[Gizzer]

I tried to access a wifi hotspot the other day but had the following problem: The airport manu showed that the hotspot was there but when I started Safari it kept on trying to access Apple.com (my homepage) rather than the wifi providers homepage. As a result I was unable to do anything.

Is there some way of getting around this or is it a common problem?

[mkalus]

Originally Posted by Gizzer I tried to access a wifi hotspot the other day but had the following problem: The airport manu showed that the hotspot was there but when I started Safari it kept on trying to access Apple.com (my homepage) rather than the wifi providers homepage. As a result I was unable to do anything. Is there some way of getting around this or is it a common problem?

Have you tried to have an empty field on the "homepage"?

Normally it shouldn't matter as the initial connection tends to be redirected to the WiFi Providers login page.

If not than it may just be that they don't need you to authenticate? Did you get the Apple site? Or just an error?

[Gizzer]

I got an error. It's definitely a pay-to-use hotspot as I then looked it up afterwards on a hotspot directory.

[Franz Josef]

I'm assuming you had no web access other than the Apple page (ie you couldn't surf for free). Normally, you should automatically redirect to the login page. If this doesn't happen automatically, there is little you can do other than find someone else logged on nearby who will give you the correct web address for the login page.

Don't forget that logging in with a credit card is less safe than using a prepaid card (the former exposes you to fraud, the latter is like faceless cash) and that in both cases, if the hotspot is not properly encrypted (ie not at all, or encrypted using WEP), your details - such as .Mac login details etc - are there for anyone within range (and a little expertise) to pick up.

[FFL]

did you try other simple stuff like restarting?