Our entire network is run as a "hotspot". Eliminates billing entirely. Every month the regulars just pay online.
Sputnik (and I think WiFiDog) are outfits that will take a part of your $$ for doing very little. Chilispot is gone, but the Chili software has been reincarnated as Coova-Chili (which is just a portal, but can run on the Linksys) and it still requires a back end. However I don't trust the hardware for reliable operation. Mikrotik does a fine job and is my recommendation. As far as a backend/RADIUS, you can use something you have and code up some sort of portal/billing scheme. You can use User Manager which is free from MT Or you can use Wireless Orbit which charges a flat rate, which is very little and just WORKS! This is what we do. Ralph -----Original Message----- From: wireless-boun...@wispa.org [mailto:wireless-boun...@wispa.org] On Behalf Of Scottie Arnett Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:15 PM To: motor...@wispa.org Cc: wireless@wispa.org Subject: [WISPA] OT: Hotspot companies. I was just going through an old Linksys AP running DD-WRT and looking at their Hotspot portal companies. I see Sputnik, Wifidog, and Chillispot. Are any of these companies still going? What do they charge? Can we do this on our own, with Linux type stuff? I have a few remote clients that I am serving from a NS2 that I may be able to use this service with. By remote clients, I mean clients that can see one of my other client's that are using Canopy. There are usually at least 5 or more other households that can see the same NS2. In the past, I have always manually configured an Outdoor unit that can connect to the NS2 if a close client could receive it and called about the service. If I could put a hotspot out there, we may be able to get more if they tested the waters first and could connect to it with standard laptop hardware. I installed an outside NS2 just today that could see a NS2 AP at 1/2 mile with -60dB, and a noise floor of -95dB. I saw almost a 50% signal with the Wifi on a EEE PC onboard wireless. I see one selling point that us WISP have is that you can use your cell phone for communication, a satellite dish for TV, and a WISP for good Internet. Has anyone got anything radius related hooking to RadiusNT from IEA software? We still have a radius server running their software for our dial-ups. If not, I am still looking at outsourcing this if a company has a reputable reputation. TIA. Scottie Wireless High Speed Broadband service from Info-Ed, Inc. as low as $30.00/mth. Check out www.info-ed.com/wireless.html for information. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
