Originally published on millennialmoderator.com
Most public wifi networks require some sort of login, as a measure to protect both their network and users. Hotels, restaurants and airport wifi networks will require you to agree to ?terms and conditions? prior to accessing the internet through their hardware, but if you?re unable to check the ?agree? box in the first place, there?ll be no browsing for you! Devices fail to load wifi login screens for a variety of reasons, but there?s a simple way to force load the login page from any device.
Wifi login pages can be forced open by accessing any non-encrypted web-page, or website that doesn?t use SSL (TLS). SSL provides a secure connection to the target website, changing from http to https and (depending on your browser) displaying a padlock next to the website URL. In the internet?s dark infancy circa 2000, http was the most commonly used application protocol. At the time, this was state of the art, but is highly insecure and vulnerable to attack.
Today, nearly all websites use SSL, encrypting their connection and validating authority of their website. While this is good in the greater scheme of things, it poses a problem for accessing wifi networks that are poorly-behaved. Basically, the wifi network won?t send you the login page because your device is seeking only https connections and rejecting anything else (it?s more secure that way). To force a login page to open, we have to try visiting an unsecure website. In our case, we?ll recommend visiting neverssl.com.
Neverssl.com is specifically designed as a wifi login, forcing website. This one-page website does little more than educate you about how SSL prevents login pages from loading and of course, opens your wifi login screen. You can use any website that is unsecure, but with others you run the risk of exposing yourself to potential attackers. Next time you?re at the gym, airport or hotel and can?t seem to load their wifi login page, go to neverssl.com!
For other internet related Mods, check out this one about secret airport membership networks, as well as how to check if you email address is compromised.
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Originally published on millennialmoderator.com
