[Question] Wifi hotspot

[JakesPK]

Hi there

I am looking at starting my own hotspot and was searching around the net for some info on software...

I came accross several companies which offer their services but they all seem to keep a certain percentage of your monthly profit. Not something I would consider.

What I am looking for specifically is have complete control of my own hotspot and be able to keep ALL the profit. Ideally some kind of captive portal software with built in credit and or debit card payment abilities for my hotspot customers.

You guys know of any software that I can use to start my hotspot business?

I'd prefer to work with a SA based company.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Jakes

[JakesPK]

I found a company "HotSpot Studio" - you can google the name and check it out - Don;t want to post the link for fear of being deleted....

Please let me know what you think of them?

[IanF]

Jakes
Iburst have done this for a restaurant near my shop, I would contact them to see what they offer

[SilverNodashi]

IF you don't want to share your profits, then I want to suggest you get your own hot spot AP. They cost aproc R10k, depending on what you get. D-Link & Netgear both have a good one to use, and it's easy to setup.
Basically you hook up the hot spot AP to your ADSL modem, configure it on a different IP subnet as your own network for security purposes, setup the billing, and you're done

The main reason why ISP's need / keep / want their cut every month is because of their VANS license. Basically, you're paying them to "rent" their VANS license.

[JakesPK]

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

Ian - I cannot find any info about iBurst re hotspots.

I already have all the hardware - D-link AP, external antenna and router. Cost me just under R3k, Everything has been setup I just need a captive portal like the one Hotspot Studio is offering.. From what I gather their software is compatible with any type/model of access point...

Their product seems quite nice and will allow me to do what I want to do, that is take control of MY hotspot with any kind of profit sharing.

They do however charge R500 pm which includes a whole bunch of stuff like 24h support, free software updates and also access to bandwidth packages at good prices via their business partner, an ISP.

The software also has integrated credit and debit card billing capabilities.

What do you think? Should I go with them?

[SilverNodashi]

The DSA 3600 Airspot has all the software you need.

Depending on which D-Link you have, you should have gotten the software to manage the hostspot as well. But even so, it's very simple with some open source software.

Writing a credit card payment script to work with any of our payment gateways is very easy as well.

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials/article.php/3357611

http://www.publicip.net/

http://www.chillispot.info/

http://www.howtoforge.com/wifi_hotspot_setup

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/30150/98/

http://wirelesslibraries.blogspot.com/2007/08/open-source-wifi-hotspot-implemntation.html

Some of the links above mention using a cheap Linksys WRT wireless router - not even a hostspot device. You could pretty much use any open source wireless AP to get the same results. Remember, a hostspot is just another wireless AP with some strong antenna's, and sometimes extra VPN & radius authentication software.

TO break it down, the AP doesn't need todo the authentication & security at all. Hook it up to a Linux server which handles all of that. You'll even have a better solution that the R500 pm software iBurst tried to sell you.

[Dave A]

I don't know what everyone else thinks, but that really sounds like Softdux knows his stuff.

*Impressed*

[JakesPK]

Thanks for that info, however writing an "easy credit card payment" script is not so easy for me as I'm not any kind of programmer or the likes.

These guys offer me a all in one solution, I just have to install it, run the simple configuration wizard and I'm all set. The guys is not iBurst - it's a software company which have specifically developed this product for this application.

I've got an Airplus ExtremeG, think it's a 2100AP..

[JakesPK]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention that their software also handles authentication..

Maybe you can go and read up on it, here is the link (if no-one objects to me posting a direct link): http://www.hotspotstudio.co.za/index...d=13&Itemid=27