[EricScott]

This may be a stupid question so let me apologize in advance. Have had the Bold for a couple weeks and am very happy with it. Just started messing around w/ wifi the last few days (have a pretty solid 3G signal in most places so haven't really needed it) and this is my first BB w/ wifi. When I go into my Browser options it lists 4 different browsers under "Browser Configuration":

Hotspot Browser
Blackberry Browser
Internet Browser
MediaNet

Under Options / Advanced Options / Browser I have my defaults set as follows:

Default browser config: Internet Browser
Default MDS browser config: BlackBerry Browser
Default WAP browser config: MediaNet

For my Internet Browser and HotSpot browsers I have "Browser Identification" set to "Internet Explorer", for the others I have it set to "BlackBerry" - this lets me view the real HTML web pages on most sites (or at least that's my understanding).

Ok so now here's my question - do I need to be in the Hotspot Browser to be using WiFi? In other words if I have WiFi turned on and I just click on a regular bookmark (which I have set to use the Internet Browser) will it be using Wifi or will it be using my regular wireless connection (e.g. EDGE or 3G)?

I'm hoping that if Wifi is on, it just automatically gives you the added speed regardless of which browser you are using. If that is the case, then what is the point of the Hotspot browser.

And if that's not the case (e.g. I need to be in the Hotspot browser), how do I manually get in there? I have separate browser icons for the Internet Browser and for MediaNet but that's it.

While we are on this topic, I always wondered what the BlackBerry browser does vs. the Internet Browser (MediaNet I know is AT&T's ghetto WAP browser which I never use).

Sorry for the longwinded post but I just want to make sure I am understanding things correctly. BB really doesn't make this stuff easy. It took me a while to figure out the "Browser Identification" settings.

Thanks in advance.

[Foxglove]

When I use wifi I use the hotspot browser. How I do it is I open my browser, go to bookmarks page and then click on wifi hotspot log in, I get a message saying that I am connected (my home network) hit menu bookmarks again and select a page I want to go to or select 'go to' to type an address. There is a noticable speed difference.

There may be an easier method but I don't use wifi a great deal.

Doing it this way I keep my internet browser as my default without having to change it all the time.

I have :-

hotspot browser
Internet broswer
o2 wap browser.

No sign of a blackberry browser anywhere.

I can also use the hotspot browser when out and about to sign into BT openzones wifi services for free as part of my broadband package I have log in details for this which appear when connected.

I hope this helps and if someone has a better way hopefully they will post it

[EricScott]

Originally Posted by Foxglove

When I use wifi I use the hotspot browser. How I do it is I open my browser, go to bookmarks page and then click on wifi hotspot log in, I get a message saying that I am connected (my home network) hit menu bookmarks again and select a page I want to go to or select 'go to' to type an address. There is a noticable speed difference.

Thanks that's helpful....not really what I wanted to hear but helpful.

So I understand the part about going to your Bookmarks and there is a "Wifi Services" folder w/ one bookmark "Wi-Fi Hotspot Login" (was on my Bold when I got it and you can't delete it). But if you then go to one of your other bookmarks, does it not load it in the default browser assigned when you created that bookmark? When I create a bookmark, there is a field called "Browser" and you have to choose one of the browsers....I usually go w/ "Internet Browser"....I guess you could have two versions of your bookmarks - one w/ Internet Browser and one w/ Hotspot Browser but that seems really impractical.

BTW, I am on BES which is I believe why I have the BlackBerry browser as well...are you on BIS?

Thanks again

[Foxglove]

Yes I'm on BIS.

But if you open your bookmarks FROM the hotspot browser menu it uses the wifi connection. Browser > Hotsopt log in >menu> bookmarks.

If you use 'go to' from the hotspot log in bookmark you can then probably save the page as a bookmark under the wifi options but I do not want two of everything.

If you just go to browser icon then open bookmarks you are using the internet browser.

My way may be very long winded way but it works for me :D

[EricScott]

Makes sense....will mess around with it. Thanks

[DonFL]

I agree the browser is not as intutive as it was on the 8700, mainly because of so many more features. This definitely clarifies..I wasn't quite sure just how to use the hotspot browser, but I do now (I think..).

Of course, out of all the websites I use from my BB, AOL is the only one that seems to be a pain..e-mail font is micrscopic no matter what you use for settings...but, I guess I'm not surprised.

Is there a doc out there that talks about the browsers in depth? Sounds like a good tutorial topic.

[EricScott]

Well let me ask you this. If I turn off the wireless radio and leave wifi on so it is the only connection I have and I start the browser and click on one of my regular bookmarks it loads pretty damn quickly. Also created a bbf bookmark for both the internet browser and the hotspot browser and with all connections turned on tried one right after the other (exited the browser in between) and the load times seem almost the same. Leads me to believe that wifi is always working. But who knows?

[EricScott]

Check out this post (and this thread)

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...ml#post1184274

Seems like Wifi is always active no matter which browser you use. The Hotspot Browser is for entering a password before you can access the Internet on certain Wifi networks. Makes sense.