[brickcam]

Hi, thanks for reading. I'm having a software/configuration issue at some airports with free wi-fi: for example, Portland, OR and Sacramento, CA (PDX and SMF). I have a Santa Rosa MacBook Pro. Both of these airports have free public wi-fi, and I can connect to it running Windows under Bootcamp with no issues, but in OS X this is what happens:

I see the network and connect to it. I get full bars. Open a web browser: no connectivity whatsoever. I think I remember checking and verifying that I had received a DCHP address and even tried renewing it. I tried various different browsers. I connect with no problem to various home and office wi-fi networks.

I'm pretty confident it is software/configuration, and additionally it seems like it's related to not seeing the splash TOC screen these networks also show before they connect you online. Any ideas are very welcome. Thank you.

[Wiskedjak]

Not sure if this is the case for you, but hotspots broadcasting as "Free Public WiFi" are usually computer-to-computer networks and may be a scam to try and hack into your computer.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13554_3-9941355-33.html
http://www.wlanbook.com/free-public-wifi-ssid/

[Big Mac]

I have found that connecting to a public WAP sometimes requires you to try various URLs in order for the router to trap and route your request to their login site. One time I was trying to connect at a Starbucks and couldn't resolve any host. I had to look at the ad for the hotspot that showed the tiny URL field to find the site it wanted me to go to, and then I got it to work. If you can't figure it out, ask for instructions at a counter on how to login. Assuming it's a legitimate hot spot, that is.

[brickcam]

Thanks to both of you for your messages. I'm talking about legitimate systems: at PDX the SSID is 'flypdx', and like I mentioned, I connect fine using XP under BootCamp.

Maybe it is a URL-dependent thing: I tried various sites, but had no luck. Under XP it "traps" me no matter what page I ask for.

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by brickcam 

Thanks to both of you for your messages. I'm talking about legitimate systems: at PDX the SSID is 'flypdx', and like I mentioned, I connect fine using XP under BootCamp.

Cool. The words in your title were just coincidence, then. The words "Free Public WiFi" throw up red flags for me whenever I see them.

[brickcam]

Yeah, true. Those false networks are very common.

[Cold Warrior]

check your browser settings in OS X. Turn off any pop-up blocking and ad blocking and turn on javascript, accept all cookies, and turn on java as well. Also clear your browser's cache.

Also try a different browser. If Safari in OS X doesn't work to give you the sign-up page then try Firefox.

[brickcam]

Good advice for anyone with networking problems.

I tried various browsers, as you and I both wrote in our posts, and although I didn't specifically address OS X's browser settings, it's my suspicion that isn't the problem, as I don't recall changing them since the problem arose.

If anyone has other ideas I welcome them. It's slightly difficult to troubleshoot since I'm not there, but that's just how this is going to be

[brickcam]

I'm surprised no-one else has this problem.

[Simon]

I have seen something similar too. But usually I just go to one of my bookmarked pages in Safari and hit reload several times. Within a few tries I usually get rerouted to the authentication page for the airport wifi.

Just to make sure, you are connected, right? Do you get to the point where you see three or four bars of wifi network?

[brickcam]

Ok. Yes, I have good connectivity with full bars under both OS's.

I have tried reloading pages like that too... sometimes at home I wait for my router to catch up while I reload. But it doesn't work at the airport, no.

[Simon]

Do you use network location setting or the automatic setting?

Sometimes it helps to create a new location, apply that, and then connect through Airport.

[brickcam]

No, I haven't tried that. Thanks.