The present application describes, inter alia, novel techniques to perform pre-evaluations of multiple Wi-Fi Access Points (AP) and Access Networks (AN). A pre-evaluation determines whether or not an AP is connected to the Internet and measures the path performance that the AN, via that particular AP, can offer between the mobile device and a pre-specified Internet host. In addition, the invention also discloses methods to determine whether the AN requires a user to actively authenticate themselves through a redirect log-on page.