IPad connection to free WiFi hotspots

I connect my iPad (WiFI model) to hotspots in Starbucks, hotels, Boingo - no problem. On a recent rip thru airports and NY train stations, I cannot access to the Internet via "free WiFi hotspots". The iPad shows a strong WiFi connection but a message comes up "Cannot access the Internet". Anybody have a solution?
Gary

I'm having similar issues too.
When I was on vacation recently at Phuket, I was attempting to login to the hotel's free wifi. As what Dan said, after selecting the SSID from the list of wifi spots; there is a Safari page that will require you to login with some credentials. Sometimes this takes a while, sometimes it is faster.
As I said, my recent trip, I am able to key in the username/password, but when I click on "connect" or "login"; nothing happens. Even when I wait for, like, 20 minutes to see if anything comes up; nothing.
Hence, I thought it might be an issue with the hotel's free wifi (note that at this point in time, both my iP4 and iP3GS have no issues logging on in the same way).
Just today, I tried logging into the free wifi at our community library, again the same thing happened. Both iPhones are able to log on. But iPad - after keying in username/password and clicking on "connect" results in nothing.
Any idea what might be the cause? I can logon to my home wifi (thank GOD!). But from time-to-time, I face the issue of the iPad telling me, "Unable to join [SSID]".
Is it likely a hard-ware issue?
Thanks.

Similar Messages

IPad connects to free WiFi Hotspots, but NOT on my home WiFi network

First, let me say that I have my iMac and a PC laptop working on my home WiFi network with no problems. My iPad connected to my home WiFi network for several months until about a week ago or so, somewhere around the time that I updated my iPad to OS 4.3.3.
In the General settings section I have reset the NETWORK setting several times to no avail. I changed my network SSID twice, and changed my WAP2 password 3 times. My iMac and PC laptop worked like a charm for each change. But, like I said, my iPad has no issues connecting to free WiFi hotspots like at coffee shops, but "cannot join my Clearwire WiFi network" at home.
My guess is that I have an OS issue, but if anybody knows anything better, please let me know.
Thank you.

I think the OS issue is with the password because free WiFi hotspots don't require passwords. So, all of my RF circuits are fine. My password is correct because when I changed it in the Clearwire WiMax modem\router, I was able to connect with the new password on my iMac and PC laptop with no problems.
I have a 3 month old Clearwire 4G modem\router. My iPad worked great from the day I installed it. It stopped working around the time that I updated my iPad OS to 4.3.3.
I am hoping that there is an OS fix because I had Clearwire on the phone for over an hour and we re-booted the modem\router several times and reset it to its default values. Again, I have no problems connecting with my iMac or PC laptop. They work like a charm, just like my iPad used to.

Problem with connecting to free wifi after upgrading to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8

Hi
I had problems with connecting to free Wifi after upgrading my PC(Notebook) to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8. As I travel a lot within europe, I am used to being able to connect to Free Wifi(those that dont need a key or password to enter) but soon after downloading
Windows 8.1 I almost never was able to do this. I'd always get «LIMITED» even though the signal was strong.This was so fustrating,so much so that I reset my PC to clear it of Windows 8.1 and am now back to Windows 8.This is a shame because I was really liking
using Windows 8.1 and if not for this problem(which is a big one) I'd still be using it. If I download Windows 8.1 again from the Windows store what is the probability that I'll have the same problems?
Thanks Portozzygirl

More often than not when a device isn't working it is because the driver has become corrupted. Re-installing a fresh copy should help
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Update-a-driver-for-hardware-that-isnt-working-properly?SignedIn=1
http://captaindbg.com/how-to-update-drivers-on-windows-7/ (works on win 8 too)
Wanikiya and Dyami--Team Zigzag

X6 - Can't connect to free wifi spots

I'm having a problem connecting to free wifi spots, eg McDonalds etc.
My X6 can see there is a wifi network but when I try to connect it asks for the pre-shared key. As far as I know the free wifi (McD) doesn't have a key???
Is there a setting I need to enable first?
FWIW I can connect to my home/work protected wifi networks fine.
Thank.

It sounds that a key is really needed even though it is free.
Try using Opera Mobile/Mini as the browser and let us know what you see.
At my local McD, it will bring up a registration page for the cloud wi-fi. However, I have an O2 sim, so the nokia web browser keeps asking if I have a O2 wi-fi plan (which I don't), but never let me go any further.
Opera mobile (or mini, can't remember which) sorts this out ...

Had to get new hard disk for my macbook. After installing snow leopard on new HD the computer only connects to free wifi at certain places and not others. Took it to genius bar (of course it worked find there!) they said it was fine. Not!

Had to get new hard disk for my macbook. After installing snow leopard on new HD the computer only connects to free wifi at certain places and not others. Took it to genius bar (of course it worked find there!) they said it was fine. But problem persist.

Hi there ricalimo,
I would recommend taking a look at the troubleshooting steps in the article below. If the issue is location specific, than you may want to save the article so you can perform troubleshooting when you are experiencing trouble.
Wi-Fi: How to troubleshoot Wi-Fi connectivity
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4628
-Griff W.

Connecting to a Wifi HotSpot Login

Hi all,
I am trying to connect to a wifi hotspot login, everything works fine till I get to the login page where I just have a blank screen. I have tried the same connection with another brand phone and it works.
Anyone as an idea what shall I do to be able to see the login page?
Thanks,
Reynald

Hey rey_fyre,
Welcome to the BlackBerry Support Community Forums.
Try adding the MAC address of the BlackBerry smartphone to the accepted MAC address list for the Wi-Fi network.
How to find the MAC address of a Wi-Fi enabled BlackBerry smartphone: http://btsc.webapps.blackberry.com/btsc/KB13233
Cheers!
-HB
Come follow your BlackBerry Technical Team on twitter! @BlackBerryHelp
Be sure to click Kudos! for those who have helped you.Click Solution? for posts that have solved your issue(s)!

I can not get my ipod 4 gen to log into Free Wifi hotspots. It shows that it is connected but I have to internet activity. I was at several hotspot locations last night and could not get on any, but other people were. HELP.

I can not get my Ipod 4 Gen to log into free WIFI hot spots. It shows that I am connected but I have no internet activity. I was in several hot spots last night and could not log in, other people were, but I could not. HELP!

- Did the other users who successfully connected have iDevices?
- Frequently you have to open Safari/a browser and agree to the terms and conditions of the wifi spot before yo can get to the internet. Some wifi spots use Flash or Java to log on which the iPod (and other iDevices) do not support)
- Have you tried resetting network settings: Settings:General>Reset>Reset Network Settings
- Does you Ipod successfully connect at home?.

Trouble connecting to "free" wifi at local establishments

When hanging out at local establishments, I try to take advantage of "free" wifi whenever possible. However, while others in my group connect to the open wifi, it shows up on my phone as TKIP, or ESS secured. Nobody around deems to know what the password is because they are under the assumption that the wifi is open. Why does it show as a secured connection to me, rather than open. I have tried to type in the SSID based on what someone else had connected to, but it still asks me for a password. Not a major issue, but a PITA. Any ideas?
Thanks

Hi andyrm. Taking advantage of WiFi hotspots is a great way to help conserve your data allowance for when you're out and about. Some local establishments may have a set limit of how many people can be connected to their open WiFi at a time. For others, a "free" WiFi still requires a password to connect for the first time. Make sure to double check with the manager at the establishment to see if there's a special password to take advantage of their bonus service.
Also, try scanning for the network and connecting http://bit.ly/PS3G0Z instead of manually adding the connection and SSID. As long as you've turned on your phone's WiFI and are within range of the Hotspot, your phone will list the network instead of needing to enter the SSID manually. If you've already attempted a connection previously and it's saved incorrect information into your WiFi list, tap on the network and choose "Forget" to remove the previously entered settings.
Thank you
JenniferH_VZW
Please follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport

Problem of the iPad connection with the iPhone hotspot after upgrading to iOS 6

Hi guys, this is my problem: I've got an iPhone 4 and an iPad 2. With iOS 5.1.1, installed on both devices, I was able to surf the internet with my iPad through the iPhone hotspot.
I've just installed iOS6 on both devices...now iPad sees the iPhone wi-fi network but it can't connect!
Why?
Thanks for your support

I have a similar problem, using iPhone 4 and iPad 3. I can connect to the iPhone hotspot (iPhone show the blueish bar on top of its screen and says 1connection is active). So far so good, BUT, the iPad gets no symbol (the chain showing its linked) nor internet access. Sometimes the symbol comes but still no internet. By resetting the iPhones network settings I get it to work immidiately after, but after putting my iPad to sleep there will be the same issue over again. Please come up with a solution. Maybe I need to restore both devices? I don't like the idea though. It just works, huh?!?!?

Why won't my ipad connect to the wifi after I updated it to ios 7.1.2

Never have I ever been so upset at an electronic device
If I had know my iPad would cause such distress after this update I wouldn't have attempted it.
Because of this bloody update a plethora of problems have appeared and I have no clue how to fix it.
Firstly at around 4 this morning the wifi connection was spotty so I had to keep on reconnecting, but that was fixed by getting closer to the router. I thought "problem solved no biggie right?" WRONG! I left my house and came back expecting the wifi to connect again, but that was a fail.
SOOOOO I figured I needed to forget the network and log back in. That didnt work. I should not have done that. I should not have done that.
I got the *Unable to join the network. Dismiss* crap over and over and over again!
So now I figured I'd look up some help! Why not give it a go! So i got that whole (general- reset- reset network) with or without turning on airplane mode bs. Didnt work. Trust me I tried both.Twice.
Since that didnt work I figured a reboot would. No. I turned my iPad off so many times I probably gave the poor thing whiplash
Now this has been going on all day and I finally gave in an hour ago and decided if I restore it to the ios 7.1.1 it'll work again.
Well it must be my freakin birthday cause guess what? You have to turn off your icloud's "find my ipad"to restore and to do that you need a........ wait for it................. internet connection!!!! Brilliant. Just. Brilliant. -_-
Do you FEEL my struggle yet????
all my problems...... they all lead to that dang wifi connection. Fml.
Any of you magical smarty pants have any help for this poor unfortunate soul.
it would be much appreciated.
Amnesty

Some things to try first:
1. Turn Off your iPad. Then turn Off (disconnect power cord for 30 seconds or longer) the wireless router & then back On. Now boot your iPad. Hopefully it will see the WiFi.
2. Go to Settings>Wi-Fi and turn Off. Then while at Settings>Wi-Fi, turn back On and chose a Network.
3. Change the channel on your wireless router (Auto or Channel 6 is best). Instructions at
http://macintoshhowto.com/advanced/how-to-get-a-good-range-on-your-wireless-netw ork.html
4. Go into your router security settings and change from WEP to WPA with AES.
5. Renew IP Address: (especially if you are drooping internet connection)
    •    Launch Settings app
    •    Tap on Wi-Fi
    •    Tap on the blue arrow of the Wi-Fi network that you connect to from the list
    •    In the window that opens, tap on the Renew Lease button
6. Potential Quick Fixes When Your iPad Won’t Connect to Your Wifi Network
http://ipadinsight.com/ipad-tips-tricks/potential-quick-fixes-when-your-ipad-won t-connect-to-your-wifi-network/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fix WiFi Issue for iOS 7
http://ipadnerds.com/fix-wifi-issue-ios-7/
iOS 6 Wifi Problems/Fixes
Wi-Fi Fix for iOS 6
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4823738?tstart=240
How To: Workaround iPad Wi-Fi Issues
http://www.theipadfan.com/workaround-ipad-wifi-issues/
Another Fix For iOS 6 WiFi Problems
http://tabletcrunch.com/2012/10/27/fix-ios-6-wifi-problems-ssid/
Wifi Doesn't Connect After Waking From Sleep - Sometimes increasing screen brightness prevents the failure to reconnect after waking from sleep. According to Apple, “If brightness is at lowest level, increase it by moving the slider to the right and set auto brightness to off.”
Fix For iOS 6 WiFi Problems?
http://tabletcrunch.com/2012/09/27/fix-ios-6-wifi-problems/
Did iOS 6 Screw Your Wi-Fi? Here’s How to Fix It
http://gizmodo.com/5944761/does-ios-6-have-a-wi+fi-bug
How To Fix Wi-Fi Connectivity Issue After Upgrading To iOS 6
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2012/09/fix-wi-fi-connectivity-issue-after-upgrading- to-ios-6.html
iOS 6 iPad 3 wi-fi "connection fix" for netgear router
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsWS4ha-dn0
Apple's iOS 6 Wi-Fi problems
http://www.zdnet.com/apples-ios-6-wi-fi-problems-linger-on-7000004799/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
iPad: Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks
http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3304
How to Boost Your Wi-Fi Signal
http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad_Troubleshooting/a/How-To-Boost-Your-Wi-Fi-Signal.hmL
Troubleshooting a Weak Wi-Fi Signal
http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad_Troubleshooting/a/Troubleshooting-A-Weak-Wi-Fi-Signal.htm
How to Fix a Poor Wi-Fi Signal on Your iPad
http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad_Troubleshooting/a/How-To-Fix-A-Poor-Wi-Fi-Signal-O n-Your-iPad.htm
iOS Troubleshooting Wi-Fi networks and connections http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1398
iPad: Issues connecting to Wi-Fi networks http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3304
WiFi Connecting/Troubleshooting http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/wifi/
How to Fix: My iPad Won't Connect to WiFi
http://ipad.about.com/od/iPad_Troubleshooting/ss/How-To-Fix-My-Ipad-Wont-Connect -To-Wi-Fi.htm
iOS: Connecting to the Internet http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1695
iOS: Recommended settings for Wi-Fi routers and access points http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4199
How to Quickly Fix iPad 3 Wi-Fi Reception Problems
http://osxdaily.com/2012/03/21/fix-new-ipad-3-wi-fi-reception-problems/
iPad Wi-Fi Problems: Comprehensive List of Fixes
http://appletoolbox.com/2010/04/ipad-wi-fi-problems-comprehensive-list-of-fixes/
Connect iPad to Wi-Fi (with troubleshooting info)
http://thehowto.wikidot.com/wifi-connect-ipad
10 Ways to Boost Your Wireless Signal
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2372811,00.asp
Fix iPad Wifi Connection and Signal Issues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwWtIG5jUxE
Fix Slow WiFi Issue https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2398063?start=60&tstart=0
How To Fix iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch Wi-Fi Connectivity Issue http://tinyurl.com/7nvxbmz
Unable to Connect After iOS Update - saw this solution on another post.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4010130
Note - When troubleshooting wifi connection problems, don't hold your iPad by hand. There have been a few reports that holding the iPad by hand, seems to attenuate the wifi signal.
Some Wi-Fi losses may stem from a problematic interaction between Wi-Fi and cellular data connections. Numerous users have found that turning off Cellular Data in Settings gets their Wi-Fi working again.
You may have many apps open which can possibly cause the slowdown and possibly the loss of wifi. In iOS 4-6 double tap your Home button & at the bottom of the screen you will see the icons of all open apps. Close those you are not using by pressing on an icon until all icons wiggle - then tap the minus sign. For iOS 7 users, there’s an easy way to see which apps are open in order to close them. By double-tapping the home button on your iPhone or iPad, the new multitasking feature in iOS 7 shows full page previews of all your open apps. Simply scroll horizontally to see all your apps, and close the apps with a simple flick towards the top of the screen.
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth settings grayed out or dim
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1559
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If any of the above solutions work, please post back what solved your problem. It will help others with the same problem.
 Cheers, Tom

Lenovo s660 not connect to laptop wifi hotspot

Hi,
I have lenovo s660 and dell laptop 3521. When i trying to connect my mobile through wifi hotspot , mobile wifi connection is not working.
Wifi is not properly work on lenovo s660. Kindly suggest.

Hello there, savita88.
The following Knowledge Base article offers up some great steps for troubleshooting issues with the Personal HotSpot feature of iOS 8:
iOS: Troubleshooting Personal Hotspot - Apple Support
Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.
Cheers,
Pedro.

Connections to free wifi

No device
Hi: Can anybody know how to put up the touchpad to connect to any free wifi service? and to get the android app for it too?
Thanks for any help,Ariel.

ary00766 wrote:
No device
Hi: Can anybody know how to put up the touchpad to connect to any free wifi service? and to get the android app for it too?
Thanks for any help,Ariel.
Connection to a free wifi source is made like any other - turn on wifi, let it find the SSID of the router, let it connect.
Chapter 14 of the User Guide covers wifi connections. You can download it from the "Support" link at the top of the page, and navigate to the TouchPad section.
WyreNut
I am a Volunteer here, not employed by HP.
You too can become an HP Expert! Details HERE!
If my post has helped you, click the Kudos Thumbs up!
If it solved your issue, Click the "Accept as Solution" button so others can benefit from the question you asked!

My ipad connects to the wifi for email but when i try to download a game it says the game is over 100 mb and will not download until you connect to wifi

My ipad connects to wifi for email but when I try to download a game it says the game is 100mb and has to connect to wifi to download? It also won't connect to icloud to download photos?

It's trying to download when you are connected via cellular. Turn cellular Off and then connect via wifi.
 Cheers, Tom

My iPad connects to my wifi but my iPhone wont

My iPhone 4s won't connect to my wifi at home. My iPad connects fine.

Thanks Allan, it's extremely rare that I get a problem with any of my Apple devices but it's great to know there's help out there when I do.

Why can't Safari connect to free wifi when other browsers can?

When trying to use free WIFI in hotels, the connection requires opening browser and then the hotel log in screen pops up for me to log in (room number or sometimes just to say "agree")
Safari does not work!
I set my network connection to Automatic
The WIFI address I want shows up so I can select and the button turns green,next to "Wifi" in Network Preference
But when I then launch Safari, nothing ... I cannot log into the hotel's network
Yet if i launch Chrome or FireFox, immediately the hotel's window pops up and then I am fully on the Internet (and can use Safari
I have no firewall or such , so why can't Safari do what other browsers can?

equinez wrote:
SNIP...
I hope it's a simple fix as I'm not very computer "smart"
Lori
<Email Edited By Host>
you can learn a VERY valuable lesson from this question... NEVER publish your email address in public forums of any kind - FaceBook, Google+, chats, etc. - these places are low hanging fruit for nefarious characters - ÇÇÇ

IPad connection to free WiFi hotspots

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for