Controller Based WLANs

Environment : This article applies to the environment where a printer in guest facility has to be connected to guest captive portal SSID.

Today, as we know, captive portal is the most common form of authentication method for guest networks. Therefore, sometimes this method of authentication might stop non-http devices like Printers, Wireless Camera's in Guest Lobby and other devices from connecting to network.

Some WLAN administrators might take an other approach by creating an additional SSID in parallel with guest wireless network. This solution however results in an increase in beacons and management traffic which degrades in air quality and airtime availability.

This article helps WLAN administrators in two ways:

• By not setting up an additional SSID just for connecting the printer or non-http devices.
• Bypassing captive portal authentication for Printer using a MAC Address based User Derivative Rule.