Device seems to be blocked from 02 wifi

[cluelesscris]

So, I have been uising o2 wifi for years and it's been a doddle and VERY useful.  Especially, breakfasting at McDonalds!

However, in the last six weeks I have not been able to connect through to the internet at any McDonalds on my phone.  Selecting either o2 wifi or McDonalds Free Wifi results in a connected status but 'no internet'.  I can connect through my laptop fine and my wife's phone also connects perfectly.  Using wifi at home on the phone is fine, as is connection at other locations not using o2 (such as The Cloud).  It's just any o2 wifi will not damned well allow me through to the internet on my phone.  The phone is a Moto G5.   I have reset the phone, refreshed the settings, cleared all caches and removed all cookies but nothing seems to allow me through.

The interesting thing is that if the wifi service did not recognise my device in some way it should automagically send me to the welcome splash screen for login/registration.  But this does not happen.  The wifi connects to the local router but simply does not me pass through to the WAN.  

I have had several looonnngggg! and frustrating calls and chats with o2 customer service trying to resolve this but each time I am taken through the same diagnostics and remedies to no avail.  

Is there anyone there who has a clue as to where my device is being stopped? I suspect that somewhere in the security process of connection either my phone number or mac address is being blacklisted and I can see no way to reset it.

Help!

Thanks in advance. 

[MI5]

Give this a try https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Other-Products-Services/O2-Wifi-At-London-Underground-Not-able-to-conn...

[cluelesscris]

Thanks.  Gone throught that.

1.0.0.0 return error 1003 - Direct IP access denied.

Checking the phone wifi/network settings it seems that although the phone says 'Connected, No Internet' the router has not given the phone an IP address which is probably why the above error occured.

[MI5]

I agree with your theory.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to fix it.
I'd call customer services again and request that the issue is passed to 2nd line support / tech support for a proper investigation.
It has to something iffy with your phones MAC address I would guess.

[Anonymous]

Go into advanced settings / manual settings on your phone's WiFi  configuration on the free access ssid (McDonald's free WiFi or whatever)  and on your wife's phone whilst enjoying a refreshing caramel frappe,, and whilst having both phones are connected, hers with internet yours without - compare the two sets of settings, see if there is anything different and change yours to match.

See if you can access the router itself (probably password protected but you never know) you'll get its IP addresses from your wifes phone, say it is 192.168.54.41 router will be 192.168.54.1... see if anything there gives a clue.

Going to CS about this is probably pointless,  McDonald's /O2 outsourced WiFi  service provider,  who remotely configure these routers, are so far removed from customer facing you'll never get close to asking them, and they'll be the only people who could realistically help. It's hard enough getting answers about masts which are theoretically  o2 core business, free WiFi is a bought in, badged add on, that O2 have almost nothing to do with. Kinda like TheO2 Dome... 

[gmarkj]

The only other suggestion I have is to ask o2 to remove the WiFi bolt on from your account, leave it 24 hours and get it added back on.
But do the stuff above first as you are not relying on anyone else to get it right!

[Anonymous]

I'd forgotten about that - it's not really a bolt on, tho more a ''service' and just a way of identifying numbers eligibility in places where O2 WiFi is restricted like on the tube. McDonald's WiFi is "sponsored' by O2 but free to everyone and you have to register with McDonalds themselves and that's not working for @cluelesscris either....

[gmarkj]

True enough, but thought it might be worth a try just in case.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely, can't hurt, and might just kick start something.

[cluelesscris]

OK.  So I decided to have another go at CS - armed with the research on this forum.

After more than 30 minutes of same old, same old I was passed three levels up.

I finally persauded them to delete my whole O2 account, nuts and bolts.  Now they say they have done it but I am going to wait at least 24 hours before trying again.  It's entirely possible some aspect of their system(s) is not real time and seeded deletions take a while to progress across their network.

Frankly, I'm still not that hopeful.  But, watch this space . . .   

In the meantime, thanks to everyone for their input.