FortiOS 5.2 WIFI Issue: Social WiFi Captive Portal with FortiAuthenticator (Form-based)

WiFi authentication using a forms-based portal provides access control without having to manually create guest accounts.

This recipe involves setting up a social portal RADIUS service on the FortiAuthenticator, and configuring the FortiGate for Captive Portal access, allowing users to log in to the WiFi network using either SMS or e-mail self-registration.

This recipe is similar to the Captive portal WiFi access control recipe, but involves RADIUS authentication, and does not include FortiAP registration instructions.

1. Configuring the social portal RADIUS service on FortiAuthenticator

Go to Authentication > User Management > User Groups, and create a Social_Users user group.

Users that log in through the forms-based authentication method will be placed in this group once it is added to the Captive Portal General Settings. 

Go to Authentication > RADIUS Service > Clients, and create a new RADIUS client.

Enter a Name for the RADIUS client (the FortiGate) and enter its IP address (in the example, 172.20.121.56).

Enable the Social portal captive portal.

Enter the pre-shared Secret and set the Authentication method. The FortiGate will use this secret key in its RADIUS configuration.

Add the Social_Users user group to the Realms group filter as shown.

Select Save and then OK.

Next go to Authentication > Captive Portal > General and enable Social Portal.

Configure the account expiry time (in the example it is set to 1 hour).

Set Place registered users into a group to Social_Users.

Enable the SMS self-registration and e-mail self-registration login options. Be sure SMS gateway is set to Use default.

2. Configuring the FortiGate authentication settings

On the FortiGate, go to User & Device > Authentication > RADIUS Servers and create the connection to the FortiAuthenticator RADIUS server, using its IP and pre-shared secret.

Use the Test Connectivity option with valid credentials to test the connection.

Next, go to User & Device > User > User Groups and create a RADIUS user group called social_users.

Set the Type to Firewall and add the RADIUS server to the Remote groups table.

3. Configuring the FortiGate WiFi settings

Go to WiFi & Switch Controller > WiFi Network > SSID and select the SSID interface.

Under WiFi Settings, set the Security Mode to Captive Portal.

For the Authentication Portal, select External, and enter the FQDN of the FortiAuthenticator, followed by /social_login/.

For this recipe, it is set to:

https://fortiauthenticator.example.com/social_login/

Set User Groups to the social_users group.

4. Configuring the FortiGate to allow access to FortiAuthenticator

On the FortiGate, go to Policy & Objects > Objects > Addresses and add the FortiAuthenticator firewall object.

For Subnet/IP Range enter the IP address of the FortiAuthenticator.

Go to Policy & Objects > Policy > IPv4 and create the FortiAuthenticator access policy.

Set Incoming Interface to the WiFi SSID interface and set Source Address to all.

Set Outgoing Interface to the Internet-facing interface and set Destination Address to FortiAuthenticator.

Set Service to ALL and enable NAT.

Add the following to exempt the FortiAuthenticator access policy from the Captive Portal:

config firewall policy
   edit <policy_id>
      set captive-portal-exempt enable
   next
end

This command allows access to the external Captive Portal.

5. Results

Connect to the WiFi and attempt to browse the Internet. You will be redirected to the Captive Portal splash page.

Select Form-based and you should be redirected to the Form-based authentication login page.

Select your preferred Verification method, enter valid credentials, and select Submit. You will be redirected to the URL initially requested.

You can now browse freely until the social login account expires, as configured on the FortiAuthenticator under Authentication > Captive Portal > General.

To view the authenticated user added on FortiAuthenticator, go to Authentication > User Management > Social Login Users.

You can configure Captive Portal to use other social WiFi logins:

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Google+
• Twitter