See bottom of post for minor UPDATE 2/5/2012.
Two and a half years ago, Verizon announced a partnership with Boingo to offer free wi-fi to its FiOS and DSL (3 Mbps or higher only) customers. Although it was a welcome addition, especially because of Boingo's coverage in airports, it was criticized for only supporting Windows devices, while everyone else was left out in the cold. The initial version of the software also had issues installing with the Firefox web browser. I had tried to install the software about a year or two ago and had not been successful, but today I am happy to report that the service actually works much better than expected.
The first piece of good news is for Windows users: Verizon has updated its software so that it is no longer browser dependent to install. You can do so by going to http://www.verizon.net/wifi/.
The second piece of good news is arguably the bigger one of the two. When you go to get set up Verizon Wi-Fi, you will be asked to create a username and password to use with the service. You are then asked to download the software. However, you don't actually need the software, although it makes the Wi-Fi much easier to use on Windows. For all other platforms, you can simply use Boingo's web login page. Yes, that's right. Remember that username and password you created? After you connect to the Boingo wireless network and get to the Boingo splash page in your browser, click on the dropdown that says "Roaming Login". Choose "Verizon Business" and enter the username and password that you set up earlier. You need to include "@verizon.net" as part of the username. This means that any device with a web browser can now use "Verizon Wi-Fi" where there is a Boingo hotspot! The fact that Verizon doesn't report this method seems to be a large oversight on their part. Or perhaps they want to keep the number of Wi-Fi users down because the more users that use the service, the more they have to pay Boingo.
It is possible you will not be allowed to register for the service at http://www.verizon.net/wifi/. without being on a Windows machine, but such a restriction, if it exists, is minor compared to not being able to receive the service at all, and is easily worked around by tech savvy users. It is also possible that this capability to login with just a username and password was only added recently. Nevertheless, it is extremely useful and I hope that other people will benefit from this knowledge, which I have not seen reported elsewhere online.
Note: Boingo's website may show more hotspots than Verizon's list, but that is because Boingo users are allowed access to some partner hotspots, while Verizon users cannot access those hotspots (you might be my friend, but your friend is not necessarily my friend too). However, this also theoretically means Verizon users can access non-Boingo international hotspots that also list "Verizon Business".
Minor Update 2/5/2012: It appears that not all Verizon Wi-Fi listed hotspots can necessarily be used as described in my post. I've discovered that the Marriott Long Island "ibahn" SSID doesn't seem to have Verizon listed as a roaming provider, even though the Windows app can log on. Go figure.
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when you find a $$ boingo hotspot does the ssid have a password or if not after connecting you need to login with login name and password that you setup with fios verizon.
ReplyDeleteThe latter.
DeleteWas finally able to obtain my VZ WiFi registration ID and password Using my Windows XP Professional SP3
ReplyDeleteTHEN I asked VZ Tech to give me a STEP by STEP
procedure on how to use this info with Boingo.
VZ quote " your Procedure BELOW "is not possible. Our WiFi Id and Password only works with Windows laptop and Boingo.
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The second piece of good news is arguably the bigger one of the two. When you go to get set up Verizon Wi-Fi, you will be asked to create a username and password to use with the service. You are then asked to download the software. However, you don't actually need the software, although it makes the Wi-Fi much easier to use on Windows. For all other platforms, you can simply use Boingo's web login page. Yes, that's right. Remember that username and password you created? After you connect to the Boingo wireless network and get to the Boingo splash page in your browser, click on the dropdown that says "Roaming Login". Choose "Verizon Business" and enter the username and password that you set up earlier. You need to include "@verizon.net" as part of the username. This means that any device with a web browser can now use "Verizon Wi-Fi" where there is a Boingo hotspot!
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Have you done it with an iPad ?
Can you give me a list of URL's that you follow to accomplish this procedure
You'll note that I wrote the blog post because Verizon does not have such a documented procedure. There are no other URLs as this is original research.
DeleteI found your site several months ago and waited until my next flight from Newark Airport. I followed all of your advice but was unable to connect to Boingo, the only WiFi offered there. At least I was able to use 4G.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone registered a chromebook for verizon wi fi? What app is needed from google store for this?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAfter talking with *four* tech support people, they finally admitted that it won't work for Mac, Linux, tablets or phones. In fact, the supported Windows versions they "support" are end-of-life'd by Microsoft. So there's no modern platform that this service support, making it effectively useless.
ReplyDeleteI've got a hack of my own to offer, however.
On my Mac, I installed User Agent Switcher 0.7.3 plugin for Firefox and set it to announce itself as IE7. Then I was able to register a Verizon WiFi username and password.
I'll use this next time I encounter a Boingo hotspot; fingers crossed but not optimistic about this "service".
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ReplyDelete