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Hotspot

Hotspot#

Hotspot main goal is to provide internet connectivity via wi-fi to casual users. Users are sent to a captive portal from which they can access the network by authenticating themselves via social login, sms, email or a voucher code. The hotspot service allows the regulation, accountability and pricing of Internet access in public places, like squares, hotels, stations and many others.

Main features#

  • Network isolation between corporate and guests

  • Customizable captive portal page

  • Many authentication modes supported (Social Login, SMS, Email or Voucher code)

  • AutoLogin support

  • Hotspot manager with different accesses type (admin, customer, desk)

  • Export of accounts and connections report

How it works?#

The implementation is based on 2 components:

A hotspot manager section running on a cloud server, a dedicated WebUI allows you to perform tasks as:

  • create a hotspot instance: usually each instance is referred to a specific location (e.g. Art Cafè, Ritz Hotel and so on)

  • edit the captive portal page

  • choose what type of login to use

  • see session and users logged

A client part running on NethSecurity (in nethspot terminology this client is called “unit”) .

  • It has to be physically connected to the Access Points network

  • It assigns IP addresses to devices

  • It redirects devices to the captive portal

Note

This manual only cover the client part. If you’re interested on the hotspot manager section please refer to Icaro project if you want to create your own instance of Icaro or contact info@nethesis.it if you want to use SaaS provided by Nethesis and located at my.nethspot.com.

Status#

This section shows all users connected to the system, distinguishing those who have authenticated from those who have simply received an IP address, it provides further information such as MAC address, traffic carried out and so on. More detailed informations are available in the hotspot manager.

Settings#

This section allows you to associate a unit with a specific hotspot instance created in the hotspot manager.

Note

Before associating the unit you must create an instance in the hotspot manager.

Multiple geographically separated units (NethSecurity) can be connected to the same centralized hotspot instance, creating a conference in which all users access the same captive portal and in which they can reuse the same login in all connected units.

Login to your hotspot manager#

This operation is mandatory to associate your unit with the created hotspot instance, use the same user and password of your hotspot manager, the Hostname field at default points to my.nethspot.com.

Once you have logged in you can continue to fill in the following fields. This login access will remain active for 24 hours without any need to login again.

Register your unit#

Parent Hotspot : choose which instance you want to connect your unit to

Unit name : your NethSecurity’s name

Unit description : insert a brief description so that you can identify your unit more easily

Network address : clients will receive an IP address belonging to this network (use CIDR format). The first address of the network class is always assigned to the NethSecurity hotspot interface. The total number of clients that can be managed at the same time depends on the DHCP range you specified. If you need to provide hotspot service for more than 253 devices, consider using a larger netmask (/23 or /22 or even larger) and be sure to have an appropriate range.

DHCP range start/end : by default the system use the whole network range, you can specify a narrower one acting on start and end IP addresses.

After having fulfilled the form click Save button to register the unit.

Note

Please verify in the hotspot manager-> Units that your unit has been properly registered. Each properly registered unit must show its MAC address in the hotspot manager. If the MAC address is missing please unregister the unit and try to do the registration again.

Unregister your unit#

If you made some error registering your unit (es. unit was associated to a wrong hotspot instance) or you want to remove this service, do the login in the hotspot section of NethSecurity and click to Unregister unit. Your unit will be removed both from the NethSecurity and from the remote hotspot manager, the interface used in your Nethsecurity will be freed up and you can use it for other purposes.

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