Can't access various public WiFi (mainly hotels) since upgrading to Catalina

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Can't access various public WiFi (mainly hotels) since upgrading to Catalina

I haven't been able to access public WiFi (mainly hotels and trains, even known networks) since I updated my macBook Pro (15-inch, 2017) to Catalina (version 10.15) this week. I have experienced hotels were I can't even connect at all and others, where I can connect but do not get to the login page, while having no problems with my iPhone in the same WiFi. I hope these posts are being read by Apple, as the number of posts on this issue increase without providing answers.

Posted on Oct 10, 2019 4:45 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

chris_g1

Community Specialist

Oct 14, 2019 10:40 AM in response to Dirk8

Hey there Dirk8,

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities. I understand you’re having an issue joining captive and public networks after upgrading to macOS Catalina. We’ll be happy to help with this.

See if this issue continues in safe mode or a new user account using the steps from these links. This can isolate or possibly even resolve this:

Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac

How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac

Also, review these links for further help as well:

Troubleshoot joining a Wi-Fi network on Mac

If you can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network on Mac

Cheers

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Answer 2

Oct 14, 2019 10:45 AM in response to Dirk8

try entering 1.1.1.1 in the search/address bar. Not to get anything about cloud flare (that has a splash page there) but because that address is dead simple to remember.

Sometimes that will get you the sign-in page instead.

Or it the Router's address is shown, enter that numerical address, like 192.168.0.1 or 10.10.0.1

or Apple's addresss:

17.142.160.59

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Answer 3

Dirk8 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 16, 2019 3:42 AM in response to chris_g1

Booting in Safe Mode does indeed bring up the login page for public Wi-Fi networks requiring html logins. Clearing caches rather than startup objects appear to resolve the issue. However, this is on a 'per network' basis only! So, there must be an issue around the OS. When restarting in normal mode, the login usually remains valid, so the 'safe mode' is no more than a cumbersome workaround.

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Answer 4

Dirk8 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 16, 2019 10:19 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for that hint Grant, but that was what helped previous to the Catalina upgrade when the login page for a public Wi-Fi did not pop up at all (yes, there already were issues before!). To enter a non-ssl page would then usually force the login page to pop up. Sometimes you would even have to know the url for the login page though to make it work. After the Catalina upgrade those workarounds did not help anymore though. It simply says that there is no internet connection.

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Answer 5

Oct 16, 2019 10:25 AM in response to Dirk8

To get any page by name requires a Domain-Name Server (DNS) request to look up the numeric address ("internet Phone Number"). If these requests are blocked as well, you will get nowhere.

That is why my first suggestions above were all expressed as direct numeric "Internet phone numbers" not site-names.

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Answer 6

Oct 16, 2019 7:16 AM in response to Dirk8

The classic answer when a problem "works in Safe Mode" and "Fails in regular mode" is that the difference is a third-party Item YOU added, that does not get loaded in Safe mode.

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Answer 7

Dirk8 Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 16, 2019 10:25 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I wouldn't know which object that could be, as the only start-up object shown in regular mode ('Next Cloud') interestingly enough loads in safe more as well.

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Can't access various public WiFi (mainly hotels) since upgrading to Catalina

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