Hotel Wired Internet Access - Acceptance of Terms of Use

Hotel Wired Internet Access - Acceptance of Terms of Use

For the first time, I just started using Hotel Internet Access (Wired Only) using a newly purchased Laptop. I have a NAT Router (with SPI) between my Laptop and the Hotel's Wired Internet Access. Wireless is disabled in both Windows 8 64 bit and the NAT Router. I also have my Web Browser 'forced' to sandbox.

I do not understand how the Hotel is able to get my default Web Browser to automatically open up with the Hotel's Acceptance of Terms Web Page. This seems to happen about once a day. How is it possible for the Hotel to automatically open my default Web Browser with their Acceptance of Terms Web Page?

Thanks in Advance.

 

Do you get a "Click here to login / Additional details required" (don't remember exactly) notification in the system tray? I remember usually getting something like that on some open WiFi in Windows 7.

 

It says something like click on 'Accept' Terms of Service/Privacy Terms or something like that. When I click on the 'Accept', I am switched to the Hotel's Web Page.

 

Don't forget to use a VPN, then you should not worry too much about their TOS.

 

I was going to get a VPN Service, but I still haven't decided which one to get.

 

Attached is an image of the Hotel's ISP's Terms of Service Acceptance page without the Hotel Name, IP Address, etc.

 

It's a way of authenticating credentials. It's a simple redirect. Usually, you can't get on a hotel WiFi without either A) Signing in with a password or B) Going thru the redirect to see the TOS and clicking that you agree. That statement then basically indemnifies them from anything you do on their network.

Wired Internet is the same thing. You have to get on their network, so they use a simple redirect and Javascript to authenticate. If you are going to browse without JS, just allow it for the hotel and then turn it off. Otherwise, you won't be autenticated and won't be allowed to use their bandwidth.

If it really bothers you, get a MiFi and use it anonymously.

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All your traffic is passing through them, so they can always act as "the man in the middle". Not to harvest your passwords (wishful thinking), but to make you accept their policy.