Captive Portals (Hotel/Airport Wi-Fi): How to Connect
Captive portals require you to log in before using the network. Here is how to handle them with a VPN.
What Is a Captive Portal?
A captive portal is the login or terms-acceptance page that appears when you join certain Wi-Fi networks (hotels, airports, cafes). The network blocks all traffic until you complete the portal, which means your VPN cannot connect until you have logged in.
How to Connect
- Disconnect from Shieldeum (if it is trying to auto-connect)
- Join the Wi-Fi network normally
- Open a browser. The captive portal page should appear automatically. If it does not, try navigating to any HTTP (not HTTPS) website, or to the default gateway address.
- Complete the login, accept the terms, or enter the access code
- Once you have internet access, connect to Shieldeum immediately
From this point on, all your traffic on that network is encrypted.
Tips
If the captive portal keeps redirecting you after connecting the VPN, temporarily disconnect Shieldeum, clear your browser cache, and re-authenticate with the portal. Some portals require periodic re-authentication, usually every 24 hours.
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