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Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-28-2017 11:36 PM
I was pretty excited about this feature... until I tried to make it work. I tested it on my Ubiquiti controller with the latest update and firmware on the AP... it sort of works, the guests are asked to check in for free WiFi. However
1. It opens the browser by default and who browses Facebook with their browser?
2. Users can ignore the pop-up window, and not do check-in or enter the access code. Guess what, their computer/phone will indicate limited WiFi connectivity but it works fine! I was able to watch Youtube, check my emails, go to bank apps, chat on Messenger - all without having to check in. This makes the feature useless.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 04:46 AM
@sratakhin wrote:
I was pretty excited about this feature... until I tried to make it work. I tested it on my Ubiquiti controller with the latest update and firmware on the AP... it sort of works, the guests are asked to check in for free WiFi. However
1. It opens the browser by default and who browses Facebook with their browser?
2. Users can ignore the pop-up window, and not do check-in or enter the access code. Guess what, their computer/phone will indicate limited WiFi connectivity but it works fine! I was able to watch Youtube, check my emails, go to bank apps, chat on Messenger - all without having to check in. This makes the feature useless.
@sratakhin Unfortunately this appears to be a Facebook requirement that UBNT have to follow to get their implementation approved. No way around it if you want to use Facebook WiFi. Otherwise, I suggest you use the plain Facebook auth option.

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Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 01:21 PM
So, it's better to follow the way it worked before, with creating a Facebook App, publishing the portal on a public IP address and so on?
I'm also wondering if OpenMesh's Facebook WiFi implementation is in the same broken state...
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 01:45 PM
USGs (4.4.28): XG8 (x1) | Pro4 (x4) | USG3 (x4)
UAPs (3.9.50): AC-Pro (x17) | AC-LR (x3) | Mesh-Pro (x2) | Mesh (x1) | Outdoor+ (x2)
USWs (3.9.50): US-16XG (x2) | US-40-500w (x3) | US-24-250w (x2)| US-8-150w (x3) | US-8-60w (x3) | US-8 (x2)
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 02:37 PM
https://www.facebook.com/help/109150235937957?helpref=faq_content
It just doesn't add up to a FB Wifi problem. I don't buy it.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 03:20 PM
@klinders5 I can confirm that is how Facebook requires Facebook Wi-Fi to function- they require passing of https traffic prior to authorization. So you will notice if you try to access any http site prior to going through the guest portal you will be unable to do so. Same requirement from FB applies to other vendors on that list.
I can see why it's not ideal for some applications given that is how it works but I think it is still a useful feature for a number of cases.
Ubiquiti Networks Enterprise Support Team
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Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 03:49 PM
Makes sense. But with the majority of websites adopting HTTPS this will be less and less useful. I don't get why ALL HTTPS traffic must pass prior to authorization... would be enough to just allow traffic to the certification authorities.
Anyway, I'm trying to do a Facebook check-in app now, hope it will work better.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 06:30 PM
USGs (4.4.28): XG8 (x1) | Pro4 (x4) | USG3 (x4)
UAPs (3.9.50): AC-Pro (x17) | AC-LR (x3) | Mesh-Pro (x2) | Mesh (x1) | Outdoor+ (x2)
USWs (3.9.50): US-16XG (x2) | US-40-500w (x3) | US-24-250w (x2)| US-8-150w (x3) | US-8-60w (x3) | US-8 (x2)
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 07:24 PM
As far as I know, OpenMesh allows configuring an access code to be given to guests who don't want to check in.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-29-2017 07:26 PM
Followed this guide and was able to get Facebook authentication work along with vouchers.
https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000871247-UniFi-Social-Media-Guest-Authentication
Still two issues:
1. Authentication happens in the browser. There is a way to do it through Facebook app (or so it seems) but it looks too complicated without developer's background
2. Can't find a way to request a check-in, just authentication.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-30-2017 01:27 PM
Really hard to believe that with facebook requests all https and a lot of other traffic to pass.
This way Apple devices even don't notice that there is a splash page because the test on ios/mac osx is based on https. There should be a better way. I can understand that all https traffic to facebook needs to be allowed. I can't even change the firewall rule on guest in to change this setting.
Will test tomorrow with a Meraki access point to see if it reacts the same.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-30-2017 02:35 PM
Here are some similar reports with other platforms:
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/community/question/?id=10153805096027169

Check out our UniFi API browser tool on GitHub. The PHP API client which it uses, can be found here on GitHub.
The thread on our UniFi Device Search tool can be found here, also check out our Captive Portal solutions for UniFi.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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11-30-2017 02:39 PM
I was just going to order an OpenMesh AP... guess it will wait.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-01-2017 04:53 AM
OK,
I've tried with a Meraki MR18 and facebook WiFi.
It shows exactly the same behaviour as with unifi which is CRAZY.
I can netflix, do email and everything before I go to the facebook checkin (((
The only thing that doesn't work is http.
I don't understand the idea behind it.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-01-2017 06:19 AM - edited 12-01-2017 06:27 AM
Bummer indeed! Thanks for testing.
Unfortunately, when you try to ask Facebook support you'll see from the link I shared earlier, they don't respond at all to such questions...

Check out our UniFi API browser tool on GitHub. The PHP API client which it uses, can be found here on GitHub.
The thread on our UniFi Device Search tool can be found here, also check out our Captive Portal solutions for UniFi.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-01-2017 06:34 AM
@Kris_Verdonck wrote:OK,
I've tried with a Meraki MR18 and facebook WiFi.
It shows exactly the same behaviour as with unifi which is CRAZY.
I can netflix, do email and everything before I go to the facebook checkin
(((
The only thing that doesn't work is http.
I don't understand the idea behind it.
I stand corrected, it does seem this is a crappy limitation of the FB Wifi feature and not a UBNT issue.
Man, thats sad that they did it this way.
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-01-2017 11:57 AM
using the IP networks provided by Ubiquiti here
https://help.ubnt.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000871247-UniFi-Social-Media-Guest-Authentication
i was able to get a config.properties file for a site, dropping the 'allow all tcp 443 before authentication' rule, and replace for allow tcp/443 for only the IP networks listed on that article.
it worked fine, so i don't have anymore the 'EVERYTHING tcp/443 is allowed'.
However, after that, came the second (and killer problem to me), which renders the Facebook WiFi feature useles ... Apple changed its portal captive detection agent, and the authentication popup DO NOT automatically appears on iOS devices. It appears automatically on Android devices, on all i could test, but do NOT appears on Apple products. If the user opens the browser, tries to browse something non-https, it will readly and with no errors be redirected to the auth page, and the authentication actually works just fine. If it tries https address, or it will not work or it will give certicicate errors if i had choose to redirect HTTPS traffic.
That being said, the Facebook WiFi feature, if not working 'automagically' on iOS devices, is useless to me. It has to be easy, requiring user to manually opens the browser and trying to browser something, is a definitely NO GO for me. And that happens because of the way Apple captive portal agent works, really nothing Ubiquiti/UniFi can do to change a client device behavior.
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Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-01-2017 12:05 PM
@klinders5 wrote:I stand corrected, it does seem this is a crappy limitation of the FB Wifi feature and not a UBNT issue.
Man, thats sad that they did it this way.
It's clearly a VERY LAZY requirement for not having them to keep the login pages on designated some IP network (or networks), giving them complete freedom to change anything without having to communicate their partners. They simply requires everything TCP/443 so they can change anything they wont and their login will always keep running, no matter if that will COMPLETLY screw the idea of 'you MUST authenticate first before having internet access'.
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did my answer helped you ? if yes, i would love your kudos on it

Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-01-2017 01:41 PM
Do the iOS devices showthe captive portals for things like airport WiFi, hotels, and the like?
Re: Facebook WiFi feature useless - Internet access works without having to check in or enter code
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12-02-2017 11:30 AM
@sratakhin wrote:Do the iOS devices showthe captive portals for things like airport WiFi, hotels, and the like?
if the portal captive code do *NOT* requires cookies and some other features commonly present on hotspot systems, than it should work just fine. The major issue on iOS seems to be that the checkin code, which is provided by Facebook servers (nothing Unifi can do to change the HTML code sent) relies on cookies. iOS devices downloads the page but do not shows it because (apparently) detects it uses unsupported features (cookies in this case) on the captive network restricted browser instance.
If your portal code do not have cookies, it should present just fine on iOS devices. Other UniFi options, for instance, presents just fine on iOS devices. Facebook WiFi checkin, whose HTML code is provided directly by Facebook servers, do not shows because (apparently) it uses cookies.
www.solutti.com.br / www.wifiquefunciona.com.br
Ubiquiti Enterprise Wireless Admin (UEWA) certified
did my answer helped you ? if yes, i would love your kudos on it

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