Kobo Aura will not connect to WIFI - Page 2

PeterT · 08-12-2016, 08:58 PM

What brand router? What firmware? Any logs on the router? As I asked early what is the status of the DHCP pool? Have you rebooted the router?

loltun · 08-12-2016, 11:11 PM

Linksys EA8500
Firmware Version 1.1.4.173728
DHCP pool is not full
Router has been rebooted

davidfor · 08-12-2016, 11:39 PM

Looking back through the posts, you said you get an "unable to join" error. From my experience, that usually means a bad password. Your testing suggests you have already proved that isn't the case.

Is there any evidence on the router about what is happening? Turning logging on might give some clues. Does an IP address get allocated when you try? And from that, have you tried reserving an address for the device?

Have you tried setting up the guest access? It shouldn't be different, but it will allow you to try different things with passwords and maybe settings that won't interfere with the other devices.

You mentioned a factory reset. Something that has changed in the firmware is the URL used to check if the device has connectivity. If the URL that the factory firmware uses doesn't exist or is blocked somehow, that could explain it. I can never remember the URLs involved, but the old one was something at Apple and the new one at Microsoft.

loltun · 08-13-2016, 02:06 AM

I will look into logging the activity on the router. Maybe it will show something.

I use opendns so it is possible that a site could be blocked but would the Aura HD use a different site for verification? My Aura HD has no problem.
It would be good to know the sites it checks.

loltun · 08-13-2016, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Your nearest McDonald's or Walmart or Home Depot or Lowe's.
All of them have free wifi. So just take the device the next time you go into town.

Don't most of these places use Captive Portals?
If so, that would block the URL check that Davidfor mentioned and would make it impossible to connect.

I also found this
https://github.com/kobolabs/Kobo-Reader/issues/14

davidfor · 08-13-2016, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loltun

I will look into logging the activity on the router. Maybe it will show something.

I use opendns so it is possible that a site could be blocked but would the Aura HD use a different site for verification? My Aura HD has no problem.
It would be good to know the sites it checks.

Using OpenDNS shouldn't be a problem. It should just be resolving the addresses. I doubt if these would be URLs they would block.

I did a search and found the two URLs here. They are:

Old: http://www.apple.com/library/test/success.html
Current: http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt

Both are working here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by loltun

Don't most of these places use Captive Portals?
If so, that would block the URL check that Davidfor mentioned and would make it impossible to connect.

I also found this
https://github.com/kobolabs/Kobo-Reader/issues/14

The current firmware should work with hotspots that need to login. Kobo added that a while ago and I think that is part of the reason for changing the test URL. I haven't needed to do this much, but I have just enough to know it works.

freekobo · 08-13-2016, 07:32 AM

My suggestion: Backup. Reset, go to I don't have a wifi, restore backup and then try to connect on WiFi, does it work?

Cinisajoy · 08-13-2016, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loltun

Don't most of these places use Captive Portals?
If so, that would block the URL check that Davidfor mentioned and would make it impossible to connect.

I also found this
https://github.com/kobolabs/Kobo-Reader/issues/14

I know Walmart doesn't.

HarryT · 08-13-2016, 12:34 PM

Have you actually tried connecting to a different WiFi network, as I suggested at the very start of this thread?

loltun · 08-13-2016, 02:51 PM

No I haven't done that yet because like I said I am in a rural area and it's not easy to find open hotspots around here but I plan to take the Kobo with me next time I go into town and try it.

loltun · 08-13-2016, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I know Walmart doesn't.

Every walmart I have ever been to uses a captive portal.

loltun · 08-13-2016, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freekobo

My suggestion: Backup. Reset, go to I don't have a wifi, restore backup and then try to connect on WiFi, does it work?

It's a new setup so there is nothing to backup and restore.
I have done the factory reset twice already and upgraded firmware to latest with Kobo Desktop on the PC.

loltun · 08-13-2016, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Using OpenDNS shouldn't be a problem. It should just be resolving the addresses. I doubt if these would be URLs they would block.

I did a search and found the two URLs here. They are:

Old: http://www.apple.com/library/test/success.html
Current: http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt

Both are working here.

The current firmware should work with hotspots that need to login. Kobo added that a while ago and I think that is part of the reason for changing the test URL. I haven't needed to do this much, but I have just enough to know it works.

I just checked those two URLS and they are not blocked on my network

frostschutz · 08-13-2016, 03:58 PM

If you have a smartphone you could test with a tethering wifi.

Cinisajoy · 08-13-2016, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loltun

Every walmart I have ever been to uses a captive portal.

What do you mean by a captive portal?
Last time I was in Walmart, I clicked the wifi, it connected. I didn't have to enter anything. I know because I was trying to up the lighting on my tablet and touched a little too high.

Oh so you are saying that there is no way to connect to a wifi anywhere that requires a browser.

Now since you are having so much trouble with this particular device, if you bought it new in the last 30 days. Call kobo and return the thing.

It may be like a kindle I had, I couldn't register it because although it connected to wifi, the registration screen could not find it. The first thing I did was contact Amazon, went through all the steps with them, and the Customer service representative registered it for me.

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08-12-2016, 08:58 PM	#16
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,542 Karma: 78910202 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Libra H2O, Libra Colour	What brand router? What firmware? Any logs on the router? As I asked early what is the status of the DHCP pool? Have you rebooted the router?

08-12-2016, 11:11 PM	#17
loltun Jedi Book Worm Posts: 68 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: GA USA Device: Kindle DX, RCA REB-1100, Augen The Book	Linksys EA8500 Firmware Version 1.1.4.173728 DHCP pool is not full Router has been rebooted

08-12-2016, 11:39 PM	#18
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Looking back through the posts, you said you get an "unable to join" error. From my experience, that usually means a bad password. Your testing suggests you have already proved that isn't the case. Is there any evidence on the router about what is happening? Turning logging on might give some clues. Does an IP address get allocated when you try? And from that, have you tried reserving an address for the device? Have you tried setting up the guest access? It shouldn't be different, but it will allow you to try different things with passwords and maybe settings that won't interfere with the other devices. You mentioned a factory reset. Something that has changed in the firmware is the URL used to check if the device has connectivity. If the URL that the factory firmware uses doesn't exist or is blocked somehow, that could explain it. I can never remember the URLs involved, but the old one was something at Apple and the new one at Microsoft.

08-13-2016, 02:06 AM	#19
loltun Jedi Book Worm Posts: 68 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: GA USA Device: Kindle DX, RCA REB-1100, Augen The Book	I will look into logging the activity on the router. Maybe it will show something. I use opendns so it is possible that a site could be blocked but would the Aura HD use a different site for verification? My Aura HD has no problem. It would be good to know the sites it checks.

08-13-2016, 07:32 AM	#22
freekobo Addict Posts: 250 Karma: 2731310 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Kobo Aura	My suggestion: Backup. Reset, go to I don't have a wifi, restore backup and then try to connect on WiFi, does it work?

08-13-2016, 12:34 PM	#24
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,556 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Have you actually tried connecting to a different WiFi network, as I suggested at the very start of this thread?

08-13-2016, 02:51 PM	#25
loltun Jedi Book Worm Posts: 68 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: GA USA Device: Kindle DX, RCA REB-1100, Augen The Book	No I haven't done that yet because like I said I am in a rural area and it's not easy to find open hotspots around here but I plan to take the Kobo with me next time I go into town and try it.

08-13-2016, 03:58 PM	#29
frostschutz Linux User Posts: 2,282 Karma: 6123806 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Device: none	If you have a smartphone you could test with a tethering wifi.