On Tuesday 21 May 2002 10:47 am, Eduardo GARCIA wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I want to built a network that allows http navigation to any host that is
> plugged on it, without any change on its configuration. This can be useful,
> for example, in a hotel, where they want to provide
> web navigation to their customers without the need to change any
> configuration, just plug & web.

I still don't see that this is anything more than what DHCP does 
automatically - and you can't get much simpler than that ?

> For example my network is 1.2.3.0 and I want that a host with an IP from
> any unknown network (i. e. 10.9.8.7) can navigate.

No way.   You can't create a network which will allow a host with some 
arbitrary preset IP address (and gateway, and DNS...) to come along an plug 
into - for two reasons:

1. the client machine will try to route to the Internet through a gateway 
address; if that gateway address is not correct then it won't be able to 
reach anything.

2. the gateway machine has to know what addresses belong on the inside, and 
what belong on the outside, so that it can route things properly.   For 
example, suppose I brought my laptop with a fixed address of 213.121.xxx.yyy 
along to your network and plugged it in - should I be regarded as an 'inside' 
address or an 'outside' address ?   (Most people, unless they work in my 
office, should regard this as an 'outside' address.....)

> Not any host is allowed to do this, only hosts with known MACs (only
> customers in my hotel).

Isn't it a bit inconvenient to have to ask people the MAC address of their 
laptop when they check in ?   I mean, I have a laptop with a built-in 
ethernet port - how many people who know how to find out its mac address ?

Anyway, DHCP can easily handle this for you, if you can be bothered to tell 
it the MAC addresses to listen to.



Hope this helps.



Antony.

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