Unable to connect to wireless networks

Hi,

I have a Latitude 3540 (Late 2013) that has difficulty connecting to wireless networks.  It can connect to a "normal" wireless ok (enter key, hit ok) but on open wireless hotspots, such as in a hotel, that redirect you to a website to log in, it will not work.

What I expect to see is a dialogue box in the bottom right hand cornet of the screen telling me that I need to enter info, which then opens up a browser to allow me to do so or I expect it to do nothing, but when I open my browser and try to go to a page I expect it to redirect me to the log in page then.

This laptop does neither.  when I open a browser it just tells me that it cannot connect to the website I have requested.

I have seen suggestions that this is a common fault with some dell laptops and it was suggested that browsing to the default gateway on the network that I am trying to connect to would be a work round, but I have tried this and it does not work. 

Any ideas?  is there a patch for this?

Thanks

Cosma