Use static IP

Ioften wonder why I can't get online using my Samsung wi-fi enabled smartphone in a free wi-fi zone when other people have experience no difficulty doing so with their note book computers and hand phones. The fact is that my phone detects and connects to wi-fi service but then I'm not able to view the latest postings on my FB, Twitter and Yahoo Mail accounts.

I have asked a few people, including TM net about this problem and even though I have followed up on their well-meaning recommendations, my problem still persists. I was beginning to doubt the real capability of my Samsung Galaxy Mini smart phone.

3.00pm. Old Town White Coffee cafe in Kajang Metro Point Plaza drinking black coffee and eating double butter toasts.

The cafe has free wi-fi service and using my smartphone I was able to connect to the service. But as before when I visited FB, Twitter and Yahoo Mail sites I was able to view old postings but not the latest messages.

With plenty of time on hand and nothing much to do I started to fiddle with the phone's wi-fi and network connection settings. Then buried under many layers of sub-menus in the advanced settings module I came across an IP setting labeled "use static IP". Wondering what it can do I tapped the "Use static IP" function and returned to FB. Lo and behold magically I was able to see the latest postings being downloaded immediately. I also received the same results in Yahoo mail and twitter.

I was so delighted with the outcome that I stayed in the cafe for more than two hours checking my FB, Twitter and Yahoo Mail accounts.