WAP Hardware for Branding

We are thinking about Branding Hot Spots in Resturants that don't
currently have hot spots. We are a weekly alternative publication in 4
states. The customer would have to provide the broadband and we would
provide the WAP.

We want the WAP to enable us to control the first page that everyone
views when they sign-on. We will protect ourselves from liability for
hacking and viruses through the contract. We wil require that the
resturants don't charge for the service.

What hardware device would you guys reccomend for this. We are hoping
to spend no more than $400 per device.

The resturants could do this themselves, but we will be providing
advertising in our pirnt and on-line publications if they let us brand
it for them.

> We are thinking about Branding Hot Spots in Resturants that don't
> currently have hot spots. We are a weekly alternative publication in 4
> states. The customer would have to provide the broadband and we would
> provide the WAP.
>
> We want the WAP to enable us to control the first page that everyone
> views when they sign-on. We will protect ourselves from liability for
> hacking and viruses through the contract. We wil require that the
> resturants don't charge for the service.
>
> What hardware device would you guys reccomend for this. We are hoping
> to spend no more than $400 per device.
>
> The resturants could do this themselves, but we will be providing
> advertising in our pirnt and on-line publications if they let us brand
> it for them.

First off, your budget is going to have to be around $600 for the device...

I have used Proxim AP-2500 for this sort of thing, very happy with it. Well
established product, tons of features.

D-Link has a hotspot type product. DSA-3100

Sputnik: www.sputnik.com

Boingo has some kind of hotspot in a box product, but I think it's some kind
of revenue share arrangement.


-- Paul

> We are thinking about Branding Hot Spots in Resturants that don't
> currently have hot spots. We are a weekly alternative publication in 4
> states. The customer would have to provide the broadband and we would
> provide the WAP.
>
> We want the WAP to enable us to control the first page that everyone
> views when they sign-on. We will protect ourselves from liability for
> hacking and viruses through the contract. We wil require that the
> resturants don't charge for the service.
>
> What hardware device would you guys reccomend for this. We are hoping
> to spend no more than $400 per device.
>
> The resturants could do this themselves, but we will be providing
> advertising in our pirnt and on-line publications if they let us brand
> it for them.

Forgot to mention if you're willing to hack around, you can put Sveasoft
firmware on a Linksys WRT54G. www.sveasoft.com

Their Talisman/Hotspot firmware is promised Real Soon Now. One of the
guys on the forum has installed NoCat ( www.nocat.net ) on a WRT54G but it's
experimental.

-- Paul

Thanks. The D-link looks good.