WISPr Support

[Marcelo Toledo <marcelo marcelotoledo org>]

I would like to add WISPr support to NetworkManager, I would like to 
hear your comments if it's an acceptable feature, before I start working 
on it.

First of all, what is WISPr?

From wikipedia: WISPr or Wireless Internet Service Provider roaming[1] 
- Pronounced "whisper," WISPr is A protocol from the Wi-Fi Alliance that 
allows users to roam between wireless internet service providers in a 
similar fashion to cellphones. A RADIUS server is used to authenticate 
the subscriber's credentials.[2]

Clearly speaking, when you have a hotspot with a captive portal where 
you have to type your username and password, normally you have an 
alternative form of authentication called wispr, which it's commonly 
used by smart clients.

What's the idea of implementation?

The only way to identify if a network is wispr compliant is after 
connecting to this network, perform a http request to an non-walled 
garden URL and it will return a standard XML tag.

This XML contains the url where you need to send your credentials and 
get automatically connected.

I would like to use the same structure used for security, but let me 
list all possible forms of networks:

* WISPr only
* WISPr + Encryption
* Encryption Only
* None

As you can see it's an optional attribute combined or not with security. 
I would like to see it as a trigger after successful connection and I 
would to implement it flexible enough so other implementations could be 
added in the future, any kind of trigger after connection.

I am thinking about having one more select list called 
Post-Authentication, values [WISPr, others...], right bellow "Wireless 
Security".

And when selecting WISPr it will draw a username and password text 
field, everytime connected to a wispr compliant network it would 
automatically authenticate myself.

If selected a network from the list where I never registered my 
credentials, I could be prompted any time to type it, just like 
encryption passwords.

Comments?
--
Marcelo Toledo
marcelo marcelotoledo org
http://www.marcelotoledo.org
Mobile: +55 11 8339-0994