Surface4 cannot connect to Starbucks Wi-fi

[CalypsoArt]

I have not used my surface on many unknown Wi-Fi networks. However, I have not had a problem wherever I did. Today I tried logging in to Starbucks Wi-Fi and got "no internet connection." I spent an hour on the phone sitting in Sbux talking to their Google-Sbux Wi-Fi tech support to no avail. I did all these:

Restarting Surface
Restarting browser/Wi-Fi
Disable firewall.
Clearing cache
Forgetting networks and re-connecting.
Disable/re-enable network adapter
Entering Google DNS settings as per tech support rep..
Removal of the adapter driver and reinstall.

Nothing worked. I was pretty sure the tech was unfamiliar with Win 10 and was reading down a list of "fixes." At any rate, the problem was not solved. I suspect some sort of security switch with Win 10, but don't know where to look.

Anyone have this problem and figure it out?

Of course I was the only one with a Microsoft product in a sea of Apple machines. Everyone was hearing me talking to tech support. It had to be done there, as the problem can only be diagnosed where I am experiencing it.

You can see how this type of thing doesn't help MS's reputation in the wider world of being unreliable. All my machines are Windows. But when people walk in with Apple machines and have zero connection problems, it does not speak well of MS's major new product.

Not being able to connect to out side open networks makes the Surface almost useless to me. If I was still in the 30 day return period I would send it back.

 

[MisterEdF]

Could they possibly have reached the DHCP connection limit on their AP? You wouldn't get an IP so no internet. Did you try another hotspot elsewhere? If that worked it would seem the problem was SBX. If the place was a "sea of MACs" between the computers and cellphones and tablets anything is possible.

 

[MaxBuck]

In general I've found that Windows machines are more likely to have wifi connection issues than either Macs or Androids (I've never owned an iDevice). I've had problems with other laptops, though not yet with the SP4. Just another MS annoyance that, for me, isn't enough to migrate to another OS for my work.