[SOLVED] Apache forcing a webpage to users

slomok · 11-03-2010, 09:45 AM

Hello,

I have set up a linux box running slackware 12.0, along with Apache 2.2.4, on my LAN I have a couple of computers. I want to force them to a webpage under document root, the webpage will be a agreement webpage. Is this possible to do with Apache? This will not be real domain, so my guess it that I would have to tell my DNS server to resolve the ip address to the hostname of my slackware box. I have googled around with trying to figure how to go about this.

Thanks

jwl17330536 · 11-03-2010, 09:59 AM

I'm not sure that I completely follow what you are trying to accomplish. When do you want the user to reach this agreement page? When they get connected to the LAN or when they access the predetermined website name?

slomok · 11-03-2010, 10:10 AM

Hi,

After the user is plugged into the LAN and opens there web browser. I wanted an agreement webpage to open up and thought maybe could write a script, so if they didn't click the agreement button it would just reload the webpage. This sounds like setting up a captive portal, but I don't want that. I just want to know if Apache can force the user to a webpage?

jwl17330536 · 11-03-2010, 12:10 PM

Sounds to me like you have more configuration needed than just Apache to do what you are wanting. I don't think I am going to be of much assistance on this one!

bathory · 11-03-2010, 01:05 PM

Hi,

Apache can force a client to a specific webpage, using mod_rewrite.
But I really cannot understand what you're trying to do? Looks like you want to use your apache server as a proxy server for your users and want them to be presented with an "agreement" page the first time they're trying to visit a website from their browser.
If that's the case, I don't think apache can do it.
AFAIK the squid proxy server can show a predefined page the first time a user uses it.

Regards

fbt · 11-03-2010, 01:11 PM

How about sending the agreement to your users, "read this" and I will send you the url/password to access the server.

slomok · 11-03-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bathory

Hi,

Apache can force a client to a specific webpage, using mod_rewrite.
But I really cannot understand what you're trying to do? Looks like you want to use your apache server as a proxy server for your users and want them to be presented with an "agreement" page the first time they're trying to visit a website from their browser.
If that's the case, I don't think apache can do it.
AFAIK the squid proxy server can show a predefined page the first time a user uses it.

Regards

Hi bathory,

That is what I am looking to accomplish, have the users be presented with an "agreement" page the first time they're trying to visit a website from their browser. I am using the server as a squid proxy server. Did I forget to mention that? Apache is also installed on this server, I just figured that Apache would be what I used to do this. I though Apache config. file had a lot of reading, Squid's config. file is long. Any way to point me?

Thanks very much for the response

bathory · 11-03-2010, 02:04 PM

Hi,

Stop using apache as a proxy server and use squid instead. What you need is to configure squid as a transparent proxy and use squid_session.
Take a look at this thread here at LQ to see how you can use squid_session.

Regards

slomok · 11-03-2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bathory

Hi,

Stop using apache as a proxy server and use squid instead. What you need is to configure squid as a transparent proxy and use squid_session.
Take a look at this thread here at LQ to see how you can use squid_session.

Regards

Hey bathory,

Thanks I am not using Apache as a proxy server, it is on there for other purposes. I just didn't realize that I could use Squid to show a certain webpage to users. I will post back after looking at the other thread.

Thanks again

slomok · 11-08-2010, 11:43 AM

Hi bathory,

I read the link you suggested, I recompiled squid using this command: ./configure --enable-external-acl-helpers=session
When I do a locate squid_session, I am shown the directory that contains squid session man pages. Do I need to put a script somewhere for squid session to run? Or did
I not get this installed correctly.

thanks,
noob

bathory · 11-08-2010, 12:43 PM

Hi,

Using that ./configure script everything is installed in /usr/local/squid. You can find squid_session, running:

Code:

find /usr/local/squid -name squid_session

If that still doesn't work, run a "make distclean" before running the ./configure script again.

Re: the configuration, in squid.conf, use:

Code:

external_acl_type session ttl=300 negative_ttl=0 children=1 concurrency=200 %SRC /usr/local/squid/libexec/squid_session -t 600
acl session external session
http_access deny !session
deny_info banner session

To create the banner to the end user, I've used the ERR_ACCESS_DENIED template:

Code:

cp /usr/local/squid/share/errors/templates/ERR_ACCESS_DENIED /usr/local/squid/share/errors/templates/banner

and modified it to my needs. After the agreement text I've just added:

Code:

<p>Click <a href="%U">here</a> to continue</p>

so the user can click on this link and continue to the requested page.

Regards

slomok · 11-09-2010, 11:01 AM

Hi bathory,

Followed the steps to reconfigure squid, after I do a make I get errors for squid helpers. squid_session.c:39:20: error: db_185.h: No such file or directory - this is the line among many
that I see. I know in another post, I seen someone have the same problem. I am assuming that I need to install Berkeley db, I downloaded db-4.5.20 installed that, tried reconfiguring Squid, did a make distclean before I did it. Still getting that error.

Thanks

bathory · 11-09-2010, 03:10 PM

Hi,

If you used your distro's db-4.5.20 package, you need to install also the development package (something like db-4.5.20-devel), to get the missing header files.

Regards

slomok · 11-10-2010, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bathory

Hi,

If you used your distro's db-4.5.20 package, you need to install also the development package (something like db-4.5.20-devel), to get the missing header files.

Regards

Hi bathory,

Don't quite understand where I should get db-4.5.20-devel, from. I downloaded Berkeley db-4.5.20, from the internet, from Oracle. I didn't use my distro's package. Is this where my problem lies? The package seemed to install fine. Guess I will keep looking though for that development package.

Thanks

bathory · 11-10-2010, 09:07 AM

Oups, you didn't say how you installed db-4.5, so I thought you've used your distro's package manager, in which case you need to install also the development package

Anyway, if you compiled db-4.5.20 from source, then I guess it's installed in /usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.5, in which case you need to use the following to configure squid:

Code:

LDFLAGS=-L/usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.5/lib CPPFLAGS=-I/usr/local/BerkeleyDB.4.5/include ./configure --enable-external-acl-helpers=session

Don't forget to run "make distclean" before running ./configure

Regards