Hi everyone Im new to this particular forum and am hoping for a little bit of advice.

Im helping out a local library in the area and we are trying to setup a few computer related goodies so to speak and while im pretty good with winblows (sorry couldnt resist) im not so great with linux.

Here is what im looking to do ...
Setup a wireless hotspot server that will allow users to input a username and password to connect (via a webpage instead of giving them the wireless key) but here is where it gets interesting ...

im hoping to be able to log activity based on the users mac address (something that most average users dont know how to alter)& login info (if posssible) because we have suspicions that some users are using the library for shall we say less than legal / moral purposes.

Just to be clear though we are NOT wanting to inspect packets for all information (IE passwords or usernames or anything of the sort) more so for specific URL's. As an example if the terms and conditions in the login page say your not to surf porn and you goto a site like www.xxxwhatever.com we want the URL not their login so we can see what they were into just a BROAD idea not the specifics)

On the same idea once a person has "violated" the terms in the login page have the ability to block that particular mac address from accessing the network again.

the ability to restrict torrent protocols ! this is a biggie if at all possible would love to block them all together ! the library has limited bandwidth which of course when one person torrents all the other terminals slow down.

Just in case it helps our network is setup as follows ...

Internet Connection - network hub for internal wired devices (aka our in house computers) - the hub is then connected to a computer with 2 network cards one of which is connected to a wireless router (WRT54G I do believe)

For the "server" its a dual core AMD 2.5 ghz with 200 gigabyte hard drive, dvd burner and 2 gig's of ram (if needed willing to upgrade the ram)

Check out the TechSnap podcast at jupiterbroadcasting.com

I think they've talked about solving problems like these on several episodes.

http://www.jupiterbroadcasting.com/s...chsnap/page/2/

You can also send them a question and they may just answer it on the show.