Best way to authenticate users to the proxy in mobile devices

Question

As example, in Forefront TMG I can have a wpad entry in the DNS and computers discover it and autoconfigure the web proxy. When the user tries to go to the Internet he is promptped for the crendentials.

In iPhone or iPad it doesn't work. Which is your recommeded way of implementing an authenticated proxy that works for mobile devices?

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Aug 04 '12 at 18:14

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This apparently is an issue with iOS. It does not automatically pick up WPAD.

You can work around this by going into the Wi-Fi settings for your network, setting the HTTP Proxy setting to Auto and entering http://wpad/wpad.dat? into the URL setting for the device.

answered Aug 04 '12 at 18:14

Michael Hampton

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thank you for your answer but the IT Manager of this network dont want that. It works, I tried it, but they don't want to enter a manually URL. Further more in Android device also doesnt work. We need another way to authenticate mobile users to the proxy. – Ricardo Polo Jaramillo Aug 04 '12 at 23:11
Get Apple to fix iOS then. – Michael Hampton Aug 04 '12 at 23:18
And Androdid? I would like a better solution, an alternative to the WPAD method. – Ricardo Polo Jaramillo Aug 05 '12 at 07:29
Android doesn't support WPAD. You have to enter the proxy settings manually. – Michael Hampton Aug 05 '12 at 16:15

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 06 '12 at 20:39

1

It depend on requirements. May be You can use authentication on web portal (known as Hotspot)?

answered Aug 06 '12 at 20:39

mmv-ru

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No, It doest not work because whe need authentication in the TMG. If this not happen all users have to had the same permisions – Ricardo Polo Jaramillo Aug 09 '12 at 00:39

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 06 '12 at 22:29

Trying to implement funky wireless authentication schemes such as EAP etc is not a very viable solution except in a small number of edge cases - and they don't authenticate users - they authenticate devices. If you want to authenticate users then use a captive portal with transparent redirection at the DHCP gateway address.

setting up the authentication part is simple with Squid is simple, although unless you upgrade to a non-Microsoft OS to run it on, you won't be able to do the transparent proxying necessary to make it seamless.

Best way to authenticate users to the proxy in mobile devices

3 Answers3