Force First Page on Wi-Fi HotSpot Network?

Question

I am somewhat network savvy but cannot figure out how to configure a standard router to "force" a first page on a wireless hospot network. For example, Customer A connects to the wireless hotspot, but before being able to surf the internet, Customer A must first agree to the TOS and maybe watch an ad...

How can you configure a standard router to "force" a first page? Is it done via VPN settings and/or a proxy?

Answer 1

Well there are routers that do this for you.
like this one
http://www.echotechwireless.com/AirEpoch_HGW210_E_Hotspot_Gateway_p/hgw210-e.htm
These are "Hot Spot Controllers"

If you have a compatible router (many linksys, buffalo tech, etc) you can add dd-wrt to it and enable the HOT SPOT on them then the router handles all of your work for you!
http://dd-wrt.com/dd-wrtv2/index.php

Otherwise you will have to build a GATEWAY controller computer to do this! Play with DNS etc but you will have to route to a gateway page first and that needs control not just dns.

Have Fun.

Answer 2

One way to do it is by controlling a firewall and a DNS server. Have your DNS server return the IP address of the forced page for unauthenticated users and then open the firewall when the user has authenticated. For authenticated users, your DNS server would be configured as a recursive resolver.

It would also be possible to do this with a firewall rule that allows DNS requests to propagate, but redirects all traffic to the authentication server. This general method is used by T-Mobile Hotspot, but is susceptible to authentication bypass through TCP-over-DNS tunneling.

I would go with the first method if it were my network.

Answer 3

Check out this website: http://www.2hotspot.com/
That little application may be what you need to get that up and running. Most of the time though this is done through a proxy server.