Wireless analytics in physical spaces

A system for connecting to a wireless network, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, at an access point, a first request from a wireless device to access a wireless network;
• determining, based on authentication by an authentication server, whether the first request is an initial request from the wireless device to access the wireless network;
• providing, by a captive portal, a landing page to the wireless device for entering registration information in response a determination that the first request is the initial request from the wireless device to access the wireless network;
• receiving, by the captive portal, the registration information from the wireless device;
• collecting, by the captive portal, additional information from the wireless device that is independent from the registration information, the additional independent information being stored on the authentication server;
• granting, by the captive portal in response to the first request, the wireless device network access;
• receiving, at the access point, a second request from the wireless device to access the wireless network at a time subsequent to the initial request;
• authenticating, by the authentication server, the wireless device based on a portion of the independent information collected from the wireless device and stored on the authentication server;
• and
• granting, by the captive portal upon authenticating the wireless device based on the portion of the independent information collected from the wireless device and stored on the authentication server, the wireless device access to the wireless network in response to a determination that the wireless device is within communication range of a wireless access point of the wireless network.