Strange AT&T Wifi problem with W7HP

Okay, so on my old laptop, I was able to connect to the wireless routers in Starbuck's (through AT&T Wifi) without problem. This was under Windows XP Home SP3.

Now, though, my new PC is running Windows 7 Home Premium and it doesn't work. I have had no problem connecting to other networks (the one at the college works fine, for instance) but the AT&T Wifi connection fails. The laptop takes a long while to resolve the connection, and when it finally does connect, it tells me I have no internet access and that there's a DNS error.

This happens at every Starbuck's I've tried it at so far (which is two, one on Solano Ave in north Berkeley, the other on Shattuck in downtown). Other wireless routers don't do this; I can connect to them just fine--other coffee houses don't give me any issue (but I don't get limited to 2 hours at Starbuck's so I like going there).

This some kind of issue with W7, or am I just really unlucky and both coffee shops had wonky routers?

 

Don't go to coffee shops, but is it possible they have a new policy where you need a security key?

 

If that was the case, the old WinXP laptop wouldn't have worked, either, and it still does. Also, Windows claims that the router is unsecured and doesn't even give me the option to enter a key.

 

1) Start a CMD prompt
2) Type ipconfig /release Wireless*
3) Type ipconfig /renew Wireless*

( Wireless* is a shorthand notation for your WiFi adapter.)

--L.

 

Did that. No change.

 

Try flushing your DNS cache before releasing & renewing your IP.

Type ipconfig /flushdns

Take note you will need run CMD with elevated privileges to flush the DNS cache.

--L..

 

I would say its not Starbucks but something with your W7 network connection.

I went to Starbucks today and connected with ATT Wifi just fine. I have included two attachments to show the connection process.

The first attachment is the attwifi wireless connection showing connected. After it connects, you have to physically open your browser, I use IE. The Starbucks ATT Wireless URL is automatically displayed (Second Attachment) when the browser opens and shows the ATT service connection where you enter your ATT userid, network (i.e. sbcglobal.net), and the ATT password you set up when you registered ATT.

You are then signed on to the internet.

Edit: Are you using Windows 7 wireless to connect to the internet or an application that came installed on your laptop? If you are using a wireless application that creates wireless profiles you may want to delete the attwifi profile and create a new one.