Public Library wifi problems.

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I've never connected to a wifi network before. Recently when I tried to connect at the NY public library (no passwords or authorizations required), I would get a full signal strength indication in Airport, but I still can't connect to the internet. It seems like the hardware thinks it's connected to the network, but the software doesn't.

Any help would be really appreciated.

I have a Macbook Pro less than a year old. Again, I'm an idiot and I have no clue how to connect to a network. But the NY public library's website says I should simply configure the Mac to do it automatically. This is what I do, but still no dice. Network diagnostics asks me if I am connecting via DHCP but I can't get any further than that. It tells me "No Dice, my friend." or something to that effect.
 

cwa107


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I've never connected to a wifi network before. Recently when I tried to connect at the NY public library (no passwords or authorizations required), I would get a full signal strength indication in Airport, but I still can't connect to the internet. It seems like the hardware thinks it's connected to the network, but the software doesn't.

Any help would be really appreciated.

I have a Macbook Pro less than a year old. Again, I'm an idiot and I have no clue how to connect to a network. But the NY public library's website says I should simply configure the Mac to do it automatically. This is what I do, but still no dice. Network diagnostics asks me if I am connecting via DHCP but I can't get any further than that. It tells me "No Dice, my friend." or something to that effect.

Are you getting an IP address once you connect? You can check this by going into System Preferences => Network => Select AirPort from the Show field and then click the TCP/IP tab. If there is an IP address displayed, you are indeed connected to the network.

If that's the case, it might be that they're using a Proxy server to relay requests to/from the Internet. You'll need to use a browser that can automatically detect a proxy server (Safari doesn't have this ability). Use Firefox instead and check the following box:

Firefox menu => Preferences => Advanced => Network tab => Settings => Auto-detect Proxy settings for this network.

Restart Firefox and try again.
 
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I'm having the same kind of problem. My macbook appears to be connected to the public library's wifi (Chicago Public Library). But my Firefox page displays no connection. Same with Safari. I took the advice posted by cwa107 and changed my proxy settings to auto-detect and then restarted. I am still dealing with the same results. I have the same results when I try to do a network diagnostic, it just results in error.

One thing strange that I have noticed, despite my macbook's appearance to have connected to the wifi network(and displaying full signal strength), is that it has a self-assigned IP and warns me that it might not be connected to the internet.

By the way, I have a similar issue at other public wifi spots such as Panera and Corner bakery. But I have no problem connecting to private wireless networks at friends' houses.

Please help! Thank you!
 

cwa107


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Sounds like the network is WEP encrypted, but you're not entering the right key.
 

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