VPN won't connect on hotel or airport Wi-Fi (captive portal blocking)

Symptoms

• AnyConnect reports the service provider in your current location is restricting access to the internet.
• VPN fails on public Wi-Fi but works at home.
• Browser hasn't yet shown the network's login/terms page.

Fix it yourself

1. Open a browser and complete the captive portal login/terms acceptance for the Wi-Fi network first.
2. Retry the VPN connection once general internet access works.
3. If the client keeps flagging a captive portal incorrectly, adjust the captive portal detection preference in the AnyConnect client settings.
4. If the network still blocks the VPN after portal login, switch to a phone hotspot to confirm the network is the cause.
5. Report persistently blocking venue networks to IT so guidance can be updated.

If that did not help

Attach the exact client error text, the network/venue name, and whether the captive portal page was completed before the attempt.