Routing connection to my router to a welcome page...
 

I just finished having 3md SDSL setup at my Apt. I am sharing the connection with my upstairs neighbors as long as they throw me a few dollars a month for karma.

I also don't mind sharing the connection with the patrons of the neighboring restuarant and pizza shop across the street.

However, I want everyone who connects to the wireless router besides my neighbors and my own computers to get a "Welcome Page" reminding them that fod servie is hard and if they are going to use my conection free of charge, please tip their waiters as an indirect payback.

I have a Netgear MR814v1 wireless 11mb router. I assume I need to make a listing in the router of the "trusted" MAC address's. I can see how to do that.

But how do I set a redirect for anyone not on the trusted MAC list?
Anyone have any ideas?

If you are willing to set up a linux box as your gateway, you might want to check out NoCatAuth.

You can find it at http://nocat.net/

I second the use of nocat. In any event, what you're looking for is called a Captive Portal (i.e.: unauthorized users see a portal webpage telling them to scram, pay money, or donate women.. or whatever). Nocat works particularly well from my experience.

what if people start downloading music and movies on your connection and you get a law suit?

Well, the point of a captive portal is that until a user registers, they are not able to do anything online until presenting an authentication token. They're on an isolated subnet with no access to the internet.

Now, once they are authorized, if they go online and get themselves in trouble, hopefully Arch13 will keep detailed logs of who was on at what time, and what they were doing, as it only takes one person to abuse it and get him in trouble.

I think that's where pluasable deniability kicks in.
By operating an open WiFi spot, I am under the impression that my liability is limited if I keep logs that I could turn over to the police that indentify the MAC address of anyone who used it for warez, etc..

But beyond that, the primary clientel of the adjacent Cafe is Southern business men using their laptop to check corporate email here in Savannah. It's the type of place with 5.00 latte's and everyone is in a business suit.

The neighbors I worry about, but I have paitiently explained that downloading movies is no longer an option unless they get their own service.

The old brick architecture really limits the coverage, which is a blessing in disguise. The signal doesn't reach accross the street to the pizza palor, nor down the block to the Cafe used by college students.

I'm trying to just be a nice guy and not focus on the liability, though it is in the back of my mind.

I just wanted a page that had a disclaimer and a "Please tip your waiter" message.

I wish that noCat worked on netgear routers, but it appears only to be only for routers that have a broadcom chipset like linksys. :(