You may want to be able to provide your users with free access to Internet service for a certain period of time. Use Hotspot Free Time Feature to enable and configure the free time internet settings.
Note: After you set up web authentication policies and enable the free time feature on the Zyxel Device, a link displays in the login screen when users try to access the Internet. The link redirects users to a screen where they can get a free account.
1. Web Authentication
Web authentication can intercept network traffic, according to the authentication policies, until the user authenticates their connection, usually through a specifically designated login web page. This means all web page requests can initially be redirected to a particular web page that requires users to authenticate their sessions. Once authentication is successful, they can connect to the rest of the network or the Internet.
As soon as a user attempt to open a web page, the Zyxel Device reroutes his/her browser to a web portal page that prompts him/her to log in.
In our case, we will not consider the complete configuration of all Web authentication functions. We will only enable this function and set the address we need. For a more detailed description of all settings, see the instructions in section 24.1, User's Guide.
Go to Configuration > Web authentication > General
1. Select the "Enable Web authentication" check box to turn on the feature.
2. Select the "Enable Session Page" check box to turn on the feature and specify an IP address that users can use to terminate their sessions manually by entering the IP address in the web browser's address bar.
3. Click "Apply."
2. Enable Free Time
Go to Configuration > Hotspot > Free Time
- Select the "Enable Free Time" check box to turn on the feature.
- Select the duration of the period for which the free time account is allowed to access the Internet (when your free period ends, you will see a message telling you when you can use free time again. This depends on the Reset period chosen.)
- Select the Reset Period chosen (If you select Daily, select the time in 24-hour format at which the new free time account is allowed to access the Internet.)
- Enter the maximum number of users - that are allowed to log in for Internet access with a free guest account before the time specified in the Reset Time field. This also sets how many free guest accounts a user can get.
- Select On-Screen and SMS to provide the account information both on the web screen and via
SMS text messages. - Click "Apply"
After selecting "On-Screen and SMS" mode in the Delivery Method section. You may see the Warning: SMS function is inactivated. You can learn how to set up "SMS Notification" by following this link: Configure SMS Notification.
To verify that the Free Time function is enabled, open your browser and type in the address. Use the address you specified on the Web Authentication page that you specified earlier.
Click "Get Free Account"
In the next window, you will see which plan is available. Click "OK".
In the next window, you will see the username and password that you can use to access the Internet according to the plan. Make a note of your username and password so that you can use them whenever you need to access the Internet. If you want to use the free access immediately, click "Login now".
In the logs of your USG FLEX, if the Free time account was successfully created and the message was sent to the user, you will see the following entries.