Connecting to Wifi that uses a web login page

[DannyVelinski]

I've done the usual Google searches, looked through the OpenVPN wiki and this forum already but without success...

Can anyone help with a way of connecting to wifi networks that use a web page (or series of pages) to authenticate / register your device before they allow any traffic through without having to go through this process before connecting my VPN?

I have OpenVPN Connect set to 'Seamless Tunnel' in my preferences so nothing 'leaks' outside my VPN, and on those wifi networks that block traffic until you've completed their registration / login page, it means (I think) that I don't get the opportunity to complete the wifi providers' pages because OpenVPN is blocking them. This feels like a catch-22!

I can connect to wifi, complete the login page through my browser, then enable my VPN - but between wifi login and starting the VPN, apps are liable to jump on the connection and send/receive data that is not secured.

I'm running OpenVPN Connect 1.1.17 (build 76) on Android 6.0.1 (NOT rooted), Kernel 3.18.14-9113173

Any help gratefully received

[TinCanTech]

Can anyone help with a way of connecting to wifi networks that use a web page (or series of pages) to authenticate / register your device before they allow any traffic through without having to go through this process before connecting my VPN?

There is nothing Openvpn can do to change how a foreign network operates, if it doesn't allow traffic until you are registered then nothing will get through until then.

If this becomes a serious problem for a lot of users then a solution could be considered in the future but nothing can be done for now.

[TinCanTech]

I have also been informed that this app OpenVPN for Android by Arne Schwabe "Android normally detects that itself and offers you the web sign in page, also, with with my app you can exclude apps from the vpn (e.g. firefox) and use that browser for web logins" ..

I think that should help you out ..

[DannyVelinski]

Thanks @TinCanTech - that does sound interesting and worth a detailed look...My preference is to use the official OpenVPN app, but maybe I'll need to reconsider that. By excluding a particular app (such as Firefox), it would mean that ALL my browsing would not go via the VPN, which is certainly not something I want to do.

My original thinking was that if Android can tell that the Wifi network needs a web logon somehow (because it shows a notification "Open your web browser to finish connecting...") that the VPN may be able to make an exception and allow traffic to that site/page outside the VPN, although I do understand the app can only do what is provided by the Android APIs. I appreciate that the OpenVPN Connect app is provided as-is, but given people's need for a VPN I would have thought that many people would find this 'leakage' to be unpalateable