Pay for wireless...ideas??? 2

[AP81]

Hi,

A friend of mine owns a pub and wants to enable a service where the user can pay $x dollars for X hours of wireless internet use.

This sounds easy in theory, but when I thought about it, it became apparent that this is reasonably difficult (well to my knowledge anyway).

I regards to this, I have a few questions:

1) If we are using WEP or WPA, how can we make it easy for users to configure?

2) Does this mean they'd have to change the WEP/WPA security every day?

3) Is there software that can drive this process?

Personally I think that a wired solution is better, however the owners a head strong about wireless.

Any ideas?

 

[HughLerwill]

One of my locals does B&B and I think they do it for guests by hiring out one of those adaptors which plug into a mains socket.

 

[AP81]

Hmm, I didn't think of that. It would be a lot more secure too and probably more reliable.

I wonder how many powerline adapters you can rig up at the same time?

Thanks,
Adam

 

[reynolwi]

i know they make HOTSPOT wireless access points where you can do that. The client gets a little ticket that has a username and password on it and when they open internet on their laptop or whatever it redirects them to a login page where they would login to access the internet. I know D-Link makes this kind of device because i have been looking into them but for the life of me i can not remember the model number.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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Network Error:
Hit any user to continue

 

[AP81]

Thanks, I managed to find it:

D-Link DSA-3100

http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/coolgear/wireless/soa/D-Link-DSA-3100/0,139023505,139152764,00.htm

 

[americanmcneil]

I personally don't trust much of D-Links hardware. We do what you want to do at several locations for several different clients. There are some good options out there.

Some examples are a MikroTik router used in conjunction with a MikroTik Gatespot controller. This can handle portal pages, secured login and credit card transactions. This set up can get fairly complex so if you are looking for a more simple solution, take a look at Colubris Networks MSC-3200. It is a wireless AP with all of the bells and whistles you need build right in to the unit (a lot of hotels use these) including portal pages and options for setting up credit card payments. Also their support is excellent.

My 2 cents worth

Scott "Thrown to the Wolves" McNeil

http://www.epproach.net