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Make your own WLAN hotspot; costs 200 Euros from Vbnets

It is probably true that you can set up a wireless LAN "hotspot" with no expertise at all. It probably isn't true that you could make it secure, or make money from it. That's a problem that may just have been fixed: a nice, bundled, all-in-one package of Buffalo hardware and Vbnets software makes it all point-and-click. Well, does it?

To create a wireless network, buy an Access Point, and connect it to an Ethernet LAN. Bingo! - done. It will probably work - but it may also create endless headaches, especially if you're in a business environment.

The result is that a lot of people have been dreaming of making their fortunes by setting up commercial hotspots, selling Wireless Internet links to passersby for huge sums - like, a subscription for a hundred Euros a month to a hotspot network that only has a dozen nodes in any city.

Dreams of obscene wealth are mocked by Peter Bellew of Vbnets - who has designed a solution. He thinks it is, nonetheless, possible to make a little money from each hotspot. More, Bellew thinks that you can, easily, control whether it's an "open" or restricted access system, and what basis you use to control access - even with minimal expertise.

The hardware he sells does it all. It's a Buffalo wireless gateway; a four port switch for a wired Ethernet, with a wireless AP built in. Added to the Buffalo AP firmware is Vbnets' Freespot software. All you need to supply is a working internet connection from DSL, ISDN or some other source. "Plug in the unit and you will be up an running in seconds. Your customers receive either paid for or free internet connectivity," claims Bellew.

Check out the web site for details, or download an Adobe Acrobat version.

The basic hardware is a simple Buffalo/Melko access point, with a four-slot switch for wired Ethernet, and if you don't already have it, this will provide such essentials as Network Address Translation to share the ADSL/cable router with all the customers, and DHCP to assign network addresses. Alternatively, says Bellew, you can stick one of these on an existing LAN, and it will hide itself from the main servers, and hide the main servers from wireless customers.

User access control can be done by wireless card MAC address; and you can do clever stuff like redirecting non-paying customers to your own Web page.