Configuring Captive Web Portal

A Captive Web Portal (CWP) is a ‘landing’ web page, often used for info or authentication. The portal intercepts observed packets until the user is authorized to launch browser sessions. The user is granted conditional Internet or Network access once Authentication, EULA Agreement, Payment, or other valid credentials have been completed.

Enable The Captive Web Portal

  1. Go to Policy in the top panel
  2. Go to Enforcement Policy in the left Policy panel
  3. Select the desired Enforcement Policy
  4. Under General > Status select Enabled
  5. Under Enforcement Options > Captive Web Portal tab
  6. Select Default CWP Page under Redirecting to section
  7. Click Update
  8. Click Apply

Configuring Proxy Server Exceptions

Captive portals may not be able to provide proper redirection if internal hosts on the network are configured to use a proxy server. By making the proper proxy exceptions on your proxy server, this will ensure captive portal redirection functions properly.

In the examples below, replace x.x.x.x with the IP of the Genian NAC Policy Server, and add to your existing proxy server configuration.

.pac example

function FindProxyForURL(url, host) { if (isInNet(host, "x.x.x.x",
"255.255.255.255")) return "DIRECT"; else return
"PROXY proxy.company.com:8080"; }

.dat example

function FindProxyForURL(url, host)
{
if (isPlainHostName(host) ||
isInNet(host, "x.x.x.x", "255.255.255.255"))
return "DIRECT";
else
return "PROXY proxy.company.com:8080";
};

Customizing Messages

Default messages can feel bland or uninformative. While they get straight to the point, a default message might not provide enough information as to why a user is blocked from the network. Other times, there may be scheduled maintenance that will cause downtime on the network, an important update that needs to be downloaded, or a new policy in place that people need to be informed about. Thus, a Custom Web Portal Message is the perfect solution.

Add a Custom Web Portal Message

  1. Go to Policy in the top panel
  2. Go to Policy > Enforcement Policy in the left Policy panel
  3. Click desired Enforcement Policy name
  4. Find Enforcement Options > Captive Web Portal section
  5. Select desired Redirecting to option
  6. Enter User Message to be displayed on CWP (This message is displayed when access is denied)
  7. Click Update

Managing Notice

Notices are bulletin style messages used for making employees or customers aware of important updates, events, or factors regarding the network. Notices are usually longer statements describing one or more topics, whereas messages are used for short, direct statements about why a user is blocked or what needs to be done to gain access to the network.

Create a Notice

  1. Go to Preferences in the top panel
  2. Go to Captive Web Portal > Notice in the left Preferences panel
  3. Click Tasks > Create
  4. If a Posting Period is required, click on Checkbox and select a date and time
  5. Enter Subject
  6. Create Content
  7. Select the Type (HTML, Text, or Markdown)
  8. Click Save

Delete a Notice

  1. Go to Preferences in the top panel
  2. Go to Captive Web Portal > Notice in the left Preferences panel
  3. Click Checkbox of Notice to be deleted
  4. Click Tasks > Delete
  5. Click Ok

Managing Custom Buttons

You can create Custom Buttons that get inserted onto the Captive Web Portal page to redirect users to other web pages.

Button type Description
Hyperlink The current tab will be redirected to a specific URL.
Pop-up window Open a specific URL in a new window
Agent Try Menu Open a specific URL in a new window once you click the Agent tray menu.
Webpage Go to the information collection page.
Download Download the uploaded file.

Create a Button

  1. Go to Preferences in the top panel
  2. Go to Captive Web Portal > Custom Button in the left Preferences panel
  3. Click Tasks > Create
  4. Add a Name and Description for the button
  5. Upload a custom Image to use with the button (Optional)
  6. Add a Hyperlink for the button
  7. Click Save

Delete a Button

  1. Go to Preferences in the top panel
  2. Go to Captive Web Portal > Custom Button in the left Preferences panel
  3. Click Checkbox for Button name in Custom Button window
  4. Click Tasks > Delete
  5. Click Ok

Reorder Buttons

  1. Go to Preferences in the top panel
  2. Go to Captive Web Portal > Custom Button in the left Preferences panel
  3. Click Tasks > Reorder
  4. Click to highlight Buttons to be reordered in Reorder window
  5. Click Save

Creating Custom Pages

You can also create custom Captive Web Portal layouts for use in different situations.