Patent ID: 7185360

Claim:
A system for controlling Internet access on a network, said system comprising: at least one access device for connecting to said network and for originating out-going data packets, each of said at least one access device being characterized by a unique hardware address; a redirection server accessible via the Internet; a network monitoring device for monitoring out-going data packets sent from said network to the Internet and for verifying if an originator access device of an out-going data packet is authorized for Internet access, all out-going packets originated from authorized access devices being forwarded unimpeded to the Internet and all out-going data packets originated from unauthorized access devices being inspected for determination of their target destination Internet websites, and for checking if a determined target destination Internet website matches a predetermined authentication server website and in response to said checking forwarding a corresponding out-going data packet to said predetermined authentication server, said network monitoring device responding to a match not being found by disregarding the determined destination Internet website and forwarding the out-going data packet to said redirection server; whereby all out-going data packets to the Internet gain access to the Internet irrespective of whether their respective originator access devices are authorized for Internet access.