Is it possible to use instant keywords without server dhcp?

[aferreiro]

Hi Alan.

Finally I have running the server perfectly (I had a routing issue in mi cmts that's already solved).

Now I have an issue with the infobox. I have clients behind a remote router that acts as a dhcp server for the remote network, asigning himself as gateway and dns server. Even this remote router is configured to use firstspot server as dns server, instant keywords doesn't work on remote client pc's (instead, ie and mozilla performs a search). I have two questions:

- Is it possible to use instant keywords under this network topology?

- If not, is it possible to make some resolution from my dns server to make instant keywords work fine?

Thanks for your support Alan. We'll be buying a full license in less than two weeks.

[alan]

Instant Keywords will work with Multiple Network Segments.

The easiest way is to use FirstSpot DHCP server

If you want to setup the client IP yourself, please make sure:
1) the DNS server is point to FirstSpot
2) the default domain suffix is "firstspot.org"
_________________
~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[aferreiro]

Hi Alan, I solved the issue I talked about in previous post. I will like to explain how I did it in case it could be usefull for other users. Please, correct me if I'm wrong or my explanation is incomplete.

Two of the benefits (maybe the bigger benefits) of firstspot are that it's technology independient (you may use any technology you want on a ip network) and the added functionality of instant keywords. For this last funtionality to work, it's necesary than firstspot solve the domain firstspot.org and client pc's must belong to this domain, in order to solve every instant keyword.

In my case, I use a multiple network segments scenario, and the remote routers I use are SMCWBR14-G2, which cost about 50 dollars (really chip if we compare with some cisco ap's, which can costo more than 1000 dollars).

In this router you have several great functionalities for a shared network:
- You can disable nat, so packets from the lan can reach the wan using the lan ip.
- It has a built-in dhcp server. Even you can't do dhcp relay using this router, you can assign ip's in the remote network.
- It supports WDS, so you don't need to make a big investiment cabling the hot spots network.

But the problem is that this router assigns himself as dns server, and you can't modify it. In my case, I don't know why, but the router is not able to solve dns names using firstspot as dns server. So here is the schema:

The router is connected to a cable modem, and receives a wan ip belonging to a private network, in this case let's say 20.20.4.59, with 20.20.1.1 as gateway and 1.2.3.4 as dns server. There is no way to make a client pc to automatically solve names using firstspot placed at 10.20.7.1. but I still can reach 20.20.1.1 using my lan ip.

In 20.20.1.1 I have my cable modem termination system, a Cisco uBR7246, where I can re-route traffic from the remote networks (10.20.128.0/23) with a route-map, to 10.20.7.1, the firstspot server, that is directly conneced to the cmts. Only thing I have to do, is to program a route back to the remote lans (for example, 10.20.130.0/24 next hop 20.20.4.59).

Now, how to make it work? Easy. You must program the remote router (smc) to assing ip's in the lan side using the domain firstspot.org, and in the dns server who serves the router, in this case 1.2.3.4 (just a example, my actually dns has a public ip), you must resolve the domain firstspot.org, were you can add a type A host for any instant keyword, resolving 10.20.7.1.

And that's all! With this configuration, firstspot is running with full functionality over a distributed network topology trought a cable network. If you want a new zone, you only have to place a new router behind a cablemodem, define his lan network (for example 10.20.140.0/24), disable nat in it, and program the route back to your lan ip segment trough your remote wan ip in the cmts (the router directly attached to private interface of firstspot).

Well... don't forget about programming in firstspot the route to the new remote network...

That's all. I hope it will be usefull for other people.

Regards.
Aurelio Ferreiro

[alan]

Thank you for your sharing.

Since you are using cmts, am I correct to assume that yourself is a cable company?

Anyway, I think your experience is useful for companies that have their own networks (e.g. cable, ISP, WISP)
_________________
~ Patronsoft Limited ~

[aferreiro]

That's right Alan. I'm the systems manager of a cable company in México. We're planning to offer restricted access for hotels and malls in the city, and free access for the airport, and your product is perfect for that. The buying decision is already aproved by the director, and we're buying your product next week (tonight I'm going to a convention at Veracruz, and as soon as I return we will buy the system).

Thanks again for your support. We'll keep in contact the next few weeks during the initial configuration of firstspot. I guess I'll need some help configuring diferent login pages for diferent network segments.

Please, feel free to contact me trought my corporate mail (the one I used to register in the forum) if you want to know more details about the implementation or the needs of our company and ours customers.

Regards,
Aurelio Ferreiro.