can't connect to free wifi (no password)

HAVOC · 02 Dec 2015

Not looking for a fix, just an explanation.
A person came into work (car dealership), and wanted to use our free wifi. They asked me to look at it because our IT guy was out sick. We have various SSID's (some that require passwords and some that don't). Her laptop said it was connected to the network but didn't have internet access. Her laptop was also showing an exclamation mark next to every free wifi SSID. She wanted to send out work emails while she was waiting for her car.

I'm thinking it's a work laptop and her company has it real secure so you can't use free wifi (or at least it wants you to use a password). Any thoughts?

HAVOC · 03 Dec 2015

Does anybody have an idea?

strollin · 03 Dec 2015

Often with free wifi, once you connect to the hotspot, internet access is not given until you open a browser which brings up a screen that asks you to accept the conditions of the free hotspot. Once the agreement is accepted, then internet access is granted.

HAVOC · 04 Dec 2015

OK. She only had Outlook open at the time.

BorisTheAnimal · 04 Dec 2015

What did the exclamation mark say?

HAVOC · 04 Dec 2015

In the list of SSID's, the ones that don't require a password had an exclamation mark. It said she was connected to the network but internet access was limited.
We have multiple SSID's at work, some that require a password and some that don't. We have customers use a certain one when they ask for internet access.