Hotspot AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting)

I am considering setting up a hotspot in the area. I am a novice in
the wifi space. I have reasearched the AP and antenna side of the
configuration. The access point allows for a page redirect such that
folks who wish to log onto the network will be directed to the web
page of my choosing. Here is where I get lost. Is there package
software out there for the small hotspot operator that will accomplish
the AAA functions? I've heard terms such as a radius server, but
haven't put the who picture together yet.

Thank you for your help.

I have setup a small hot spot using the ZyXel B-4000 "hot spot in a box."
Works pretty good, page redirects (internal or external), username/password
authentication (which it creates for you), and some basic accounting. It
also has a little printer that prints the username and password to give to
the user.

Take a look at www.zyxel.com and select ZyAir B-4000 from the "select a
product" box.

There are a couple of things you should be aware of before you buy it. I
have worked around them, but you just need to be aware...

1. The router has level 2 VLAN security on every port (wired and wireless)
and it is not configurable. This is both good and bad. Prevents hacking
but also limits setting up an internal shared network. I got around this by
having a separate router for my internal network.

2. You cannot remotely administer the router with the current firmware
revision.

It is actually working out fairly good, haven't had any problems in the 2-3
weeks it's been up and running in a public area.



"Ed Steger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> I am considering setting up a hotspot in the area. I am a novice in
> the wifi space. I have reasearched the AP and antenna side of the
> configuration. The access point allows for a page redirect such that
> folks who wish to log onto the network will be directed to the web
> page of my choosing. Here is where I get lost. Is there package
> software out there for the small hotspot operator that will accomplish
> the AAA functions? I've heard terms such as a radius server, but
> haven't put the who picture together yet.
>
> Thank you for your help.

In article <(E-Mail Removed) >,
(E-Mail Removed) says...
> I am considering setting up a hotspot in the area. I am a novice in
> the wifi space. I have reasearched the AP and antenna side of the
> configuration. The access point allows for a page redirect such that
> folks who wish to log onto the network will be directed to the web
> page of my choosing. Here is where I get lost. Is there package
> software out there for the small hotspot operator that will accomplish
> the AAA functions? I've heard terms such as a radius server, but
> haven't put the who picture together yet.

First of all, what type of venue are you serving, i.e. will this be a
pay-to-play hotspot, or an open public gateway? Assuming the former...

Do you want customers to be able to connect to your network and then
self-register, using a credit card or other payment method, or will all
users have their accounts set up via other methods?

Is roaming a consideration? If you will be catering to the traveler
and/or business user crowd, you will want a AAA solution that will allow
you to tie your site into one of the larger service aggregators (iPass,
etc.).

Answers to these questions will narrow things down quite a bit.

--
********************************************
John Nelson
Flatline Wi-Fi -- Un-Wiring You To The World
http://www.flatline.com
********************************************

With the Zyxel unit, does that process credit cards? Or do you pay up
front first? I am trying to start the same thing, and I have checked
out a few units:

http://www.comspire.com/hotspotbilling/
http://www.proxim.com/products/wifi/ap/ap2500/
http://www.signull.com/signet.html
http://www.nomadix.com/products/ag.asp

There are a lot of options, and I'm starting to understand things
better. I would like a unit to handle what most of these products do:

- wireless ap
- gateway to redirect to a login page (located on the product itself,
no other servers or applicanes)
- print out a receipt
- prepay or pay with credit card

Thanks,
-> Jason





"Phillip T. Murphy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<Gq9ob.94360$(E-Mail Removed)> ...
> I have setup a small hot spot using the ZyXel B-4000 "hot spot in a box."
> Works pretty good, page redirects (internal or external), username/password
> authentication (which it creates for you), and some basic accounting. It
> also has a little printer that prints the username and password to give to
> the user.
>
> Take a look at www.zyxel.com and select ZyAir B-4000 from the "select a
> product" box.
>
> There are a couple of things you should be aware of before you buy it. I
> have worked around them, but you just need to be aware...
>
> 1. The router has level 2 VLAN security on every port (wired and wireless)
> and it is not configurable. This is both good and bad. Prevents hacking
> but also limits setting up an internal shared network. I got around this by
> having a separate router for my internal network.
>
> 2. You cannot remotely administer the router with the current firmware
> revision.
>
> It is actually working out fairly good, haven't had any problems in the 2-3
> weeks it's been up and running in a public area.
>
>
>
> "Ed Steger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> > I am considering setting up a hotspot in the area. I am a novice in
> > the wifi space. I have reasearched the AP and antenna side of the
> > configuration. The access point allows for a page redirect such that
> > folks who wish to log onto the network will be directed to the web
> > page of my choosing. Here is where I get lost. Is there package
> > software out there for the small hotspot operator that will accomplish
> > the AAA functions? I've heard terms such as a radius server, but
> > haven't put the who picture together yet.
> >
> > Thank you for your help.

Try http://www.InstantHotspot.com for the easiest plug'n play hotspot
controller on the market. No monthly fees!

(E-Mail Removed) (Ed Steger) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed). com>...
> I am considering setting up a hotspot in the area. I am a novice in
> the wifi space. I have reasearched the AP and antenna side of the
> configuration. The access point allows for a page redirect such that
> folks who wish to log onto the network will be directed to the web
> page of my choosing. Here is where I get lost. Is there package
> software out there for the small hotspot operator that will accomplish
> the AAA functions? I've heard terms such as a radius server, but
> haven't put the who picture together yet.
>
> Thank you for your help.

No, the Zyxel unit does not process credit cards, but the
http://www.InstantHotspot.com product does!


(E-Mail Removed) (Jason) wrote in message news:<(E-Mail Removed) om>...
> With the Zyxel unit, does that process credit cards? Or do you pay up
> front first? I am trying to start the same thing, and I have checked
> out a few units:
>
> http://www.comspire.com/hotspotbilling/
> http://www.proxim.com/products/wifi/ap/ap2500/
> http://www.signull.com/signet.html
> http://www.nomadix.com/products/ag.asp
>
> There are a lot of options, and I'm starting to understand things
> better. I would like a unit to handle what most of these products do:
>
> - wireless ap
> - gateway to redirect to a login page (located on the product itself,
> no other servers or applicanes)
> - print out a receipt
> - prepay or pay with credit card
>
> Thanks,
> -> Jason
>
>
>
>
>
> "Phillip T. Murphy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<Gq9ob.94360$(E-Mail Removed)> ...
> > I have setup a small hot spot using the ZyXel B-4000 "hot spot in a box."
> > Works pretty good, page redirects (internal or external), username/password
> > authentication (which it creates for you), and some basic accounting. It
> > also has a little printer that prints the username and password to give to
> > the user.
> >
> > Take a look at www.zyxel.com and select ZyAir B-4000 from the "select a
> > product" box.
> >
> > There are a couple of things you should be aware of before you buy it. I
> > have worked around them, but you just need to be aware...
> >
> > 1. The router has level 2 VLAN security on every port (wired and wireless)
> > and it is not configurable. This is both good and bad. Prevents hacking
> > but also limits setting up an internal shared network. I got around this by
> > having a separate router for my internal network.
> >
> > 2. You cannot remotely administer the router with the current firmware
> > revision.
> >
> > It is actually working out fairly good, haven't had any problems in the 2-3
> > weeks it's been up and running in a public area.
> >
> >
> >
> > "Ed Steger" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed) om...
> > > I am considering setting up a hotspot in the area. I am a novice in
> > > the wifi space. I have reasearched the AP and antenna side of the
> > > configuration. The access point allows for a page redirect such that
> > > folks who wish to log onto the network will be directed to the web
> > > page of my choosing. Here is where I get lost. Is there package
> > > software out there for the small hotspot operator that will accomplish
> > > the AAA functions? I've heard terms such as a radius server, but
> > > haven't put the who picture together yet.
> > >
> > > Thank you for your help.