[sharifjanjua]

Hey guys,

I just got a ibook g4 and airport wirless card. I want to go online at starbucks. I have bought the t-mobile membership and have a login. I read on t-mobiles hotspot site that "All you have to do is open your browser and itll direct you to a login page at t-mobile." Well I know im not configured right because when I open a browser it says unable to connect. I installed my software, and besides that any one know what I could do or where to look. Please excuse the noob nature of this but I havent found anything here or on google about this.

[ghporter]

Welcome to the MacNN Forums! We're glad you came here to ask your question.

First things first, PLEASE reserve large type sizes for special emphasis and not for the entire message! It sort of jumps out at the reader!

Now, it sounds like you've identified a problem, but we need more information before we can get down to helping you. Let's start with "I installed my software." WHAT software did you install? If it's the stuff T-Mobile gave you, that's quite possibly what the problem needs. A Mac shouldn't need ANYTHING to use a Starbucks hot spot but the browser that came with it (or Firefox, my favorite).

Further, the specific settings for your AirPort card would be helpful. Go to System Preferences under the Apple menu, and select "Network," then choose the AirPort card from the little drop down menu. There will be 4 tabs including "TCP/IP"; let us know what each one says.

Again, welcome!

[sharifjanjua]

Yes sorry about the font size I just wanted to make it easyer for the reader but I didnt consider it anoyig peoples eyes

I installed the software that came with the airport card. I only bought the card and not the base station.

When I go to 'network' it has a yellow dot next to my airport and says " AirPort is turned on but is not connected to a network. "

Location: Automatic

Show: AirPort

The Tabs

1. AirPort

Airport ID 00:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
By Default Join: Automatic

2. TCP/IP

Configure IPv4: Using DHCP

None of the other feilds have info entered.

3. Apple Talk

No feilds have info enterened.

4. Proxies

Use Passive FTP mode (PASV) has been checked, other than that there is nothing entered in any field.

Hope this helps, and I didnt DL or run any tmobile software. I dont think there is any.

[ghporter]

When you're at a hotspot, is there an AirPort icon at the top of the screen? It should look like a set of arcs growing larger as they go higher. If these arcs are all gray, the card is not picking up a signal, if some or all are black, then it is. If you get NO or very little signal, then when you installed the card you probably didn't get the antenna cable plugged in properly or at least not all the way. It goes WAY in...

[sharifjanjua]

Ok yes I have seen them glow and I know I put the antenna cable in properly. So when the AirPort icon is glowing thats when I should open my browser and recieve the promt from t-mobile to sign in?

Oh btw I use firefox, should I change the settings at all?

[sharifjanjua]

I just went and opened the ibook up and in the "Network Status" window it has a green light next to my "AirPort" icon. I opened the browser but it still came back as unable to establish a connection. Should I go inside the building? I am antisocial and hoped I could do this from the car. Help please!

[ghporter]

Have you turned off pop-up blocking? I've read up on T-Mobile's system, and it allows you to log on through a pop-up. Safari's blocker seems to be particularly effective on this particular pop-up, so that could be all the problem is.

[sharifjanjua]

thank you sooo much I think thats what it is. I use firefox and it dosent allow pop ups

[ghporter]

You can selectively allow popups in Firefox. Under Tools|Options|Content the popup blocker has a checkbox and a button labeled "Allowed Sites." You could turn off popup blocking until you're logged in and observe the URL of where that particular popup came from. Once you have that, plug it into "Allowed Sites" and you should get the (desired) popup every time.