Help Needed with Trial Version

[mxbsuper]

Ok It looks like this product is perfect for my needs.

I have 60 sites with their own subnets of 172.16.x.0 / 255.255.255.0

I am able to enable DHCP forarding to the Firstspot Server on 10.0.1.121 / 255.255.255.0

I am able to ping in all directions establishing routing is as should be.

I am assuming that by enabling DHCP forwarding this allows the Firstspot server to track IP Address/Mac Address pairs, which in turn will allow the security features to work fully.

I am also assuming that the software will allow Free Access (No Pay) and will allow me customize a signup / login page to record full users details etc.

If I buy the software out right now, will I be able to obtain some support assistance in configuring this solution ?

At the moment I am struggling to get the Trial version to work correctly.

Please advise ASAP?

Many Thanks

Regards

Mark

[alan]

Sure, FirstSpot can satisfy your requirements quite well.

Yes, FirstSpot allows for free access and can collect user information during self sign-up or first login.

What is your current issue? It seems that you already get the basic FirstSpot features working.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[mxbsuper]

Hi There,

Many Thanks for getting back to me.

My problem is that I am unable to get a response / login page when I try to access a random web page / URL.

I can access the configuration manage ok if I use http://localhost:xxxx and also if I use http://a.b.c.d:xxxx but I get nothing when accessing a random web site.

There is some sort of redirect going on because the URL changes to something with /index.html at the end but the browser comes back with page cannot be displayed.

One more question can I completely remove any Patrosoft branding and rebrand it with own.

Is it worth us buying the software to obtain full support with VNC / Team Viewer or RDP.

I am stuck and do need to nail this pretty quickly.

Regards

mxbsuper

[alan]

First, at least initially try to keep most FirstSpot setting as default. This will help the troubleshooting greatly. I suspect some setting change cause your problem. FirstSpot default setting should work quite well in the most of the cases. Also, make sure you are using FirstSpot DHCP server (and turn off all other DHCP server in the your network).

Can you capture the exact login page URL that you see in the client browser?

Yes, you can customize/remove the Patronsoft logo in the login page.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[mxbsuper]

Ok Understood.

I have gone from relying on DHCP and DHCP forwarding to static IP addressing.

But.....

Can I assume that if the FirstSpot app has not DHCP assigned and IP to the client device it will not process any requests.

What I mean to say, is DHCP vital to the FirstSpot application?

Regards

mxbsuper

[alan]

FirstSpot DHCP server is actually optional. But the key is that you should get FirstSpot working okay first before changing setting like DHCP.

For FirstSpot to work, the client default gateway should be FirstSpot Visitor Network Interface IP. Again, the best way to achieve this initially is to use the FirstSpot DHCP server.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[mxbsuper]

Understood.

I shall configure it that way now and will get back to you.

[mxbsuper]

Incidentally, The windows 2003 server that I have installed the FirstSpot software on has a gateway address assigned on the Public NIC pointing to a public IP address.

I have added static persistent routes using the 'route ADD' command.

I am pointing 172.16.x.x , 192.168.x.x & 10.x.x.x back to the LAN router that conects to the rest of the LAN network.

I have been able to prove routing with ping in all directions.

I trust that this OK.

[alan]

Well, this should be okay but it does increase the complexity a bit.

Please make sure:
1) Your FirstSpot machine can surf the Internet correctly.
2) there should be no router between client and FirstSpot
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[alan]

For "this" above, I actually mean static route (i.e. route add). Normally, FirstSpot (and the Windows associated with it) should work well without any static route.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[mxbsuper]

Ok, It looks like I am really starting to get somewhere now.

I have been able to connect an access point directly to the same subnet as the Firstspot Private LAN side and I can access the Hotspot Login Portal as expected.

Now I am trying something a bit more adventurous.........

I have 60 sites (60 DSL routers) connected in a subnetted VPN LAN.

Each access point has it's own IP subnet 172.16.SN.0 /24 SN=Site Number

I have enabled DHCP forwarding or in Cisco speak 'ip helper-address 10.254.0.1'

The 10.254.0.1 ip address is the ip address that is assigned to the Firstspot Private LAN interface.

My problem is that I am able to obtain an IP address from Firstspot when the access point is connected to ip subnet 172.16.60.0 but the IP address that is assigned is a 10.254.0.x /24

I need to be able to make the Firstspot DHCP server aware of my 60 other sites / subnets so that it can assign an IP address in the correct range/subnet and thus be routable.

Please advise?

[alan]

FirstSpot DHCP server uses Multiple Network Segments settings to determine the individual subnet IP range. Note that for the router behind each subnet, it should only have DHCP relay (i.e. Cisco IP helper) but not DHCP server enabled.

Refer to chapter 4 (Scenario 3) of firstspot_guide.pdf for an example to configure Multiple Network Segments.
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~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[mxbsuper]

OK printing out manual.

[mxbsuper]

I cannot beleive that I did not see that option in the menu.

Ok configuring the subnets now and will let you know how I go.

[mxbsuper]

Ok now have it working spot on