[EricScott]

So I haven't been able to get my Bold working w/ the free AT&T Hotspots at places like Starbucks, airports, etc. I contacted AT&T customer support this weekend and they said if you have Wifi turned on, as soon as your Bold finds a hotspot it should connect automatically. And unlike the iPhone where you try to login in and provide your phone number and get a text, etc....you don't have to do any of that w/ the BB.

When I go to Manage Connections --> Wifi Options, "AT&T Wi-Fi" is listed (and always has been) as a saved Wi-Fi profile. Security is set as none and the first check box (Automatically obtain IP Address) is checked while the bottom two (Allow inter-access point handover and Prompt before connection) are unchecked. The SSID is "attwifi". I haven't touched any of these settings since I got my device. I would point out that sometimes when I go into the WiFi Options the "AT&T Wifi" profile is italicized which I think means it is disabled...if I hit menu and "Enable" it goes back to plain text.

So I have tried 3 separate Starbucks and none of them seem to work. When the Bold doesn't connect automatically I go to Manage Connections --> Setup Wifi Connection and hit the "Scan for Networks" button. On each occasion it has found the AT&T Hotspot (usually it is the first network listed). When I click Connect, it takes a few seconds and then brings up a "Success" screen with the option to either access the Hotspot Browser or a Finish button. If I access the Hotspot Browser it tells me that "I need to be connected via Wifi to use the browser" and the Wifi icon below the signal strength indicator is still grayed out. If I then go into Wifi Options, this is when I usually see the AT&T Wifi Profile in italics....is doing the Scan for Networks actually disabling the saved profile?

I am running .167 (what it came with) on my AT&T Bold and have a BES plan. I have gotten Wifi to work fine in my house over my personal network (sometimes it goes in and out but generally is pretty decent).

So what am I missing here? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[EricScott]

By the way, here is a link to a really useful knowledgebase article that AT&T customer service sent to me...links to all sorts of info on how to set up the BB for Wifi....followed all of their steps and don't seem to be connecting.

Answer Center | AT&T, formerly Cingular

[SanaTizer]

All of the Starbucks I've gone to and asked the clerks about WiFi access, they all have said the same thing... it's not ready yet. I thought that was just an Alaska thing, but my buddy in North Carolina had the same thing... not ready.

[bngo21]

I haven't had that problem in Cali I just walk in and the BOLD just register the Wifi right away. I am running 4.6.0.185 OS if that makes a difference

[kuj]

I had lunch at McDonalds and turned on my Wifi and it registered right away also. Nice! I am running 4.6.0.190.

[TomN]

I've been to the Starbucks that's in the local Barnes and Noble and Panera Bread, and I've gotten the AT&T Wifi at both locations. Didn't have to do a thing.

[philip8454]

I walk right in with a bold and it works fine. Choose the Tmobile network, even though you are att.

[EricScott]

Originally Posted by philip8454

I walk right in with a bold and it works fine. Choose the Tmobile network, even though you are att.

Interesting...will try that out....beginning to think the 3 starbucks I tried may have just not had their wifi working properly.

[bc7]

The Starbucks that I tried it in worked just fine in Utah. Love the fact that AT&T is providing the WiFi!!

[philip8454]

Well now wait. After saying that I just walk in and it works fine, I went into SB today and noticed that while the face of the bold showed that I was connected, when I opened the network options app it showed a "-" sign next to the Tmobile. In other words, while I was connected to the network, I still could not transfer data.

It's the same thing on a wireless home network when you connect your laptop to the network (and your wireless router is not configured with your isp) and while you are connected to the wireless network, you will not be able to transfer data.

[bradhs]

I'm fine in San Diego, CA... Tried it a few times a few weeks ago. It did disconnect me for a bit but then came back. Probably a weak signal since I was outside.

[DonFL]

I know it is additional cost (i.e., you need to add to your plan..) the ability to use the phone in tether mode, but as far as attwifi hot spots, for normal operation, I assume the phone will connect automatically via the stored profile?

I was in the ATL airport a couple days ago, and forgot to look and see if that was happening..but it also raises the question as ATT Wifi access in that airport is not free, of course.

[dbltap]

I haven't had any success using my Rogers Bold on attwifi. Now, granted, teh last time I tried this was at the AT&T Center in San Antonio a couple of days before the Bold was officially released on AT&T. My question would be if the free attwifi coverage is for all Bold's who have a ATTsim card? Or just Bolds with a 102 vendor code?

If any of you have had success with a Rogers Bold, running on the ATT network and you have been able to connect to attwifi without doing a login, let us know.

[ilguy]

Wirelessly posted

Anybody ever find a solution to this? I just got a replacment ATT bold running 167 and can't connect at any att hotspots. I couldn't with my other bold either so I'm thinking it must be provisioning or possibly a bes restiction? ATT can't figure it out.

[radtek]

I think this is pretty much the same problem that I had at work.

Start to log onto your current hot-spot through the browser and then go to Bookmarks. Click on Wifi Hotspot login under Wi-Fi services.

I had to enable 'column view' to see the my work's acceptance page's button.

Hope this helps. It solved my problem yesterday.

[ilguy]

Update - a couple weeks ago I noticed (out of the blue) the ATT Wifi started working at ATT hotspot locations . This past week, I had some sync issues and was advised to wipe my Bold and re-sendATT service books along with reactivate via BES. Now, once again, my Bold tries to connect at the hotspots, but then reverts back to the italicized ATT Wifi just as the original poster describes. ATT is clueless about this issue and I've spent way too much time with them on the phone.

This one has me stumped!