Captive portal that modifies content retrieved from designated web page to specify base domain for relative link and sends to client in response to request from client for unauthorized web page
First Claim
1. A method of providing a captive portal, the method comprising:
- receiving a first transmission control protocol (TCP) connection request from a client device;
accepting the first TCP connection request and establishing a connection with the client device;
receiving from the client device via the connection a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request for a requested web page on a first web server;
determining that the client device is not authorized to access the first web server;
retrieving original content of a designated web page from a second web server;
wherein the designated web page is different than the requested web page, the second web server is different than the first web server, and the second web server is a web server that the client device is authorized to access;
modifying the original content of the designated web page as retrieved to form modified content having at least some of the original content of the designated web page preserved;
wherein the modified content is formed such that a link in the original content that is a relative link without any specified base domain now has in the modified content a specified base domain pointing to the second web server; and
replying to the client device via the connection with an HTTP response including the modified content;
whereby a web browser on the client device displays the designated web page according to the modified content as if it were the requested web page provided by the first web server.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The described captive portal techniques cause client devices to render and display designated web pages. One designated web page may be different than a requested web page such as when a client is not authorized to access the requested page and is instead caused to display a login portal. The captive portal may modify the designated web page to ensure that relative links lacking base domains now have specified base domains pointing to an authorized web server. The modified content is sent from the captive portal to the client device for display. Client web browser security measures related to redirection messages are thereby bypassed and load on the captive portal is minimal. Another designated web page may be the same as the requested web page such as when the requested page is an authorized page even for non-logged in clients. Authorized pages may be modified to add a login link.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of providing a captive portal, the method comprising:
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receiving a first transmission control protocol (TCP) connection request from a client device; accepting the first TCP connection request and establishing a connection with the client device; receiving from the client device via the connection a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request for a requested web page on a first web server; determining that the client device is not authorized to access the first web server; retrieving original content of a designated web page from a second web server;
wherein the designated web page is different than the requested web page, the second web server is different than the first web server, and the second web server is a web server that the client device is authorized to access;modifying the original content of the designated web page as retrieved to form modified content having at least some of the original content of the designated web page preserved;
wherein the modified content is formed such that a link in the original content that is a relative link without any specified base domain now has in the modified content a specified base domain pointing to the second web server; andreplying to the client device via the connection with an HTTP response including the modified content;
whereby a web browser on the client device displays the designated web page according to the modified content as if it were the requested web page provided by the first web server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A captive portal server controlling network communications between a first network and a second network, the captive portal server comprising:
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a first network interface coupled to the first network; a second network interface coupled to the second network; and one or more processors coupled to the first and second network interfaces and configured to; receive a first transmission control protocol (TCP) connection request from a client device on the first network; accept the first TCP connection request and establish a connection with the client device; receive from the client device via the connection a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request for a requested web page on a first web server; determine that the client device is not authorized to access the first web server; retrieve original content of a designated web page from a second web server;
wherein the designated web page is different than the requested web page, the second web server is different than the first web server, and the second web server is a web server that the client device is authorized to access;modify the original content of the designated web page as retrieved to form modified content having at least some of the original content of the designated web page preserved;
wherein the modified content is formed such that a link in the original content that is a relative link without any specified base domain now has in the modified content a specified base domain pointing to the second web server; andreply to the client device via the connection with an HTTP response including the modified content;
whereby a web browser on the client device displays the designated web page according to the modified content as if it were the requested web page provided by the first web server. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a captive portal server coupled to both a local area network and an external network; and a domain name system (DNS) server coupled to the local area network and configured to provide a client device on the local area network with an internet protocol (IP) address of the captive portal server in response to a DNS request from the client device; wherein the captive portal server is configured to; receive a first transmission control protocol (TCP) connection request from the client device on the local area network; accept the first TCP connection request and establish a connection with the client device; receive from the client device via the connection a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request for a requested web page on a first web server; determine that the client device is not authorized to access the first web server; retrieve original content of a designated web page from a second web server;
wherein the designated web page is different than the requested web page, the second web server is different than the first web server, and the second web server is a web server that the client device is authorized to access;modify the original content of the designated web page as retrieved to form modified content having at least some of the original content of the designated web page preserved;
wherein the modified content is formed such that a link in the original content that is a relative link without any specified base domain now has in the modified content a specified base domain pointing to the second web server; andreply to the client device via the connection with an HTTP response including the modified content;
whereby a web browser on the client device displays the designated web page according to the modified content as if it were the requested web page provided by the first web server.
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Specification