Wireless Users On Fedora 7 (Restricting wireless hotspot usage)

[Michale]

I have set up a small Mesh Wireless Hotspot at a local Flea Market. My plan is to add in one of those HotSpot services for billing and such..

But until I have enough users to justify that expenditure, I am just going to manually set up accounts.

The system is all up and running as an OPEN SYSTEM. Users are able to access the net just fine thru my existing setup.

My question is, how can I create user accounts so that users of my wireless network will have a username and password that they can log in with.

Any hints/tips/help would be most appreciated..


M

[Michale]

Doing a little more research, it's looking like I need to set up a Radius Server.

Am I on the right track??


M

[scottro]

Radius should work for that. (I've only done some very mild dabbling with it, so can't be much help with specifics.)

There is an article on it at linuxhomenetworking.com about using it in conjunction with LDAP.

F7 is, as far as I know, EOL however, (end of life) meaning it won't, (again as far as I know) get any sort of security updates. I don't know how important this is for you.

If you find a good howto about it, please do post--this sounds interesting and I suspect that as time goes on, many folks might find it helpful.

[Michale]

ACK!!

I hadn't realized that this really hasn't been done before.. I am not much of a trailblazer. Not so much from lack of desire as from not being well-versed in the subject matter.

I would have thought there would be a lot of pre-packaged WISP or HotSpot packages for Linux. I am finding out that this really isn't the case.

Oh well, once more unto the breach...

Thanx for the replies.

[scottro]

I would have thought the same. Yes, blazing a trail can be very difficult.

I'm not at all familiar with running such a thing. Does Windows and/or Apple make it easy?

There's a good chance it has been done, maybe you'll have to google, playing with different search terms, and suddenly come across your perfect howto.

There's also a reasonable chance that someone will see this thread after the weekend--the forums are often slower during the weekends, and there's the chance (not a great one, but it exists) that you'll get some helpful replies after the weekend.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[scottro]

One thing I can do (and did do), is change the thread title a bit, making it a bit more likely that someone familiar with the topic will stop to read it. Titles like wireless users often tend to be overlooked by busy people just browsing thread titles.

[Michale]

'Preciate the mod on the title.. Hopefully that will help..

I wouldn't have thought creating users for internet access would be such a major headache.. I really don't have the user base to go thru a commercial HotSpot service, but it might be worth it, just to avoid the headaches...

Thanx again....



M

[Michale]

Still haven't found any info on this..

Once again, I am struck by the lack of available info. I simply can't believe that using a Linux Box in this manner is so unique.

Then it occurred to me that my terminology might be the fault. Perhaps I am just not using the correct nomenclature in my searches.

Basically, I want to set up an ISP. Or, to be more accurate, a WISP. But any search on that term yields hundreds of results on how users can set up their ISP info on their server, but no results on how an ISP can set up users..

So, it MUST be my terminology.. With that in mind, can any thesaurus minded people come up with the "official" term for what I want to do?

Thanx

M

[beaker_]

I'm only guessing. But if the wifi is open, then wouldn't this reduce to authenticating against a proxy. i.e., proxy throws you to a default login page, if the credentials pass then out you go. Alternatively (probebly flying by seat of pants) wouldn't a little php or pearl modify iptables to forward them?

[Michale]

Originally Posted by beaker_

I'm only guessing. But if the wifi is open, then wouldn't this reduce to authenticating against a proxy. i.e., proxy throws you to a default login page, if the credentials pass then out you go.

This sounds like a HotSpot service type setup. I DO have an account on one of those services (WiFiGator) but I am not sure I want to use it as I am not sure my customer base would be large enough to need it. But, as I indicated above, if it is the easiest way to get around this issue, then.....

Alternatively (probebly flying by seat of pants)

Welcome to my world..

wouldn't a little php or pearl modify iptables to forward them?

That might be a way to go, but that is way above my pay grade, knowledge wise..


Here is a depiction of my setup:

http://anything-goes.us/temp/RouterMapSJFM.jpg

Basically, I want to create a setup whereas when a user connects to any of wireless routers is taken to a login page where they login and then given access to the NET.


M

[kevmif]

Doesn't squid handle authentication?
I.E anyone can connect but iptables limits traffic to http and squid does the rest?

[beaker_]

Proxy = squid with auth module on your network.