Frequently Asked Questions
Product Information
What is AT&T Wi-Fi service?
AT&T Wi-Fi service (formerly named SBC FreedomLink) is powered by 802.11 Wireless Fidelity technology to facilitate connecting you with public wireless high-speed Internet access at speeds much faster than dial-up when you're in a 150-foot range of our growing number of public hot spots - in airports, restaurants, and other that offer AT&T high-speed wireless service within the establishment.
AT&T Wi-Fi public high-speed Internet access service is provided by AT&T Internet Services. Connections available at AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots and partnering locations. An 802.11x-enabled device is required for Wi-Fi access.
What is an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot?
An AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot is a business that has installed broadband Internet and equipment for the purposes of allowing public access to wireless high-speed Internet. If you are a business interested in becoming an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot, please email contact information to WiFi Leads.
I am interested in the service, but do not yet want to commit to a year contract. How can I test the service before I sign up?
Try a one-time connection available at AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots for $3.95 (2-hours) or $7.95 (24-hours), depending on location. To purchase, enter an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots location, connect to the network, and during your attempt to browse a webpage you will receive the AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page. The page will contain an option to purchase a one-time connection for a small fee.
What is the difference between a Basic Membership and a Premier Membership?
A Basic Membership grants unlimited monthly connectivity to any AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot for a fixed monthly fee. A Premier Membership Premium grants unlimited connectivity to AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots AND roaming partners hot spots, for a fixed monthly fee.
Where are Prepaid Cards valid?
Prepaid card purchases allow users connectivity at all AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots, they are invalid at McDonald's and roaming partner locations. Prepaid connection cards can provide significant savings compared to the regular daily connection fee at certain AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots. NOTE: In locations that offer 2-hour one-time connections, prepaid card sessions will not be valid for 24-hours and will expire in 2-hours. Please check the billing style at your local hot spot or call us at 888-888-7520 for more information.
Connection
What equipment do I need in order to use AT&T Wi-Fi high-speed Internet access?
You can take advantage of public hot spots available with AT&T Wi-FiSM service when you have the following equipment.
For wireless service in airports, restaurants, and other locations you need a laptop computer or Personal Digital Assistant with a Wi-Fi compliant (IEEE 802.11b or g) wireless Ethernet network interface card and a Web browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator). AT&T hot spots support the most common PDA devices including HP-Pocket PCs, Dell Axim, and Palm Tungsten series.
How do I connect at an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot?
If you are at one of our public hot spots, utilize software on your computer to connect to our wireless network with the SSID (network name) attwifi. After connecting to the network attempt to browse to a public website. You will be shown an AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page with various options that will let you connect to the Internet by purchasing a daily connection, using a membership/subscription, or using a prepaid card.
Memberships and Prepaid Cards can be purchased online via credit card at www.attwifi.com if you are not at a hot zone.
Do I need to download Connection Software to use the AT&T Wi-Fi Service?
No, the Connection Software is provided free to Membership users for expedited connectivity at AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots and roaming partner hot spots. The Connection Software automatically detects AT&T and roaming partner hot spots as well as stores Membership log on information for easy connectivity. If a user chooses not to download the Connection Software, log on credentials will be entered on the welcome page upon opening your browser at a hot spot.
What if I have trouble connecting to or using AT&T Wi-Fi service?
See our General Connection Guide for connection information and troubleshooting tips. You can also call AT&T Wi-Fi's 24x7x365 Technical Operations Center toll-free at 1-888-888-7520 or email support@attwifi.com for technical support
What types of wireless cards are compatible with the AT&T Wi-Fi network?
Any card that has been certified for compliance with the Wi-Fi wireless LAN standard (IEE 802.11b/g) can be used with the AT&T wireless service. For a list of qualified vendors, please visit the Wi-Fi Alliance Association Website.
How do I obtain an IP address that works with AT&T Wi-Fi service?
AT&T Wi-Fi service allocates IP (Internet Protocol) addresses through a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server. Since most computers are configured to request an IP from a DHCP server, you can have high-speed Internet connectivity without making any configuration changes on your PC.
In the rare case that your computer is configured with a static/fixed IP address, AT&T has software that allows your computer to connect to the Internet (in most cases) without any configuration changes. Please note, however, that VPN (Virtual Private Network) software usually will not work with a static/fixed IP address that is not provided by AT&T Wi-Fi service (AT&T Wi-Fi provided static IPs are only available in hotel meeting facilities).
Is my VPN software compatible with the AT&T Wi-Fi service?
Any IP (Internet Protocol) address from a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server should work with the AT&T Wi-Fi network. AT&T Wi-Fi service provides fully routable/public IP addresses and does not block any ports except incoming port 80 and port 139 (VPNs do not use these ports).
If you are using a hardware VPN router, please contact the AT&T Wi-Fi Technical Operations Center toll-free at 1-888-888-7520 to make special arrangements.
How do I get a AT&T Wi-Fi connection using my VPN software?
You can connect using your VPN software exactly the same as you would from any other broadband connection. First, a connection must be established at an AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot either by purchasing a session or utilizing a membership and agreeing to the Acceptable Use Policy on the AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page. To get to this page, simply open a Web browser from within 150 feet of a public hot spot and go to a public Web site; you will be automatically redirected to the AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page.
Why might I need to change my SSID for AT&T Wi-Fi, and how can I do so?
An SSID (Service Set Identifier) is a unique code that tells a notebook computer which wireless network to connect to. AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Zones are configured to broadcast an SSID that allows a wireless adapter/card to detect and use the AT&T Wi-Fi wireless network.
If you have a non-AT&T Wi-Fi SSID, you may not be able to connect to the AT&T Wi-Fi wireless network. This is because your wireless card will only listen to signals with the SSID that you have specified. If you are having difficulty connecting to the AT&T Wi-Fi wireless service, you may need to specify your SSID as "attwifi" (without the quotes, case-sensitive). Depending on the brand of the Wi-Fi card, the SSID may also be known as the Network Name or ESSID.
Security
Does AT&T Wi-Fi block any specific types of traffic?
Due to the proliferation of viruses, worms and other malicious activity on the Internet, we block specific ports to increase the security of our network. Specifically, TCP traffic is blocked on ports 80 (inbound), 135 (inbound), 137, 138, 139, 445 and 8053. UDP traffic is blocked on ports 1434, 8053, 8083 and 8084. We regularly update our firewalls to address new and pressing security issues.
Does AT&T Wi-Fi provide any general security or WEP encryption for its wireless network?
AT&T does not enable WEP (Wired Equivalency Protection) on any of the wireless equipment used in its public Wi-Fi networks. Therefore, no special keys are required to use AT&T Wi-Fi public high-speed Internet access. WEP encryption is not yet practical for a public access network, due in part to the absence of a standardized method for relaying encryption keys between different manufacturer equipment. The AT&T Wi-Fi system supports secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) access. If your company has a VPN, AT&T recommends that you connect through the VPN for optimum security. AT&T also encourages its users to observe standard security practices, such as ensuring that computer hard drives are not shared and laptops have firewall protection. As a member of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA), AT&T supports ongoing security efforts for wireless public networks.
Does AT&T Wi-Fi implement a firewall on the guest LAN?
AT&T Wi-Fi service implements a firewall as an integral part of the AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page. Once the connecting process on this page is complete, no information is restricted, monitored, or blocked. Until you go through our AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page, you will only be able to access the AT&T Wi-Fi Web site or www.att.com. Any attempts to access Internet sites will be automatically redirected to our AT&T Wi-Fi Welcome Page until you have been authenticated on the Welcome Pages.
Other Information:
What is the difference between a dynamically assigned IP address and a static/fixed IP address?
A dynamically assigned IP (Internet Protocol) address is one that is assigned by a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server, contributing to a transparent experience. This is how most ISP and corporate networks are configured.
A static or fixed IP address requires you to manually configure your IP address along with other settings such as the gateway, the subnet mask, and DNS (Domain Name Service) settings into your network properties. Notebook computers do not require static IP addresses for basic connectivity to the Internet and access to email. However some networks and ISPs do not provide a DHCP server, so in that case, the notebook computer must have a static/fixed configuration.
AT&T Wi-Fi can support PCs with fixed or static IP addresses, although in some cases these do require configuration changes. Some applications such as VPNs (Virtual Private Network) and routers may require a static IP address provided by AT&T Wi-Fi in order to gain access to the Internet. An AT&T Wi-Fi provided static IP is only available in meeting rooms.
What do I do if I forget my Membership password?
Membership users can go to Manage Your Account, enter their userid and incorrect password and they will receive a prompt for their reminder Question & Answer to reset their password. If an Internet connection is not available, call AT&T Wi-Fi Support at 888-888-7520 to reset your password to a random value and go to Manage Your Account later to set the password to something you prefer.
What do I do if I forget my AT&T Internet high-speed Internet or Dial password?
High-speed Internet users can call 1-877-722-3755 and Dial-up customers can call 1-877-722-3425.
