Laptop won't connect in coffee shop wifi, but others will connect to same wifi

[elizabethestelle]

Hello!

I'm using an Asus s400c that I got in late 2013, and updated to windows 10 on the day it was released. My problem is this: I have been writing my thesis in a neighborhood coffee shop for a year now. My wifi has worked perfectly, however last week, it began to spin and just say "can't connect to this network". At first I thought it was the wifi, but no one else there was having trouble, and my phone was connecting just fine as well.

Then I decided it must be my computer, but it connected to my cell phone's wifi hot spot just fine, as well as the university wifi and my home wifi. I'm not sure if it matters but all three of those required a password.

I have tried cycling the wifi on and off, restarting my computer, downloading the updated wireless drivers from Asus' website, uninstalling my virus program, disabling my firewall, disabling/enabling the wireless adapter, checking for system updates, and I'm sure I've tried others, but can't think of them at the moment.

If it matters for your purposes, the coffee shop wifi is supposed to connect without a password, then bring you to a browser page to accept the terms. However, I can't get connected to start with.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Liz

 

[Ralston18]

Taking sort of a stab at this: Is it possible that your Asus has been hijacked in the sense that when you attempt to connect to the coffee shop wifi the laptop is trying to connect to another hotspot?

I.e., you try to connect but your computer is being redirected to a site to which a connection is not possible or no longer possible?

Are you familar with the LMHOSTS file?

If not, here is a link (Microsoft) that may help.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc977602.aspx

May help narrow things down a bit. If only by elimination.

Also I trust that you have backup copies of your thesis in other locations - just a a general precaution.

 

[elizabethestelle]

Taking sort of a stab at this: Is it possible that your Asus has been hijacked in the sense that when you attempt to connect to the coffee shop wifi the laptop is trying to connect to another hotspot?

I.e., you try to connect but your computer is being redirected to a site to which a connection is not possible or no longer possible?

Are you familar with the LMHOSTS file?

If not, here is a link (Microsoft) that may help.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc977602.aspx

May help narrow things down a bit. If only by elimination.

Also I trust that you have backup copies of your thesis in other locations - just a a general precaution.

I absolutely have backups of my thesis and data, and backups of those backups!

In regards to the first question, I guess I'm not sure I understand. Are you thinking there's a hotspot in the coffeeshop with the same name as the wifi and my computer is trying to connect to the wrong one? There's only one showing up on my networks, but I suppose that could be the case. Am I completely misunderstanding your point/question?

No, I'm not familiar with the LMHOSTSFILE, but I'll see if I can understand it. in the meantime.

Thanks!

 

[Ralston18]

Yes. That is the gist of it. Your laptop may be trying to connect to a fake hotspot set up by someone.

Here is the command line to copy into the "Search the Web and Windows" bar:

"notepad c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts" Without the quotes of course.

If you are not comfortable doing so, no offense taken here. Please feel free to look into it as necessary until you understand what the command is doing.

Then, if the LMHosts approach does not reveal anything we will look for another cause. Maybe someone else will be able to suggest other, additional options/solutions.

Congratulations on having thesis and data backups. Too many "tales of woe" out there.....