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Municipal albergues' WiFi-Camino not working for most pilgrims

paakaminska

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2016-2024
So, many of the cheap municipal albergues offer the same wifi network across the country available on all routes. But that network just doesn't work for most people.



My first question is, why do they offer something faulty? I hope they replace it with something better soon.

My second question is, has anyone actually managed to get it work? One albergue manager was very tech-savvy and he played with the authentication certificates on my phone but he still didn't manage to make it work. So I kept playing with the phone number registration that some albergues recommend. But I'm still getting nowhere as my phone throws authentication errors.



Btw. I'm using Google Pixel 6, so a popular phone.

Thanks in advance for solid solutions to the problem.
 
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Try staying in a more expensive private Albergue with a more robust wee-fee network
 
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It might be worth it to get a SIM card. This worked well for me. For example, Orange offers one that gives you 100GB for 20 Euro for 28 days. Vodafone has a number of options from 100GB for 15 Euro for 28 days up to 190GB for 40 Euro for 28 days. I'm sure the other Spanish cell carriers offer similar plans.
 
alexwalker said:
Talk to each other?
Click to expand...
Can you specify? Do you mean speaking more with the albergue managers? Often there's a language barrier and they're not techy enough to help me.

Today WiFi would be particularly useful as I have to check in for my flight back, amend my bus booking and block my currency card that a Spanish ATM decided to swallow... My roaming caps my usage to 5GB per month which turns out to be too little. Probably all these maps like gronze and buen camino need a lot of data.
 
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I never had a problem connecting in Xunta albergues on the CP (2022 and 2023) and Sanabres (2023).
 
@paakaminska I'm sorry you are having connectivity issues, particularly as you appear to need internet access to sort out some problems. You may find that one of the local bars will have open access wifi that will enable your immediate needs.

From what I can see the network that you are trying to connect to isn't provided by the "cheap" albergues. Why would they. It is provided by a secondary provider (piggy backing on national networks) and reliant on band-width on the local mobile phone networks. I think the security settings on your phone are denying you access, not the network. You could try to contact your normal service provider and see if you can bump your data provision but I'm sure they'll charge you an arm and a leg. Living in the UK I use GifGaf and some 2Gb a month which covers me for all caminos, mapping apps, photos to the grand children and more. I know this isn't helpful now but downloading required maps to your phone once makes for a much more economic use of data than accessing repeatedly in "live".

Buena suerte / good luck
 
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paakaminska said:
Can you specify? Do you mean speaking more with the albergue managers? Often there's a language barrier and they're not techy enough to help me.
Click to expand...
Joking, partly. Talk to the person next to you instead of to your phone. I am old school, I know.

I understand. Speaking as a long-time (+40 years) IT engineer, I would be very careful using WiFi networks, especially those open ones. Lots of fraud/password/info snapping going on these days. AI makes it even worse/more dangerous.

Personally, I always connect via my phone subscription instead. I pay the same as when home, being a citizen inside the EU/Europe.
Never use an ATM not connected to an open bank office. That way you can go inside and claim your card back. And never use blue and yellow ATMs from Euronet: They are thiefs disguised as money providers, due to hefty commissions.

Always choose local currency (€), not conversion: Conversion will cost you several € extra to get your own money.

Turn off constant updates of your apps. Apps like the WisePilgrim guide apps will allow you to operate offline with maps, whistles, and full package. All you need. Check your phone's "Battery" menu point to find out what app(s) are stealing your phone power.

Buen Camino!
 
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alexwalker said:
Speaking as a long-time (+40 years) IT engineer, I would be very careful using WiFi networks, especially those open ones. Lots of fraud/password/info snapping going on these days.
Click to expand...
A too long time ago to know about VPN?

alexwalker said:
Never use an ATM not connected to an open bank office. That way you can go inside and claim your card back.
Click to expand...
That was an emergency. It was inconvenient to find an ATM but I needed the cash asap to pay for accommodation. It was already late. After I lost one card, I went to the ATM next door and used my £ card. Risky I know but what were the chances of losing both cards at the same time

alexwalker said:
Check your phone's "Battery" menu point to find out what app(s) are stealing your phone power.
Click to expand...
That's a good tip. I'm actually on Extreme Battery Saver, meaning, I had to intentionally choose which apps I actually use and all the rest is paused.


alexwalker said:
never use blue and yellow ATMs from Euronet
Click to expand...
I know I once lost £16 when I used them to withdraw mere €50...
 
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paakaminska said:
A too long time ago to know about VPN?
Click to expand...
My point is that most people today are only interested in getting into a Wifi connection, protected or not. No clue about VPN and security. They do not know all the dangers, and how to protect themselves. I may dive into that opportunity myself: Easy money.

Edit: Just this week there was an article about a person who was setting up a fraudulent Wifi server network on board a plane(!), being able to tap personal info from passangers who thought they were logging onto the plane's network (very similar Wifi name). Forgot where I read the article, unfortunately.
 
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Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I usually blame wifi, when I am the one at fault. Have a nice day!
 
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It may have been this article..I saw it in a few places..
Australian setting up fake flight wifi
 
Buy a Sim card. It is cheap and safer than using "open" WiFi. I used Lycamobile and it worked in Portugal and Spain. Modern phones have e-sim. Even cheaper!!
 
Finished the Sanabrés 2 days ago and the Xunta Red never worked for me. The Spanish also could not connect to it. I went through the registration process but never received a password. Oh well. Since I have a Dutch Sim card I have no extra cost in using roaming within the EU.
 
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Can't remember ever having a problem with the WiFi in the municipals. And I stayed at many, many of them several times.

It's am amazing service that they offer it at all, at the low prices they have.

If there's no wifi or it doesn't work and I really need it, I use my mobile data.

If that doesn't work either, I go to a bar, order something, and use their WiFi (ask for the password if it isn't indicated somewhere).

If you don't really need the WiFi then as Alexwalker said, just talk to your fellow pilgrims, the hospitaleros, and the locals.
Or read your guide book, write a journal, cook a meal, go see the town, ect.
 
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Harington said:
But if you’re far from home and need to be in contact you need wifi.
Click to expand...
Really? WiFi is certainly an option, but not the only one. Depending on what you need, a standard mobile service would be the first that comes to mind, followed by any of the VOIP services using a mobile data service. That would also support other types of internet activity.
Relying on free WiFi is fine if the matter isn't critical, but if it is, you might want something more certain than that.
 
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