MacBook refuses to connect to Open Wifi at University

I think I have a really bizarre problem.
Normally, wireless performance with my black MacBook has been great. I can connect to my home WiFi point (with WEP), and other open wifi points (i.e. libraries, coffee houses, even Apple Stores.) But an issue occurs when I try to connect to my university's wifi network. It is fully open, with no encryption, so I don't think that is the problem.
What happens is this: The MacBook gets the IP address from the network, gets the subnet mask, but absolutely refuses to get the IP address from the router; it constantly times out. At first I thought it was just a Mac thing (we are primarily a windows based school, at least in the labs) But I see other MacBook and MacBook Pro users connecting to the network no problems. I asked the IT department and they are just as confused as me.
I reinstalled OS X, thinking that it was some issue with the old data that I transferred over from my powerbook, but it still performs the same way.
...In fact, I was never able to get my 12" powerbook to connect either.
Does anyone have any idea what the heck is going on?
Regards,
Anthony

This may be better answered in a Windows compatibility forum. I've requested it be moved there.

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My Macbook refuses to connect to a network ...

I have my late 2013 Macbook Pro since March. I was able to connect to 3 different networks at home without a problem from almost any place for 4 months. Suddenly, I could not connect to any network after "sleep". I solved it partially doing what was recommend in this case: SMC Reset, Set Service Order, Delete "SystemConfiguration" Folder, Turn Off Bluetooth, Disable Keychain Sync, etc. I said partially successful because I could not connect to a particular network (Network6) from a particular point (Point6) even if I did it flawlessly every day for 4 months and other devices (Dell laptop, iPad and iPhone) DO connect to that network at that point.
I can connect to that network from other places, but not in that Point6, where I usually work.
Setup: I have a Linksys WRT54GL Router (Network1) with a Hawking Technologies HiGain 300N Range Extender (Network6), both firmwares up to date. Poin 6 is less than 2 meters away from the Range Extender and I never had any issue there. Now, sometimes I cannot see that network, or if I see it I cannot connect, or if I can connect there is no internet access, even if there is an acceptable good signal, signal to noise ratio and low interference. Also, from that Point 6 I can connect to Network 3 that is more than 35 meters away and other devices can connect to Network6. I had reset the Range Extender 6 times and nothing. I have analized my home with Netspot Pro and there is very good Signal to Noise Ratio in Point6, very low noise and no interference with my neighbors networks because they have different channels: I am the only one who uses channel 6, they use 1,2 or 11.
So far I have concluded that:
1) It is not a hardware problem because my Mac does connect to other networks and to Network 6 from other places but not from Point6 where it connected every day many hours for 4 months. (I am writing this connected to Network 6 in the basement and the Range Extender is in the floor above me; very good STN Ratio).
2) It is not the Range Extender or Network 6 because I can connect to Network 6 from many other places farther away and because other devices connect to Network 6 in Point 6.
3) It is not Noise or Interference in Point6 because a) Netspot detects the same acceptable level of noise everywhere, b) No interference from neighbors networks in that place (I am the only one in channel 6) and c) Other devices connect to Network 6 in Point6.
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Thanks Mario. I read those 2 articles before writing my post.
As I wrote before, I could easily fix the "wifi not connecting after sleep" issue with the SMC reset and deleting the SystemConfiguration file. But I could not fix the stubborn "no wifi at point6" described in my post.
This morning, I decided, contrary to common sense, to just change the channel of the router default of 6 to channel 1. I also changed the channel of the Range Extender from 6 to 1. I said contrary to common sense, because 5 of my neighbors routers are in channel 1, the others are in channel 11 and I was the only one in channel 6, to reduce interference.
Big surprise! I recovered the wifi access in Point 6 and everywhere around the house where I had low signal and Signal to noise ratio. Remember that I measured the noise and interference with Netspot and they were more than acceptable in Point6. Later, I will measure them again with Netspot to see if there is any difference.
Maybe somebody in this forum can explain to me how I did not have any problem for 4 months in channel 6 and suddenly being unable to get wifi in that point without any change in noise or interference, but being able to get wifi with channel 1, the most popular channel in my neighborhood and the one with the highest interference. There is a good article about this in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Potential sources of wireless interference
Anyway, thanks for your help and I am glad I finally got my wifi at point 6.

Why my MacBook Pro cannot connect to any wifi networks while there was no problem to doing that in the past p?

I used to connect wifi now I cannot. Why? Need to obtain new IP address and how ?

Hi Ole, and a warm welcome to the forums!
It could be a HW problem, but does it get many black bars in the Airport icon?
See if this helps hers...
Go to System Preferences
Click Network
Highlight AirPort and click Configure...
Choose “By default, join: Preferred networks”
Select her access point(s) and Remove all her access point with the minus button.
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Reboot
Go back to the “By default, join:” page and click the plus this time to add your access point. Enter the correct password, save, reboot.

MacBook refuses to connect to Open Wifi at University

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