Life would be great with customers....

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael C
  • Start date Start date
M

Michael C

I hooked up adsl for a customer the other day, I had the usual problems but
got it working in the end. I went to show him how to use it and he asks how
he logs in. I proudly tell him that you don't need to log in and that's it's
always on, that's the great thing with adsl I said. Then he says, "yeah but
I want to log on so no-one else can use it".

So, is there any way I can make it so he needs a username/password to access
the internet?

Thanks,
Michael
 
Michael C said:
I hooked up adsl for a customer the other day, I had the usual problems
but got it working in the end. I went to show him how to use it and he
asks how he logs in. I proudly tell him that you don't need to log in
and that's it's always on, that's the great thing with adsl I said.
Then he says, "yeah but I want to log on so no-one else can use it".

So, is there any way I can make it so he needs a username/password to
access the internet?

Thanks,
Michael
Click to expand...


Who else in his house is connected to the Internet? If you want to
block them, use a NAT router an only permit his host (using its MAC
address) to access the Internet. Otherwise, tell your customer to ditch
the unsupported old 9x-based Windows and get an NT-based version of
Windows, or some other operating system, that actually does enforce
logon authentication. As an administrator, your customer can dictate
who gets to logon to their host(s). The customer could always just hit
the power button on the DSL modem to prevent anyone else from using it
when he isn't around.
 
Vanguard said:
Who else in his house is connected to the Internet? If you want to block
them, use a NAT router an only permit his host (using its MAC address) to
access the Internet. Otherwise, tell your customer to ditch the
unsupported old 9x-based Windows and get an NT-based version of Windows,
or some other operating system, that actually does enforce logon
authentication. As an administrator, your customer can dictate who gets
to logon to their host(s). The customer could always just hit the power
button on the DSL modem to prevent anyone else from using it when he isn't
around.
Click to expand...

He has one winXP box and one win98 box. He doesn't want to have a second
username just to access the internet though, just to be asked for a password
when he does.

Michael
 
Hi Michael,

I think I have the perfect solution for you:

Michael C said:
He has one winXP box and one win98 box. He doesn't want to have a second
username just to access the internet though, just to be asked for a
password when he does.
Click to expand...
First explain to him that what he wants does not exist BUT that
you can make it happen just for him, and that you know a good
C++ or VB developer who will take care but he has to PAY for the
development. If he accepts then you can even make more money
from it :-)

Best Regards,
Giovanni
 
Giovanni Azua said:
First explain to him that what he wants does not exist BUT that
you can make it happen just for him, and that you know a good
C++ or VB developer who will take care but he has to PAY for the
development. If he accepts then you can even make more money
from it :-)
Click to expand...

Ok, I'm a VB developer and to a lesser extent C++ but how would you do that?

Michael
 
Michael C said:
Ok, I'm a VB developer and to a lesser extent C++ but how would you do
that?
Click to expand...
Then you are asking me to do it? ;)

I would try the following:

- Find out an API to access the network connections .. so you can
by default block it always, and the user can only connect through
your application.

- Your application would maintain a simple encrypted DB with users
and would be implemented as a system tray icon that has the context
menu option "connect" that the user can access any time. Connect command
turns into "enter username and password" and then activates the specific
[ADSL] network connection.

Couple of things to investigate:

1-. If you can actually wrap and completely control the network connections
through some API e.g. COM etc.

2-. If you can use the API to find out what are ADSL connections, i.e. you
do
not want to block a telephone connection that already ask for username
and
password.

I could think about more but then we would be preparing a "Requirements
Specification". If you want we can do a product together :-) I am mega
experienced C++, COM etc. They it may even make you very happy
finding users like the one giving you trouble right now :-)

Best Regards,
Giovanni
 
Michael C said:
Ok, I'm a VB developer and to a lesser extent C++ but how would you do
that?

Michael
Click to expand...


Actually none of this thread is on-topic as this is a hardware group,
not a networking or programming group. To figure out how to define your
own connectoid, you'll probably have to start in one of those other
groups. No matter what you program, you still have a customer that is
using Windows 98 and anything your provide can be circumvented. Since
Windows 98 has no security, why is simply powering down the NAT router,
switch, DSL modem, or yanking the CAT5 cable not an option? Explain to
your customer that cable and DSL are *broadband* solutions and they
exhibit different behavior than analog dial-up connections, and that
Ethernet is an always-on networking setup. If the customer is obstinate
and refuses to learn (i.e., they deman to remain ignorant), they have
the option to return to dial-up service just so they feel placated by a
login prompt.

You could provide a shortcut to the LAN connectoid that lets the user
enable/disable it at will. I haven't used a 9x-based Windows for
several years so the steps mentioned below may not work under it. Open
the Network applet in Control Panel and drag the LAN connectoid to make
a *copy* of it on the desktop, in the QuickLaunch toolbar in the
taskbar, or wherever the customer wants. I know of many users that do
not like to keep their cable/DSL connection always connected. You can
set a property in the LAN connectoid to show an icon for it in the
system tray and then can right-click on it to disable it when you no
longer want it. Unfortunately, once disabled, the tray icon will
disappear. How the dragged copy of the LAN connectiod will remain
around wherever you put it, and you can right-click on it to
enable/disable the LAN connectoid. No, it doesn't provide a prompt to
login but it gives the user a quick and easy means to enable and disable
their network connection. However, obviously anyone walking over to the
computer when your customer has left it unprotected can also
enable/disable their connection. However, it is unknown if the user
simply wants to see a login prompt (which is used to protect the
resources of the ISP and not him) or if they want to control when they
have connectivity. The shortcut will give you customer something to
push, like the unconnected cross-walk button that pacifies pedestrians.
Get ready for later calls from this customer asking why they can't
browse anywhere or why their e-mail doesn't work anymore because they've
left their LAN connectoid disabled.

If having the enable/disable shortcut isn't sufficient for your customer
and they demand to enter login credentials, put a shortcut to the DSL
modem on their desktop and make sure to configure the DSL modem so that
it requires logging in. Then the customer can click on the shortcut,
browse to the DSL modem, enter the login credentials, and then
enable/disable the DSL modem from there. Since it is likely that there
is no on/off option in the settings for the DSL modem, they'll have to
browse to the Status or Summary admin page and use DHCP Release (to
disable) and DHCP Renew (to enable). That way, their intranetwork hosts
can still communicate but they've shutoff external communications.
 
Giovanni Azua said:
Then you are asking me to do it? ;)

I would try the following:
Click to expand...

I believe it is possible to write a layer into the network to make something
like a simple firewall but is extremely complicated. Most likely using API
to change settings on the network wouldn't be too difficult but what
settings could I change that would block just internet on win98? The other
possibility would be to talk directly to the modem as I believe they have a
protocol for setting them up remotely but it's probably all too much trouble
for this case. If there was simple API I could call that would turn internet
on and off I would do it, but anything beyond that would be too much
trouble.
I could think about more but then we would be preparing a "Requirements
Specification". If you want we can do a product together :-) I am mega
experienced C++, COM etc. They it may even make you very happy
finding users like the one giving you trouble right now :-)
Click to expand...

I've got too many unfinished money making projects already :-) It would
probably be a good idea though, probably a lot of users would like something
like this. If you write it I'll beta test it. :-)

Michael
 
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