Can I set up an Echo on an open WiFi?

[CarmenAdams]

My 95 year old grandmother is blind and bed ridden at a nursing home. Obviously none of us can visit her and it’s been really hard on us all. I recently learned about drop-ins and think this would be the answer to a lot of our problems being able to communicate with her. If we could set up an echo for her and then allow family members to drop in and talk with her it would be the best thing ever! Because she is bedridden and blind she does not feel comfortable picking up the phone when we call because she can never put it back up on the hook. The only issue is that the nursing home has Open Wi-Fi and I’ve never been able to successfully set up a Google home or an Alexa. Does anyone have any idea what I can do to set up a secure Wi-Fi network for her so that we can get her set up?

Please help me figure this out!

[renegade600]

depends on the type of network.  for example-alexa cannot be setup on ad-hoc networks.

[jwlv]

You might be out of luck since most devices will refuse to connect through an open Wifi.

One way around it is to use your own secure Access Point which connects to the open Wifi. Your Google Home or Echo device will then connect to your Access Point instead of the open Wifi.

Given that the open Wifi is not under your control, it is unlikely that you can have direct access to it and therefore you cannot change any settings on the open Wifi.

CNET has a writeup on how to set up an Access Point:
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-turn-an-old-wi-fi-router-into-an-access-point/
 

[CarmenAdams]

Would I need to work with the IT person at the nursing home? I keep hitting dead ends but it would change her life if we could figure this out. I just need to know what to do!

[renegade600]

Would I need to work with the IT person at the nursing home? I keep hitting dead ends but it would change her life if we could figure this out. I just need to know what to do!

yea, it would be best if you can talk to that person and see what they can do.