I'm looking to provide wireless hotspot service in my area.


I'm looking for the following:

I would like as turnkey, software/hardware solution as possible. I'm
not looking for someone to host my service. I've done some research,
but everything seems unecessary complex, insecure or just downright
expensive. I'm not adverse to spending some money, but I'd like to
spend as little cash as possible.


There are two businesses in close proximity, a late nite coffeeshop and
and chain bagel place. I'd like to throw some brochures with
information about the hotspot and leave some prepaid vouchers/time with
the managers of the two shops.

I really don't want to have to get into the whole credit card/payment
service thing as well. I have a business paypal acount that pretty well
takes care of that.

I'd like to be able to point the people to the ssid of the hotspot,
open up a browser, and sign up using paypal for either a hourly, daily
or monthly account and let the browsing begin. So, some sort of account
managment/authentication would be needed. Some sort of bandwith
management would be nice to make sure someone doesn't start a music
upload/download service.


Some of the things that I've looked at:


Firstspot:

Like the software, but just really hate the idea of having a windows
machine doing the management. I've had problems in a test setup with
the paypal interaction.I find having a windows machine around just
begets all sorts of security issues. Plus they just raised the price
while I was evaluating it.


Piaportal:

Liked the idea of wiologys dedicated hardware/software approach.
unfortunately, pricing and paypal support were problematic and complex
and expensive.


Linksys wrt54g and sveasoft firware with chilisoft

looked like a good solution, have the hardware, since I expected to use
it anyways, bought the sveasoft firware. chilisoft is cool, but if I
wanted to use it commercially, I'd have to spend 200+ dollars per year
for commerical radius server, plus I'd be at the mercy of the service
for prepaid vouchers. still waiting for the finaly alchemy release to
see if something can work


instanthotspot:

don't like the idea of having to have the printer where the equipment
is. plus seems like they are selling the service more than the
hardware. have to use their credit card service (acutally not even in
production yet as far as I could see).


public IP

Got all excited then found out it was geared more toward free service.
No paypal integration support yet. still promising though


Dlink hardware, netopia hardware, etc.

Either had to go with their service or back to ticket printer had to be
connected to hotspot hardware. plus no paypal.


Boingo, airpath, etc.

either fees or a percentage of profit.




So, before anyone says anything about me trying to get something for
nothing <G>, let me say that I'm trying this out to see if it might at
least be self-supporting. I'm not looking to become a wi-fi king, but
would at least like to pay for my expenses/bandwith. I have some extra
cash coming from a tax refund and I can probably do a one time thing,
so thats the direction I'm looking.....


Thanks for any help.


Kevin

@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

Can you get a longer cable for the printer?

Or perhaps even use a printer extender?

Well, considering the access point would be located on the roof of my
building, um, no. I don't understand why you would want a direct
connect printer in the first place. It would make more sense to me to
make it an IP addressable printer so you could have more than one, or
allow the tickets to be printed on a normal printer attached to a pc.


Like I said, there are at least two businesses I'd like to concentrate
on. I don't want to have hardware in the businesses. I just want to put
up the access point/antenna  on my roof, drop off the brochures and
some free time vouchers and go from there.


Kevin

Kevin wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteCheck out something like this linksys I use... WPS54GU2 Wireless-G
PrintServer for USB 2.0

http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=37&prid=584

Connect the PrintServer directly to your network by 10/100 Ethernet cable,
or wirelessly over 54Mbps Wireless-G (802.11g). The wireless option lets you
put your printers wherever you want to, without having to run cables.
Whichever way the PrintServer is attached to your network, both your
wireless and wired PCs will have access to it, and the printers it's
connected to.

yeah, hey thanks, I know how to connect a printer to my wireless
network.
The point was that most of the turkey hardware hotspot solutions want a
printer actually connected to the hotspot hardware....and thats
something I don't want and doesn't fit into the scenario I described.

Kevin

So how does the customer get a receipt?

Dlink has a cool hotspot router, and the printer is optional.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=402
and
http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=282

Show quoteHide quote

Back to my original post...


Show quoteHide quote

well, do they really need a reciept?

They get a login and id which they can buy time online and it is
credited toward their account. I don't want to deal with cash, so a
printer at the coffee shop or bagel place is really something that
doesn't figure into the picture. If I want to do that, one of the
things I asked for was the ability to print out prepaid tickets. I just
don't understand the need to buy a $400 printer that usually needs to
be connected directly to the hotspot hardware to work.  I have a $59
epson that can print out those as well as the $400+ dollar cheap
thermal printer.

So, if we can ignore the printer, can anyone offer some real advice?





I'd rather conentrate on the router

I guess all the advice that has been flowing is false, since it wont do what
you want..... So sorry.......


Show quoteHide quote

I may have solved my own problem. I chanced on ControlAP while doing my
999th search and it looks like it might be what I'm looking for. It has
several different packages, with the full boat that manages mulitple
APS/Installations costing $279.

Also, if you don't need all the features I'm looking for, it has the
added benefit of being able to be downloaded to many of the AP/Routers
that are modifiable including the linksys WRT54G and a few others. The
full software suite runs on Windows or UNIX or mac, so that makes it
even more attractive in my estimation. It will even print out prepaid
tickets that I can give to the store owners to sell if they wish while
letting me do paypal billing. It also has the option of doing billing
through the company that makes controlap.

If others are interested in looking at this, they can go to
www.controlap.com. They offer a free trial which I'm evaluating now.
Looks like a pretty good product.

Thanks,

Kevin


Robert Jacobs wrote:
Show quoteHide quote

I have installed controlap and can not get to the hotspot administration main menu. Can anybody help -- gaf brought to you by http://www.wifi-forum.com/

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