Hotspot
Captive Portal Not Loading or Working Correctly
A "captive portal" is the login page a Wi-Fi hotspot shows you before granting internet access. When it fails to appear, freezes, or looks broken, it's almost always a browser or device issue rather than the hotspot itself being down.
The page won't open automatically
- Open your browser manually and try visiting a plain, non-HTTPS site (many modern phones/laptops default every address to a secure "https://" site, which can sometimes prevent the automatic captive-portal popup from appearing).
- Try a different browser if one is available on your device.
- Clear your browser's cache and cookies for the hotspot's address, then reload.
- Disconnect from the hotspot Wi-Fi entirely, then reconnect fresh.
The page loads but looks broken or won't submit
- Make sure your device's date and time are set correctly -- an incorrect clock can cause secure-page errors on many devices.
- Disable any VPN or ad-blocker temporarily, since these can interfere with a captive portal's ability to detect and redirect your device.
- Try loading the page in a private/incognito browser window.
Still stuck?
If the portal consistently won't load on multiple devices at the same location, this may indicate a fault at that specific hotspot -- see how to contact support and mention the exact location and time.
Was this guide helpful?
Related guides
Still stuck? See how to contact support and what information to have ready.