Wireless Logon - Newbie type Question

I have a wireless card in my (Vista) laptop and mostly just use it on my
home wireless network.

I am now traveling and have spent a couple nights in different hotels with
"wireless internet".

In the first hotel I believe it was their problem.

In the second location I was able to connect to the hotel's router but not
able to get an internet connection. The lobby said to log in with "guest"
and "guest" (ID/PW). But I couldn't figure out how to get a logon screen.
And I didn't care much so I didn't try much.

Tonight I had the same problem (although this time they gave me an ID and PW
that made it appear like they actually managed their network to some
degree).

I mucked around with all the connection, diagnose, disconnect/reconnect
options that I could find. One finally let me to a URL specific to (from
what I can tell) whoever built this network. I could access this URL
(despite not being connected to the internet), typed in the ID/PW, and all
worked fine. I'm guessing that this URL was actually 'hosted' by the
wireless router.

Now for the question - what is the normal procedure for logging onto
semi-public networks like you find in a hotel (when they require ID/PW)?

Thanks.

dave

Dave Lee wrote:
> I have a wireless card in my (Vista) laptop and mostly just use it on my
> home wireless network.
>
> I am now traveling and have spent a couple nights in different hotels
> with "wireless internet".
>
> In the first hotel I believe it was their problem.
>
> In the second location I was able to connect to the hotel's router but
> not able to get an internet connection. The lobby said to log in with
> "guest" and "guest" (ID/PW). But I couldn't figure out how to get a
> logon screen. And I didn't care much so I didn't try much.
>
> Tonight I had the same problem (although this time they gave me an ID
> and PW that made it appear like they actually managed their network to
> some degree).
>
> I mucked around with all the connection, diagnose, disconnect/reconnect
> options that I could find. One finally let me to a URL specific to (from
> what I can tell) whoever built this network. I could access this URL
> (despite not being connected to the internet), typed in the ID/PW, and
> all worked fine. I'm guessing that this URL was actually 'hosted' by the
> wireless router.
>
> Now for the question - what is the normal procedure for logging onto
> semi-public networks like you find in a hotel (when they require ID/PW)?

Start a browser. That will generally get you to a login screen. Once you get
logged in, either with a free account or one you pay for, then the system
will capture your MAC address and pass all requests from that device to the
network.

Larry

Have you dealt with IPCONFIG?

for example:
http://stevejobs.blogs.keznews.com/2...windows-vista/


TBerk

"Larry Finger" <Larry.Finger@lwfinger.net> wrote in message
news:n5l2k.47464$SV4.9664@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> Dave Lee wrote:
>> I have a wireless card in my (Vista) laptop and mostly just use it on my
>> home wireless network.
>>
>> I am now traveling and have spent a couple nights in different hotels
>> with "wireless internet".
>>
>> In the first hotel I believe it was their problem.
>>
>> In the second location I was able to connect to the hotel's router but
>> not able to get an internet connection. The lobby said to log in with
>> "guest" and "guest" (ID/PW). But I couldn't figure out how to get a logon
>> screen. And I didn't care much so I didn't try much.
>>
>> Tonight I had the same problem (although this time they gave me an ID and
>> PW that made it appear like they actually managed their network to some
>> degree).
>>
>> I mucked around with all the connection, diagnose, disconnect/reconnect
>> options that I could find. One finally let me to a URL specific to (from
>> what I can tell) whoever built this network. I could access this URL
>> (despite not being connected to the internet), typed in the ID/PW, and
>> all worked fine. I'm guessing that this URL was actually 'hosted' by the
>> wireless router.
>>
>> Now for the question - what is the normal procedure for logging onto
>> semi-public networks like you find in a hotel (when they require ID/PW)?
>
> Start a browser. That will generally get you to a login screen. Once you
> get logged in, either with a free account or one you pay for, then the
> system will capture your MAC address and pass all requests from that
> device to the network.
>
> Larry

That sounds like the right answer - thanks.

dave

"TBerk" <bayareaberk@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7d404792-6ef6-4965-b8f6-2daaa18aa7d3@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
> Have you dealt with IPCONFIG?
>
> for example:
> http://stevejobs.blogs.keznews.com/2...windows-vista/
>
>
> TBerk
>

Thanks for the reply - have dealt with it on rare occasions - didn't seem to
be helpful in this case (possibly a lack of knowledge on my part)

dave

Its called a Captive Portal.
You connect to their wireless, then open a web browser. It should
automatically take you to the logon page.
Once you logon, you can then access the internet as usual.


"Dave Lee" <DaveLeeNC@ix.netcom.RemovE.com> wrote in message
news:nbSdncPHuZcvLdTVnZ2dnUVZ_g-dnZ2d@earthlink.com...
>I have a wireless card in my (Vista) laptop and mostly just use it on my
>home wireless network.
>
> I am now traveling and have spent a couple nights in different hotels with
> "wireless internet".
>
> In the first hotel I believe it was their problem.
>
> In the second location I was able to connect to the hotel's router but not
> able to get an internet connection. The lobby said to log in with "guest"
> and "guest" (ID/PW). But I couldn't figure out how to get a logon screen.
> And I didn't care much so I didn't try much.
>
> Tonight I had the same problem (although this time they gave me an ID and
> PW that made it appear like they actually managed their network to some
> degree).
>
> I mucked around with all the connection, diagnose, disconnect/reconnect
> options that I could find. One finally let me to a URL specific to (from
> what I can tell) whoever built this network. I could access this URL
> (despite not being connected to the internet), typed in the ID/PW, and all
> worked fine. I'm guessing that this URL was actually 'hosted' by the
> wireless router.
>
> Now for the question - what is the normal procedure for logging onto
> semi-public networks like you find in a hotel (when they require ID/PW)?
>
> Thanks.
>
> dave
>
>

"Gummy Mummy" <gummy@home.com> wrote in message
news:484be38b$0$25061$9a6e19ea@unlimited.newshosti ng.com...
> Its called a Captive Portal.
> You connect to their wireless, then open a web browser. It should
> automatically take you to the logon page.
> Once you logon, you can then access the internet as usual.

Thanks for the name/details, Gummy.

dave

>
>
> "Dave Lee" <DaveLeeNC@ix.netcom.RemovE.com> wrote in message
> news:nbSdncPHuZcvLdTVnZ2dnUVZ_g-dnZ2d@earthlink.com...
>>I have a wireless card in my (Vista) laptop and mostly just use it on my
>>home wireless network.
>>
>> I am now traveling and have spent a couple nights in different hotels
>> with "wireless internet".
>>
>> In the first hotel I believe it was their problem.
>>
>> In the second location I was able to connect to the hotel's router but
>> not able to get an internet connection. The lobby said to log in with
>> "guest" and "guest" (ID/PW). But I couldn't figure out how to get a logon
>> screen. And I didn't care much so I didn't try much.
>>
>> Tonight I had the same problem (although this time they gave me an ID and
>> PW that made it appear like they actually managed their network to some
>> degree).
>>
>> I mucked around with all the connection, diagnose, disconnect/reconnect
>> options that I could find. One finally let me to a URL specific to (from
>> what I can tell) whoever built this network. I could access this URL
>> (despite not being connected to the internet), typed in the ID/PW, and
>> all worked fine. I'm guessing that this URL was actually 'hosted' by the
>> wireless router.
>>
>> Now for the question - what is the normal procedure for logging onto
>> semi-public networks like you find in a hotel (when they require ID/PW)?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> dave
>>
>>
>
>