[macmonkey]

Hi guys,

Our university has just recently started using Perfigo to control wireless access. Basically, for mac users, this means to connect to the wireless network, we have to authenticate to a Novell server using a web browser.

What I'd like to know is if it is possible to write a program (or preferably some sort of background running script) that detects when a wireless connection is present, and when it becomes present, opens the authentication webpage.

I'm a senior CS major, but have never used XCode for anything but AppleScript Studio and some commandline apps.

[Angus_D]

Yes, you can receive these sorts of notifications from the System Configuration framework.

[Thinine]

Your University is stupid. MAC address registration is a much more straightforward way to authenticate users on a wireless network. And you only have to do it once, the first time you use a wireless card on the network.

[macmonkey]

Yeah, I know my university is stupid. We are still using Novell, I think that alone infers that they're stupid, but the point of Perfigo is to force Windows users to have all the service packs, bug patches, installed, as well as proper antivirus installed.

[macmonkey]

So, like I said, I don't know anything about Cocoa or Carbon or anything. How do I use the system configuration framework to do this?

Or, is there a way to use Locations in the Network Prefs to automatically open the page whenever the user switches locations?

Originally posted by Thinine:
Your University is stupid. MAC address registration is a much more straightforward way to authenticate users on a wireless network. And you only have to do it once, the first time you use a wireless card on the network.

A MAC address can be faked. Relying solely on that for authentication to a wireless network is really stupid. Combining that with an industry standard VPN is probably a better solution though, than Novell.

[Thinine]

Well, it's a combination of MAC addresses register to a single account, which all students have. Essentially, the first time you try to connect to the network, you'll get a web page asking for your user name and password, along with some other information. The servers record all of that, and you're good to go.

haysek, I've never used the System Configuration framework, so I can't really help you. But I know there have been open source projects that used it, and there is a lot of documentation for it on Apple's site and around the web. But one problem you would face is determining whether or not the connection detected needs the authentication web page. How will you tell when a person is or isn't on campus?

[macmonkey]

Well I would plan on comparing the connection to a list of campus connection points, or, since it is university policy to not allow wireless in rooms, then technically, anything within the 163.120.x.x or 172.16.x.x range would be a DPU wireless point.

[macmonkey]

Or does anyone here have any interest in creating the app freelance if I gave you a list of access points? I'm sure the university would license it from you, and I'm sure there are a lot of Perfigo universities that might also be interested.