[OPLINTECH] New WiFi connection stats reporting / captured portals

[Colleen Sandusky]

We do not currently separate our stats and do not have an efficient way of doing so. Our stats are based on user logins. If I were to pull DHCP off the AP's event logs that confuses leases and sessions. I use to set leases for our 1/2 hr session times but then people who were doing online testing would have issues when their lease renewed after a 1/2 hour, so I scraped that. The time it would take to draw truly realistic stats from the AP event logs would be problematic and the money to move to a different solution just isn't there. I have much bigger fish to fry. 

Colleen Sandusky
Loudonville Public Library

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chad Neeper" <cneeper at level9networks.com>
To: "OPLINTECH" <OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org>
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 3:51:47 PM
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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