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Wireless Hotspots in a Large Environment?

Posted by Cliff on from the widespread-working-wifi dept.

matth asks: "So here at work we provide wireless internet access to customers all over our city, and into suburbia, via Alvarion radio gear. We have a large number of customers that are places like pubs, libraries, restaurants, etc. We would like to, in conjunction with these locations, setup up a public Wi-Fi network. The problem is getting the mac address back through to a central authorization server. What experience have others had in setting up a Wi-Fi hotspot network over a city, and allowing a user to register at one location and get on at any of the various locales?"

4 of 22 comments (clear)

  1. Boston Area Example by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I'm not affiliated with these guys, but I've been surfing in and out every once in a while. You might want to ask them a question on their forum. http://www.newburyopen.net/

  2. NoCatNet by waffle+zero · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Have you looked into NoCatNet? The group works on a wireless network and the software that makes it possible (NoCatAuth). From what I gather the prefered configuration involves a central authentication server seperate from each gateway.

  3. One way to do it. by bob_jordan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You could allow everyone to connect regardless but use a VPN client on the customers machine to allow internet access.

    The only problem here is that people could connect just to play online games with other connected people or run VOIP style apps but would this be a problem? If you only intend to charge for internet access, allowing people IP access to each other would be a way of getting them to try the system first.

    Bob.

  4. Radius by sfire · · Score: 2, Interesting

    With my work, I have hostapd set up with a radius server for authentication. I specifically use x.509 certs, but you could probably use leap, or some other 802.1x.