**Problem:**

I have made over 14 apps over the last 6 years. I got my first-ever MacBook Air after graduating college and have held a developer account ever since.

Whenever I have a new app idea, I always look to see if the problem I am trying to solve is both solved, and solved in a way that I like. Sometimes one is true, sometimes both are true, and I buy the app and never have to build the app in the first place! I could not find an app to help you during that point of frustration of getting onto a public network in a guided way that most people could understand.

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I tried to get on Alaska’s new free Starlink Wi-Fi. I have heard great things, and expected a lot. I tried to connect and nothing. I finally figured it out. I had my VPN enabled, a custom DNS, and then Private Relay. Each time the page didn’t load, I had to guess what was wrong. So aggravating, but I was very happy I finally got on. 

I did not like that I had no offline resources to troubleshoot what was going on with the network. There are times when public Wi-Fi is broken, and there are times it is YOUR device. To help figure out who to point fingers at and to guide you when you are at your most vulnerable, I created Hotspot Guide on the Mac App Store. I have tested it and it helped guide me onto Lufthansa, Marriott, Hilton, Alaska, JetBlue, and United. It helped get me back online every time! The app supports most airlines with specific tips I have seen and heard. It also has an at home mode where you can see network details and surrounding networks. The app does not transmit any data off your computer. The Mac version also includes an iOS download, and vice versa.



The app was built with the help of Opus, but all testing was real-world. And as mentioned, I am not new to the world of Mac/iOS apps.

Hope this app can be your little insurance plan so you can get online when you don’t have the entire internet to help you get there. I will continue updating this app. It is a one-time purchase. I hope you all like it.

I plan to add a small game if the internet is actually down (Please not DOOM). If you have any ideas, please tell me! I was thinking 20 questions? If they are able to get that game in a small, cheap, plastic LCD display game, I am sure I can add it while still keeping it small footprint?

I have other apps coming down the pipeline in beta. Thank you to this community, I am still having so much fun solving problems. I use my apps every single day, and I hope you get some use out of them as well.



Oh, and yes, I did get on starlink, about 350 Mbps!



**Comparison:**

**WiFi Explorer: Scanner ($19.99):** This app helps you set up your wifi network and problem solve common wifi issues and performance improvements at home. It has been around for a while and is the de facto to home network debugging. It does not help for networks that are not actually yours and does not look at your device's configuration itself. Like a good therapist, Hotspot Guide looks inward for the problem, not outward.



**Captive Portal (Free):** I do not know the developer of this app, but they did a really good job! It finds the captive portal URL and allows you to force your browser to navigate to it. I thought this would be my answer to the problem, but it does not help you get to the captive portal if there are any configuration issues with your device.



**Pricing:** 

On the Mac App Store  [https://apps.apple.com/app/id6766383175](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6766383175) (6.99) - Continuous updates, one time purchase Mac and iOS.

Hotspot Guide: Wi-Fi rescue for travelers