Sorry, I'm somewhat of a noob. But why not just make them log in at the main page URL, like we did in this wiki:

http://nutmeg.conncoll.edu/bio/index.php/Main_Page

afaik, there is no way they can go to another page unless they log in.

This would be controlled by

$wgGroupPermissions['*']['read'] = false;

in LocalSettings or DefaultSettings http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:%24wgGroupPermissions

Frank Fulchiero Digital Media Specialist Connecticut College

From: "Jason Spirko" jspirko@xorantech.com Subject: Re: [Mediawiki-l] Use Special:UserLogin as Main Page

We are using MediaWiki for our company wiki, when a employee goes to our wiki they are taken to the main page and then they are able to navigate through the site. I want the employees to login *before* they are directed to the main page (or any page for that matter).

I use namespace protection throughout the site and to make it simpler for the employees it would be easier if they logged in first (every employee has an account w/permission to edit various namespaces). Some employees are confused by the login "errors" they receive when they want to edit a page. After I explain that its not an error and that they need to login to edit pages they understand. But I'm just trying to curb these panic attacks by making them login before they are even allowed to access the site.