A possible fix for Internet hotspot connection failures

Feb 05, '07 07:30:02AM

Contributed by: etresoft

If you have a new Intel Macbook, you may have noticed some problems connecting to Wifi hotspots like Internet Cafes and libraries. I never had such problems with my old iBook. The symptoms are as follows:

The usual suggestion to fix this problem is to reboot the router -- or buy/find a new one. Clearly those aren't viable options when the router isn't yours, and you've already forked over $10 for a coffee and scone.

On a recent trip, I had this problem repeatedly at many different places. By accident, I found a partial solution: Run the Network Diagnostics program located in /System » Library » CoreServices. Somehow, Network Diagnostics is able to get a valid IP address about eight out of ten times when nothing else will.

My speculation is that these routers never get rebooted and are just horribly slow at giving out DHCP IP addresses. Perhaps Network Diagnostics runs the DHCP client with a longer timeout; I don't know. I just know it worked often enough for me to notice the difference.

[robg adds: I haven't tested this one. Note that you can also get to Network Diagnostics through the Network System Preferences panel: click Assist Me, then Diagnostics.]

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