Setting up a hotspot

[Glenstr]

I have just been approached about setting up a wireless router for a small golf course. They are going to be doing online handicapping this year, and want to expand their existing one pc internet to a couple of other desktops as well as make wireless available to the few patrons that may want to use it. We are talking relatively small numbers here.

Since I am familiar (but by no means an expert) with dd-wrt, I am thinking a linksys wrt54gl router with v23 sp2 on it. I don't think encryption is really that neccesary, but I would like to at least password protect access to it so neighboring homes can't piggyback on the signal.

What is the best way to approach this? If need be I can set up another box with linux on it as a server if I use something like chillispot, but I dont think they are going to be charging for the wi-fi and was thinking I should just be able to configure the router so the users will have to enter a password (that will probably change daily) to gain access to it.

Can I do this with just the router?

Can you setup simple password access with WPA so that you could just tell the onsite clientèle the password rather than some long complex key?

By the looks of a tutorial on here I can, but the instructions must be for a different version of the firmware than I am using because some things don't mesh.

All other suggestions are more than welcome!


update - some more searching brought me to the sveasoft site, which I see offers standalone(router) hotspot capability - does anyone here know if the same thing can be done with dd-wrt?

thanks

[CDX825]

Not sure how close the neighboring homes are but if there not right next door an open system would be the simplest. You could hide the SSID though if you were concerned and just tell the users that.

[Glenstr]

Thanks - in thinking more about it I think that I will use WPA on it, there is probably 3, possible 4 homes that could pick the signal up. Unless I am mistaken, you can set up just a password for WPA rather than some complex system generated key, correct?

[umdivx]

Well if you log into a DD-WRT router you will see under the Services tab, a hotspot section.

There are many options available in DD-WRT for hotspots, there is notcat splash, chilli spot are two that you can take advantage of.

The problem with using WPA is that each user has to know how to add a wifi connection and then have to know how to add passwords.

The most universal way is to setup a hotspot gateway/walled garden so that any user who connects to the system is re-directed to a web page/splash page where they will enter a user name and password and then once they do that they can get connected. There is less management going that route and it is easier to setup.

Would you be teaching them how to log into the system or would you be managing it remotely?

- Josh

[Glenstr]

Thanks Josh

I will be teaching them how to log in etc. and I will likely also configure the router so I can access it via the web should problems occur while I am away (as they usually do)

I was hoping to avoid setting up another machine for now and have a router only solution, but from what I can see unless I want to allow wide open unfettered access, a router only option is probably not available.

[umdivx]

well if you wanted a router only solution check out the NC-3500: http://www.valuepointnet.com/products/controllers/nc3500.html

that would be your hardwired router plugged ino the internet conneciton, then all of the access points would be plugged into the lan ports on the device.

The NC-3500 would do the splash page, local database (for password management) ect.... then the access points would be set for no security, wide open, and the NC-3500 would authenticate the users and reject anyone who doesn't have a user/pass to get on.

- Josh

[golfnut]

I use dd-wrt/chilli with an external Linux server for a few smaller locations and it works quite well.

If you understand Linux, it's easy (and cheaper) to setup. Check out the fourms at chillispot.info and dd-wrt as there are a few nice how-to guides. Most of these guides reference the use of a database like MySql however, for smaller locations, you can setup a single username/password for folks to use without setting up a database.

If you go this route, make sure to configure your router to reboot once a day, especially Linksys. This is a configuration option in dd-wrt.

Greg

[xcode]

sound like you need a radius server.
google free radius server.