System and method for wide area wireless connectivity to the internet

A system and method for managing access to a Wi-Fi system include redirecting an access request, comprising a user credential, from a wireless user device to an authentication server, obtaining, from a first database, a list of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, the list including a protocol required for communication with each of the authentication databases, transmitting a request to each of the listed authentication databases using the identified protocol, and permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system if the user is authenticated by at least one of the listed authentication databases.