OK – I answered my own question – I didn’t dig deeply enough – I found that this HooToo only pulls in 802.11b/g/n, 2.4GHz so looks like that’s why it can’t see 5GHz. Sorry for the trouble. I wonder if anyone else had experienced this.

Thanks for the reply Dave, I’m now in a Caribbean Air BNB with a typical setup (SSID and password) so I can’t work on the issue. LOL! I know that the HooToo’s Bridge mode interface requires you to pick one of the SSIDs it has scanned and then enter its password but I’ll try next time I’m in an airport to see if I find anything more.

I don’t have the Hootoo with me to verify but from memory, if you put it into Bridge mode, connect it to the airport WiFi network, and then connect your device to the Hootoo, you’ll see the capture screen on your device and be able to click Accept (or whatever) as normal.

Thanks!

I’ve never used a 3 amp charger with it, but otherwise plug it into whatever I have lying around – anything from 1.0 to 2.4 amps. No problems that I’ve seen!

Question: The pdf instructions available on the HooToo site say that the device shouldn’t be charged at more than 1.6 amps. My LG Nexus phone charger puts out 3.0 amps (ouch) and most readily available are 2.1 amps – what do you use to charge it? Thanks!

Thanks for the update, Cliff! TP-Link’s always made decent consumer networking gear, and it sounds like this is no exception. It’s a shame you had to go through all the hassle with shipping on the Hootoo first!

Hi Dave – Update – As mentioned in our previous discussion, Australia Post wouldn’t forward the HooToo I ordered from the USA to Australia because they consider it a “power bank” with a Li-Ion battery. Since the HooToo doesn’t have distribution in Australia, I looked for other wifi repeater (aka “range extender”) hardware options that could be purchased in Australia and found the TP-Link 300 Mbps Wireless N Nano Router, Model TL-WR802N. So far it’s been a game changer for its ability to boost the wifi signal here in our Darwin, Australia housesit where the router sits in a far corner of the house. I’ve also used it in one hotel situation where it worked like a champ. Setup isn’t super-clear but once you’ve done it a couple of time, it’s not an issue. The unit is approximately 1.5″x1.5″x0.6″ and weighs almost nothing. For ~$30 USD, I highly recommend it if someone doesn’t need the HooToo’s other cool features or faces shipping/transport issues like I did.