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

[takeshi74]

Originally Posted by thebdpm

I'm sure this has been covered but why won't my new Apple TV work in a hotel?

Impossible to say. Hotels don't all have identical networks. Could be that you don't have it connected correctly. Could be that the hotel doesn't allow such traffic. You'd need to supply a lot more details.

[simsaladimbamba]

To edit your thread title to a descriptive one, to get a knowledgable audience and help making the thread easier to find for people looking for the same information, just click on the button on the bottom right of your original post and then click the button below your message.

What Apple TV with what OS version and what Mac OS X version do you use?

"How to maximise your MacRumors troubleshooting experience" created by mad jew in 2006

Use the button to ask a moderator to move this thread to the better suited Apple TV sub forum.

[aristobrat]

Originally Posted by thebdpm

I'm sure this has been covered but why won't my new Apple TV work in a hotel?
I want it strictly for Netflix, Hulu, etc but can't even do Homesharing with my Pro. Continues to tell me to re-enter my log/pass even though my itunes account works flawlessly on my Pro and iPhone. Of course it won't let me get online to even access Netflix of the other programs. Only thing on the home screen is Homesharing and Settings. This is dumb!! Please Help!!

Are you using hotel wifi? How does it authenticate you? Do you have to type something in on a web browser (like your last name + room number, or a code the front desk gave you)?

[wharzhee]

no other info to help u.... such as hotel having a login website that requires a userid&password before internet access is allowed.

[awair]

Is it only Home Sharing & NetFlix missing, or are these your only concerns?

Have you confirmed that you have Internet access for the ATV (under Settings).

Are you running a router (such as Airport Express) in the hotel, creating your own private wi-fi, or connecting directly to the hotel's wif-fi?

1. An ATV (version 2 or 3, with current firmware) with no Internet connection will display 'Computers' & 'Settings' only, so plenty more will be missing.

2. Although connected to the hotel's wi-fi, if the device is not authenticated, you will not have working Internet. Payment, authentication and/or accepting ToS cannot be completed on the ATV.

3. If you are connecting your ATV to a personal router, and have confirmed internet access on the other devices, try a Restart from the Settings menu.

Otherwise, as stated by the previous poster...

Good luck.

[blueroom]

Hotels often only allow a handful of ports to function, e.g. 80 (http)

The Apple TV authenticates much differently than other devices on Netflix.

[hallux]

If the network first requires you to accept terms on a web page before getting full access this may be your problem. As the ATV has no web browser you'll never be able to accept the terms.

[wharzhee]

Originally Posted by hallux

If the network first requires you to accept terms on a web page before getting full access this may be your problem. As the ATV has no web browser you'll never be able to accept the terms.

oh, there's a way. [it was discussed in the other thread]
i have it in my favourite for future references.

here's the link: http://telastipes.blogspot.sg/2011/1...flix-wifi.html

[awair]

oh, there's a way. [it was discussed in the other thread]
i have it in my favourite for future references.

Just to clarify: There's a way to get round accepting ToS, but not to actually accept them on the ATV itself. The acceptance has to be on another device.

For a one off, this might be workable, but a travel router takes away the pain...

[iHailCarlo]

New to me, didnt realize that it sucked. Mine works fine anywhere i take it.

[wharzhee]

Originally Posted by awair

Just to clarify: There's a way to get round accepting ToS, but not to actually accept them on the ATV itself. The acceptance has to be on another device.

For a one off, this might be workable, but a travel router takes away the pain...

i did do that a couple of times[a travel router], with the airport express, but it had to be wire to wifi
[wire->[my own]wifi network].

but it seems some hotels are doing away with the wired network, would it be possible to do it [hotel wifi]wifi + [my own wifi network]wifi?

[awair]

Wharzhee: See this thread http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1522239

[thebdpm]

Originally Posted by takeshi74

Impossible to say. Hotels don't all have identical networks. Could be that you don't have it connected correctly. Could be that the hotel doesn't allow such traffic. You'd need to supply a lot more details.

Got an ATV for xmas from fiance to cure boredom on the road (1/3 of the year) in hotels. My stats:

1. MacBook Pro 10.8.2 (4 months old)

2. Apple TV 3rd Gen (Black, got 1 month ago for xmas)

3. Stay at Holiday Inns that consistently have wi-fi with password needed

4. Would like to NOT reconfigure my lappy every time for Home Sharing as in "hardwiring" with ethernet

5. ONLY want to access Netflix, Hulu and other programs that should normally come standard with ATV. Do NOT want to mirror my laptop

6. TV screen (ATV) ONLY shows Homesharing (sharing computer or whatever) and Settings icon on homepage. As a test, even though it's not my intended purpose at all, I tried homesharing, put in my iTunes log/pass and it said it was incorrect even though I get on my pro and iphone 5 and use my l/p flawlessly.

7. Used to use the av cables when I had my iphone 4 but would rather not deal with adapters, pixelation and LOUD phone calls/texts coming through the tv. Don't want to bother neighbors.

7. In settings, it says I have great wi-fi strength and shows holiday ip info

I would like a "plug and play" option if possible like most all other products. I guess I am confused why Apple would not consider a "traveling ATV" and remedy this situation.

So far, the things that I have read, points me to mirroring, changing settings on my laptop, etc. I want an easy solution for a dummy like me

Hope this helps and thanks for whatever suggestions you may have.

----------

Originally Posted by iHailCarlo

New to me, didnt realize that it sucked. Mine works fine anywhere i take it.

Whats your secret? Do you mirror or go off your laptop? Just looking to access Netflix and the other factory programs that come with the ATV?

[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.

[awair]

Originally Posted by thebdpm

6. TV screen (ATV) ONLY shows Homesharing (sharing computer or whatever) .

7. In settings, it says I have great wi-fi strength and shows holiday ip info

When you see the 'holiday ip info', it only means that you have successfully connected to WiFi. There is often a 2nd step required, such as accepting ToS for free wifi. This cannot be completed on the ATV itself, as there is no browser.

Paradoxically, if the WiFi is protected, ie a password is required to get the ip connection, you are more likely to get this working, as in some cases a ToS page may not exist.

When the ATV shows only Computers & Settings, this confirms you do not have a working Internet connection.

Go to Settings/General/Network and select 'Test Network'. This will attempt to connect to the Apple Servers and may give useful information.

Try connecting another device (iPad or computer) to the same WiFi network. Check what steps are required, before you can reach your chosen web page (do not choose google.com, as some hotels permit this without authentication or payment). If there is a Welcome page, with 'click to continue' or similar, your simple option for the ATV is not available.

The 2nd simple option is to get an Airport Express, for hotels that have a wired connection. The ATV always connects to the same WiFi (yours), so does your iPad & computer. The Internet connection is passed through the Express, but accepted (once only) on your computer browser. All devices then have Internet access.

Beyond that, there are solutions, but none simple, for anyone wanting to go further:
1) mac spoofing
2) 'Wireless as WAN' routers
3) Hotel provides you a wireless bridge (with a hefty deposit) for your Express

[jeff92k7]

Would it not be much simpler and easier to just use a network cable to connect the Apple TV to the MacBook, then turn on internet sharing for the WiFi? That way you don't even have to deal with WiFi settings on the Apple TV, and you can accept any ToS for WiFi on the laptop.

[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,