Setting up home networking through server or router?
 

I have a big question. I live in an 18 story building that shares a lan with all the apartments, for security reasons when I connect my laptop to the internet not only do I have to set up a specific ip address, dns, gateway etc but also I have to open the browser and it automatically directs me to a webpage where I have to log in with my username and password and keep a pop up window open for me to be able to connect to the internet. We are two people living here with two laptops and I was thinking of whats the best way to set up a wireless network so that the two laptops(one with ubuntu breezy and the other with fedora core 4) can roam around the apartment with the benefit of the wireless lan.

First thing that came to my mind is a wirless router(ive setup router networks before and its farely easy) but then I tought about the whole browser log in thing my Internet in the building has and Im not really sure if Im able to set up the network so that the router can login to that and keep the connection active when in a normal computer a pop up window needs to be there.

The second option and most convinient was to buy an old computer and set it up as a server, I know for a fact that this would work but was aiming more at the router because I can get the router cheaper than the computer(even old computer) and its easier to set up. But then again if I do use a server I could also set it up as a printer server.

So all in all the question is, Is there a way to set up the network in my home using a router(Im doubtfull because of the browser login) or do I have to use another computer to act as a server?

Thanks for all.

Fice
Fedora Core 4 ENLIGHTENED

I too would doubt a router would cut it, but couldn't really say as i don't know what technology its using. at that end, if you wanted a linux router instead, would that be able to handle it?? is this some nasty IE only thing? In an ideal situation you should be able to install ipcop or smoothwall and use elinks or something to open a popup in a screen console session maybe... OR maybe you're more suited to simply using a standard desktop / server distro like Centos and using it for other server functions too. Just stick a wireless card in it, and there's your wireless AP too.

No its not a nasty IE thingy, I can log in perfectly with Firefox(If it was a IE id be in a lot of trouble being that there is not one single computer with windows in this household) but I think your right, better going to go with the linux desktop server. Hopefully I can get a cheap desktop here in Beijing and then i can just plug in a wireless card to it.

Thanks for your help.

Fice
Fedora Core 4 ENLIGHTENED

No problem. Actually thinking about my recommendation of Centos there, as it's designed as a server OS, it doesn't include much wireless by default, so maybe somethign like Fedora would be more suitable

Thanks, I am running fedora on this computer and trying to check out other distros I am looking on what to install on the server. Was thinking Vectorlinux but centos might be a good try as well. Im also wondering about slackware or gentoo. So far Ive tried Ubuntu(great for starting linux), Arch(a bit too advanced for me still) and Fedora Core 4. And maybe struggling with Wireless on Centos would help me get a better idea of what a server should do and how the hell wireless really works.