Redirecting web traffic transparently

[shakeshuck]

I am thinking of setting up a service (something along the lines of clickbank) which involves the redirection of web requests. What I want is for a customer's request to come through me, which I will pass on to the correct web site for the product; but as far as the receiving web site is concerned, the IP address etc. should be the same as if the user has gone to their site directly.

My networking knowledge is basic, but I would have thought that if I set up a proxy, the "true" web site will receive the request from my proxy's address, or am I wrong? If I set up a landing page on a web server and redirect, will I not have the same problem?

Can someone please point me in the right direction of what I need to read up on...!

Shakes.

[oofki]

Um.. Can you explain better I dont quite follow...

Where is the server located? On a private lan? or is it a regular server that has a .com or something? Or are there multiple servers?

Will the customers all accessing the site(s) from the web?

[shakeshuck]

To use clickbank as an example:

Affiliates (advertisers) and sellers both sign up for the service. I provide the affiliate with a link which will send a potential customer (via me) to the seller's web site. The affiliate's details are recorded and if a transaction takes place, the seller pays me a commission, and I pay the affiliate.

The forwarding must be transparent to the customer, and the IP address must stay intact so that any anti-fraud measures taken by the on-line shop doing the business remain valid. I don't want dodgy credit card transactions coming back to me instead of the perpetrator.

So yes, the server will be an internet-available domain, and the customers worldwide.

[oofki]

The affiliates should provide you with banners or links that direct them to their site. Either way if you made a link to another site when some one clicks it the other site could look at the referrer in the headers and see it comes from your site.

Most sites just give u a link like this:
www.advertiser.com/blahblah?AffiliateID=YouSite

So the ad company will have a script that logs the "affiliateid" by using the "blahblah" script

[shakeshuck]

I'm the one providing the links to the affiliates.

The problem with the method you mention is that the affiliate has to trust the web site owner to be honest. The owner gets all the business, and only pays the affiliate if he feels like it. The affiliate pays for the ad, and doesn't have any record of who clicked through it. There are plenty of people who advertised some of the casino sites, and the casinos took the business and didn't pay the affiliates. I'm sure there must be plenty more examples.

The way clickbank operates is by logging clickthroughs, then forwarding the request. That's the bit I'm trying to emulate.

[oofki]

What if you implemented some sort of system that logged the clicks on your server and makes them in a readable format. Then the affiliates can have their own login to that part of your site that lets them see the raw logs. I suppose you "could" still alter the logs.

Just to clarify you will be the one with ads on your site? Arent they supposed to pay YOU when some one clicks on the link since you are providing THEM customers?

[shakeshuck]

oofki, I think you're still struggling with the concept...

The affiliates post their adverts on their sites, or Google, or wherever. The adverts are to bring customers to OTHER people's web sites (sellers). What I provide is a central point where affiliates can browse for shop owners they want to represent, and where shop owners can offer affiliate programs to prospective affiliates. I sit in the middle and log the transactions to ensure "fair play" between both parties.

All I want to know at this point is HOW do I forward a web request without losing the IP info? I know it can be done because that's exactly what clickbank, mutualpoints, mrs cashback et al are doing.

[oofki]

Well the easy way would be a cookie I suppose then. The link sets the cookie and the site reads it.

[shakeshuck]

You want me to get all the world's online shops with affiliate programs to change their sites to read a cookie I set?

I'm sure you're trying to be helpful, but you obviously don't understand the problem. Either that or you normally post on /.

[oofki]

I guess I still dont understand then.

Who has the page(s) with the ads?
Who is advertising?
Who is getting paid?

I think that will help me understand...