FortiGate Captive Portal Configuration
TLDRThis video tutorial demonstrates the process of configuring a FortiGate Captive Portal, which verifies user authentication before granting web access. The configuration is shown step-by-step, from setting up network interfaces and enabling DHCP, to creating user groups and policies for access control. The video also covers how to exempt certain users or IP addresses from authentication and redirect authenticated users to specific URLs. The demonstration includes testing the setup and monitoring user authentication status.
Takeaways
- 🔒 Captive portals verify user authentication before granting access to web resources.
- 🛠️ Users attempting to access web pages are redirected to an authentication page until they successfully authenticate.
- 🎯 Once authenticated, users gain access to the requested URL and other resources based on the access policy.
- 👥 Captive portals can be configured to allow access only to specific user groups.
- 🌐 The portal can be hosted either on FortiGate or an external authentication server.
- 🔄 Captive portals work on any network interface, including VLAN and Wi-Fi interfaces.
- 📝 It's important to configure interfaces and enable DHCP server, default gateway, and DNS server as needed.
- 🚦 Proper policy creation is required for internet access, with appropriate source and destination settings.
- 🔓 Enabling security mode and selecting captive portal on the network interface is crucial for the configuration.
- 👤 User groups can be defined using local user groups or external sources like Active Directory.
- 📊 User monitoring and statistics can be viewed in the dashboard for effective network management.
Q & A
What is the primary purpose of a captive portal?
-The primary purpose of a captive portal is to verify user authentication before granting access to web resources. It redirects users to an authentication page until they have successfully authenticated.
Can a captive portal be configured to allow access only to specific user groups?
-Yes, a captive portal can be configured to allow access only to specific user groups, ensuring that only authorized users can access certain resources.
Where can a captive portal be hosted?
-A captive portal can be hosted either on a FortiGate device or an external authentication server.
On which network interfaces can a captive portal be configured to work?
-A captive portal can be configured to work on any network interface, including VLAN and Wi-Fi interfaces.
What happens when a client connects to a Wi-Fi interface with an open access point?
-When a client connects to an open access point on a Wi-Fi interface, they will be directed to the captive portal authentication page before being granted access to any web resources.
How does one configure interfaces in the FortiGate device?
-To configure interfaces in the FortiGate device, one should go to Network, select the desired interface, and click on 'Edit' to modify settings such as the interface name, IP address, and enabling DHCP server.
What is the process to check internet connectivity for the server?
-To check internet connectivity, one should first verify the server's IP address and default gateway. If the server cannot obtain an IP from DHCP, the network switches and VLAN configurations should be checked and corrected.
How can one create a policy for accessing the internet in FortiGate?
-To create an internet access policy, one should go to the firewall policy section, create a new policy, specify the incoming and outgoing interfaces, and set the source and destination to 'all' for testing purposes.
What is the role of the security mode in the captive portal configuration?
-Enabling security mode on the interface allows the configuration of captive portal settings, such as selecting the captive portal type (local or external) and specifying user groups for authentication.
How can one create a local user group and add users to it?
-To create a local user group, one should go to the user group section, create a new group, and add users by specifying their usernames and passwords. These users can then be added to the captive portal for authentication.
What is the process for testing the captive portal configuration?
-To test the configuration, one should attempt to access a website from a client machine. If the captive portal is set up correctly, the client will be redirected to the authentication page. After successful authentication, the client should be granted access to the requested URL or be redirected to a specific URL as configured.
How can one monitor authenticated users and their activities?
-Authenticated users and their activities can be monitored through the FortiGate dashboard, where one can search for and view user statistics, including the IP addresses and groups of authenticated users.
Outlines
🔒 Captive Portal Authentication and Configuration
This paragraph outlines the process of setting up a captive portal for user authentication before granting access to web resources. It explains how users are redirected to an authentication page and how access is granted post successful authentication. The paragraph also discusses the possibility of configuring the portal to cater to specific user groups and its compatibility with various network interfaces, including VLAN and Wi-Fi. The speaker then demonstrates configuring interfaces on a server, activating DHCP server, and checking internet connectivity, all while ensuring the server gets an IP from the DHCP server.
🌐 Adjusting Firewall Policy and Captive Portal Settings
The second paragraph delves into the configuration of a firewall policy for internet access and the disabling of a default policy expression in the new version of the firewall software. It describes the process of checking internet connectivity by accessing google.com and the subsequent configuration of a captive portal on a local network. The speaker selects the local captive portal option and restricts access to a predefined user group, creating a new user and adding them to the group. The paragraph also covers the creation of exceptions for specific URLs, such as allowing access to sceneonline.net without authentication, and redirecting authenticated users to yahoo.com. The configuration is tested by accessing different websites and observing the behavior of the captive portal.
👥 User Monitoring and Authentication Confirmation
In the final paragraph, the focus shifts to user monitoring and authentication confirmation. The speaker attempts to find a user in the monitoring dashboard and adds a new user for testing purposes. The paragraph details the process of authenticating the user and observing the results in the user monitor. It also discusses the ability to change the post-authentication redirection and the importance of confirming these settings. The speaker authenticates again and checks the user monitor to ensure the user is not redirected to yahoo.com as the settings have been altered. The video concludes with a summary of the user statistics available in the monitor and a call to action for viewers to subscribe, like, and comment with any questions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Captive Portal
💡User Authentication
💡Access Policy
💡DHCP Server
💡VLAN
💡Firewall
💡User Group
💡FQDN
💡Redirect
💡Internet Connectivity
💡User Monitoring
Highlights
Captive portals verify user authentication before granting access to web resources.
Users are redirected to an authentication page if they attempt to access a web page without authentication.
Once authenticated, users gain access to the requested URL and other resources as permitted by the access policy.
Captive portals can be configured to allow access only to a specific user group.
Captive portals can be hosted either on FortiGate or an external authentication server.
Captive portals work on any network interface, including VLAN and Wi-Fi interfaces.
On Wi-Fi interfaces, the access point may appear open but directs clients to the captive portal authentication page before granting web access.
The video demonstrates configuring interfaces and DHCP server on a FortiGate firewall.
Internet access for the server is checked by verifying the IP address and default gateway.
VLAN identification is enabled on the server to fix DHCP issues.
A firewall policy is created to allow internet access, with default settings for source and destination.
Captive portal is enabled on the local network interface with security mode activated.
A user group is created for captive portal authentication, and a new local user is added to this group.
Specific URLs or services can be granted access to without authentication through the captive portal.
After authentication, users can be redirected to a specific URL, such as yahoo.com.
User authentication and statistics can be monitored from the FortiGate dashboard.
The video provides a step-by-step guide to securing a network and authenticating web users using FortiGate's built-in captive portal.