Patent ID: 8296428

Claim:
A method for automatically detecting internet access redirection of a wireless device, comprising the steps of: automatically detecting a connection of a wireless device to a wireless hotspot network; responsive to the automatic detection of the connection, sending a request for a resolution of a first domain name to a first internet protocol address, via the wireless hotspot network, addressed to an internet server known not to implement redirection, wherein the first domain name is known to resolve to an internet protocol address which ordinarily reverse resolves back to the first domain name; receiving response data via the wireless hotspot network, wherein the response data comprises the first internet protocol address resolved from the first domain name; and based on a discrepancy between the response data and expected response data from the internet server, determining that the wireless hotspot network is redirecting internet access of the wireless device, wherein the step of determining that the wireless hotspot network is redirecting internet access of the wireless device comprises: via the wireless hotspot network, requesting reverse resolution of the first internet protocol address to a second domain name; responsive to requesting the reverse resolution, receiving the second domain name reverse resolved from the first internet protocol address via the wireless hotspot network; and based on a discrepancy between the first domain name and the second domain name, determining that the wireless hotspot network is using domain name system redirection to redirect internet access of the wireless device.