Question 1?
How could Windows Update do it’s thing whilst I could only a load a page asking for $200 to access ‘The Internet’? Hilton wanted $200 to connect to wireless yet Windows Update was able to bypass all that and install the latest updates. I kid you not. While I was looking aghast at the fees for an Internet connection, Windows was updating.
Question 2?
Seeing as I wiped the hard drive and installed Mepis Linux,
how am I able to bypass Whole Food’s Bright House Internet connection to post this inane question?
I got the initial Bright House page. Two of them. I ignored both. Still I am able to post this.
I think the Windows updates had already downloaded at some other time when you had access to the internet, they just now asking if it’s okay to install.
Hiltons proxy allows connections to Windows Update, but intercepts other http requests and pops up the “buy internet time”. They probably do this for internal systems management (kiosks etc) or for legal reasons (my system got infected while staying here because you blocked windows updates).
oh, and $200 - wtf
The connection you are posting from is badly set up. It probably relies on Windows Proxy autodetection to configure the browser proxy and redirect connections via the authorisation page. If your browser/OS does not use WPAD, you can connect straight through anyhow. They should use a transparent proxy configuration, where all http connections are redirected via the authorising proxy no matter what.
Yes, the web interception will filter out every address other than “Hilton.com” or Windows update, for example.
For the above reasons, and for security. Some Universities in Canada won’t let you on the network until you pass their rigorous security scans. To do that, they need to limit you to just Windows Updates (and some anti-virus websites for definitions updates), so you can actually update your computer.
Unlike universities, I don’t think Hilton cares about security. In a uni setup you have access to the internal network and that can be a potential security risk. But I doubt Hilton lets you into their internal network.
Two hundred bucks??? Last time I stayed at a Hilton, in-room internet was something around $10 per night. I thought that was too high, so I wireless connected to the lobby internet which was free.