If a user signs on to a wireless access point how can it be set that the first or each time the user pulls the browser it brings up a 'Welcome to the access point" rather than the home page they have in there intenet options? What type of 3rd party software is needed on server, if any?
Using a Cisco Aironet 1300

Thank you

Mike Griffin

how can it be set that the first or each time the user pulls the browser it brings up a 'Welcome to the access point" rather than the home page they have in there intenet options?

It's not actually possible to change their home [default] page. However, it is possible to substitute the information they asked for with your welcome content - although I would imagine only more advanced industry WAP's would be capable of this.

Typically you see this in environments where some sort of authentication is required before your IP or MAC is permitted to access the rest of the network.

Assuming you want to perform access control you can do this with iptables and some packet manipulation. Set the machine up to forward packets so your wireless clients can use it as their gateway (which you send to them through DHCP). Configure iptables to redirect all routed traffic to your server which should also have a web server available on it. Have them authenticate to the website however you prefer (or don't... it's up to you). Then have a server-side program (CGI, PHP, etc.) add an iptables rule that short circuits the default rule (which sent them to your website) and allows them to route through your gateway to the correct site.

Since you'd be using iptables this can be tweaked any number of ways to obtain the desired benefits. I'm sorry I dont have specific instructions, but there are probably some out there on the web somewhere. The man page for iptables is helpful if you're familiar with firewalling and packet mangling concepts.

Brian

Would you know how to do this? "substitute the information they asked for with your welcome content "

What if a proxy address is added in the internet settings but keep the current default home page; however, load a welcome page that is brought from the proxy server?

Thank you

-Mike Grififn

You can do this with the Microtik boxes, and they aren't expensive.

Mark

Hi Mike,

We have been using MikroTik for over 2 years now. Basically, what you want is possible with MikroTik. After you download and install MikroTik Router OS, Just specify the Interface for the hotspot to use. You then setup a DHCP range and you can edit the welcome page to show the clients and have them login.

When anyone in the wireless/hotspot area tries to open any URL, even if they use a proxy or whatever, they will get redirected to your welcome page. They enter their username and password, and a small popup will let them know their login time, logoff option and time-spent.

Using MikroTik, you can specify a walled garden, which will allow your homepage or some news sites to be browseable without authentication. For others, no matter what OS or Browser or Proxy they use, they get redirected to the login page.

You can specify users and put them on groups, so that group based bandwidth/usage/time mangement is made possible. You can bypass certain systems/clients based on their mac address.

Let me know if you need further help on MikroTik or HotSpot/WISP.


Cheers,