FireStick is basically entertainment on the go. And this relatively new feature on FireStick is an absolute winner for those who travel frequently and have to deal with overpriced and oftentimes ancient streaming offers during their hotel room stays.
Captive portals on Amazon FireStick are a type of network security that is commonly used to protect public Wi-Fi networks. They also provide additional features, such as redirecting users to a particular page or requesting additional information before granting access.
When a user connects to a public Wi-Fi network, they are required to authenticate by entering a username and password, or by agreeing to terms and conditions.
This is used to authenticate users and track their usage. Therefore it is always recommended to use a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN that can protect your online activity.
How to Install ExpressVPN on FireStick?
- Get ExpressVPN for FireStick.
- Download & Install the app on your device.
- Launch the app and connect to the US server.
- Launch your favourite app & start streaming.
What is a Captive Portal?
A captive portal is a feature on the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick that allows its users to access a public or private Wi-Fi network, even if the network requires users to provide credentials or accept terms of use before they can gain access. This feature is especially useful for people who need to access hotel’s or other public Wi-Fi networks.
The captive portal access feature on FireStick popup, allows the user to use the remote to navigate the portal’s Web page and enter their login credentials provided for example, by the hotel at the time of check-in.
One other thing you should be aware of are the potential limitations you can run into if you connect your FireStick to a hotel room Wi-fi. Hotels usually have limited the number of and the kinds of devices that can be connected to their network.
Other times they set their network speed such that it becomes almost impossible for you to stream in which case you will have to pay more to experience better service.
When do you get a Captive Portal on Amazon FireStick?
You only get the captive portal to show up on your screen when you connect your FireStick to an unknown public Wi-fi network that requires login credentials.
This feature is not available on most other streaming devices, like the Roku, Chromecast and Apple TV, making the Amazon FireStick the only streaming stick that truly supports captive portals and allows you to stream wherever and whenever!
How do I set up my Amazon FireStick to the Hotel Wi-fi?
To use the captive portal access feature on the Amazon FireStick,
- Connect your FireStick to the Hotel TV.
- Go to Homecreen on your FireStick
- Select settings, then network
- Next, select the Wi-Fi for your hotel, cruise ship, etc.
- A captive portal will show up, login to it using the credentials provided to you by the hotel. (If you don’t have the login credentials, you can ask the hotel staff to provide it).
- Once you have entered the login information, use the home button to check if you are successfully connected to the Wi-Fi.
You can now stream your favorite content!
What to do When Captive Portal Won’t Show up on FireStick?
Captive portals are used to connect to a wireless network, and typically appear when attempting to connect to a public Wi-fi. FireStick is extremely reliable, but occasionally it can experience some connectivity issues, which can be highly inconvenient when you are attempting to watch a movie or TV show.
Understanding why your FireStick is struggling to connect to Wi-fi can be difficult, but there could also be several other reasons as to why the captive portal is not showing up on your FireStick.
Here’s what you can do if the Captive Portal does not appear:
- First make sure, the hotel Wi-fi Network is stable and the signal strength is at an adequate level before trying to connect to it.
- If that’s not the case then go to a browser like Amazon Silk or Firefox on your FireStick, type and search for anything in the search box, this will allow a prompt access to the “Captive Portal” screen.
- If the problem still persists, try restarting your FireStick/Fire TV, you will be surprised at how many times restarting a device actually fixes the problem.
- Another reason for FireStick not connecting to the hotel Wi-Fi can be that the hotel has set a limit on the kinds of devices that can be connected to their Wi-Fi. In which case, you’ll most likely need to pay extra to get more bandwidth.
Use VPN when Streaming on FireStick Using Hotel Wi-Fi
While accessing any public or private Wi-Fi network, it is best to exercise caution and use a VPN. First and foremost, it will help to protect your personal information by encrypting it so that even if someone tries to intercept your information, it will be unreadable to them.
Additionally, It can also help you get past geographical restrictions on certain channels or applications that might be blocked in your current location. Moreover, a reliable and fast VPN like ExpressVPN can help you protect your online activity from ISP or other third-parties.
Therefore, you should always make sure to use a VPN on your FireStick when you’re streaming content through an unknown Wi-Fi network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is FireStick streaming speed so slow in my hotel room?
If you plan to use your Amazon FireStick while staying at a hotel, you should be aware that many hotels cap their Wi-Fi speed at a slower level. This makes streaming video content almost impossible. Additionally, in some places, hotels charge very high prices for higher speeds Wi-fi. To ensure a smooth streaming experience, make sure to research the hotel’s Wi-Fi policies at the time of booking.
How to connect FireStick to hotel Wi-Fi without a remote?
You can download the Fire TV remote app on your phone and use that to connect to Wi-Fi. On the Fire TV Remote app, select Sign in, enter your login credentials to sign in then select device and enter connection request code number.
