Mi-Fi works, campground Wi-Fi (sort of) does not

[tinstaafl]

This does not really fit this forum, but I don't know where else to go.

 I have a wierd computer problem that no one seems to have the answer to. I need help with respect to sending e-mail and/or uploading data to a website via Wi-Fi.

We use Verizon Broadband (Mi-Fi 2200) to connect to the Internet, Thunderbird for e-mail, and FileZilla to maintain a website. We also live in and travel the Country in a motorhome, but for the next six months we will be in a campground that has Wi-Fi, so we want to put Verizon Broadband on suspension.

The problem is that while the campground Wi-Fi works fine for everything else, and has "excellent" signal strength, it will not allow the sending of e-mail (SMTP server times out) - recieves e-mail fine - nor enable FileZilla to connect to the server that maintains our website (also times out). If I use Verizon, everything works as it should. I have rebooted the computer, done a system restore, etc. However, since my wife's laptop experiences all the same problems (no sending of e-mail or FileZilla connection via Wi-Fi, but works fine with the Verizon Broadband), it would seem that the problem is not with the computers. She runs XP, I have Win7.

Likewise, since when we use Verizon everything is fine, it would seem that the problem is not with BNSI.net who hosts our email and website in Virginia.  Following that same logic one step further, since except for the sending e-mail and accessing the server with FileZilla, everthing else does fine on the Wi-Fi, it would seem the problem is not with the Wi-Fi. Obviously the problem is somewhere!

We were here last year with the same computers and did not have any problem with the Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi is open and unsecured and no changes have been made to it since last year.

Clearly, I am missing something. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

[VZW_Zrock02]

Do you have any anti-virus or firewall enabled that might prevent uploads and downloads on either computer?

[JB21386]

If you are able to get on the interenet on the WiFi and not send email via SMTP or FTP (to your website), they are more then likely blocking the ports for SMTP and FTP on the WiFI connection. This is a common practice on "free" WiFI hotspots, to lower bandwidth and keep the WiFI from being so slow because a few users are taking up all of the bandwidth.

[techismylife]

Ok what you need is a pepwave surf mini  you can amplify the wifi from the campground and redistributed with one of these :

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_inf o&cPath=28_334_343&products_id=1813

It allows users to connect to a WiFi source and either repeat/relay/extend that connectivity wirelessly, or easily convert from wireless to wired access via the ethernet port on the bridge

I have used it at campgounds, mcdonalds, and hotel rooms, best of when I am home playing my xboxlive I plug it into the xbox for a wireless connection.

[JB21386]

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techismylife wrote:

Ok what you need is a pepwave surf mini  you can amplify the wifi from the campground and redistributed with one of these :

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_inf o&cPath=28_334_343&products_id=1813

It allows users to connect to a WiFi source and either repeat/relay/extend that connectivity wirelessly, or easily convert from wireless to wired access via the ethernet port on the bridge

I have used it at campgounds, mcdonalds, and hotel rooms, best of when I am home playing my xboxlive I plug it into the xbox for a wireless connection.

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He is getting a connection to the Wifi, that is not the problem. The problem is with email and FTP when he is connected to the wifi. 

Do you get paid to pimp out 3gstore.com or something 

[jnestell]

I agree about the 3gstore reference since I have seen the same product reference in multiple posts. 

As for the blocked ports, I totall agree.  A couple ideas here is to try to use the website for your mail instead of an email client like Outlook that is blocked.  As for the FTP, does your website host have a web based site manager where you can do the upload/download for your site so you do not have to use an FTP client?  They will not block https websites, just the smtp and ftp ports.

Another thought on the email side is you could find out the email server the campground uses and setup your client to use that for outgoing.  They usually block the outgoing email capability due to spamming issues, etc.  It could be mail.domain.com or pop3.domain.com or something similar.