Hotspot, Mac authentication, Radius server - Time delays ?

RouterOS General
1

Hi,

Something I’m not quite clear on (even with testing): -

If you have a Hotspot, A remote [free]radius server and Mac authentication - is there any delay problems with the following: -

  1. The user tries to get access and doesn’t (Mac address not in the radius server’s tables)

  2. The user pays up to get access

  3. The user is redirected back to the /login.html servlet in the routerboard

  4. The user now gets access because their Mac is in the radius server’s tables

My concern is any Routerboard Radius authentication Caching - Is it possible that the routerboard Hotspot system “remembers” that the user is NOT logged in when they are redirected back to the /login.html servlet? (i.e. does Hotspot re-check against the Radius server?).

I’ve read that routerboard Hotspot is used in Airports. This being the case then I’m sure the above layout is quite common place?

thanks for any info!

D