[OPLINTECH] New WiFi connection stats reporting / captured portals

[Jessica D. Dooley]

We do collect wireless stats for all uses, and have done since we began offering public wifi. I can’t picture a WiFi solution that wouldn’t inherently collect usage stats, even if it isn’t explicitly formatting or reporting them; the DHCP logs for the wifi APs (or firewall interface, or other DHCP server) would render the number of connections per timespan. I also avoid deploying captive portal. I do count every connection; the person who explicitly sits down to use their laptop in the library, and the person who carries in a smartphone in their pocket, are both making use of the wifi service and the bandwidth – I definitely want to count both. 

 

I may be missing some other configuration possibilities, but – for a given network, if you can’t currently distinguish between WiFi users and other network devices, does that imply that wireless users aren’t segregated from the rest of the network?

 

Jessica D. Dooley

IT Specialist

Adams County Public Library

937-587-2085

 

From: oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Chad Neeper
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 3:52 PM
To: OPLINTECH
Subject: [OPLINTECH] New WiFi connection stats reporting / captured portals

 

Hello, OPLINTECH:

 

I've been hearing from some of my libraries that they're now going to be required to annually report WiFi connection statistics starting with 2015. Presently, other than one rogue, none of my libraries collect those stats. Being small libraries with only one or two very simple access points, I'm pretty sure that most of the devices they're using simply don't provide stats on the number of individual network connections. One way to provide the statistic would be to implement captive portals and require a human to click "I accept" to an Acceptable Use Policy on a splash page whenever they try to initiate a browsing session. The captive portal would likely provide the required statistics. But it introduced some other questions:  

 

1) The state wants the number of WiFi connections....Are those supposed to be Human-initiated connections? When I walk into a library, my phone automatically establishes a connection and refreshes itself with various content, downloading my latest podcasts, synching my e-mail, etc. That's the behavior I want my phone to do, but I often don't want to open a browser session and actually browse to a website on my phone. Sometimes I do, but more often, I don't. So should those automatic connections count in the stats? If so, then every single patron with a smart phone will likely get counted, even if they're just driving by the library and come into range for a few seconds.

 

2) If the state is only interested in the Human initiated connections, then that would pretty much mandate a captured portal and require the click on "I accept" before a session is permitted. Personally, I hate WiFi hotspots like that because it interferes with the normal operation of my wireless device. I also hate being forced to remember to open a browser and perform an action after I've tried to figure out for a few moments why my device isn't connected properly.  In the past, I've even run into locations that for whatever reason the captive portal doesn't play nicely with my wireless device and I'm just SoL.

 

3) If I need to set up captive portals at each of my small libraries to report this stat, should I bill the state directly? My libraries are already pretty strapped.  ;-)

 

4) Does anyone collect this stat using software that isn't built into their wireless access points and isn't a full "I accept" human-interaction required captive portal?

 

 

Ideally, I'd have something that's:

- 3rd party software only solution independent of any particular vendor's access points

- Open source

- Simple/turn-key (translates to cheap to implement for my small libraries)

- Doesn't prevent the normal background function of wifi devices when a human doesn't specifically want to use their browser

- Collects the number of wifi connections that's either human-initiated or automatic, depending on which stat the state actually wants to know (assuming the state even knows the difference)

 

 

I know people will probably reply with the names of their own captive portals or access point manufacturers/models that provide the stats. What are others planning to do now that this particular stat appears to be more required and what type of stats you're providing or plan to provide (all connections, human-only, whatever)? As much as that, I'm just kind of curious where/if this conversation thread goes.

 

Any comments or thoughts on this?

 

Thanks,

Chad




______________________________
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

Full IT/Computer consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools

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