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Wireless APs in Homebrew Coffee Shops?

Posted by Cliff on from the instant-cybercybercafe:-just-add-water dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Having seen lots of complaints about the overpriced T-Mobile Wireless APs in Starbucks ($10/hr) got me thinking about setting up a wireless AP for the small, family-owned coffeeshop in my town under the tip jar model. I'm assuming ~$100 for the router, ~$500 for a PC to use to control quotas (to prevent over-zealous Kazaa users, block spammers and script kiddies and other would-be abusers) - but what software should I be using? Do enough people have 802.11a/g cards that it would be worth it to invest in that rather than an 802.11b router?" Has anyone considered making a Linux distribution for use by cybercafes, to handle wireless access and anything else such an outfit might need?

"Since this is a medium (50,000-ish) size town, and pretty much everyone in the coffee shop is a regular, would a tip jar model work? I'm figuring suggest a donation - what should I set that at?

Finally, keep in mind that the owner is not a geek - I'd be doing this when not studying (I'm a college student), so this would be set up over the summer, and most of the maintenance would be done on the weekends and/or via SSH.

Any other thoughts would be appreciated."

8 of 523 comments (clear)

  1. What's next? by Craig3010 · · Score: 0, Funny

    Bluetooth at the local crack den?

  2. But what would you call it? by madgeorge · · Score: 3, Funny

    Java Desktop System is taken, I believe. :)

  3. The "tip jar business model" by NateKid · · Score: 3, Funny

    kinda reminds me of people who plan to make a profit giving software away for free...

  4. Re:I think your estimates are way too high by Golias · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or, for that matter, pick up a used X-Box for about $125 and use the 007 hack to load Linux on it. Then you don't have a PC tower taking up precious restaurant space, just a tiny game console tucked under the counter somewhere.

    --

    Information wants to be anthropomorphized.

  5. Location, location, location by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Setting up a wireless access point is easy, as long as the coffee shop is located in a neighborhood where 50% of the residents will have left their 802.11 networks unsecured.

  6. Re:I think your estimates are way too high by Hanji · · Score: 0, Funny

    ... just a tiny game console...
    XBox. Tiny Game Console. Riiiiiight....

    --
    A Minesweeper clone that doesn't suck
  7. Re:No PC by mengel · · Score: 3, Funny
    If that happens, invest in a roll of steel screen or chicken wire hooked to a ground wire...

    Just put it between you and the neigbor where it won't block your customers.

    --
    - "History shows again and again how nature points out the folly of men" -- Blue Oyster Cult, 'Godzilla'
  8. Re:College Students by Mantorp · · Score: 4, Funny

    where is this place? sounds too good to be true