The Problem: You successfully connect to public wifi, but can’t get online.
The Solution: Captive.Apple.com
My Dilemma:
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve connected to a public wifi, thinking I’d be able to do some work while I’m out in the field only to be stymied by the dreaded ‘connected but no internet’ problem. For years I just gave up, until recently I heard about a simple tip that changed everything. I’d like to share that tip with you today.
Screenshots:
Tell me if any of these look familiar to you?
Or how about this one?
It’s frustrating, right? You can see you are connected but still you can’t use the internet, so what gives?
The problem:
Some entity (example Google) is blocking the LOGIN PORTAL that you need to access in order to accept the terms of the company (example Starbucks) that is offering you the opportunity to use their public internet. For some inexplicable reason, the ‘blocking’ involves ‘hiding’ the login portal as a popup so you can’t see it.
If you can’t get to the login portal to accept their terms then you can’t use the internet.
End of story.
The solution:
Simply go to your browser and type in ‘captive.apple.com’
This will bring up the login portal for the company offering the internet.
It will look something like this:
Once you agree, then you’ll be able to get on the internet.
Why does this work?
I have no idea. I am not a tech guru. I just know that it does work and that’s the bottom line. In fact, I have yet to be in a situation where it did not work for me.
I didn’t even know what the heck a ‘captive’ network was until I heard about this tip. A bit of research revealed more about it. Captive networks are “public networks you can only access if you are subscribed to them (with or without paying). [The captive.apple.com] feature has the main purpose of adding an extra level of protection to users who don’t always use their mobile data connection when in public.” (Source: http://vkrepair.com/captive-apple-networks/)
So why doesn’t everybody know about this?
For all I know they do. Perhaps I am the only one who doesn’t know. But just in case you are in my shoes I wanted to let YOU know too.
Try it out.
Give this a shot and let me know if it works for you too.
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Let’s talk again soon!
That Helpful Dad 