Issue

When connecting a in-flight or hotel WiFi network, the device fails to get internet.

Solution

Temporarily disable Glacier MTD on your device.

Why this happens

Public Wi-Fi networks in places like hotels, airports, and airplanes often use captive portals – those login or “Accept terms” web pages you see before getting internet access. If you have Glacier MTD (Private DNS) enabled on your iOS or Android device, you might need to turn it off when connecting to these networks.

Why Glacier MTD (Private DNS) Can Interfere with Captive Portals

Captive portals rely on the Wi-Fi network being able to direct your device to the correct login page. Glacier MTD (Private DNS) can prevent your device from being directed to that page, essentially leaving you stuck without internet. Here’s what happens in simple terms:

• The Wi-Fi network tries to guide you: When you connect to a public hotspot, the network expects to show you a welcome/login page. It does this by using its own DNS instructions (its “phonebook”) to send you to that special page automatically.
• Private DNS means your phone isn’t listening: If Private DNS is turned on, your phone isn’t using the Wi-Fi network’s “phonebook” at all – it’s using Glacier’s private, encrypted one elsewhere. It’s as if the Wi-Fi is giving your device directions to the front-desk, but your device brought its own map. The network’s directions (to the login page) get ignored.
• Result: No login page, no internet: Since your device bypassed the Wi-Fi’s normal lookup system, the login page fails to load. Your phone might show a message like “Connecting…” or “No Internet Connection,” because it never got to the page where you tap “Agree” or log in. In effect, you’re connected to the Wi-Fi signal but not actually online yet. This is why many public Wi-Fi networks won’t work properly until Private DNS is disabled.
• Turning Private DNS off fixes the issue: When you disable Private DNS, your phone falls back to the Wi-Fi network’s DNS. That way, the network can redirect you to its login page as intended. You can then see the portal, sign in or accept terms, and get online. Once you’ve passed the captive portal, you can usually turn your Private DNS back on if you want.