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I have an HTC Desire with Android 2.2.

My problem is that there may be open Wi-Fi networks nearby that require a password once connected, e.g. hotspots at coffee shops. My phone connects to these, thereby blocking the 3G connection.

What I want to do is always use 3G unless I'm in range and connected to a list of certain Wi-Fi networks.

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  • It auto-connects to any open WiFi network, regardless of whether or not you've used it in the past? I don't think I've heard of an Android phone doing that before.
    – eldarerathis
    Commented May 19, 2011 at 13:18
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    The issue Lars is referring to is seen most often at coffee shops and restaurants. Both Starbucks and McDonalds offer free WiFi, but after connecting you must first pull up a web page and accept the terms and conditions before your device gets full data access. The next time you are near enough to connect to that AP, your device automatically connects, and will have no data until you realize it and pull up the web page and accept.
    – JadeMason
    Commented May 19, 2011 at 19:05

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Go into your Wi-Fi settings. Long press on the networks that you don't want to automatically connect to and tap 'Forget'.

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  • Thanks for this idea. The problem I have with it is that it is a little cumbersome for people who travel a lot and will see a lot of WiFi networks like that.
    – Lars
    Commented May 22, 2011 at 1:37
  • @Lars: I'm still a little unclear on your problem here. You should only have this issue with wifi networks that you've actually used in the past, but your phrasing in your question (and this comment) almost implies that your phone is connecting to any open wifi network you encounter. Do you just use a lot of different wifi networks? Are you encountering a lot that are all using the same SSID or something?
    – eldarerathis
    Commented May 22, 2011 at 21:01
  • I am the IT guy for a small business, and we all have HTC Desire phones. Many employees will attempt to connect to an open WiFi and find that it is a captive portal. Once they connect, they will forever have that problem. I guess I can just instruct them to do as you say here.
    – Lars
    Commented May 24, 2011 at 14:02
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You could try Wi-Fi Ruler.

With Wi-Fi Ruler you can set up which access points you want to automatically connect to and which ones to ignore.

This might be good if you want to remember the settings (just in case you want to connect again) but still avoid connecting to the AP.

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I suggest that when you disconnect to a wifi network, you also forget it.

It will not connect to a WiFi network that you have not explicitly connected to in the past, so as long as you forget the WiFi network, it won't connect.

I regularly find myself doing this, although I rarely turn my WiFi on.

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