Can't Use Apple TV/Netflix in Hotel Room. Why Not?

[thebdpm]

Hi guys,

I may have missed the many posts on the subject so I apologize if I'm starting a "repeater." I stay in hotels a 3rd of the year for work and used to stream Netflix on my iPhone using the AV Component cables, pixelated and sketchy at times but it worked. Got the iPhone 5 and with the new lightning port, my cables obviously don't work. My fiances solution was the ATV...NOPE!!
Although, I did not need a password for the wi-fi, my screen does not even show the Netflix App, let alone, try to stream using it. When I try the Home Sharing, it gives me an "incorrect password, blah blah blah. I log in with my password on my Pro and Phone with no problem. I do NOT want to look at pix or listen to music, just access Netflix and watch movies. Is that to much to ask? Please Help!! Thanks so much.

[blueroom]

Try unblock-us.com

[throAU]

Because it is probably blocked.

Why is this?

One hotel
One DSL/cable connection

X number of rooms.


Their network most likely simply does not have enough throughput to cater for their customers streaming video over it.

Even if you circumvent their blocking, the bandwidth will still be shared amonst all the other visitors and will likely not be sufficient.

[weckart]

Originally Posted by throAU

Because it is probably blocked.

No. It worked on his phone, so that is not it.

[APlotdevice]

Originally Posted by throAU

Because it is probably blocked.

Why is this?

One hotel
One DSL/cable connection

X number of rooms.


Their network most likely simply does not have enough throughput to cater for their customers streaming video over it.

Even if you circumvent their blocking, the bandwidth will still be shared amonst all the other visitors and will likely not be sufficient.

It also encourages you to use the hotel's PPV service.

[thebdpm]

Ok, over the last month, I have tried and tried with no luck. Either sharing wi-fi or the many tricks I have tried through this forum, it produces slow speeds.....if I can even get it to work at all! My thoughts of becoming seamless with all my other apple products is impossible without the browser like the other versions offer.

Maybe someday ATV will come out with one with a browser.


I just want to take the time to thank everyone for your wisdom and many suggestions. Thank you very much!!

[jeff92k7]

Originally Posted by thebdpm

<snip> it produces slow speeds.....if I can even get it to work at all!

This is to be expected and is not an issue with the Apple TV. It is an issue with the speed of the hotel's internet service. A lot of hotels will throttle or completely block connections to netflix because of the high bandwidth needs that those connections have. It takes too much bandwidth away from other guests who would like to use the internet too - often for more important things like actual business needs.

Don't blame the product because of the hotel's internet connection.

The apple TV is still a great travel companion since you can watch your iTunes library content on the hotel TV. I've never seen it as a reasonable Netflix interface in hotels because of the internet issues, but it works great for watching movies that you have already downloaded into iTunes.

[heisenberg123]

Most hotels, restaurants, cafes, have accept terms of the free use which requires you to launch the borwser on your phone, ipad, ipod, laptop to accept, since the ATV does not have a browser your porked

[thebdpm]

Originally Posted by jeff92k7

This is to be expected and is not an issue with the Apple TV. It is an issue with the speed of the hotel's internet service. A lot of hotels will throttle or completely block connections to netflix because of the high bandwidth needs that those connections have. It takes too much bandwidth away from other guests who would like to use the internet too - often for more important things like actual business needs.

Don't blame the product because of the hotel's internet connection.

The apple TV is still a great travel companion since you can watch your iTunes library content on the hotel TV. I've never seen it as a reasonable Netflix interface in hotels because of the internet issues, but it works great for watching movies that you have already downloaded into iTunes.

I don't know that I am fully confident in the ATV at this point. When I used to hook up my iphone via the AV Component cables, it worked fine as far as speed. Pixelated and somewhat slow at times (rare) but for the most part, it worked every time. Just did not like the quality. As far as the ATV, and sharing from my laptop, it has proved to be non-effective and IF I get it to work at all, speeds are far less than that of my old, pixelated method.

I have always loved Apple products. As for the ATV, I will take it back and figure something out until they get one with a browser. Carrying a 15 foot Ethernet Cable and "trying" to patch in and get it to work is a little exhausting.

Thanks

[Bozley0621]

I travel every couple of months for work. The last time I was in the hotel, I watched Netflix every night on my iPad. I decided that on the next trip I would bring my ATV and Airplay the iPad to the ATV. The fact that this isn't mentioned in the posts makes me assume that everybody knows this won't work and I'm just out of the loop. Am I correct, or is Airplay of Netflix from the iPad to the ATV a viable option in the hotel room?

[awair]

Originally Posted by Bozley0621

I travel every couple of months for work. The last time I was in the hotel, I watched Netflix every night on my iPad. I decided that on the next trip I would bring my ATV and Airplay the iPad to the ATV. The fact that this isn't mentioned in the posts makes me assume that everybody knows this won't work and I'm just out of the loop. Am I correct, or is Airplay of Netflix from the iPad to the ATV a viable option in the hotel room?

This works in some circumstances:
1) usually the iPad & ATV should be on the same (private) subnet - hotels should (and often do) isolate clients connecting directly to their WiFi.
2) the TV has an appropriate input (HDMI) and the video source is selectable (some hotels prevent changing from their program list).

If you meet both these criteria, the ATV will work anyway, so AirPlay is an extra step!

Still worth mentioning though, as this could be useful for mirroring mode for browsing or watching content already stored on the iPad.

[MrWillie]

Originally Posted by Bozley0621

I travel every couple of months for work. The last time I was in the hotel, I watched Netflix every night on my iPad. I decided that on the next trip I would bring my ATV and Airplay the iPad to the ATV. The fact that this isn't mentioned in the posts makes me assume that everybody knows this won't work and I'm just out of the loop. Am I correct, or is Airplay of Netflix from the iPad to the ATV a viable option in the hotel room?

Buy the hdmi dongle for the iPad and hook it up directly.

[blueroom]

Don't hotel networks require client login? Can't do that on a ATV.

[radioactive]

I've been stuck with this problem a few times with devices that don't have a built-in browser (WiFi VoIP phone, etc).

The easiest thing to do is spoof your AppleTV's MAC address to your Mac and accept the TOS via OS X. Here's a good guide:

http://osxdaily.com/2008/01/17/how-t...s-in-mac-os-x/

The problem you'll run into is most of the captive portal applications timeout after 24 hours, so you'll likely have to do this every day. The good news is it only takes a few seconds.

Alternatively, you could hook up the Apple TV to an Airport Express over Ethernet, configure the AX to become a "Wireless Client" to the hotel's WiFi. From there, just swap the Ethernet cable between your Mac and AppleTV whenever you need to renew the TOS.

[Bozley0621]

Originally Posted by MrWillie

Buy the hdmi dongle for the iPad and hook it up directly.

Oh Jeez. I completely forgot that I own one. Thank you for the reminder. This for the win,

[d21mike]

I use the BearExtender to make the connection to the Hotel Network and then use the built in wifi to create my own local network for all of my devices. iPads, iPhones etc. Have not used my AppleTV but it should work as well.

Also, the BearExtender is much better at making the connection to the hotel wifi which is normally not that close.

Also, more and more the hotels want to charge for each device which I feel is pretty crazy. I guess they don't want you share with other traveling companions.

http://store.bearextender.com

[lgoodkni]

i have done this many times. First add Couch surfer to your apple tv.
The reason many of you are not getting all your icons is because you are not logged onto their internet. As soon as you are the icons will reappear.

Start your apple tv and hit couch surfer. all it is is a small browser. Make a selection such as the google page and what you shuld get is the hotel acceptance page or page to type a password.

Then exit couch surfer. Your icons will come back and you can go to settings and select the wireless net.

You are on.

[Ratatapa]

Plug your Ethernet port ( Mac) to the Apple TV one

Go to Internet sharing on Mac

Share from wifi to Ethernet

[thebdpm]

Originally Posted by Ratatapa

Plug your Ethernet port ( Mac) to the Apple TV one

Go to Internet sharing on Mac

Share from wifi to Ethernet

Sounds easy enough. Just hate being bounded by a cord and the thought of burning through m computer battery for hours is kind of inhibiting. Would the airport express eliminate my computer being hogged up or bogged down?

[Ratatapa]

You will still need to identify yourself,on the kinda hotel website

So nope you need your pc

----------

Unless you have an iPhone or 3G/lte iPad with a big bandwidth and share your connection

[thebdpm]

Originally Posted by Ratatapa

You will still need to identify yourself,on the kinda hotel website

So nope you need your pc

----------

Unless you have an iPhone or 3G/lte iPad with a big bandwidth and share your connection

By these definitions, what benefits would I have with buying an Airport Express? If I am sharing from my Pro, do I even need the AE?

[Ratatapa]

The real use for the AE is

1) Extend your WIFI nextwork
2) Put a non WIFI PC on the network

(Put the AE in the AC then configure on thw WIFI then plug your Ethernet PC into the AE)

[thebdpm]

Originally Posted by Ratatapa

The real use for the AE is

1) Extend your WIFI nextwork
2) Put a non WIFI PC on the network

(Put the AE in the AC then configure on thw WIFI then plug your Ethernet PC into the AE)

So if I have good wi-fi (which I usually do), I don't need the Airport Express at all?

[Ratatapa]

Not really

PS you can use it as a home router too (less config then Extreme version)

OH I forgot something else.

and this is why I carry one

Exemple you go to a hotel without WIFI and you want your IPAD (exemple on the internet

plug the AE in the AC then the ethernet cable of your AE into the network plug in your hotel room then connect your IPAd WIFI to the AE

[thebdpm]

Originally Posted by Ratatapa

The real use for the AE is

1) Extend your WIFI nextwork
2) Put a non WIFI PC on the network

(Put the AE in the AC then configure on thw WIFI then plug your Ethernet PC into the AE)

OK, so I went to two Holiday Inns and ran directly from the wall/lamp Ethernet and "bodda-bing," the internet worked with the ATV with no password needed. Problem is, it was a crappy internet connection and streaming was impossible at those speeds. Would buying an Airport Express allow for a better internet connection? Does it serve as a sort of "closer source of a router for internet" or am I just so close to a solution and can't go any further. I am finally optimistic we are getting closer guys......