Show HN: The Wifi Block – Let your guests connect to WiFi with just a tap

Show HN: The Wifi Block – Let your guests connect to WiFi with just a tap(thewifiblock.com)

34 points by jgaudette 5 years ago | 42 comments

Rotten194 5 years ago |

Cool product! I wouldn't worry about the HN naysayers too much (very "just use rsync to a VPS"-esque vibe here). I think you should clarify on your site that the app is only required for setting up the block, and that your guests won't need it -- I knew that from using the NFC wifi feature before, but not everyone does, and right now centering the app makes it seem like everyone will need it. You could also maybe make a business-centric landing page? I think this would go over GREAT with coffee shops etc. Especially if you have the option to get a logo image engraved instead of just text. Not sure how possible that is with your current setup, though -- I know laser cutters can do an image, but it needs to be SVG or another vector format I think? Maybe you could use the Inkscape auto-vectorizer to do that conversion for raster images, though (it's usable from a script IIRC).

Cool business! Good luck!

jgaudette 5 years ago | |

Thank you so much for the kind words and support! These are all great points that you brought up! We'll be adding a new feature shortly that will allow companies to upload logos and we will (albeit manually like you mentioned) convert them to vectors.

I can't thank you enough for the positive/constructive feedback. It's really hard creating something new and staying positive with all the naysayers!

obilgic 5 years ago |

Instead of explaining the tech and how it works, the site is just asking me to pick one of the wood species...

0-_-0 5 years ago | |

They don't want you to know it can be done with a $1 NFC sticker

bb88 5 years ago | | |

Is it still $1? I thought the price had dropped by now.

setr 5 years ago | |

I imagine this is mostly for retail businesses, airbnb, etc. In which case, the technical details don't really matter -- if it works, then it just needs to look good, and that's the end of it.

But anyways for HN purposes, the hints are there -- WiFi Easy Connect Protocol exists as a standard; NFC requirement specified in the text;

It's a wooden wrapper around an NFC sticker that's being set to include the details necessary for WiFi Easy Connect to ... connect to your wifi.

Technically, I don't think this is notable at all really. The fact that its possible, and the imagination of having a simple block to slap your phone against when you enter a random shop/restaurant, are the main notable aspects.

Sitewise, it's ugly with no real color scheme, stupidly large spacing and gaps, and doesn't seem to be well tested (can't scroll the example images on mobile, they're entirely missing on desktop)

But content wise, this is pretty much ideal from an HN complaint perspective -- it's extremely clear about what they're selling you -- the only thing missing is that there's no pricing information on the front-page, for what I imagine is a single-price object

edit: Actually this site is pretty annoyingly broken, with clear bugs all over the place. And for god knows what reason, the chosen font (non-changeable?) is some kind of abomination of comic sans? The Peach Pit font on the front page is clearly cleaner and more professional -- why not just keep using that? For what was a pretty reasonably simple and pretty neat little product, the site has really turned me off of it.

wccrawford 5 years ago | |

https://www.digitaltrends.com/how-to/diy-nfc-coasters/

Seems like phones have an easy way to make your own DIY stickers, but I'm sure it's just a standard format that you could write with any username/pw/ap that you wanted.

nirav72 5 years ago |

I bought a pack of dozen NFC stickers for $5. Slapped them underneath drink coasters. They work well.

bb88 5 years ago | |

Yeah, and if you didn't want to do a coaster, you could easily make your own, or put it behind a picture in a frame.

ikornaselur 5 years ago |

So it's a $40 piece of wood with a NFC sticker in it? Feels like it would be cheaper to just print out a QR code and get people to point their camera at it to connect. Could even order a super cheap NFC sticker and stick it to the back of the QR code.

jgaudette 5 years ago | |

Hi there! At a basic level yes you are absolutely right. The wood however has to be rough cut, assembled with the NFC tag, precision cut, routed multiple times, sanded, laser engraved, and then have multiple coats of acrylic sealant applied to it. Not bad for only $40?

We hope that others will find a custom designed Wifi Block sitting on their shelf a lot more appealing than a printed QR code with a sticker on it, but only time will tell!

ikornaselur 5 years ago | | |

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's a quality product that you provide (I'm assuming you're affiliated with this). I just don't remember the last time I had to give anyone access to my WiFi (everyone's just on mobile these days), and when it has been required it's usually for laptops (which couldn't use this.. Nor a QR code for that matter)

Maybe other people would find better use for this, but for the past years I've just set my WiFi password to something I remember and in the rare cases people want to connect, I just tell them the password.

The WiFi block looks nice though!

bb88 5 years ago | | |

So, how about a $4 or $5 version which is the size of a coaster and only has the wifi symbol on it? You could have them manufactured in china by the thousands for a few pennies apiece.

8fingerlouie 5 years ago |

It it's anything like the Wifi Porter (https://tenonedesign.com/porter) i purchased a few years ago, then it's a somewhat decorative way of getting guests online.

I have a couple of them, one for guests, one for the kids network, and they're in use almost daily. Still need a couple for my vacation house, so maybe this will fit :)

whb07 5 years ago |

Interesting! You’re using NFC to pass over the WiFi keys etc? How is it that you’re negotiating and getting the NFC to trigger the WiFi password input?

dingaling 5 years ago |

A very confusing choice of name, I assumed at first reading that it was 'block' as in the verb, to prevent guests from connecting to WiFi.

m-p-3 5 years ago |

I did my own cheaply-made "WiFi Block" for my guest network with an old CD jewel case, a printed piece of paper with a WiFi symbol, the SSID name and a QR code specially formatted to create a connection, as well as a small NFC sticker under that piece of paper programmed with the same information.

So far it works well, and makes a nice conversation piece with new guests :)

searchableguy 5 years ago |

Tapping phone seems awkward. You can just scan a barcode and most phones have support for that whereas NFC doesn't seem as widely supported?

floatinglotus 5 years ago |

What does “widely supported” actually mean? What an odd thing to write on a tech product page.

jgaudette 5 years ago | |

Thank you for the feedback! Widely supported is clarified more on the footer of that section, and also in the FAQ. We'll take a look at making it more explicit though, I appreciate you bringing it to our attention. While being a technology product, our main customer focus is not to technical people, and therefore need to strike a balance between too heavy technical terms and details and getting our value proposition across.

iPhone's from iPhone 7 and up are supported in setting up the Wifi block, and iPhone X's and above support the guest functionality of tapping to connect to Wifi.

Most Android devices created from 2018 and after are supported. A good way to know if your device would be supported or not is whether or not you use Android or Apple pay.

Thanks again for taking a look and your feedback!

aaron695 5 years ago |

This is very cool.

Combining tech, with oldie wood, with I assume tech to cut it.

Need more of this in the world.

I hope it does well for you.

beachy 5 years ago | |

Wood's cool factor is underrated.

I worked with a salesman in Sweden. We sold very expensive mainframe software. One of his things was, when someone signed up, to present them their copies of the contracts in a beautiful slimline rosewood briefcase that the customer got to keep. So beautiful it made your eyes water to look at it.

Of course he brought one to meetings so the customer could form a longing for it. It seemed like he may have buffed it with furniture wax as well, perhaps there was an olfactory element at work too.

Without doubt this object of desire moved the needle significantly in getting people over the line on a sale, they wanted the wooden briefcase so badly. He was extremely successful.

NavinF 5 years ago |

> device must have nfc capability and be connected to the desired wifi for programming

How does that work? Does the user have to open the Wifi settings page on their phone, tap on the correct SSID, and then tap their phone on this NFC device?

greatjack613 5 years ago |

I am more curious about the technical aspect.

I could not find any android documentation on building wifi nfc tags that are automatically connected to by the system.

Can someone explain how this is working? Hidden apis? A NFC spec, or something else?

parliament32 5 years ago | |

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/provider/Set...

https://source.android.com/devices/tech/connect/wifi-easy-co...

wccrawford 5 years ago | |

https://www.digitaltrends.com/how-to/diy-nfc-coasters/ This has some steps to use your phone to create the NFC Sticker.

gryn 5 years ago |

Why not just use the WPS WiFi button ? most internet routers have it nowadays.

jgaudette 5 years ago | |

Absolutely an option! Unfortunately for a lot of people the router is hidden away. For those renting their house on airbnb or similar, the last thing you want your guest to have to do is hunt for the router. We hope having a customized Wifi block next to your entrance would make the experience awesome!

cooper12 5 years ago | |

WPS is considered insecure.

murkle 5 years ago | |

WPS doesn't work with Android 10 (or 11) https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/07/18/android-p-doesnt-su...

rexreed 5 years ago |

Pardon my ignorance but how would this work if you're trying to connect your laptop or a non-phone device (Chromebook, Kindle tablet, etc.).

Is this for only connecting NFC-enabled smartphones?

anotheryou 5 years ago |

Should definitely also engrave the name + password or at least a QR-code.

I had an NFC sticker in my kitchen and for many it didn't work. QR worked much better.

ta17711771 5 years ago | |

I take it you don't roll passwords very often.

stephenr 5 years ago |

This is for largely android Users right?

If you’re at my house but not in my or my wife’s contacts (and thus it can’t request access to our wifi automatically) I doubt I want you to have wifi access anyway.

snazz 5 years ago | |

It’s mostly for retail businesses that would otherwise write Wi-Fi passwords on signs.

fillskills 5 years ago |

Reaching out about a bulk purchase