iTunes at Starbucks: how?

Two questions:

  1. How difficult is it to setup a router (preferably a cheapo from Radio Shack) to restrict all users' access to a single site? For instance they can go anywhere on the domain espn.com, click on any of those stories, but can't leave that one site?

Shouldn't be that difficult I suppose. Block all ports but 80, then configure some other setting within the router's GUI. Are any routers better at achieving this than others? I've done some (very) basic routing on a linux box before, but I'd rather not lug around a whole computer (we move around a lot) when I could slip a little netgear or linksys number right into my backpack.

  1. Hearing about the Starbucks model sort of got me thinking about this. Does anyone know how t-mobile has setup their equipment inside Starbucks?

My hypothosis, which I'm sure is wrong, is that when the TM router detects an iphone (maybe my MAC address range?) it opens whatever port itunes operates on, and allows the iphone to access metrics.apple.com, which is I believe is itunes' music server. So, instead of being directed (exclusively) to the t-mobile registration page, an iphone is directed to the URL of that specific song being played in Starbucks. When a laptop is detected, it just sends you to t-mobile's registration page, blocking all other ports. How far off am I?

Reply to
dubbs
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I have a blackberry 8320. It just connects to the t-mobile hotspot. I never see a sign on page. Since the mac can be spoofed, I suspect the security checks much deeper into the phone hardware.

Reply to
miso

I took a look at the itunes/starbucks page, and now understand the question, so I think my comment is not all that relevant

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As a side note, not many people realize that if you had blackberry internet service with t-mobile, the hotspot service is now thrown in as part of the package. That is, you can use the phone over EDGE or wifi, and even UMA from a hotspot.

The use of UMA sort of throws a monkey wrench into the e911 plan.

Reply to
miso

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