How can I get Apple Watch to connect to on-board WiFi?

[ItzRav]

On board Constellation right now.  We have have successfully connected both an iPhone and an iPad to the on-board WiFi.  Once the WiFi accounts have been created (which we have done), it’s simply a matter of entering the password to connect.  On my Apple Watch, under WiFi settings, it does list WiFi-Guest-Constellation as an available network.  When I click on that, it displays “Unsecured Network” and the little spinner spins for a few seconds, then it stops spinning.  It never prompts for the password and there’s no error message.  But WiFi doesn’t work, even though the watch indicates it’s on.  Has anyone here successfully connected an Apple Watch while on board, at least an M-class ship?  Thanks.

Edited October 25, 2022 by ItzRav

[Dk-cruiser]

Hi.

 

No it's simply not possible, since the watch don't allow the login portal to be shown, and because of that it's not possible for you to input user/pass.

 

If it was possible then, you had to pay for another device, which i think is expensive since i guess you often have the phone within the Watch's bluetooth reach.

 

Happy cruise 🙂

[Jeremiah1212]

It doesn't work. You can Google captive portal with WatchOS or something along those lines. 

 

You would need to text yourself this URL <http://captive.apple.com/hotspot-detect.html>, disable Bluetooth on the watch, click the WiFi network twice to get into the setting and disable auto login. Back out to settings and reconnect to the WiFi network. Then go to iMessages on your watch, click the URL you sent yourself and see if it takes you to the login portal. 

 

It rarely works, so I wouldn't spend much time trying. 

[ItzRav]

1 hour ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

It doesn't work. You can Google captive portal with WatchOS or something along those lines. 

 

You would need to text yourself this URL <http://captive.apple.com/hotspot-detect.html>, disable Bluetooth on the watch, click the WiFi network twice to get into the setting and disable auto login. Back out to settings and reconnect to the WiFi network. Then go to iMessages on your watch, click the URL you sent yourself and see if it takes you to the login portal. 

 

It rarely works, so I wouldn't spend much time trying. 

Thanks very much for all that detailed info.  I tried it but couldn’t get it to work (as you thought).  Once in a while I did actually get an error message “Could not connect to WiFi-Guest-Constellation.”  It seems like a chicken and the egg thing, though, since, in order to receive the text I sent, WiFi would have to be working, but since it isn’t I can’t receive the text in order to click on it, etc.  Anyway, thanks again for your help.

[miched]

Go to the ILounge and ask there.   They will be able to answer your question. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[canderson]

Why not set up your iPhone as a WiFi hotspot ("tethering") and connect your watch through that?

[ItzRav]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

Why not set up your iPhone as a WiFi hotspot ("tethering") and connect your watch through that?

Tried that, wouldn’t work (with my wife’s iPhone).  At any rate, I don’t have my own iPhone — my Apple Watch is set up under Family Setup.  Thanks anyway for the suggestion.

[ItzRav]

5 hours ago, miched said:

Go to the ILounge and ask there.   They will be able to answer your question. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Thanks.  I’ll check with them, but don’t have high hopes since I can’t get the watch to the login portal.

[NJRonbo]

Since your Apple Watch works off of your iPhone (except when you have cellular service), I don't see why when your iPhone is connected to the ship's WiFi that data isn't being pushed to your watch as well.

 

I'm just giving the off-the-top-of-my-head "it should work" response but I don't know if there are any restriction protocols in place aboard the ship that would prevent a phone on WiFi not to be able to push data to the watch, at least via BlueTooth.

Edited October 27, 2022 by NJRonbo

[Charles4515]

9 hours ago, canderson said:

Why not set up your iPhone as a WiFi hotspot ("tethering") and connect your watch through that?

Hotspot only works on an IPhone connected to cell service.

[Charles4515]

7 minutes ago, NJRonbo said:

Since your Apple Watch works off of your iPhone (except when you have cellular service), I don't see why when your iPhone is connected to the ship's WiFi that data isn't being pushed to your watch as well.

 

I'm just giving the off-the-top-of-my-head "it should work" response but I don't know if there are any restriction protocols in place aboard the ship that would prevent a phone on WiFi not to be able to push data to the watch.

That would normally be the case but he does not have his own iPhone. He is on a family setup. Family setups main purpose though is that you can give kids or any family member a watch (grandma) maybe and they would not need a phone. The watch would be on cell plan and connect that way, not wifi. 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Charles4515

[NJRonbo]

7 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

That would normally be the case but he does not have his own iPhone. He is on a family setup. Family setups main purpose though is that you can give kids or any family member a watch (grandma) maybe and they would not need a phone. The watch would be on cell plan and connect that way, not wifi. 

Aaaah, okay, I missed that.  So, yeah, kind of screwed on that front.  Without a phone, and just relying on cell or ship WiFi, there would be no way it would connect.   Thanks for clarification.

[ItzRav]

OP here.  Thanks for everyones responses and the explanations.  At least, since it is a watch after all, it still tells the time!  (Well, once I manually set the time zone, anyway!)

[canderson]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Hotspot only works on an IPhone connected to cell service.

Dang.  Knew there was a reason I was sticking with my Samsung Galaxy!  Works well as a WiFi 'bridge'.

Edited October 27, 2022 by canderson
Usual phone typoz

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

Dang.  Knew there was a reason I was sticking with my Samsung Galaxy!  Works well as a WiFi 'bridge'.

But if I didn't  have an iPhone I would not have an Apple Watch. One of many reasons I am sticking with an iPhone. Can't think of any reason to have a WiFi bridge either. I can make one on my Mac laptop and never have  used it. 

[canderson]

10 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

But if I didn't  have an iPhone I would not have an Apple Watch. One of many reasons I am sticking with an iPhone. Can't think of any reason to have a WiFi bridge either. I can make one on my Mac laptop and never have  used it. 

For any time a 'landing page' gets in the way.  Nav devices, dedicated Kindles, etc. wirh no browser, when traveling.