The technical term is a "captive portal", a server which intercepts your 
browser's request for your home page, and instead returns the login page.  
The ones I use are made by "BlueSocket", and run about $20K -- no, this 
isn't included in your average router.

  There are two places where security may be applied to a network:  
controlling what users/devices can connect to the network, and determining 
where connected users can get to beyond the local network.  Router features 
like WEP/WPA encryption and MAC filtering and non-broadcast SSID are all 
aimed at the first, while a captive portal is aimed at the second.  [Since 
we, like the hotel, offer access to a transient population of strangers, 
restricting connection access would just create additional workload telling 
people how to configure their machines to connect.]

David Gillett


On 21 Mar 2006 at 14:11, David Farrington wrote:

> When I visit a motel or I am at the airport and I try to use their 
> wireless network I get a page in my default browser that requires me to 
> have a password or some form of id that lets me use their network. Does 
> this id process come with the router or is it something added? Is the 
> process a secure way to control wireless access? As you can tell, I 
> don't know anything about it and I don't know what it is called?
> 
> If you can point me in the right direction I will be very happy to go 
> and read about it.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
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