Forced network portal

1. Field of the Invention A system manages communications between a user and a network by receiving a user request for access to a network file during a user network connection session with a connecting network, determining whether the user has a connected user session state or a disconnected user session state with respect to a portal server, responding to a disconnected user session state by determining a user identity that specifies a physical location for the user and providing the user with a redirected page for display in a user graphical interface program in accordance with the determined user physical location user identification and in accordance with service selection information, and then changing the user session state to a connected state, and responding to a connected user session state by routing the user request for access to the network file to a network server. The system thereby controls user access to web pages, but does not require any specialized client-side software, and permits different content to be delivered according to the location of the user who will receive it.