Optimum WiFi hotspots (bars, FIOS, areas)

[BBCjunkie]

Do you utilize Optimum's hotspots (specifically the outdoor ones) regularly and if so, have you found that in recent months they've become hit-or-miss re: connection ability?

There are several such hotspots that I've used regularly for the past couple of years and never had a problem with my iPad Mini 4 connecting to it. Strong signal, quick connect. But for the last couple of months those same hotspots have gone seriously wonky. I'd say about 75% of the time, all I get is the perpetual spinning circle attempting to connect but with no success at all despite the fact that the signal strength is showing full "bars". The other 25% of the time it will connect normally, within 15 seconds, with no problems. It's annoying that the hotspots have seemingly become such a cr@pshoot.

The other day I needed to check email while out and about (no smartphone) and went to three separate hotspot areas, each at least a couple miles apart, and they all refused to connect. I finally ended up driving to my public library and using their wifi instead.

I did call Optimum on it and was told it "is probably my device." Uh, no. Same iPad, same up to date iOS, same settings that it has always had. And it has no problem connecting to other networks; only to their hotspots. Sometimes. Depends on the day. Or the moon phase or the tides or whatever, LOL

Anyone else seeing wonky/unreliable hotspots that used to work fine until recently?

[hotkarl]

Yeah hit or miss lately for sure.
I have the auto connect and it's been spotty in areas where It would normally have connection.

[BBCjunkie]

Yup, my autoconnect just spins and spins like a roulette wheel.

Actually today was something new: It went right to "No internet connection" with the exclamation point over the grayed out icon. I manually disconnected and the signal joined the dropdown box at full strength; selected it again and POOF it instantly changed "grayed out/No internet connection". Did that at three consecutive hotspots within about a 5 mile radius. On a hunch I looked for a connection when stopped at a red light and voila, it connected right away.

No help at that particular moment though.

I swear they should change that optimumwifi entry to doyoufeellucky, lately

[lifetimeliguy]

yes, have noticed the problem also , especially in the past month with my android.
It ain't your phone, it ain't my phone.
recently I have to disable wi-fi when connected to optimum wi-fi hotspots if both mobile data and wi-fi are enabled on my phone to alleviate the "spinning wheel".
maybe the new term should be "notso hotspots" .

[BBCjunkie]

It has definitely gotten worse in the past month. Thought it was just me getting more and more peeved, LOL

[Interlude]

I’ve turned off the auto-connect because half the time it connects and then has an incredibly slow connection. If I wasn’t basically stealing it via my friend’s account (I have FIOS) I’d be annoyed.

[Coney]

I've had the same issues as described by everyone else. Most of the hotspots were fairly reliable in the past, but over the past few months, connecting to them has become very problematic.

[ovi8]

Not OOL hotspots, but I've had issues in public wifi spots provided by the establishment - sometimes it just says internet may not be available after supposedly connecting. Other times it loads an "Agree" page and then it's fine. They really should call it net-maybe-working instead of networking. I'm in IT and sometimes have trouble figuring things out even at home. One day something works fine, then another day it is flaky. My last big issue over the course of a few weeks was FIOS cutting out (at the router) my hard-wired connection any time I use it at capacity even for 20 seconds. New router, same story. Ultimately I couldn't even keep the 100/100 plan and had to drop back to 75/75 and use their traditional router instead of the "superior" Quantum gateway router. Makes zero sense a lot of times, this "networking".