• From: Austin, Texas...Y'all
  • Registered: 2008-08-01
  • Posts: 269

Topic: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

I really like how Chumby can store more then one wi-fi config. What would really be the hot setup would be for the Chumby to try to connect to the ones on it's list on it's own; much like a lap top.

For example, say I have three setup's in my Chumby, "work", "home" and "Location-X", when the chumby is turned on, it tries "work" first, if it can't find the SSID ("work") then it tries "home" if it can't find "home" then it tries "Location-X". That way, I just plug in my chumby and walk away. I take my Chumby to work on weekdays and he comes home on weekends and it would be nice if it were seemless.

Just my 2-cents, Matt

  • From: Austin, Texas...Y'all
  • Registered: 2008-08-01
  • Posts: 269

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

Am I the only one that would like this feature?

It would be like your laptop, where you have a list of trusted Wi-Fi connections and it trys all untill it gets a connection (with a time out of course).

So if you had one for your house, work and a friends you could connect with zero effort. Baisally if the Chumby turns on and can't find the SSID of the system it was on, it will do a site survey and if it see's an SSID that matched the list you gave it, then it conencts to it. That way when you take your Chumby to other places that you trust, there is no need to go through the many screens and taps to get a conenction.

  • Registered: 2009-02-12
  • Posts: 132

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

I'm somewhat surprised that the Chumby doesn't always automatically connect to saved networks.  Sometimes when I switch it on and walk away, I come back to find it sitting on the "Which network would you like to connect to?" screen.  It would be nice to not have to click through the screens, but I have to assume it's like that for a reason.  Some type of security thing maybe?

4 Reply by b75269 (edited by b75269 2009-04-07 13:33:16)

  • Registered: 2009-03-20
  • Posts: 27

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

I thought that the Chumby did automatically detect networks and connect if possible?

It is hard for me to replicate... it is either at home  (WIFI) or work (ETH).

I can say that it should automatically search through available networks and compare them to known networks.  If you had at some point told it was okay, then it should attempt to automatically connect before requesting user intereraction.

I can see that as very useful functionality.

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,197

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

The reason we don't currently do that is that it can take a few minutes *per configuration* to figure out whether the configuration is valid.  This could take a long time to scan through.

I'll see what we can do.

We do not, and will never, autoconnect to an open access point since many jurisdictions consider that "computer trespass" (believe it or not) and would open a customer to possible legal exposure.

Duane's Website

  • Registered: 2009-04-05
  • Posts: 21

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

I agree with Duane in the legality issue.

  • From: Austin, Texas...Y'all
  • Registered: 2008-08-01
  • Posts: 269

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

I understand about the legal issue of connecting to an open network. I am talking about trusted networks that you have setup with a key. My laptop has a list of the WiFi WLAN's I use and will auto connect w/o isssue.

So once the chumby can't connect to the network it was on, instead of the setup screen that it pops up, have it scan for networks and if any SSID matchs one on the list and the key is correct, then it can conenct. Of course, have a radio button that the end user could click to say "never auto connect".

Thanks for reading this post, Matt

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,197

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

OK, I'll take a look at it - it definitely won't be in the next firmware release (which is very late in the QA process), but maybe after that.

Duane's Website

  • From: Austin, Texas...Y'all
  • Registered: 2008-08-01
  • Posts: 269

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

Duane wrote:

OK, I'll take a look at it - it definitely won't be in the next firmware release (which is very late in the QA process), but maybe after that.

No problem and thanks for even thinking about it!
If I can help in any way, let me know (alpha release or something).
Many, many thanks, Matt

  • Registered: 2010-04-21
  • Posts: 8

Re: Could Chumby auto connect to your Wi-Fi network(e.g. work and home)?

Was there any progress on the auto login issue, it is a real pain to have to reconnect my chum by when my router goes down for some reason.