Quoting Simon Hobson (simon@???):

> That latter point means that you go to https://myfavouritewebsite.com
> and no you don't get the portal page - you get a certificate warning.
> Given that most people these days will have https URLs cached in their
> browser, you have to manually and explicitly try and connect to a site
> (doesn't matter what, any random URL will do) over HTTP.

Counter-tactic: If you're in a place (hotel, motel, conference centre)
where you suspect there might be a captive portal, fire up first an
_alternate_ Web browser (after temporarily disabling one's bespoke
choice of DNS nameserver IP), and try to load something, to see if the
captive portal page shows up. After navigating any captive portal,
switch to your production-use Web browser.

Equivalently (I think?), use a private-browsing tab for the first page
load.

-- 
Cheers,                    Foursquare is for people who wish they were Sims.
Rick Moen                                                    -- @kellyoxford
rick@???
McQ! (4x80)