topic Re: Create wireless users from a file in Cloud Networking Platform

Create wireless users from a file

MJU-NETDESIGN — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 06:36:55 GMT

Hi there

Is there any way to import users from a file.

I have a event where i need to create 2000 users, connecting to a wireless network.

Mvh Mickey

Re: Create wireless users from a file

GaryShainberg — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 10:22:28 GMT

Hi there,

The answer is no - well from the dashboard that is, I have it on good authority that support can do it but have never tested this.

Its a feature, that over the years I have requested many times and for some reason always falls on deaf ears.

Whats ironic is you can export a list of users to a CSV file.

The best option as this is not available, is to create a splash page either with "Splash Access" or another provider, alternatively if you are any good to PHP/Java do it yourself and get people do do a very simple registration process.

The other alternative is to to the Meraki splash page with simple registration and use SMS (via twillio, which is built into the dashboard) to do the same

Re: Create wireless users from a file

MJU-NETDESIGN — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 10:28:36 GMT

Hi Gary

I think i will need to have a external Radius server.

Can anyone recommend a Radius server that is easy to install and mannage ?

Mvh Mickey

Re: Create wireless users from a file

GaryShainberg — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 11:13:26 GMT

Perhaps,

There are a few radius server options -

www.foxpass.com

jumpcloud.com

https://www.ironwifi.com/ - this one looks interesting and well priced

https://freeradius.org/ - this is the mother solution and in one hand the best in the other its a DIY solution

Hope this helps

-G

Re: Create wireless users from a file

Philip D'Ath — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 19:20:49 GMT

Have you considered configuring an SSID for pre-paid billing, and then just printing out 2,000 pre-paid tokens? You can make the value $0.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Splash_Page/Configuring_a_Prepaid_Card_Billing_SSID#Generating_Prepaid_Codes

Personally if it was me, I think I would just make it open authentication (assuming it is only Internet access) and forget authentication.

Re: Create wireless users from a file

Philip D'Ath — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 19:25:19 GMT

Have you considered configuring an SSID for pre-paid billing, and then just printing out 2,000 pre-paid tokens? You can make the value $0.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Splash_Page/Configuring_a_Prepaid_Card_Billing_SSID#Generating_Prepaid_Codes

Personally if it was me, I think I would just make it open authentication (assuming it is only Internet access) and forget authentication.

Re: Create wireless users from a file

BowlesCR — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 12:55:30 GMT

+1 for "prepaid billing" mode. Despite the name, there is no need for actually implementing billing.
Basically you pre-generate "prepaid" card PINs and configure the network to honor them for X hours/days of access. Very similar to how most hotels issue you a unique code that is only good for the duration of your stay.

Alternatively, check out the Dashboard API - you should be able to script a bunch of cURL (or Postman, etc) calls to create all those users. I haven't done Meraki-auth before, but I believe they need to be org/network admins with access level set to None.

Re: Create wireless users from a file

Philip D'Ath — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 18:57:14 GMT

Alas the API has no method to create guest users.

Re: Create wireless users from a file

BowlesCR — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 20:13:17 GMT

Uggh. Then you'd have to reverse engineer the website's calls to try that method.

...Or prepaid cards 😉

Re: Create wireless users from a file

MJU-NETDESIGN — Mon, 30 Jul 2018 07:15:40 GMT

Hi there

I find a solution with a MS NPS server and one SSID with Vlan override, and created the users in AD in different groups.

Mvh Mickey