I am really pleased to see that the unsung heros at IMDA.gov.sg have finally provided information about how to connect to the Wireless@SGx network for the growing group of users who only use Linux as their primary operating system on their laptops.

I’ve documented the trials and frustrations over the years about Wireless@SGx, and it is finally no longer something that we have to decipher, reverse engineer and break in order to use.

For the longest time, we have to decode what the registration protocol was. All of this was very cleverly reverse engineered by zerotypic and published on github.

I’ve been using that method to connect all of my laptops to the Wireless@SGx sites all these years.

But, sometime in July 2024 (why, because the IMDA page says it was “Last Updated 01 AUG 2024”), something changed. There as a new method to connect to Wireless@SGx that was introduced.

It provides information for those with a local SIM card for the usual devices and another method for non-SIM card devices like laptops, tablets etc.

They could have said “Linux/Android/ChromeOS/Windows & Other Operating Systems”, but they did not. And since Android and ChromeOS are Linux anyway, I guess, if you know, you know.

I hope this blog post will help nudge the folks at IMDA to update that site to state the obvious.

Once you click on the “Setup Now” button, you would be presented with a T&Cs page and once that is acknowledged, the following screen, for a three-step process:

Pick a provider, provide a DOB and a mobile phone number (ie, it can be anyone from anywhere), click on the “I agree to the terms and conditions” box (will only be clickable once you have picked a provider), answer the captcha and then click on the “Next” button.

An SMS is sent with a 6 digit code which you need to enter following which the next screen, shown below, will contain the needed information to log into any Wireless@SGx location.

Note: You can set this up ahead of time and not have to wait until you get to a Wireless@SGx location to setup.

There are three bits of information that is provided: the username, the password and the “Provider’s Domain name“. The last one is something new and will be different for the different providers.

For ease of use and future reference, here are the 4 Provider’s Domain names. I have no idea if the Provider’s Domain name will ever change, but if it does, please inform me or file an issue at the github page so that it can be updated.

Provider Domain Names:

Singtel	singtel-wsg.singtel.com
M1	rinoa.m1net.com.sg
SIMBA/TPG	tpgmobile.sg
Starhub	uniaaa2.wifi.starhub.net.sg

On my Fedora Linux 41system, I updated the Wireless settings dialog box:

You would place the username into the “Anonymous identity” AND “Username” boxes, the Provider’s Domain name in the “Domain” box, and the password in the “Password” box.

And that was all that was needed to be done.

But we will keep the github project still alive in case there is a regression and disconnects Linux users.

Why use Wireless@SGx?

People have asked me why I would want to use Wireless@SGx given that the 5G network is widely available and the bundled data is enormous and that I can just turn on the wireless hotspot on my mobile to have the laptop to connect.

Yes, that will work.

But the Wireless@SGx is a service that offloads from the cellular network and therefore the Right Thing to do.

In any case, I do have my mobile phone(s) and my laptop(s) connect to my wireguard end point (using a pivpn+pihole setup), so all traffic is always encrypted making the use of a public hotspot that Wireless@SGx is, just fine and not a security concern.