Cannot connect to public WiFi

[jcpainter]

Has anyone had (and solved) this problem?

We are currently at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, AL. On my laptop I can connect to their G band non-secure WiFi network with an "Excellent" signal strength. However, I get no internet access.

Other devices in our rig connect and get internet access just fine.

I've spent hours with Dell Pro-tech support to no avail. I've spent many days Googling this problem and have discovered that others experience the same issue on public WiFis, but I can find no posted solution.

Dell's last suggestion emailed to me was as follows: "I would suggest clearing the ip stack and flushing the dns. To do that open command prompt on your pc by clicking start and going to search at the bottom and type cmd, the cmd.exe should come up at the top but you have to RIGHTCLICK on cmd.exe and then click run as administrator. Hit yes on the next window and the run box should pop up when you hit that. This should bring up the black command screen. In this window type this in. ipconfig/release then hit enter. That should turn your ip to 0’s. Now in the next line type in ipconfig/flushdns and hit enter. After that type in netsh winsock reset and hit enter. After that exit the command prompt and then reboot your pc and try the connection again."

This did not resolve the problem either.

If anyone has experienced this strange phenomenon and found a solution, I would be forever grateful.

Thank you,
Jean Painter

[docj]

wa8yxm wrote:
Just a thought.....

I run a 3rd party firewall.. SOME FIREWALLS will block a "non encrypted" Wi-Fi router. (Mine just warns and gives the option).

Speaking of firewalls, depending on which one you use, have you tried designating the wifi as a trusted network?

[wa8yxm]

Just a thought.....

I run a 3rd party firewall.. SOME FIREWALLS will block a "non encrypted" Wi-Fi router. (Mine just warns and gives the option).

[LScamper]

Had the same problem with a new Dell Windows 8.1 desktop out of the box. Would connect but no internet access. Called Dell, after many things to try no luck. It was new and nothing had been installed. They said try to do refresh to new condition using windows recovery. After doing that it worked perfectly and I never had a problem with it again.

All so have an HP laptop. I could not get some programs to run sometimes on it. Tried for several weeks. Gave up and did a refresh to new condition. Never had a problem with it after that.

Strange that two new Windows 8.1 computers had bad Windows installed from factory. Just luck I guess, but strange. Both have been working perfectly for months now.

[jcpainter]

docj wrote:
I recognize that this isn't a direct answer to your question, but a way to resolve this would be to get a router with WiFi as WAN capability that can connect to the park wifi and then have your computer connect to it. Without turning this into a commercial post that gets removed, there are a number of companies that make such routers including WiFiRanger, Cradlepoint, JafaTech, RogueWave and others. There are benefits to owning one of these anyway, and if you have a temperamental computer sooner or later you may have to go this route.

I'd do this in a heartbeat if just connecting to the park WiFi solved the problem. We can connect to the park WiFi and get a strong connection. This particular machine just isn't getting internet access from the park router. The people in the RV next to us are having the same issue. All devices connect. Some get internet access, some don't!

VERY frustrating.

[docj]

I recognize that this isn't a direct answer to your question, but a way to resolve this would be to get a router with WiFi as WAN capability that can connect to the park wifi and then have your computer connect to it. Without turning this into a commercial post that gets removed, there are a number of companies that make such routers including WiFiRanger, Cradlepoint, JafaTech, RogueWave and others. There are benefits to owning one of these anyway, and if you have a temperamental computer sooner or later you may have to go this route.

[jcpainter]

Additional information: On the machine that can't get internet access, I can ping the campground router and get a response. I can ping other computers on the network and get a response.

I can NOT ping anything on the other side of the router. Neither by using the name (www.USA.com) nor by using USA.com's IP address of 169.10.42.209

Since pinging the IP address does not work, I assume that it's not a DNS issue? The working machines can ping www.USA.com just fine.

Does that help any?

[LittleBill]

do a "route print"

can you ever get on internet?

do a nslookup google.com

[jcpainter]

LittleBill wrote:
next time you are connected, do a "ipconfig" and send us the results

I sent the results of Ipconfig /all to a text file so I could post it here:

This is from the Windows 8.1 laptop that connects to the network but will NOT provide internet access:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JCPInspiron
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : freewifi.gulfstatepark

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : F8-16-54-4C-D9-99
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : F8-16-54-4C-D9-9C
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : B8-2A-72-CD-6E-AF
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : freewifi.gulfstatepark
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Wireless-N 7260
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : F8-16-54-4C-D9-98
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5d5c:a35b:e810:7b6d%3(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.181(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, November 6, 2014 5:37:58 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 7, 2014 10:14:56 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 66590292
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1B-8D-4A-5A-B8-2A-72-CD-6E-AF
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.freewifi.gulfstatepark:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : freewifi.gulfstatepark
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below is from the Windows 8.1 laptop that DOES give internet access. Both are Dell Inspiron models. Note that both even came with the same NIC installed.

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Jerrysinhspiron
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : freewifi.gulfstatepark

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 3:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FC-F8-AE-24-E4-BB
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FC-F8-AE-24-E4-BE
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : freewifi.gulfstatepark
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Wireless-N 7260
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : FC-F8-AE-24-E4-BA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::5ca0:1de8:1ca2:fde3%4(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.26(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, November 3, 2014 9:31:44 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 7, 2014 12:37:53 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 83687598
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1A-43-45-8D-74-86-7A-65-64-C3
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : spiritbb.com
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 74-86-7A-65-64-C3
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fb:245c:17df:3f57:fbe5(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::245c:17df:3f57:fbe5%9(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 369098752
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1A-43-45-8D-74-86-7A-65-64-C3
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.freewifi.gulfstatepark:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : freewifi.gulfstatepark
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below is from a second laptop with Windows 7 that DOES connect and provide internet access:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : JeansNewVostro
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : freewifi.gulfstatepark

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 8:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #5
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 4C-EB-42-5C-CD-81
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 7:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 4C-EB-42-5C-CD-81
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : freewifi.gulfstatepark
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Centrino(R) Wireless-N 1030
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 4C-EB-42-5C-CD-80
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::e0fa:32eb:604c:efb4%27(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.5.138(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, November 05, 2014 6:03:51 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 07, 2014 12:00:42 PM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 575466306
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1B-B4-D4-D6-84-8F-69-D0-60-DD
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fe80::cf1:3bb1:f957:698e%27
4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 4C-EB-42-5C-CD-84
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 84-8F-69-D0-60-DD
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{12D5E4F6-0308-4542-A1EB-396197D1DC3E}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft 6to4 Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{75D031A1-C6EB-4318-A28B-B4AA529E0971}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{800358B1-1D13-4FD4-8F1C-9EE02BFB7FA2}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #3
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{EB6F9FE7-1852-45B0-B03D-519C2FA578DC}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.freewifi.gulfstatepark:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : freewifi.gulfstatepark
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:6ab8:2038:ea7:3f57:fa75(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2038:ea7:3f57:fa75%17(Preferred)
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

[jcpainter]

ReadyToGo wrote:
The following is what I had to do when I could connect to the wifi but not get to the internet. This is set up steps that could be done manually, but this does them all. I don't know which step fixed the problem, but everything internet wise worked after the reboot step.

Save from @Echo On to del %0, as flush.bat to your desktop. Right click on the flush.bat file to run it as Administrator.

Your computer will reboot itself.


@Echo on
pushd\windows\system32\drivers\etc
attrib -h -s -r hosts
echo 127.0.0.1 localhost>HOSTS
attrib +r +h +s hosts
popd
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset all
netsh int ip reset all
shutdown -r -t 1
del %0

Save as flush.bat to your desktop. Right click on the flush.bat file to run it as Administrator.

Your computer will reboot itself

Tried this twice and it didn't fix it either. Thanks for your efforts though.

[jcpainter]

1775 wrote:
We go to one particular campground frequently. We have two laptops and a tablet. One of the laptops and the tablet have no problem connecting to the wifi, but the other laptop (newer than the first) will not connect. It finds the signal, and like the OP gets says it cannot connect. We tried everything but finally went out and bought a cheap USB Wifi adapter, plugged that in and the connection through that at this campground works fine on this laptop. Everywhere else the laptop's own wifi works just fine. Since we come back to this campground several times a year, the $8 usb wifi receiver was worth not having the frustration of getting the connection to work.

When I was working with the Dell support rep, he said that most public WiFis are G-band(which this campground network is) and although the new N-band adapters claim to be backwards compatible with "B" and "G", sometimes they just are not. I went to Wal-Mart in search of a low-end, plain old "G" band USB WiFi adapter. They didn't carry one, but I did find one that specifically claimed backwards compatibility. It didn't work either.:(

Is the USB WiFi adapter you purchased a dedicated "G" band device? If so, what is the brand and model number?

Thank you for your input, I will pursue this further.

[1775]

We go to one particular campground frequently. We have two laptops and a tablet. One of the laptops and the tablet have no problem connecting to the wifi, but the other laptop (newer than the first) will not connect. It finds the signal, and like the OP gets says it cannot connect. We tried everything but finally went out and bought a cheap USB Wifi adapter, plugged that in and the connection through that at this campground works fine on this laptop. Everywhere else the laptop's own wifi works just fine. Since we come back to this campground several times a year, the $8 usb wifi receiver was worth not having the frustration of getting the connection to work.

[docj]

The trick I use with our Windows 8.1 laptops when they refuse to connect to a wifi is to go to Network and Sharing Center/Change Adapter Settings and I right click to disable the wifi adapter. After it is disabled, I enable it. Works 90% of the time. I think this pretty much does the same thing as the IPCONFIG actions.

[LittleBill]

next time you are connected, do a "ipconfig" and send us the results

[ReadyToGo]

The following is what I had to do when I could connect to the wifi but not get to the internet. This is set up steps that could be done manually, but this does them all. I don't know which step fixed the problem, but everything internet wise worked after the reboot step.

Save from @Echo On to del %0, as flush.bat to your desktop. Right click on the flush.bat file to run it as Administrator.

Your computer will reboot itself.


@Echo on
pushd\windows\system32\drivers\etc
attrib -h -s -r hosts
echo 127.0.0.1 localhost>HOSTS
attrib +r +h +s hosts
popd
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset all
netsh int ip reset all
shutdown -r -t 1
del %0

Save as flush.bat to your desktop. Right click on the flush.bat file to run it as Administrator.

Your computer will reboot itself