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Reality4711

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 8, 2009
738
558
scotland
Moving to an iPad (completely mobile usage).

Forgive my ignorance but without a telephone connection and wifi only how do I browse and email on the road.

On the assumption that there are plenty of free wifi connections out there (UK only) and to keep my costs down can I do this without a designated ISP??
 

Krayzkat

Suspended
Apr 22, 2011
754
1,353
When you are in a WiFi area, just simply go into the 'Settings' menu and from there into 'Wi-Fi'. If there is a WiFi signal that your iPad is detecting it will show up on screen. Select the WiFI network you want to join (they will be named incase there are more than 1).You may have to enter a password too, if the WiFi owner has enabled that. If you do, then ask the WiFi owner what the password is.

Once you have connected to the WiFi signal, you shall be able to open up Safari as normal and browse the internet. Same with your emails by using the Mail app, or whatever email app/website you prefer.
 

Reality4711

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 8, 2009
738
558
scotland
When you are in a WiFi area, just simply go into the 'Settings' menu and from there into 'Wi-Fi'. If there is a WiFi signal that your iPad is detecting it will show up on screen. Select the WiFI network you want to join (they will be named incase there are more than 1).You may have to enter a password too, if the WiFi owner has enabled that. If you do, then ask the WiFi owner what the password is.

Once you have connected to the WiFi signal, you shall be able to open up Safari as normal and browse the internet. Same with your emails by using the Mail app, or whatever email app/website you prefer.

thanks for that.

for the emails. Do I have to use something online? eg google yuk!. only ever used ISP suppled and iCloud.com.

as you can read - not clear on this.
 

velocityg4

macrumors 604
Dec 19, 2004
7,330
4,724
Georgia
thanks for that.

for the emails. Do I have to use something online? eg google yuk!. only ever used ISP suppled and iCloud.com.

as you can read - not clear on this.

No, nothing will be different. Except the speed of the connection wherever you connect. Nothing you do on the internet which includes apps like e-mail will change.
 

Krayzkat

Suspended
Apr 22, 2011
754
1,353
If you haven’t already done so, you should set up the Mail app so that it can access your emails. Google how to do this as there are plenty of online manuals around.
 

chscag

macrumors 601
Feb 17, 2008
4,622
1,946
Fort Worth, Texas
On the assumption that there are plenty of free wifi connections out there (UK only) and to keep my costs down can I do this without a designated ISP??

Free WiFi is no problem but how do you expect to receive email without an ISP? Unless email delivery is different in the UK, you're going to need some sort of designated email address before you can receive email.
 

cube

Suspended
May 10, 2004
17,011
4,973
Free WiFi is no problem but how do you expect to receive email without an ISP? Unless email delivery is different in the UK, you're going to need some sort of designated email address before you can receive email.
You can use webmail.

And your email client can also connect to it from free WiFi.
 
Last edited:

Krayzkat

Suspended
Apr 22, 2011
754
1,353
Free WiFi is no problem but how do you expect to receive email without an ISP? Unless email delivery is different in the UK, you're going to need some sort of designated email address before you can receive email.
You get a free iCloud/Apple email address and/or free gmail type emails
 

chscag

macrumors 601
Feb 17, 2008
4,622
1,946
Fort Worth, Texas
Webmail is fine, but you still need an email address. I have two email accounts that can be used as webmail but they are actually a designated ISP. One other account is strictly webmail only but still requires an account registration. Perhaps it's different in the UK?

What member @Krayzkat suggested is the best solution for the OP for a free account.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,184
13,230
The OP is not in the USA, so I don't know if the following will apply, but...

... here in the USA, att.net offers free email accounts (that "go through" Yahoo).
Once you set it up, the account can be accessed via either a web browser or a standalone mail application, such as Apple's Mail.app.

You don't have to have any other type of account or business relationship with att to set one of these up.
 

Janusian

macrumors newbie
Mar 17, 2019
6
1
If I understand correctly the OP is thinking that in order to access email you need to be connected via your ISP. So BT email for example would only be available if you were connected to a BT network.

This used to be the case years ago in the UK, where you could not access your ISP email (using POP etc) without being on their network. To be honest it is so long since I used my ISP email I don't know if that is still the case.

Even if it is most if not all provide a webmail client which works anywhere.
 

retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,482
Excellent response from everyone.
I am noe confident that my iPad retirement plan is a 'go'. Thank you all.
I know this is slightly old, but thought I'd chime in. Here in the United States, your ISP email can be accessed anywhere. iPad can connect to any Wi-Fi network that supports its wireless protocols, which should be all of them by now. Any fast-food establishment or coffee shop should support you.

I wish you the best of luck switching to iPad. I myself tried a few years ago but failed. I am looking at giving it another go, this time to replace my laptop as my travel device.
 
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