[OPLINTECH] New WiFi connection stats reporting / captured portals

Tue Feb 24 15:26:40 EST 2015

Here's some interesting guidance that Colorado is giving their libraries:

http://www.lrs.org/data-tools/public-libraries/strategies-tracking-reporting-wifi-usage/

It looks like on the low cost end, they are advocating using a free 
program called network scanner, and doing a sampling for the sake of the 
requirement.  The direct link to the product they are advocating is:

https://www.softperfect.com/products/networkscanner/

This sounds like the closest thing I've seen to what Chad is asking for, 
something he can recommend to his clients that is cheap and that they 
can implement with a minimal amount of extra help.

Depending on how much effort I want to put into this, as a DD-WRT user, 
it looks like I could copy a script to my routers that would do the 
counting and email the results.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=618965

This would need some testing, since the script was posted to a forum 
nearly 4 years ago, however, it looks like pretty straight forward linux 
scripting, so it seems likely it would work still. I suspect I will 
either see if I can do something with DHCP logging on my firewall or do 
a sampling with this SoftPerfect product.

Have a good day.

Joe

Joseph Knueven
Director
Germantown Public Library
51 N. Plum St.
Germantown, OH 45327
937-855-4001
knuevejo at oplin.org

On 2/24/2015 3:01 PM, Stephen Hedges wrote:
> I don't think the feds have written their definition yet. They post those at http://www.imls.gov/research/pls_definitions.aspx.
>
> You've probably already seen the instructions for the State Library survey: "Report the number of wireless sessions provided by
> the library wireless service annually. Note: This includes services used in the parking lot, etc." That's all.
>
> It's worth mentioning, since Chad has raised the money question a couple of times now, that managed Wi-Fi services are eligible for E-rate this year. See the 2015 Eligible Services List linked at http://www.usac.org/sl/applicants/beforeyoubegin/eligible-services-list.aspx. (Skip to the 18th page)
>
> Stephen
> --
> Stephen Hedges, Director
> Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
> 2323 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 130, Columbus, OH 43204
> 614-728-5250  ::  hedgesst at oplin.org
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Chad Neeper" <cneeper at level9networks.com>
>> To: "OPLINTECH" <OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 2:42:13 PM
>> Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] New WiFi connection stats reporting / captured	portals
>>
>> Certainly a useful stat to have, but unfortunately, it appears to put yet
>> another financial burden on small libraries that don't have a capable IT
>> person on staff to devise a method to reliably collect it. (Well, that could
>> be a good thing for me, I suppose!)
>>
>> So if collecting this stat is really a Thing, does anyone (Steve?) know where
>> I can go to get a little more official information on it? If it's going to
>> be a federal requirement, then it would be nice to see the line-item that
>> mentions it to try to discern what info is to be reported: ie.
>> "human-initiated" or "device-initiated" connections. It would probably have
>> an impact on the methods we use to collect the stat.
>>
>> 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
>>
>> On Tue, Feb 24, 2015 at 9:30 AM, Stephen Hedges < hedgesst at oplin.org > wrote:
>>
>>
>> OPLIN making Wi-Fi stats mandatory?
>>
>> Nah, this is part of the stats the State Library collects every year.
>> Although I'll admit, that will be an extremely useful stat to have.
>>
>> As I understand it, this stat will be a federal requirement next year (most
>> of the stats the State Library collects fulfill federal requirements), and
>> SLO is asking for the stat this year to work out some kinks before the
>> federal requirement kicks in. If that's correct, it sounds like a wise plan
>> to me.
>>
>> Stephen
>> --
>> Stephen Hedges, Director
>> Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
>> 2323 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 130, Columbus, OH 43204
>> 614-728-5250 :: hedgesst at oplin.org
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Ruchie Rice" < rrice at fcdlibrary.org >
>>> To: "OPLINTECH" < OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org >
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 9:15:17 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] New WiFi connection stats reporting / captured
>>> portals
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I hadn’t heard of OPLIN making wi-fi stats mandatory. We used to use
>>> Bluesocket which used to give us stats but we did away with it a couple of
>>> years ago because the splash page was not working well with some devices.
>>> We’d like to keep it that way. Also, we have nine wireless APs among 5
>>> locations and would hate to have to spend money to get stats. If we could
>>> use a DHCP solution that would work better for us.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Also, since it is library using resources I agree that human and non-human
>>> connections should count.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ruchie
>>>
>>> Information Technology Coordinator
>>>
>>> Fairfield County District Library
>>>
>>> 219 N. Broad St.
>>>
>>> Lancaster, OH 43130
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> https://helpdesk.clcohio.org/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working
>>> together is success” – Henry Ford
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> OPLINTECH mailing list
>>> OPLINTECH at lists.oplin.org
>>> http://lists.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplintech
>>>
>>>
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