Captive Portal with self registering

ngpfpeter

Hello,
I am looking for a solution for my captive portal in PfSense. A page should open on which the guest can register himself and thus log on to PfSense in the captive portal. The solution from deajan https://forum.netgate.com/topic/96893/howto-captive-portal-freeradius-local-mysql-user-friendly-single-step unfortunately no longer works, as the package pkg install mysql56-server can no longer be installed.
Alternative solutions are of course also welcome.
Thank you very much for your support. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Gertjan

@ngpfpeter said in Captive Portal with self registering:

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/96893/howto-captive-portal-freeradius-local-mysql-user-friendly-single-step unfortunately no longer works, as the package pkg install mysql56-server can no longer be installed.

That solution, if I recall well, needed a complete MySQL server to be installed on pfSense - or elsewhere.

MySQL on pfSense : I'll give you the short cut solution : don't.
If you were able to do this, you would agree with me.

Although MySQL should be installed on a separate machine, it's convenient to have a single pfSense box doing the whole authentication.

and everything becomes possible, and way easier to maintain.

Don't look for a "56" version, as that one from the past (very and to old) and even MySQL isn't open source anymore. Mariadb replaces it.

Freeradius includes a mysql-(mariaddb)-client, so, when installed, you have MySQL access capabilities on pfSense - as a client, and that's enough.
You'll be needing some MySQL compatible (probably MariaDB) server on one of your LAN's, or elsewhere.

From here on : it's scripting-time.

ngpfpeter

Hello @Gertjan

First of all, thank you for your feedback and Merry Christmas.
Have you already implemented something like this or something similar? Or have you already integrated FreeRadius into PfSense? Can you recommend a good guide for this?

Kind regards
Peter

Gertjan

@ngpfpeter said in Captive Portal with self registering:

Or have you already integrated FreeRadius into PfSense?

You mean installing the pfSense Freeradius package ? Yes, I'm using it for several years now.
I had decided back then that I needed FreeRadius for the Portal authentication.
I've also set up a NAS as 'mysql' database, although not strictly needed.
When set up, I've switched the portal's Authentication Server to "Radius ...", assigned a bunch of portal users Services > FreeRADIUS > Users.

I've been using the official Netgate pfSense youtube video's.

@ngpfpeter said in Captive Portal with self registering:

Have you already implemented something like this or something similar? ( Captive Portal with self registering)

No, never, as this means adding a extra stuff that has to be maintained.
Also, some core pfSense script files have to be modified, although minimal. This does means that after every pfSense update, the portal 'breaks' and you have to re apply your own modifications. This is tedious and often dangerous, as updates get postponed to 'later' which introduces security issues.