can someone explain "ask to join networks" to me

[jdeproductions]

can someone explain "ask to join networks" to me

i can read the little description below the on/off switch but can someone break it down for my "slow" a** - i dont understand it..

thanks -

[lakerboichris]

ok, im by no means an expert but, i think it just means if you are using an app that requires wi-fi it will ask you if you want to join a network, for example today I was walking home, went on the wether app and a message said do you want to join the network .......... Hope this helps

[Sparkee]

When you join a WIFI network you are asked if you want to join it. Once you say OK and type in a required password (if you are using encryption) it will add this to a "keychain" and automatically join that network in the future. When your normal wireless network is not available and the touch sees a new network with a different name, it will ask you if you wish to join it. Once you agree it will be added to your keychain allowing it to automatically connect to it in the future and not ask you again for that network. If you find your touch joining a neighbors open network, you accidentally agreed to join, instead of your own select it in the list in Settings/WIFI-Networks then select the "Forget this Network". It will then be removed from the keychain preventing it from interfering with the touch connecting to your own network. It can be added again at a later date if you wish by selecting it in the list.

Turning "Ask to join networks" off would allow the touch to automatically join any unprotected WIFI network with out asking you for confirmation. Any encrypted network will still prompt you for a password.

I believe the touch builds this keychain using the SSID or name assigned to the network rather than it's MAC address. If someone sets up a WIFI router with the default settings the touch will auto connect to other similar setups with out asking since it's common settings are the same as others. Kind of handy when traveling.

[pdp76]

I have a question also along these lines regarding forgetting wireless networks. It seems that in order to "forget" a network you have to be in its range so that it shows up in your list and then select it to forget it. What if you connect to a wifi network at a friend's house, leave and never go there again. I'm assuming the wifi network will still be in your "keychain" or whatever, but since you'll never see the network again, how can you "forget" it? Or is this possible?

[Sparkee]

I would suspect the touch has a limited keychain in which older networks would be removed when room is needed to add new ones. I don't think it's really necessary to forget older networks unless it is auto-connecting to the wrong network. Where it comes in handy is if your touch is connecting to your neighbors network first instead of your own since it remembers the networks in order you first connected to them. Forgetting the neighbor's network would help get your network higher on the list so it connects first instead of the neighbors when it sees both.