to rejoin manually at each station.
TfL don't list SMARTY as one of the mobile networks that can access their 'free' Wi-Fi network at their stations.
Three UK is one of the mobile networks TfL do support with their station Wi-Fi network. I guess if using the station Wi-Fi is important, it might be worthwhile considering one of the mobile networks TfL support with their underground station Wi-Fi.
TfL advise that if you're a Virgin Media, O2, Three or EE customer, authentication is seamless via your SIM card.
I assume that as Smarty use the Three network then I should be able to access TfL WiFi via Three. I can do that it’s just the hassle of manually rejoining at every station.
Yes StevenB_1465005, SMARTY use the Three UK mobile network infrastructure. They're a mobile operator in their own right, being a MVNO (mobile virtual network operator).
The TfL online pages seems pretty black-and-white on this matter.
At the time of posting, station Wi-Fi only works automatically with Virgin Media, O2, EE and Three.
I guess that could all change in April 2023, when BAI Communications take-over the Wi-Fi network operations for London Underground stations (from Virgin Media).
