Wireless Public Network (aka HotSpot)

Hoping that someone can help out with a little guidance and advice.

I am thinking about setting up my coffee shop with a wireless Linksys B
router, so that my customers will have the option of bringing in their
laptops and connecting. I really don't want to monitor it, so I'm just
going to let people connect for free. I'm already paying for the high
speed internet connection, so it's only like $100 for me to get a router
to provide this service to my customers, and I think that it will
potentially increase sales for me. I have this set up at my house and I
don't see how it would be any different at my business.

So, I have 2 questions.


1.

I'm concerned that my business computer will be less secure, as it will
be part of the public wireless network that I will be creating (however,
it will be hardwired to the router). Can i just run a switch before the
router and pay for 2 IPs from my ISP? Will this give me added security
and remove me from the public network in my shop? Are there simple
measures that can be taken (ie. file/print sharing permissions) that will
be just as/more effective than a switch and allow me to just connect
directly to the router (this would be preferred)?

2.

Can you see there being any legal/moral responsibilities that I would
have (since I am essentially providing this service) with respect to the
actions taken by my guests? Can you provide this type of service
unmonitored and for free? I'm guessing that with such a new technology
(popularity wise) there are not yet any laws around this matter.

Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

Thx,

A

A <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Hoping that someone can help out with a little guidance and advice.
>
> I am thinking about setting up my coffee shop with a wireless Linksys B
> router, so that my customers will have the option of bringing in their
> laptops and connecting. I really don't want to monitor it, so I'm just
> going to let people connect for free. I'm already paying for the high
> speed internet connection, so it's only like $100 for me to get a router
> to provide this service to my customers, and I think that it will
> potentially increase sales for me. I have this set up at my house and I
> don't see how it would be any different at my business.

Your ISP may have a different opinion. You are essentially reselling
their service, which might violate your agreement with them. Better read
the fine print.


> I'm concerned that my business computer will be less secure, as it will
> be part of the public wireless network that I will be creating (however,
> it will be hardwired to the router). Can i just run a switch before the
> router and pay for 2 IPs from my ISP? Will this give me added security
> and remove me from the public network in my shop? Are there simple
> measures that can be taken (ie. file/print sharing permissions) that will
> be just as/more effective than a switch and allow me to just connect
> directly to the router (this would be preferred)?

See Jeff Liebermann's post <(E-Mail Removed)>
in the thread "sharing broadband but not files" in this newsgroup.


> Can you see there being any legal/moral responsibilities that I would
> have (since I am essentially providing this service) with respect to the
> actions taken by my guests? Can you provide this type of service
> unmonitored and for free? I'm guessing that with such a new technology
> (popularity wise) there are not yet any laws around this matter.

Whether you ultimately bear any legal liability for what other people do
through your connection, misdeeds can be traced back to your network and
you might end up having to answer some questions. In any case, lots of
restaurants, etc are providing free, unregulated wireless access to
their customers; so if you get in hot water, others will probably be
there with you.

its exactly for scenarios like this that i keep tom-tom'ing the
PublicIP's zoneCD Live distribution which enables you to configure a
firewall,content filter (using dans guardian), a walled garden and also
lets you control who logs in, and for how much time etc. The
configuration can be done online even before you download a single byte
of the software.
To top it all, its free!!! try it at http:/./www.publicip.net

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:31:20 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (Neill
Massello) wrote:

>See Jeff Liebermann's post <(E-Mail Removed)>
>in the thread "sharing broadband but not files" in this newsgroup.

I did a lousy job on that posting. See:
(E-Mail Removed)
where I cleaned it up considerably.


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

"A" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns95BEEFB107E15A1977@64.59.144.76...
> Hoping that someone can help out with a little guidance and advice.
>
> I am thinking about setting up my coffee shop with a wireless Linksys B
> router, so that my customers will have the option of bringing in their
> laptops and connecting. I really don't want to monitor it, so I'm just
> going to let people connect for free. I'm already paying for the high
> speed internet connection, so it's only like $100 for me to get a router
> to provide this service to my customers, and I think that it will
> potentially increase sales for me. I have this set up at my house and I
> don't see how it would be any different at my business.
>
> So, I have 2 questions.
>
>
> 1.
>
> I'm concerned that my business computer will be less secure, as it will
> be part of the public wireless network that I will be creating (however,
> it will be hardwired to the router). Can i just run a switch before the
> router and pay for 2 IPs from my ISP? Will this give me added security
> and remove me from the public network in my shop? Are there simple
> measures that can be taken (ie. file/print sharing permissions) that will
> be just as/more effective than a switch and allow me to just connect
> directly to the router (this would be preferred)?

if you can have 2 IP adr, then why not get 2 routers - 1 for your wired
device, and one for wireless.

that way the 2 subnets are isolated apart from bandwidth sharing.

If you only get 1 IP, then cascade the wired router for the business PC from
the wireless one to insulate it from the customers.

as said by others - check the ISP T & Cs to make sure they are OK with
this - they probably would prefer you to pay for a business style line
rather than a consumer connection since multiple users will be sharing it.
>
> 2.
>
> Can you see there being any legal/moral responsibilities that I would
> have (since I am essentially providing this service) with respect to the
> actions taken by my guests?

it depends how much insulation you want to provide.

An "ideal" hotspot isolates each PC so that a virus or worm on one cant
attack the others locally - but then you need a router set up for that,
which may increase the amount of care and attention needed. Not my area of
experience, so try the other suggestions you had.

Can you provide this type of service
> unmonitored and for free? I'm guessing that with such a new technology
> (popularity wise) there are not yet any laws around this matter.

In Europe there is the legal concept of "due care" - i.e. if you do
something you should be using reasonable levels of best practice to reduce
the effects on people using your service (or a big disclaimer for everything
including the sun coming up on the wall).

but if you want to check legal stuff, you need a lawyer, not an engineer....
>
> Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.
>
> Thx,
>
> A
--
Regards

Stephen Hope - return address needs fewer xxs

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:31:20 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (Neill
Massello) wrote:

>> Can i just run a switch before the
>> router and pay for 2 IPs from my ISP? Will this give me added security
>> and remove me from the public network in my shop?

That's the "right" way to do this. One IP address for the wireless,
one for the office network. Two routers. I do that with SBC's 5 IP
address offering in my office building. See:
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com/crud/5IP.txt


--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558