Can not browse with mobile devices

eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Firstly, this software is amazingly easy to set up and get running. I was a former customer of "Sputnik". I recently purchased v.7.0.3 Premium Edition.

I am having an issue with mobile devices and Apple devices.

Info:
v 7.0.3 Premium
OS Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition
It is networked in this fashion
Cable modem -> Router -> Firstspot server

I'm running open "anonymous" login with a simple slash page. Users can click login and be redirected to our company's web site where tehy can then enter any address they would like and browse free.

This works great on any windows based PC/Laptop.

I can not use mobile devices, iphones or apple devices. I get connected, get an IP address via DHCP from the firstspot server but can not browse.

I've tried enabling SSL login pages and 3rd party SSL certs. No dice. I've tried chaning the setting to show ip in the login page instead of domain as well. No dice.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ed

eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Forgot to mention, I tested the connection without the Firstspot server and I could browse on my Smartphone.

Cable modem -> Router -> Access Point

alan · **Forum facilitator** Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 4435

Can you switch back to the default "username/password" mode, disable SSL, and then test again using your mobile devices?

BTW, what mobile devices did you use for your testing?
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eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

I tried that, still no dice.

A co-worker is using an Iphone 4 and I am using a Samsung Galaxy 2x. Unsure what the other co-worker is using for a phone but it is a driod.

I never get to the login page of the Firstspot system. The browser stalls and eventually says "web page not available".

alan · **Forum facilitator** Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 4435

Did you restart FirstSpot after making the setting change?

FirstSpot doesn't really distinguish between PC and Smartphone except for the login page style. So I still think your Smartphone doesn't attach to the AP correctly.

One quick way to narrow down this issue is to switch back the iPhone login page to desktop version of the login page temporary. Please change the file uaToken.csv under FirstSpot directory from "iPhone,i" to "iPhone,d", and then retest. Your iPhone should be able to login during the desktop version of the login page.
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eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Initially I thought it may be an access point issue, but I removed the firstspot server from the equation and was able to connect to the AP just fine.

Cable Modem -> Router -> Access Point

When I put the First spot server back into the equation

Cable Modem -> Router ->Firstspot -> Access Point

It bombs out and never gets to the login page. What confuses me is the fact that my laptop connects just fine. It seems to be just apple devices and android phones.

I may just uninstall and start from scratch at this point. I can't get the self sign up links to come up on the login page.

And yes, I'm restarting the server with every change I make.

alan · **Forum facilitator** Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 4435

Try to simplify your setup initially. E.g. keep all settings as default. Also, make sure your AP acts as a bridge instead of router (WAN port not used) and turn off the DHCP server within your AP. Refer to chapter 2 of firstspot_guide.pdf for details.

Make sure your Smartphones obtain the IP from FirstSpot DHCP server correctly. It should match the IP from your client PC.

Please post your client PC ipconfig/all output if you still have issues.
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eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Upon rebooting the server, I've noticed an error that comes up after login.

named.exe is coming up with a system error.

Searching for the file it shows up in c:\program files\Firstspot

Could this be causing the issue?

eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Also, the APs I use are Access Points only. They do not have any built in routing capabilities.

Let me know about the named.exe file before I completely uninstall again.

Thanks,
Ed

alan · **Forum facilitator** Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 4435

The file named.exe is the FirstSpot DNS server. Maybe you have another DNS server in your system so that it conflicts with named.exe?

Please uninstall everything clearly and then try to reinstall.
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eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Will do.

I'm betting this has to be the issue. The DNS client on Windows PCs is probably letting them get on and browse. MAC/Droids/Iphones perhaps do not have built in DNS client?

I have some marketing folks on the system right now working (we do not allow sites like Twitter/Facebook/Youtube internally so they use the public wireless to work on those sites). I'll need to work on this in about an hour ro two, but I'll repost my results. Thanks for the help thus far. I believe we bought the Premium edition with a 1 year maint. (The Austin Diagnostic Clinic)

eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

UPDATE:

Rebuilt the entire system from scratch. The problem went away for about a day and now it is back, except now I can not get on with any device.

Errors in the event log when firstspot is started...

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: RemoteAccess
Event Category: None
Event ID: 20192
Date: 2/9/2012
Time: 3:26:14 PM
User: N/A
Computer: ADCFIRSTSPOT
Description:
A certificate could not be found. Connections that use the L2TP protocol over IPSec require the installation of a machine certificate, also known as a computer certificate. No L2TP calls will be accepted.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Then when I try to connect with a client:

Unable to contact a DHCP server. The Automatic Private IP Address 169.254.4.138 will be assigned to dial-in clients. Clients may be unable to access resources on the network.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

I did happen to reboot and see that named.exe caused an error on start up. I rebooted again and it did not come up with an error.

I didn't want to touch the RAS settings because your instructions state that I should not have to adjust them, firstspot will adjsut them accordingly on the install.

Server is running Windows 2003 SP2.

Any thoughts?

eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

5 more errors in the event log popped up similar to the second one I posted (diff addresses).

eleonard · Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Posts: 11

Is there a way to manually release all IP addresses?

alan · **Forum facilitator** Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 4435

To manually release all IP from FirstSpot DHCP server, please:

- stop FirstSpot
- rename the file dhcpservice.ini under FirstSpot\dhcp directory to something else
- start FirstSpot

Also, please upgrade to the current v7.0.5 and test again.
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