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grmax5

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 23, 2015
16
1
We cruise quite a bit and I am wondering if anyone knows if the watch will work on a cruise ship over the ships wi-fi network. I would obviously have to purchase the unlimited wi-fi package so that I was constantly connected but I am wondering if the cruise ships will have this type of communication blocked like they do at my work.
 
We cruise quite a bit and I am wondering if anyone knows if the watch will work on a cruise ship over the ships wi-fi network. I would obviously have to purchase the unlimited wi-fi package so that I was constantly connected but I am wondering if the cruise ships will have this type of communication blocked like they do at my work.
I don't think that's possible because you may have to login in some way, and the watch for some reason does not connect to networks that require a login.
 
Almost certainly they prevent devices on their wifi network from being able to talk to other deivces on their wifi network. This protects you from someone in the next cabin attempting to hack into your PC. This would also prevent the watch from being able to communicate with your phone.
 
Almost certainly they prevent devices on their wifi network from being able to talk to other deivces on their wifi network. This protects you from someone in the next cabin attempting to hack into your PC. This would also prevent the watch from being able to communicate with your phone.
Or maybe you could plug in an airport express, but I'm not sure if they allow that.
 
Apple does have the potential to fix this though. If they publish what ports are used for the Watch to Phone connection, then businesses and cruise ships may be able to open those ports on their guest segments.

Until then, you'll just have to keep within bluetooth range. :(
 
Or maybe you could plug in an airport express, but I'm not sure if they allow that.

I don't think anyone would stop him, but cruise ships are huge and this wouldn't cover more than a couple hundred feet around his cabin at best.
 
I don't think anyone would stop him, but cruise ships are huge and this wouldn't cover more than a couple hundred feet around his cabin at best.

Not quite sure how you're going to extend their network that way. They can easily provision their network so additional routers won't work.

I'm sure the ships walls likely are pretty good for stopping the wireless signals as well...
 
probably no

So, probably no.

You could certainly put an airport express in your cabin and use that for additional authentication, but you're probably just better off connecting your iphone to the network, doing the authentication on the iphone and having the AW connect as usual to the iphone over BTLE.

The AW sadly cannot do http credentialed authentication or authorizations. It can do SSID UN/PW credentials as it gets that direct from the iphone, but having to authenticated the login and confirm anything it just won't do.

I had to ask my gym for them to create a username and pw for me to login to their network in order for my watch to work while my phone was in the locker.
 
Not quite sure how you're going to extend their network that way. They can easily provision their network so additional routers won't work.

I'm sure the ships walls likely are pretty good for stopping the wireless signals as well...

The point wasn't to extend the cruise ship network, but to make his own network for his phone and watch to communicate on. But like I said, lack of range makes this pretty unfeasible.
 
Off topic....

After having been on my first cruise of my life last month, I must say I almost had a stroke when I saw the costs of the Wi-Fi on the ship. Probably the first 48 hour period in decades I haven't been connected and it was kinda nice.
 
Off topic....

After having been on my first cruise of my life last month, I must say I almost had a stroke when I saw the costs of the Wi-Fi on the ship. Probably the first 48 hour period in decades I haven't been connected and it was kinda nice.

The WiFi is usually painfully slow also. I use cruises as a way to disconnect from the digital world. After all it's *vacation* right?
 
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The point wasn't to extend the cruise ship network, but to make his own network for his phone and watch to communicate on. But like I said, lack of range makes this pretty unfeasible.

Be kinda pointless too. No cellular for internet access out there. Your iPhone can't be connected to two wifi networks at the same time. :(
 
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