Forma why cannot my Kobo Forma connect to the college Wi-Fi? my phone can.

droopy · 03-13-2020, 09:20 PM

Why cannot my Kobo Forma connect to my college campus's Wi-Fi? My phone can connect to the Wi-Fi. It's very strong and very fast. when I tap the network, it says connecting but then it does not connect.

I downloaded an app on my Android phone called Wi-Fi analyzer.
The abscess of the Wi-Fi frequency is 2347 megahertz and is on channel 6.
It's an unlocked Network. The app says it's ”ESS” whatever that means.

Here is a screenshot from another Wi-Fi analyzer app. http://imgur.com/a/B5S1Tqa

NiLuJe · 03-13-2020, 09:35 PM

That's a 5.5GHz band. That's not supported on the Kobo. Don't ask me the name of the WiFi revision it was introduced in, the WiFi alliance keeps changing those anyway ;D.

(I assume there's a 2.4GHz AP on the same SSID, though, which is what the Kobo will attempt to use. Emphasis on "attempt" ^^).

(IIRC, ESS is because it's 80MHz wide instead of 20MHz (i.e., it's spread across four channels or something). That's a more-or-less standard setup on 5.5GHz. 40MHz on 2.4GHz might upset some devices, on the other hand.).

droopy · 03-13-2020, 10:12 PM

How can I check on my phone whether there is a 2.4 gigahertz AP on the same SSID?

geek1011 · 03-13-2020, 11:20 PM

Also, I don't know the details of your WiFi network, but if it uses EAP for authentication (many enterprise ones do), it won't work on a Kobo.

droopy · 03-13-2020, 11:21 PM

Geek1011,
It doesn't use any authentication at all

NiLuJe · 03-14-2020, 12:08 AM

Capture portals do nasty, nasty things to "behave". I wouldn't be surprised if something upsets the Kobo on that front.

Quoth · 03-14-2020, 08:06 AM

Our libraries have a free WiFi. But you have to register with your Library ID in the browser. So while my phone, tablet and laptop can connect, I don't use it.

None of my Kobos or Kindles can connect. The WiFi also has NO authentication / encryption.

Someone in the library could capture your traffic. A totally stupid way to deploy WiFi.

davidfor · 03-14-2020, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quoth

Our libraries have a free WiFi. But you have to register with your Library ID in the browser. So while my phone, tablet and laptop can connect, I don't use it.

None of my Kobos or Kindles can connect. The WiFi also has NO authentication / encryption.

Kobo's should be able to use a captive portal like that. The function was added to the firmware a long time ago, and I have tested it. But, it probably depends on the page that prompts for the user details or accepting the conditions. I remember one being laid out in a way that I couldn't get to the OK button.

Quoth · 03-14-2020, 09:18 AM

The Library page uses a load of Javascript.

It's not a big deal for me. Especially at the moment.

Years ago when I did travel we had a home VPN server with the inward port mapped from Port 80 as some places blocked VPNs.
Then my sons at college and myself at random public WiFi points logged into our home server (using dyndns client at home to set ip to domain) and securely used web & email etc via the BB ISP we had at home.

That obviously doesn't work for an ereader, unless your laptop / phone / tablet implements your own Encrypted Airpoint.
My really ancient Sony-Ericsson phone can be a WiFi point OR USB network host from Mobile data or use local WiFi to implement a USB network host, which I used once to install Linux on a netbook that wouldn't connect to WiFi or wired Ethernet (later sorted after install).

droopy · 03-14-2020, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Capture portals do nasty, nasty things to "behave". I wouldn't be surprised if something upsets the Kobo on that front.

there's no capture portal at all. No page where I have to tap/click an Accept/OK button.

droopy · 03-17-2020, 12:39 PM

i moved from the college atrium to the library and the Forma was able to connect.

NiLuJe · 03-17-2020, 02:11 PM

Wonky repeater?

DNSB · 03-17-2020, 03:05 PM

There was a nice sunny day last week so I sat outside on the patio. The signal strength there is what I would consider mid-range but my Forma would not connect. Walked back inside and no issues.

Checking with my Android tablet, there are about 20 of my neighbours hitting channels 1, 6 and 11 so there might be some interference from them.

PeterT · 03-17-2020, 08:19 PM

I seem to recall at one point there were issues with Kobo's and fritzbox routers (or was it dd-wrt)? I don't recall though what the solution was

03-13-2020, 09:20 PM	#1
droopy Guru Posts: 834 Karma: 2912460 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	why cannot my Kobo Forma connect to the college Wi-Fi? my phone can. Why cannot my Kobo Forma connect to my college campus's Wi-Fi? My phone can connect to the Wi-Fi. It's very strong and very fast. when I tap the network, it says connecting but then it does not connect. I downloaded an app on my Android phone called Wi-Fi analyzer. The abscess of the Wi-Fi frequency is 2347 megahertz and is on channel 6. It's an unlocked Network. The app says it's ”ESS” whatever that means. Here is a screenshot from another Wi-Fi analyzer app. http://imgur.com/a/B5S1Tqa Last edited by droopy; 03-13-2020 at 09:26 PM.

03-13-2020, 09:35 PM	#2
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	That's a 5.5GHz band. That's not supported on the Kobo. Don't ask me the name of the WiFi revision it was introduced in, the WiFi alliance keeps changing those anyway ;D. (I assume there's a 2.4GHz AP on the same SSID, though, which is what the Kobo will attempt to use. Emphasis on "attempt" ^^). (IIRC, ESS is because it's 80MHz wide instead of 20MHz (i.e., it's spread across four channels or something). That's a more-or-less standard setup on 5.5GHz. 40MHz on 2.4GHz might upset some devices, on the other hand.). Last edited by NiLuJe; 03-13-2020 at 09:39 PM.

03-14-2020, 08:06 AM	#7
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,033 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	Our libraries have a free WiFi. But you have to register with your Library ID in the browser. So while my phone, tablet and laptop can connect, I don't use it. None of my Kobos or Kindles can connect. The WiFi also has NO authentication / encryption. Someone in the library could capture your traffic. A totally stupid way to deploy WiFi. Last edited by Quoth; 03-14-2020 at 08:09 AM.

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03-13-2020, 10:12 PM	#3
droopy Guru Posts: 834 Karma: 2912460 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	How can I check on my phone whether there is a 2.4 gigahertz AP on the same SSID?

03-13-2020, 11:20 PM	#4
geek1011 Wizard Posts: 2,804 Karma: 7025947 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Mini, Aura Edition 2 v1, Clara HD	Also, I don't know the details of your WiFi network, but if it uses EAP for authentication (many enterprise ones do), it won't work on a Kobo.

03-13-2020, 11:21 PM	#5
droopy Guru Posts: 834 Karma: 2912460 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	Geek1011, It doesn't use any authentication at all

03-14-2020, 12:08 AM	#6
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Capture portals do nasty, nasty things to "behave". I wouldn't be surprised if something upsets the Kobo on that front.

03-14-2020, 09:18 AM	#9
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,033 Karma: 105092227 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	The Library page uses a load of Javascript. It's not a big deal for me. Especially at the moment. Years ago when I did travel we had a home VPN server with the inward port mapped from Port 80 as some places blocked VPNs. Then my sons at college and myself at random public WiFi points logged into our home server (using dyndns client at home to set ip to domain) and securely used web & email etc via the BB ISP we had at home. That obviously doesn't work for an ereader, unless your laptop / phone / tablet implements your own Encrypted Airpoint. My really ancient Sony-Ericsson phone can be a WiFi point OR USB network host from Mobile data or use local WiFi to implement a USB network host, which I used once to install Linux on a netbook that wouldn't connect to WiFi or wired Ethernet (later sorted after install).

03-17-2020, 12:39 PM	#11
droopy Guru Posts: 834 Karma: 2912460 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Kobo Forma	i moved from the college atrium to the library and the Forma was able to connect.

03-17-2020, 02:11 PM	#12
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Wonky repeater?

03-17-2020, 03:05 PM	#13
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,191 Karma: 168983734 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	There was a nice sunny day last week so I sat outside on the patio. The signal strength there is what I would consider mid-range but my Forma would not connect. Walked back inside and no issues. Checking with my Android tablet, there are about 20 of my neighbours hitting channels 1, 6 and 11 so there might be some interference from them.

03-17-2020, 08:19 PM	#14
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,512 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	I seem to recall at one point there were issues with Kobo's and fritzbox routers (or was it dd-wrt)? I don't recall though what the solution was