Huawei E5331 - Captive Portal/Walled Garden

[MasterPatches]

Hi all,

My networking knowledge is a bit lacking and I am struggling to figure out if this is even possible. Google can only help you if you know what to search for.

Basically I want to open up my connection on a Huawei E5331 (the Afrihost MiFi device), lock down LAN and serve a single page, either via IIS/NGINX on localhost or a public site in a Walled Garden, to anyone who connects to it.

I need this to be really secure though, so not sure if this is even the best approach.

I also considered switching off SSID Broadcast on my device and sharing the connection with Connectify but they don't support redirecting users to a 'Captive Portal', or any URL for that matter, as far as I know.

Any suggestions or nudges in the right direction are greatly appreciated.

/Patches

 

[RoganDawes]

Use the Mifi as a USB-Ethernet device, disable the wifi, and use a proper captive portal to handle your requirements. E.g. an OpenWRT router with a USB port, running something like nocatsplash, or whatever else you prefer.

I doubt you will get what you want from the E5331 itself.

That said, if anyone has information about updating the firmware on the E5331, I'd really like to have it automatically turn on when powered via USB, and off again when it goes idle and the USB is not powered.

 

[MasterPatches]

Thanks for the feedback and for pointing me towards 'nocatsplash', definitely looks like something I could use.

My idea was to keep this 'solution' as compact as possible so I can use it in public places, also don't want to always be dependent on an electrical outlet to power the solution. It should be powered via my laptop's USB alone. Is there a really lightweight USB powered router that supports OpenWRT? Is it even possible to provide enough power to such a router via standard USB?

That said, if anyone has information about updating the firmware on the E5331...

Also, this would be cool to know as well.

EDIT:
After some searching I found this: http://en.code-bude.net/2013/01/29/...enwrt-router-flash-openwrt-to-tp-link-wr703n/
Anyone have any opinions on this router?

 

[RoganDawes]

Thanks for the feedback and for pointing me towards 'nocatsplash', definitely looks like something I could use.

My idea was to keep this 'solution' as compact as possible so I can use it in public places, also don't want to always be dependent on an electrical outlet to power the solution. It should be powered via my laptop's USB alone. Is there a really lightweight USB powered router that supports OpenWRT? Is it even possible to provide enough power to such a router via standard USB?

Also, this would be cool to know as well.

EDIT:
After some searching I found this: http://en.code-bude.net/2013/01/29/...enwrt-router-flash-openwrt-to-tp-link-wr703n/
Anyone have any opinions on this router?

The 703N is a fun little device, I own 4 or 5 of them, upgraded with extra RAM and flash. That said, if I were to purchase now, I'd get the GL.Inet: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Sm...337402?pt=COMP_EN_Routers&hash=item4ada6fc2fa and then see http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/gl-inet/gl-inet for details of running OpenWRT on it.

You'd still need to add a 3G modem, but that should be relatively simple.

 

[MasterPatches]

The 703N is a fun little device, I own 4 or 5 of them, upgraded with extra RAM and flash. That said, if I were to purchase now, I'd get the GL.Inet: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Sm...337402?pt=COMP_EN_Routers&hash=item4ada6fc2fa and then see http://wiki.openwrt.org/toh/gl-inet/gl-inet for details of running OpenWRT on it.

You'd still need to add a 3G modem, but that should be relatively simple.

I think we have a winner.

Slightly more than I was planning on spending on this setup, but it seems like a pretty solid little router and worth the extra bucks.

Thanks for the help Rogan, really appreciate it.

 

[RoganDawes]

Thanks for the help Rogan, really appreciate it.

My pleasure.