How we setup a jw.org only Wi-Fi network in our Kingdom Hall

[alessandroadorna]

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a technical solution we implemented in our Kingdom Hall regarding the internet connection.

As you know, the instructions from the organization state that every Hall with internet access should have a Wi-Fi router with a password, which can be given to publishers who need it. A simple and effective solution.

In our Hall, however, we went a step further. In addition to the password-protected Wi-Fi for internal use, we set up a second open Wi-Fi network — no password required — but restricted exclusively to jw.org. This means that anyone connecting to this network can browse the organization's website and also download content through the JW Library app, while all other sites and services are automatically blocked.

The practical result is that during meetings or study groups, brothers and sisters can connect freely without having to ask for a password, and use both jw.org and JW Library without any restrictions, while the network remains fully protected from inappropriate use.

Regarding the internal network, the password-protected Wi-Fi is set as a hidden network — meaning it does not appear in the list of available networks and can only be connected to by manually entering the network name. This adds an extra layer of security for internal use.

This solution requires an OPNsense firewall (which can run on an old unused PC or inexpensive dedicated hardware), a managed switch, and a Wi-Fi access point. The setup involves two separate networks: a hidden, password-protected LAN for internal use, and a dedicated VLAN with DNS filtering that allows only jw.org and its CDN subdomains.

I want to make it clear that this is not meant as an alternative to the instructions received — those should always be followed. It is simply an additional option for Halls that already have the necessary hardware and want to offer something more convenient and automated for the brothers.

In our specific situation, when this solution was presented to the IT department at Bethel, we were told that it fully satisfied the conditions of the instructions — and was actually considered more precise.

If anyone is interested in the technical details or would like to know how to replicate this setup, I am happy to share more information.

I hope this can be helpful to someone!