User's Manual

Installation and User Guide: Airgo Access Point 265
C
External Landing Page API
This appendix is a supplement to Chapter 8, “Configuring Guest Access,” which describes the
process of authenticating and isolating guest user stations. Guest authentication is a web-based
process that requires the user to open a web browser, which then automatically redirects the user to
an authentication web page. Two approaches are available:
• Internal Landing Page that is present inside the AP
• External Landing Page
Introduction
This appendix documents the application programming interface (API) between the AP and the
External Landing Page Server (ELPS).
Case Studies
1 Enterprise Guest Access Scenario: An enterprise will typically support multiple VLANs.
Enterprise users are generally strongly authenticated and have direct access to the enterprise
VLAN. Untrusted guest users are blocked from enterprise resources by use of an HTTP captive
portal. After authenticating to the captive portal, the guest users are allowed on a specific
VLAN with access to the Internet, but not to enterprise resources.
2 Hotspot Deployment Scenario: All user web browser traffic is initially redirected to a captive
portal (walled garden) that allows them to either login or purchase services to obtain a valid
login identity. Subsequently, the entitled users are allowed full Internet access through AP
association. Connection services may be constrained to a specific duration before
reauthentication is required. The ELPS service may also track usage by connection.
AP Configuration
As described in Chapter 8, “Configuring Guest Access,”configuring an AP to support Guest Access
using an external authentication web server, requires specifying two configuration parameters:
• The fully qualified URL (IP format) of a page on the external authentication web server, the
“landing page.”
• A shared secret code known to both the external authentication web server and the AP. This
information is entered into the Guest Access Wizard or the Guest Access Service Panel.
This information is entered into the Guest Access Wizard or the Guest Access Service Panel.
System Description
Three principle entities are involved in user authentication with an external authentication web
server.
• The station (STA)
• The Access Point (AP)
• The External Landing Page Server (ELPS)