Guest registration requires end users to enter their name and contact information on a Registration web page in order to gain access to the network. However, in many cases, end users provide false names and contact information because they don't want their personal information to be used for other purposes. In those cases, network administrators do not have a way to contact the user in the event of an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) violation or in the case of an emergency.
With verification, guest end users registering to the network are required to enter a verification code that is sent to their email address or mobile phone (via SMS text) before gaining network access. This ensures that network administrators have at least one way to contact the end user.
Configuration Steps
The verification feature is supported for both Guest Registration and Guest Web Access, and is configured using the Verification Method options in your portal configuration. Depending on the verification method you specify, the appropriate custom fields must be configured for display on the Registration web page, so that end users can enter the required information.
The following table provides a description of each verification method and lists their custom field requirements.
| User Verification Method | Description | Custom Field Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| The end user must enter a valid email address on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page. | The Email Address Custom Field must be set to Required. | |
| SMS Gateway | The SMS Gateway provider must support SMTP API. The SMS Gateway provider converts the email to an SMS text message. The end user must enter a mobile phone number on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page. | The Phone Number Custom Field must be set to Required. |
| SMS Gateway or Email | The SMS Gateway provider must support SMTP API. The SMS Gateway provider converts the email to an SMS text message. The end user must enter a mobile phone number or email address on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page. | The Phone Number and Email Address Custom Fields must be set to Visible. |
| SMS Text Message | The mobile provider converts the email to an SMS test message. The end user must enter a valid mobile phone number on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page. | The Phone Number Custom Field must be set to Required. |
| SMS Text or Email | The mobile provider converts the email to an SMS test message. The end user must enter a valid mobile phone number or email address on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page. | The Phone Number and Email Address Custom Fields must be set to Visible. |
Use the following steps to configure verification in your portal configuration.
- In NAC Manager, access the Portal Configuration. Click on the Guest Registration or Guest Web Access selection in the Portal Configuration tree, depending on what access type your network is using. (If you don't see these selections, click Features in the tree and enable the appropriate feature.)
- In the Guest Registration or Guest Web Access panel, use the drop-down menu to select the desired Verification Method (refer to the table above). The Guest Registration panel is shown below.
- If you selected the "SMS Text Message" or the "SMS Text or Email" User Verification method, click the Service Providers "change" link to configure the list of mobile service providers from which end users can select on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page. The Mobile Service Provider List provides a default list of providers that can be edited to include the appropriate service providers for your geographic location.
You can comment out entries by preceding each line with either a # or // to allow temporary editing of the file without removing the text.
The list requires one service provider entry per line, using the following format: <Provider>:phonenumber@<specificdomain>.
When the end user registers, they will see only the <Provider> portion in the drop-down list of providers on the Registration web page.
Click OK to close the window. - If you have selected the "SMS Gateway" or "SMS Gateway or Email" method, enter the SMS Gateway Email address provided by the SMS Gateway provider.
-
For all methods, click on the Message Strings "change" link to open the Message Strings Editor where you can customize the text displayed on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page, and the messages sent to the end user.
You will need to modify different message strings sent to the end user, depending on the verification method or methods you selected. Double-click on the message to open a window where you can edit the message text.
- Email - This method uses the following strings:
- registrationVerificationEmailMsgBody - the default message shouldn't need to be changed.
- registrationVerificationEmailSentFromAddress - you will need to change the default message to the appropriate email address for your company.
- registrationVerificationEmailSentFromName - the default message shouldn't need to be changed.
- registrationVerificationEmailSubject - the default message shouldn't need to be changed.
- SMS Gateway - Depending on your SMS Gateway provider and their required format, modify the following message strings using appropriate variables to customize the dynamic data such as phone number.
- registrationVerificationSMSMsgBody
- registrationVerificationSMSSubject
- SMS Text Message - This method uses the following strings. The default messages shouldn't need to be changed.
- registrationVerificationSMSMsgBody
- registrationVerificationSMSSubject
Click OK to close the window.
- Email - This method uses the following strings:
- In the Web Page Customizations (Shared) section, click the Customize Fields "change" link to open the Manage Custom Fields window.
- Set the appropriate custom fields to display on the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page, depending on the verification method you selected (refer to the table above). When you save your portal changes, the correct configuration of the custom fields will be verified. These settings are shared by Guest Web Access, Guest Registration, and Secure Guest Access. Changing them for one access type will also change them for the others. For more information, see the Manage Custom Fields Window.
Click OK to close the window. - Back in the Portal Configuration, click Save to save your changes. Close the NAC Configuration window. Enforce the new portal configuration to your appliance(s). Verification is now configured for your guest registration.
How User Verification Works
When a guest attempts to access the network, the Registration web page or Guest Web Access login page asks for their email address and/or phone number and mobile service provider, along with their normal contact information.
When they click the Complete Registration button, they are sent a verification code via an email or a phone text message.
The web page then prompts them for the code. When they enter the correct code that was generated for them and click the Complete Registration button, they are allowed access to the network. The verification code is valid for 15 minutes and cannot be reused once it is validated.
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