What is a wifi hotspot?
WiFi hotspots are WiFi access areas of the Internet. The term hotspot is now used equally in the area where the signal is available and the device (WLN router or WLN access point) that sends the signal. Similarly, the terms "WiFi router" and "WiFi access point" (AP) are often used interchangeably. Get the best funny wifi names.
Easy hotspot - open or unencrypted router.
The easiest way to run a hotspot is to buy a home WiFi router, connect it to the Internet, and set the wireless security settings to "Disable" or "Open". This will allow anyone to access the Internet and possibly other computers connected to the router. You have very little control over who adds and how much bandwidth is used. If you do not have any security concerns and do not want to make money, this is an easy way. Price -1 50-100
Easy hotspot - encrypted router with WPA or WEP
Another option is to enable security on the router. There are two types of WiFi security, WEP and WPA - WPA is newer and more secure. For both types, you enter "key", which is a code that you must connect. You can tell your customers what a WPA or WEP key is and they can connect. It provides little security and I think you can change the WPA or WEP key every day. However, there is nothing to stop someone from telling their friend the key, so it is not ideal for generating income.
captive portal.
Almost all commercial hotspots are captive portals. It is shown as an open or unencrypted WiFi signal, but then redirects all traffic to a specific webpage called a "welcome page", often prompting you to purchase or sign in to the Internet Purchase Cash. This is a smart method because most laptops automatically connect to an open WiFi signal. Then when a client runs Internet Explorer (or the web browser they use), they will connect to your welcome page regardless of the website they are trying to send.
walled garden.
The term "walled garden" is often used when discussing captive portals. It is a website or website to which a customer can join without payment. For example, a customer who connects to your hotspot is redirected to the welcome page. Then you have the option to pay for internet access or access the free websites you choose, e.g. B. Your hotel website or websites with local attractions.
Host Hotspot Services.
There are many companies that provide hosted hotspot service to business owners. These services typically include installing a modified liquid WRT54GL router at the customer site redirecting traffic to the reception page hosted by the hotspot company. The hosting company usually also pays for Internet for Access. These services are typically based on revenue shares, where the hosting company pays the hotspot owner a percentage of the hotspot's revenue. Some companies charge a hotspot owner a monthly fee to use their services.
DIY Captive Portals.
If you do not want to use a hosted hotspot solution, there are several options for DIY captive portals. Some professional software are software packages that run on Windows or Linux PCs and act as captive portals. With this, the PC must be running 24 hours. Another approach is to run hotspot software on a WiFi router and replace standard firmware with Linux-based operating systems such as OpenWRT or DD-WRT. The challenge here is to tailor the software to the required memory available on the home router.
