Problems connecting to B&N free wi-fi using Windows laptops

[LinuxGJE]

I'm sorry if I broke any rules, I'm still a newbie around Linux, but I assume the Linux community is the most-informed of all OS groups. Sorry if it off topic, but I couldn't find a good answer on Google or YahooAnswers about this problem other than turning your PC off and on (and that may not be the cure) And yes, I know Windows suck at times.[


Hello. I go to Barnes & Noble a few times a week and they offer free wi-fi service there. Now, I'm not having the problem, but I've been asked by two separate people with Windows-based laptops for help connecting to the store's wi-fi.

They are getting on their laptops that the wi-fi signal is there and that there is a connection, however, nothing is happening and the browsers (both IE and Firefox) are getting blank/white pages. So what is causing this? Is it a setting somewhere in the Control Panel? Is it the browsers? The wi-fi hardware ? Or is it the wi-fi service messing up in dealing out IPs or something akin to that?

Just so you know, the wi-fi at the Barnes & Noble does work because I and others around these perplexed people are having it work on our own laptops without fail or delay. Also, I believe the two Windows OS were XP and W7. Please help me learn if possible on this tech-hangup. Thanks for reading.

[remoulder]

This is a linux support forum not a Windows one!