[Chapter-delegates] net neutrality vs DNS redirection

[Christian de Larrinaga]

On 22 Jul 2008, at 04:53, Narelle Clark wrote:

>
>> From: Alejandro Pisanty [mailto:apisan at servidor.unam.mx]
>> Sent: Tuesday, 22 July 2008 12:34 PM
>>
>> to the rational, inquisitive mind nothing must be sacred  or
>> at least nothing technical should be exempt of inspection.
>
>   :->
>
>> However, in this case - DNS redirection - that exercise has
>> been performed extensively in recent years, as a result of
>> the Verisign wildcard "exercise".
>
> This discussion started with examples of two ISPs:
> 1. redirecting 'not found' DNS queries to a 'not found' page that  
> included advertising, and
> 2. redirecting web access (mail seems to be working) to a sign on  
> page after an unpaid bill
>
> The latter, in my understanding, is quite common.
>
> DNS redirection happens today in many, many ISP networks, usually in  
> the authorisation phase of network access. The most familiar example  
> is where a hotel offering a service to its guests redirects the user  
> to a sign on page, validates the access, then passes traffic  
> normally (usually with a higher latency than a raw connection  
> would). WISPs (eg WiFi ISPs in coffee shops, airports etc) do  
> similarly.
>
> Dial up ISPs have done this for years - redirected traffic to a sign  
> on page, then, once authorisation has been affirmed, the user  
> progresses as normal. This process facilitates online sign on and  
> increases the ease with which users can commence an ISP subscription.
>
> I recall no complaints EVER on this practice.


It's a pain up the proverbial if you are on a handheld  over wifi  
trying to make a voip call or IM or something else! (Even if this does  
have a web browser!)

The problem is that there is an assumption (false) that the web =  
internet.

So requiring access authentication to IP resources via Radius etc  
through port 80/web alone is a shortcoming.


>
Christian