Configuring the CNA Adaptive Function for iOS Terminals

Since WLANs are widely provided, users have a demand for quick and convenient authentication by using applications on mobile terminals, without entering user names and passwords. In such authentication mode, mobile terminals need to automatically display the application-based Portal authentication page and the applications need to communicate with the background server. Therefore, the mobile terminals must be connected to the WLANs during authentication.

iOS terminals such as iPhones, iPads, and iMac computers provide the Captive Network Assistant (CNA) function. This function automatically detects the network connection status after iOS terminals connect to WLANs. If the network is disconnected, the iOS terminals display a page prompting users to enter user names and passwords. If users do not enter the user names and passwords, the iOS terminals automatically disconnect from the WLANs. As a result, users cannot use applications on iOS terminals for authentication.

To solve the problem, enable the CNA adaptive function so that iOS terminals are redirected to the application-based Portal authentication page when they connect to WLANs. Users can click the link on the page to start specified applications to perform Portal authentication. If users do not start applications to perform authentication, they can still access authentication-free resources on the WLANs.

This function is supported only by S5730-HI, S5731-H, S5731S-H, S6730-H, S6730S-H, S5732-H, S6720-HI, and S5720-HI.

Authentication-free resources accessed by users cannot contain the URL captive.apple.com; otherwise, terminals cannot automatically display the Portal authentication page.

If the Portal authentication page is of the HTTPS type, terminals can automatically display the Portal authentication page only when an HTTPS URL is used and the domain name certificate is valid.