how to prevent someone from unpluging cable

[rvjimmy]

i setting up a hot spot that will be unattended the layout include a free pc, is there any hotspot kit that support a wired free PC or is there any way from preventing someone from unpluging the cable from the free pc and plug it into their laptop, my task is to have a free wired pc and anyone who choose to used their own laptop will have to purchase a prepaid card

[keenanj]

yes, setup a filter on your router to only allow the mac address of the free pc access to the Internet. How this is done depends on your router you will have to read the manual.

[rvjimmy]

thanks for the info is there any you reccomend i havent purchase 1 yet i was thinking about going from cabel -> cable modem -> then router -> then put one port on the pc and the other to the hotspot AP
or is there any such thing as a cable modem router combo

[ECGriffith]

Wouldn't MAC address filtering prevent the other wireless customers with pre-paid cards from getting on? Unless you want to enter a MAC address for every hotspot user, that is...our late, local cybercafe in town used to do that. I don't think it helped them much.

There are definitely cable modem/router combo's out there (as well as DSL modem/router combos). I just found some listed at BestBuy.com, like this Linksys (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6218559&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat11500050009&id=1069299031125) . However, you should check with your broadband provider before you get one, just in case they don't support it. It will probably work, but you don't want any hassles if something goes wrong.

If you're worried about someone physically pulling the Ethernet cable from your supplied PC to plug into their own laptop, i'm not sure what you could do to the cable outside of duct taping that ****er down. My suggestion would be to eschew the cables at all -- if you've got wireless for the hotspot, use wireless in the free desktop too using a USB or PCI adatper. Then there's no temptation for customers to use the cable.

[ConnClark]

My suggestion is use wireless for the free PC, or use a coax network connection as nobody use it any more.

Have fun,

Conn Clark