how do hotels manage paid internet access?

[DeeKnow]

i posted this in the 'off-topic' forum, and did not get much info... hopefully folks here can shed more light

I've been traveling a fair bit recently... most hotels I check into, offer wi-fi access.
as soon as i run my browser, it automatically goes to their signup page. you key in your room number and a password (which the receptionist gives you) and you are on.. for 24 hours.

I have been trying to figure out

a) how does yr pc/browser know to go to their login page when you fire it up?

b) how do they turn on access for you only for 12 or 24 hours (whatever you agree to pay for).. is it a cookie that expires??

Not trying to hack (my employer pays $150 for the hotel, and can afford another $10 for wifi access), just learn what's going on here ...

 

[spidey07]

There is a server that the access points redirect all of your traffic if you aren't authenticated. Its called a transparent redirect. So no matter what HTML paget or address you request it is redirected to a web server/wireless authentication server and that server responds with the login page.

Once authenticated your IP address is giving time access.

Most times the entire wireless network is run through this server (and it communicates with the access points) in a firewall kind of setup.

hope that helps. for more info look up BBSM on www.cisco.com.

 

[ScottMac]

To add to Spidey's stuff:

This is called a 'Captive Portal'

Google has lots of info on 'em and some of the captive protals in use (commercial $$$$ and free / public domain)

FWIW

Scott

 

[spidey07]

Thanks. So that's the coined name for 'em?

Gotta love marketing.

 

[yukichigai]

Additionally, most seem to track by MAC addy. A few do it by login/password; the latter seem to be in order to thwart attempts to use services like ICS to create a pseudo-network while only paying for one account