How do users provide their credentials?

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

My network is wired and users can get on internet as soon as the Ethernet cable is connected to their PC’s network card.
My boss wants me to implement user IDs and passwords. I found the BlissRadius server that installed okay (http://blissradius.com). Now, I need the Client and MikroTik router is recommended by the BlissRadius’ author, Branimir Milosavljević.

If I used the MikroTik as my Radius Client, assuming that my Radius Server is configured and ready, does the MikroTik provide the user interface or not?

  • Do users press F1, for example, to open the User Authentication Screen (Dialog)?
  • Do I make them an icon to click on to initiate the login process? Where it supposed point to?
  • Do users have to use Windows’ some form of RAS?
    This part is unclear to me and I would appreciate any suggestions?
    Thank you,
    eva
2

First of all, you will need to configure HotSpot on MikroTik router, and additionally set up RADIUS client for communication to your RADIUS server.



  • Do users press F1, for example, to open the User Authentication Screen (Dialog)?

There is no such option available from HotSpot.

  • Do I make them an icon to click on to initiate the login process? Where it supposed point to?

When web-browser is opened and user attempts to open any page, HotSpot login will be displayed.


To get more information about HotSpot, please look here,
http://www.mikrotik.com/testdocs/ros/3.0/pnp/hotspot.php

3

Thank you very much this info. It’s exactly what I was looking for.

Two more questions:

  • How do I install HotSpot on MikroTik? I know how to install programs on computers…

  • Here is what the instructions on HotSpot say: “HotSpot Gateway features authentication of clients using local client database, or RADIUS server.”
    My question is how to use the LOCAL CLIENT DATABASE versus on the Radius server. It seems to be more simple to enter user IDs and passwords directly to MikroTik instead of introducing the additional complication of the radius server. It seems like the MikroTik is a versatile unit and this can be done. Which would be the best model of MikroTek for this application?

Thank you so much!
eva

4

Model depends on the amount of concurrent users you will have.
We use simple RB750’s on locations < 15 users and it probably can handle a lot more, depending on what kind of other stuff you do (queues, shaping, etc)
Hotspot is already inside RouterOs, just run /ip hotspot setup from the cli
Also take a look at the page sergejs pointed you to, it shows you the different configuration options.

Kind regards
B