FreeBSD machine instead of wireless hotspot device

[Jeffrey Goldberg]

On Apr 21, 2007, at 7:54 AM, Angelin Lalev wrote:

> I have wireless hotspot device (Handlink WG-601) which I need to  
> replace with FreeBSD machine.
> The device has following functionality I need to replicate:
>
> 1. It has dhcp server (that's easy)
> 2. It makes NAT between it's "internal" interfaces and "wan"  
> interface (easy too, but look at 3).
> 3. It actually responds on every ARP request coming on it's  
> internal interfaces. That allows it to act
> as router for machines that instead of using dhcp are configured  
> with wrong static IP addresses.
> 4. It can use RADIUS for authentication of the users.
> Actually, non-authenticated users are given IP address (no WPA,  
> TKIP, etc) and when they first
> try to load a web page are redirected to authentication web-page.  
> Then their username and password
> are checked against RADIUS database and only then they are allowed  
> to connect to the outer network.
>
> Two more things:
>
> 1. It was part of a larger wireless hotspot service, sponsored from  
> the government and implemented by outer organization, so buying  
> another with my organization's money is out of the question.
> 2. I'm aware of the issues with security but again I cannot modify  
> the policy there.
>
> I'll be very thankful for any ideas.

You may look at something like m0n0wall.  Running it on a Soerkis box  
with wireless should give you exactly what you are looking for.  But  
even if you can't buy a nice small and cheap box like that, it should  
run on anything FreeBSD runs on.

See

   http://m0n0.ch/wall/

-j