Airport Express Base Station 802.11n

I am traveling with some frequency to the UK and find the hotels often charge per device for Internet connection. My wife and I each have iPhones and iPads. Therefore, I am seeking a device which will do 2 things: 1) connect with the hotel's Ethernet connection and output a wifi signal for our 4 devices, and 2) (for those hotels which only provide a wifi signal) receive a wifi signal and output wifi signals for the 4 devices. In both cases I pay one daily connection charge.

Would the new Apple Airport Express Base Station 802.11n do the job? I assume it has its own IP address.

The first instance will work, connecting with ethernet the second will not as the Airport Express can only extend existing Apple networks.

Consider the TP-link mini router. It would perform both tasks and can be bought for <£20.

I do this routinely with free internet access at places that only have ethernet connections in the room.

There is one big caveat though...... many pay portal internet connections like those you describe need the initial connecting device to be able to log on to the network and authenticate. A router obviously doesn't have that kind of interface so won't work in the way you want in these circumstances.

You can still connect a device to the ethernet and connect to it wirelessly with one of your devices but it's still that connecting device that's authenticating so your other devices will still be unable to connect.

Thank you for the response. While you say the TP-Link Mini Router would perform both tasks, the rest of your message describes how it won't (my understanding).
So, a router cannot authenticate, only the mobile devices. Thus, to connect 4 devices I will be incurring 4 connection charges, defeating the purpose. Is there a router / repeater which will authenticate?
When one connects via an Ethernet connection, does that also require authentication? If not, then it sounds like I can incur one charge for the Airport Express or TP-Link and connect wifi the 4 mobile devices. Is that correct?

Thank you for the response. While you say the TP-Link Mini Router would perform both tasks, the rest of your message describes how it won't (my understanding).

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Perhaps I didn't explain very well. The tp-link is capable of extending wireless networks. The airport express can only extend wireless networks created on other Apple devices. I was just trying to highlight that even ignoring the authentication issue the express cannot perform the required function.

Is there a router / repeater which will authenticate?

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Not the way most pay wall connections work as they use authentication in a web browser rather than just a username and password.

I can't comment on the authentication methods used by each hotel. But basically unless it's a case of you just being given a username and password to use for the duration of your stay then you're unlikely to be able to do what you want.
The purpose of using web browser based authentication is to prevent exactly what you're trying to do..

Thank you. But, how about my last question with respect to those situations which have an Ethernet connection. "When one connects via an Ethernet connection, does that also require authentication? If not, then it sounds like I can incur one charge for the Airport Express or TP-Link and connect wifi the 4 mobile devices." Or is that what you did answer when you said authentication would still be required?

wadsy said:

Thank you. But, how about my last question with respect to those situations which have an Ethernet connection. "When one connects via an Ethernet connection, does that also require authentication? If not, then it sounds like I can incur one charge for the Airport Express or TP-Link and connect wifi the 4 mobile devices." Or is that what you did answer when you said authentication would still be required?

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That's covered in the last paragraph:

I can't comment on the authentication methods used by each hotel. But basically unless it's a case of you just being given a username and password to use for the duration of your stay* then you're unlikely to be able to do what you want.
The purpose of using web browser based authentication is to prevent exactly what you're trying to do..

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The connection method - wireless - wired doesn't come into it. It's all about how the hotel authenticates paid for internet.

Thank you.. You have been helpful.