Public Wi-Fi and privacy

Wi-Fi login page does not appear on a Mac

Public networks often hold all traffic until you sign in on a login page. macOS finds these pages and opens them. Sometimes it does not, and you must open the page yourself.

Applies to: All current macOS versions. macOS 11 Big Sur and later also read the login page address that a network advertises.Checked: 29 October 2026

Symptoms

The Mac joins the network, but no sign-in window opens.
Pages do not load, or show a security warning.
The connection worked, then stopped after some time.

Likely causes

The Mac joined on its own. When the Mac joins a known network on its own, you can miss the sign-in window.
A VPN or custom DNS. A VPN or another DNS server can stop the network from sending you to its login page.
The session expired. Apple says that when a session ends, the network can show the wrong page or a security warning in Safari.
Network setup. Apple tells network operators to advertise their login page in a standard way. Not all networks do this.

How to check

Hold the Option key and click the Wi-Fi icon. Make sure that you are on the correct network.
Show the DNS servers of the Wi-Fi service. A custom server shows here.
```
networksetup -getdnsservers Wi-Fi
```
Output There aren't any DNS Servers set on Wi-Fi. means that the Mac uses the network's DNS.
Look for a VPN at the top of the service order.
```
networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder
```

How to fix it

Turn off the VPN until you are signed in.
In a browser, open a page that uses http, not https. For example, open http://captive.apple.com.
If the network still does not redirect you, remove custom DNS for a short time.
```
sudo networksetup -setdnsservers Wi-Fi empty
```
Needs an administrator password.
Sign in on the login page.
Set your DNS servers again after you sign in, if you use custom DNS.
If the page still does not appear, forget the network and join it again from the Wi-Fi menu.

With Kilobat

Check for a login page with Kilobat's diagnosis.
```
kilobat diagnose --json
```
Output measurements.captivePortal is true when the network wants a sign-in.
The Kilobat Wi-Fi menu shows Sign-in required. The Health tab shows Open network login page.
If you set DNS with Kilobat, return to the network's DNS for the sign-in.
```
kilobat dns automatic
```
Changing DNS needs an administrator password.

Questions

Why do I get a certificate warning instead of the login page?

The network intercepts the https page and shows its own. Open an http page instead.

Should I use a VPN on public Wi-Fi?

A VPN can protect your traffic, but turn it on only after you sign in.

Sources

Apple Developer News: How to modernize your captive network (22 June 2020)
Apple Support: If your Mac isn't connecting to the internet over Wi-Fi
networksetup(8), man page installed with macOS 27.2

Sources checked on 29 October 2026. Man pages are the ones installed with macOS; open one with man <name> in Terminal.