Let start with easy hotspot internet system. At this moment let talk abaut Hotspot Internet for a Cafe. This post is reference for who own a cafe. I'm not talking about Internet Cafe (not yet), I mean a Cafe like Starbuck.
Ok...... Mostly cafe give a free internet connection for customer rather than sell a connection voucher. For a Cafe, internet is a good compliment for the customers, and also a very good marketing issue. Cafe owner only invest on simple and cheap device like modem router ($40) and access point ($60). Internet connection is using ADSL broadband, also cheap ($ 75/month), unlimited access with speed up to 384kbps for download.
The scenario is using a ADSL connection and share to many notebook using a wireless connection. What to do is setup ADSL modem with the account and other information that you get from ISP (Internet Service Provider), the important point to setup is username and password, encaptulation (PPOA-LLC or PPOE-LLC), VCI VPI and setting the IP address and dont forget to actived the firewall for security issue. Than setting the router configuration (the router feature embeded in modem) for sharing 1 Public IP (from ISP) to 253 Local IP address. That means we can share up to 253 computer or PDA that support IP Protocol.
Next step is setup one Access Point for Wireless Hotspot Services. The important setting is IP Address (same range with ADSL modem) , SSID dan security like WEP or WPA.
The Customer who want to browsing internet will get a WEP key from cashier, and the should joint the SSID (MyCafe Hotspot .example) and input the WEP key.
In this simple Hotspot Internet Cafe only using a WEP key for security access, i suggest to change it everyday or your customer can login again tomorrow without buy anything from you.
For other security issue like sharing file, i suggest you using a access point that support "client isolation" thats will protect computer that joint the access point to seing each other like Air Live product WL-5470AP http://www.airlive.com/
Total solution you can use Linksys WRTG54GL http://www.linksys.com/ , this product is good and cheap. You will get Router, Firewall, 4 port UTP port, and Wireless Access Point in this unit.
