Help on Building a WiFi HotSpot

I am trying to create a WiFi HotSpot for my restaurant but I am having
trouble finding the right diagrams and instructions. I want to build
a very basic wireless configuration that includes a public and a
private network. The public side will allow customers to connect to
the Internet wirelessly through the router already in place, probably
802.11b. I need the private network to carry out my personal /
business tasks - email, browsing, accounting, etc… Could anyone help
me start this or would anyone know a good reference guide on How To.

Thanks,

Rick

On 30 Dec 2003 10:07:20 -0800, (E-Mail Removed) (Rick) wrote:

>I am trying to create a WiFi HotSpot for my restaurant but I am having
>trouble finding the right diagrams and instructions. I want to build
>a very basic wireless configuration that includes a public and a
>private network. The public side will allow customers to connect to
>the Internet wirelessly through the router already in place, probably
>802.11b. I need the private network to carry out my personal /
>business tasks - email, browsing, accounting, etc… Could anyone help
>me start this or would anyone know a good reference guide on How To.

Make the network public. When you need your equipment to connect make
it use a secure VPN facility through that public network.

--
Hiram Hackenbacker

(E-Mail Removed) (Rick) wrote:

> Could anyone help
>me start this or would anyone know a good reference guide on How To.


Dlink appears to sell some gear that will help you. Reading their documentation
should help...

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=173

Rick wrote:

> I am trying to create a WiFi HotSpot for my restaurant but I am having
> trouble finding the right diagrams and instructions. I want to build
> a very basic wireless configuration that includes a public and a
> private network. The public side will allow customers to connect to
> the Internet wirelessly through the router already in place, probably
> 802.11b. I need the private network to carry out my personal /
> business tasks - email, browsing, accounting, etc… Could anyone help
> me start this or would anyone know a good reference guide on How To.

How many IP addresses do you have? If more than one, you'd probably want to
keep the restaurant customers on their own network. If sharing the same IP
with your business, you'll want 2 router boxes. The one connected to the
ISP will be the wireless router, available to your customers. Behind that,
you'll plug in another router, for your business connections. This way, a
customer in your restaurant won't be able to access your business network.
You'd configure the routers to have different IP ranges. For example the
wireless one might be 192.168.1.x and the business one could be
192.168.2.x. If you want to use the wireless side for business use, use a
VPN to get through the 2nd router.


--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

To reply to this message, replace everything to the left of "@" with
james.knott.

I would buy a wireless router and connect it directly to the internet to
provide wi-fi for your customers (about $50).

If you only have one computer for your business, just connect it to the
router, either wirelessly, or via a LAN connection on the router. Make sure
that you have enabled the firewall in your computer (I assume you are
running Windows XP) for the wireless / LAN connection on the computer, so
your customers can't get at your computer.

If you have more than one computer in your restaurant, get a separate
broadband (or wireless) router to use for your own computers. Hook the WAN
port on this second router to one of the LAN ports on the wi-fi router you
have installed for your customers. Connect your own computers on the
wireless / LAN side of this second router. Make sure you have the router's
firewall enabled so no one can get access to your private network. Note:
If you are using a wireless router for your private network, make sure you
secure the wireless side so only your computers can get in (use different
SSID & channel than public router; enable WEP; limit access to the router
to only the mac addresses that your own computers have in their wireless
adapters).

Voila, you're up and running for under $100 with a private LAN that will let
any of your own computers also access the internet.

Good luck,
Mike Schumann

"Rick" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) m...
> I am trying to create a WiFi HotSpot for my restaurant but I am having
> trouble finding the right diagrams and instructions. I want to build
> a very basic wireless configuration that includes a public and a
> private network. The public side will allow customers to connect to
> the Internet wirelessly through the router already in place, probably
> 802.11b. I need the private network to carry out my personal /
> business tasks - email, browsing, accounting, etc. Could anyone help
> me start this or would anyone know a good reference guide on How To.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rick

You can try our product FirstSpot (http://patronsoft.com/firstspot).

For your case, the topology will be (using FirstSpot as an example) :

WiFi HotSpot -> FirstSpot -> your personal network -> Internet

Send me an email at "aleung at patronsoft.com" if you have more questions.

Alan

(E-Mail Removed) (Rick) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed) om>...
> I am trying to create a WiFi HotSpot for my restaurant but I am having
> trouble finding the right diagrams and instructions. I want to build
> a very basic wireless configuration that includes a public and a
> private network. The public side will allow customers to connect to
> the Internet wirelessly through the router already in place, probably
> 802.11b. I need the private network to carry out my personal /
> business tasks - email, browsing, accounting, etc? Could anyone help
> me start this or would anyone know a good reference guide on How To.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Rick

Hi Rick,

Here's a no brainer - http://InstantHotSpot.com
Low cost access controller, accounting system, and Wi-Fi Hotspot AP in
one!

It's all plug'n'play, both for you and your customers. Couldn't be
easier to setup and use. No back servers needed. Cheaper than setting
up a PC as a server, and NO service fees. Check it out.

Kind regards,
Michelle

> Here's a no brainer - http://InstantHotSpot.com
> Low cost access controller, accounting system, and Wi-Fi Hotspot AP in
> one!

Just to comment on that, I bought one a while back to play with.

It does exactly what it says, it's rather neat. The only holes are that
it doesn't take online CC payment and there's no roaming facility with
another AP.

David.

Hi David,

Please update your firmware. We have added the ability to use credit
cards through our gateway service at http://www.iTable.com/

To update firmware, go to the download link at
http://www.InstantHotSpot.com

There you will alos find newly updated documentation.

Kind regards,
Michelle Pillers, Managing Partner
AIA - http://www.aiallc.com
Public Internet Access Products and Services


David Taylor <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed)>. ..
> > Here's a no brainer - http://InstantHotSpot.com
> > Low cost access controller, accounting system, and Wi-Fi Hotspot AP in
> > one!
>
> Just to comment on that, I bought one a while back to play with.
>
> It does exactly what it says, it's rather neat. The only holes are that
> it doesn't take online CC payment and there's no roaming facility with
> another AP.
>
> David.