Frequently Asked Questions

We'll need to unregister your device for you. Please contact us via our Forums with your device's UUID, which you can find on the "Settings" or "About" menu on the Easy Wi-Fi application . It's a big long number!

Once we have unregistered your device, you can re-register it into your account and it will immediately pick up all your settings.

Will Easy Wi-Fi let me connect to networks for which I don't have an account?

Yes and No! Easy Wi-Fi is not going to let you get onto a network you wouldn't normally be allowed to access. For commercial networks, which need a username and password you will always have to have an account and tell Easy Wi-Fi your account details. Easy Wi-Fi just makes it simpler to get on to the networks you are allowed to use.

The Good News is that Easy Wi-Fi can automatically log you into hundreds of free hotspots, which normally would need you to press some buttons or check some boxes. You don't need to explicitly add those types of networks to your account, we do it automatically and keep you up to date as new ones are added to our system!

How do I setup the hotspot networks I want to use?

You must add the hotspot providers to your account, which you can often do directly on your device with the "Add Wi-Fi" (or similar) menu. Or, you can log in to your Easy Wi-Fi account via a web browser, and go to the Manage Networks page. When you click on the Add Hotspot Account button you will be presented with a form that enables you to choose the hotspot networks where you want Easy Wi-Fi to log you into automatically. If a hotspot network requires a username and password, you will be prompted to enter those.

How do I get a new hotspot added to the Easy Wi-Fi service?

You can Submit a New Wi-Fi Hotspot to request its addition to our service. We already support thousands of networks and can normally add them quite quickly. It's like personalized access!

How much does Easy Wi-Fi cost?

Easy Wi-Fi is currently free for many device clients, with the exception of Nokia S60 and the iPhone / iPod Touch. However, we expect to begin charging for all clients in the future as our membership base grows. In addition, we may charge a small upgrade fee to "unlock" a client which supports a single network footprint, allowing it to log into any number of additional networks.

Once you have a client, there is no additional charge to use the service on an ongoing basis.

Note that commercial hotspots charge access fees; however, there are no additional costs to use those networks with Easy Wi-Fi.

Is Easy Wi-Fi secure?

Yes, quite secure. All your personal information is maintained in encrypted format on our servers located in secure hosting centers. All communications between your device and our servers is strongly encrypted. And, Easy Wi-Fi will only connect your device to Wi-Fi hotspots that are verified to be who they say they are - this means you won't accidentally get connected to phony hotspots set-up to steal your passwords and other sensitive information.

What about the privacy of my personal information?

Devicescape takes privacy very seriously. Devicescape does not and will never rent, sell or share information that personally identifies you for marketing purposes without your express permission. Read our Privacy Policy for more information.

Are my hotspot passwords stored on my device?

No, the username and password used to log in to a public hotspot is not stored on your device. Instead, our web service stores this information and supplies it to your device on-demand when the device wants to log on. Note, however, that information about your personal networks, such as security keys, is stored on your device.

If I install Easy Wi-Fi will I have to view ads or receive spam in order to use it?

Currently Easy Wi-Fi is ad-free, whether you use a free or paid client. Our website is also ad-free. However, we may choose to support our business differently in the future. In any event, we take your privacy very seriously and we will not provide any of your account information to anyone, not supply personally identifiable information to marketers. Read our Privacy Policy for more information.

Where can I learn more?

You can research and ask questions for our team and community on our Forums.

What type of device can I use with Easy WiFi?

You can currently use the following types of devices:

Windows XP and Windows Vista PCs
Apple iPhone and iPod touch devices
Apple Mac OS X PCs
Windows Mobile Smartphones and PDAs with Wi-Fi
Nokia ESeries and NSeries phones with Wi-Fi
Nokia N810, N800 and N770 Internet Tablets
Slacker Media Players
Linksys WIP300 Wireless-G IP Phone (obsolete: check the Forums)

New phones and devices are becoming available from our OEM licensees. Check back with us often. We will announce whenever a new device has been added to our list. If you have a device you think should get priority, let us know via our Forums.

Can I use more than one device and network with Easy Wi-Fi?

Yes, you can register as many devices and as many networks as you like in your Easy Wi-Fi account. There is no limit.

What if I lose or give away my device?

No problem. If your device is lost, stolen, given away or sold, you can simply remove it from your registered devices list on the Manage Devices page. If the device is no longer registered it will not be able to use your subscribed services or any of the free network services.

If your device is found after you've disabled it, you can simply re-register it and all your Wi-Fi settings will be automatically restored.

Can I use more than one device at a time at a hotspot?

This depends on your hotspot operator. Some allow it, some don't. Check the terms of service with your operator, or simply give it a try!

Where can I find my Slacker Portable ID?

Power on your Slacker Portable. From the Main Menu, select Settings and then About. The ID is displayed at the top of the screen. It is 8 characters long and formatted as XXXX-YYYY.

Which Wi-Fi hotspots can I use?

Easy Wi-Fi supports a lengthy list of hotspots and muni networks, both commercial and free. Click "Add Hotspot Account" on your Manage Networks page to review a listing of all the hotspot providers we support.

We also want your help to capture even more networks - especially small networks which are important to you. Let us know if your favorite network is not currently covered and we'll add it to our list. See here for details.

Will Easy Wi-Fi work with WEP-encrypted networks (such as SoftBank Mobile or NTT HOTSPOT)?

Yes. All you need to do is add one of these networks to your Easy Wi-Fi account, along with your username and password. Easy Wi-Fi will automatically set-up your device with the correct WEP key and other network parameters so you'll automatically connect. Note: this currently is not completely supported on Apple iPhone/iPod/Mac OSX devices; you will have to manually add your security keys, thereafter Easy Wi-Fi will function normally.

Will Easy Wi-Fi allow my device to roam onto other hotspot networks?

Yes, for any network provider in your Easy Wi-Fi account, your device will also automatically connect to any of their roaming partner networks. For example, if you have a T-Mobile account, you'll be able to automatically roam onto the BT Openzone network when you are in the UK. Please note that your service provider may charge you additional fees when you roam.

Will Easy Wi-Fi enable me to use a hotspot for a pay-as-you-go rate?

It depends on your device. On some devices Easy Wi-Fi allows you to enter voucher credentials "on the fly" at a hotspot and get access. However, you still have to buy this access from the network operator.

Will Easy Wi-Fi work with my home Wi-Fi network, or my friend's home Wi-Fi network?

Yes, you can add your own personal networks, which can be your own home Wi-Fi network, a friend's network, or even a small business network. This is much simpler than programming your devices with complicated security pass codes and other networking parameters. Use the Add Home Network page to do this.

Will Easy Wi-Fi affect the security of my communications at a public hotspot?

Yes! We check the validity of the hotspot to ensure that you are not subject to "phishing" spoof attacks. However, once you are connected to the hotspot we do nothing to enhance your security, so you may wish to investigate VPN encryption or other security services. Ask on our Forum if you have more questions or suggestions.

Will Easy Wi-Fi prevent me from using my device on my company's Wi-Fi network?

No, the Easy Wi-Fi application does not affect the behavior of your device on a corporate Wi-Fi network.

Does Easy Wi-Fi support enterprise Wi-Fi networks using 802.1X authentication?

The OEM version of Easy Wi-Fi includes this functionality, and many of Devicescape's handset and PC customers ship products with this capability. It is often used to connect devices to Enterprise and University networks. At this time, the consumer version of Easy Wi-Fi does not provision 802.1X , although it is something we are considering for a future release. If your device already contains 802.1X, you can use it in conjunction with the Easy Wi-Fi application.

How fast should I be able to get connected at a hotspot?

Connection times vary by hotspot and device, but we commonly see our laptops and handsets get connected in about 4 seconds.

What does Easy Wi-Fi do on my iPhone or iPod touch?

Due to current limitations of the Apple platform, Easy Wi-Fi for the iPhone/iPod touch only supports the hotspot login capability and needs to be manually started. Most of our other platforms support an expanded set of functions, such as logging you in automatically (in the background) and determining which networks are accessible.

On the iPhone, iPod touch, (and Mac OS X, for that matter) you must teach your device to do the initial connection - association - with the hotspot first. On some networks this may involve entering an WEP key (e.g. Japanese networks like SOFTBANK). Once you have done this, your device will "remember" the network and associate automatically in future. You then launch Easy Wi-Fi to log you in. Read more here.

We hope to offer more functionality as Apple improves the iPhone/touch capabilities for application developers.

I see a Login and Logout button on my iPhone/touch. What do I need them for?

The behavior of Easy Wi-Fi on the iPhone/touch depends on the settings of auto-login. With auto-login ON, Easy Wi-Fi will immediately test the network and try to log you in to your current Wi-Fi network. With auto-login OFF, you will need to initiate the action yourself. You may wish to switch auto-login OFF when you are traveling, to help avoid unforeseen roaming fees.

The Login button can be used in case the network you're connected to times out your session through inactivity. In most hotspots, you will remain connected to the hotspot, but will need to login again before accessing the Internet; the Login button will force Easy Wi-Fi to re-authenticate you even if the connection has not changed.

The Logout button will log you out of the hotspot, if that is possible (and it is not possible at every hotspot). Mostly you will need this if your paid hotspot plan charges by the minute, but it can also be useful if you want to switch devices and your provider only allows one device to be connected at a time.

What if the network I want to use isn't currently supported?

If you have a laptop, or something else that can save the HTML of a web page, please connect that to the network, save the login page you see (and any others that are displayed before the login page), make a note of the network name, or SSID, and send it all to us via the Submit a New Wi-Fi Network form. We'll do our very best to get it added to our system, and we'll let you know by email once that's done so you can try it out.

Does the iPhone/iPod touch get updated automatically with all the networks I can use with my hotspot account?

No, the current version we have for the iPhone/iPod touch does not implement a feature we call provisioning (it is available on several other platforms including Windows, Windows Mobile and Nokia S60). For now with your iPhone/iPod touch you'll need to manually select the Wi-Fi network the first time you use it (your iPhone/iPod touch will remember and connect you automatically when you're in range of that network in the future).

My school/office network uses 802.1X for authentication, does Easy Wi-Fi support this on the iPhone/iPod touch?

No, Easy Wi-Fi does not extend the Wi-Fi protocol support that is already in the iPhone/iPod touch. The current iPhone/iPod touch version only adds support for automatically logging in at hotspots. A future version will add the ability to provision and share open, WEP and WPA-Personal networks, as well as automatically recognizing the networks your hotspot account username/password will work at.

If your school/office uses only 802.1X, and you'd like to see Apple add this feature to the iPhone, you might want to sign this online petition requesting that the feature be added.

Will Easy Wi-Fi work with Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)?

Yes, the Mac OSX version of Easy Wi-Fi supports the new Leopard operating system release from Apple, as well as the previous 10.4 release.

I can't get the Mac version of Easy Wi-Fi to work with my home networks?

Easy Wi-Fi does not currently support personal networks and network sharing on the Mac OS X platform. We hope to add this capability in the future.

Why won't my Nokia phone connect at some of the hotspots I've set up?

The most likely reason for this is that the WLAN power save mode is enabled on your phone. Unfortunately, this is the default setting for most Nokia Nseries and Eseries phones, and it causes connection problems at certain hotspots, and more generally causes disconnects at many locations. To fix this you need to disable the power save mode.

The WLAN power save mode setting can be accessed by going to Settings → Connection → Wireless LAN → Options key → Advanced Settings → Automatic configuration (set to disabled) → Power saving (set to disabled).

Why do I get a warning about an "untrusted certificate" at some hotspots?

Most commercial hotspots present a digital certificate as a way to establish their authenticity. Since a digital certificate can't be faked, this prevents phony hotspots (known as evil twins) from posing as legitimate ones, and subsequently stealing your username, password and other sensitive data when someone inadvertently connects to them.

Before Easy Wi-Fi automatically logs you in to a hotspot, it examines the digital certificate supplied by the hotspot and verifies that it has been signed by one of trusted certificate authority (CA) certificates. Your Nokia phone, however, may only have a limited set of trusted CA certificates. If your phone does not have a required CA certificate, then you will be prompted to accept the unknown certificate from the hotspot during the login process. This may reduce your ability to safely use a wide variety of public hotspots.

In order to improve your security you can download and install a larger collection of trusted CA certificates from here.

How do I get my Nokia phone to connect to hidden networks?

Hidden Wi-Fi networks don't broadcast a network name (known as an SSID). If you need to use a network with a hidden SSID, you will need to manually add that network as a new access point and then manually select it when prompted to select an access point. Easy Wi-Fi will automatically log you in if needed. You can add a hidden SSID network as a new access point by going to Tools → Settings → Connection → Access points → Options key → New access point.

How do I remove the Easy Wi-Fi access point on S60?

If the Easy Wi-Fi access point (AP) has the little lock icon next to it, then it can be deleted using the AP manager (Tools → Settings → Connection → Access points). If the Easy Wi-Fi AP is marked as locked for some reason, then take the following steps:

Make sure no AP is currently connected. If one is, disconnect it with the connection manager.
Install Easy Wi-Fi.
Reboot your phone.
Disconnect any AP connections again.
Uninstall Easy Wi-Fi.
If any Easy Wi-Fi APs remain, remove the unlocked ones manually using the AP manager as described above.
Go to the Application Manager and verify that you do not have an application called Hotspot Framework installed; if you do, uninstall it and again, manually remove any unlocked Easy Wi-Fi APs that remain.

If the above steps do not remove the Easy Wi-Fi AP, the only currently known way of getting it removed is a factory reset. Alternatively, the Easy Wi-Fi AP may be left in place on your phone. As long as it is not configured as the default AP for any application, it should not cause problems if the application is uninstalled.

Where can I get the Windows .NET Framework?

Click here to freely download the latest Windows .NET Framework from Microsoft's website.

Does Easy Wi-Fi work with Intel PROSet wireless software?

No, Easy Wi-Fi will not function if your Windows XP notebook PC uses Intel PROSet to manage Wi-Fi connections. If your notebook is using Intel PROSet you'll need to disable it and turn on the native Windows Zero Configuration Wi-Fi manager.

To do so open up Network Connections from the Start Menu or Control Panel, right-click on Wireless Network Connection, select Properties, select the Wireless Networks tab on the pop-up window, and tick the box to "Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings".

What do I need to do to use my Windows Mobile device on FON?

Easy Wi-Fi keeps you secure by checking the digital certificates provided by hotspots (a digital certificate is a special electronic credential that can be used to authenticate the identity of the person or company with whom you are communicating). Due to the limited number of root certificates distributed by default in Windows Mobile, you need to add an additional root certificate to your Windows Mobile device in order to access the FON network.

To add the root certificate:

Download the AddTrustExternalCARoot.cer file
Copy this file to the Windows Mobile device using ActiveSync.
Use "File Manager" on the Windows Mobile device to navigate to the location of the file and select it.
Confirm that you wish to add this certificate to the device's certificate store.

Easy Wi-Fi will be then able to securely log your Windows Mobile device onto the FON network.

Additional details on FON's certificate:
FON's certificate is issued to them by USERTrust. That USERTrust certificate is in turn issued by AddTrust. AddTrust is the root certificate authority that needs to be added to be able to validate the FON certificate.

Also, the certificate used by FON is a "wildcard" certifcate for "*.fon.com". By default Windows Mobile does not support wildcard certificates. Easy Wi-Fi adds special handling of wildcard certificates on Windows Mobile, but this does not extend to other network applications such as Internet Explorer. Web browsing with Internet Explorer on the Windows Mobile platform, even with the AddTrust root certificate added, will indicate a security issue due to the wildcard certificate not exactly matching the name of the server (e.g., https://en.fon.com or https://login.fon.com)

I'm connected to the Internet, so why can't I get a PIN message on my Windows Mobile device?

Check the date setting on your Windows Mobile device to make sure it is correct. Once the date is properly set, your device should be able to receive the PIN message and complete registration.