[plug] Looking for Hotspot Distro/Software

[Shannon Carver]

Hi Alex, 

What software was it using? Or was it in-house stuff?  The credit card
part is not a necessity, but proxy based access with time blocks
(allowing the user to logon and log off) is what we need.

We have a remote site with a computer room, where residents of the site
can use the computers, we only police what they do when they go to jump
online.  I've seen a couple of standalone boxes (D-Link 3100 - 3100P,
eccch) which do the job, but the web interface was horrible and
unintuitive.  It also had a habit of breaking down all the time,
requiring restarts.

I'm wondering if the systems in most CBD's, Airports and places like
Central Park in New York use software that can be purchased (or used
free under GPL), or if they're designed in-house and are proprietry
(Spelling) to each networks needs.

Regards

Shannon

-----Original Message-----
From: plug-bounces at plug.org.au [mailto:plug-bounces at plug.org.au] On
Behalf Of Alex Polglaze
Sent: Wednesday, 11 January 2006 9:07 AM
To: plug at plug.org.au
Subject: Re: [plug] Looking for Hotspot Distro/Software



Shannon Carver wrote:

> I've looked long and hard for a airport style hotspot distro, where a 
> user connects wired or wirelessly and is presented with a login screen

> when they open up their web browser, allowing them to use previously 
> bought time blocks and at the same time allowing them to purchase a
time 
> block with their credit card.

We had a system working half like this last year. It did all of what you
are describing 
except the top up with credit card. It required management interaction,
but I'm sure it 
could be expanded to this as well.


Alex Polglaze
_______________________________________________
PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
Committee e-mail: committee at plug.linux.org.au