How To Build A Simple Hotspot By Your Own

Posted by on December 14, 2010. Computer Stuff, Microsoft Windows, Notebook, Tips & Tricks - No Comments

Actually today is very easy to build a simple hotspot, whether used at home, at work, at school, on campus, in cafes, in the mall, wherever you are. This is possible because of advances in technology that allows people who do not understand about IT can bring the hotspot areas in particular places.
Lots of vendors who have provided a Wireless Router / Wireless Access Point, which only needs a little configuration on the Wireless Device.

Only turn on the Power of Wireless Device, connect to the modem / switch which is, directly HotSpot area available and can be used. But there is also a tool that needs to be configured first. But of course the vendor has provided a lot of convenience to the user in presenting the HotSpot area. What is needed in a place to bring the HotSpot is as follows:
• Internet access
You can subscribe to any ISP in your area, both with 3G technology, CDMA, EDVO, Wireless, Broadband, Cable, and Fiber Optic Connection.
• Modem
When you are connected to the internet must have been there a modem for connecting your location to the location of the ISP.
• Wireless Router
Many types of wireless routers that you can use, the Linksys One WRT54-GL-based Linux.
• Wireless Client
For example, your laptop, usually all laptops have wireless facilities. Then each – each HotSpot Area certainly has a security system specification different. Some use password key, for example using WEP, WPA, WPA-PSK, Radius, and other encryption methods other.

Well of course all these security systems have weaknesses and strengths of each. One of them in our system using security methods Username and Password to login. The good news is when users want to connect your laptop, the user does not make any changes to settings, all completely automated, and when you first want to browse, the user will be prompted to enter a username and password, of course, be obtained from your hotspot owners, which is in the form of vouchers.

HotSpot Gateway should have at least two network interfaces:
1. HotSpot interface, which is used to connect HotSpot clients
2. LAN/WAN interface, which is used to access network resources.

To setup simple HotSpot Gateway follow the steps below:
1. Configure wireless interface on HotSpot Gateway:
[admin@HotSpot_Gateway]> interface wireless set wlan1 ssid=HotSpot band=2.4ghz-b \\… mode=ap-bridge
2. Configure ip address for HotSpot interface:
[admin@HotSpot_Gateway] > ip add add address=192.168.0.1/24 interface=wlan1
3. Configure ip address for WAN/LAN interface:
[admin@HotSpot_Gateway] > ip add add address=10.5.8.250/24 interface=ether1
4. Add a route on HotSpot Gateway
[admin@HotSpot_Gateway] > ip route add gateway=10.5.8.1
5. Configure Hotspot on wlan1 interface and add user admin with pasword test
[admin@hotspot] > ip hotspot setup
hotspot interface: wlan1
local address of network: 192.168.0.1/24
masquerade network: yes
address pool of network: 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.254

select certificate: none
ip address of smtp server: 0.0.0.0
dns servers: 10.5.8.2
dns name: hs.example.net
name of local hotspot user: admin
password for the user: test
In order to access network resources HotSpot clients have to configure their wireless interfaces setting proper ssid, band and mode, and enabling dynamic host configuration (dhcp) on the wireless interface.

Thus HotSpot Area oepartion actually easy, just do not let your HotSpot area used by unauthorized parties. One way to secure it is to use the security system on your Hotspot. The good thing about hotspot is there is no need to use WEP or WPA which prevents everyone from knowing what is the common password. Everyone will be able to connect to the wireless network but when you try to browse the web, you’ll be presented a page that requires you to login before you can use its service. Have you ever wondered how to create the login page? Wireless home routers usually is incapable of doing that. A more expensive enterprise wireless router has that feature.

Many wireless routers are based on open source operating systems and tools, which open the door to enterprising developers to either provide minor tweaks, or entire alternative firmware distros. These alternative firmwares open up features not usually available in inexpensive SOHO routers, including hotspot features such as captive portal and bandwidth limiting. Whether you’re setting up wireless Internet access at a public venue (such as a small B&B, store or restaurant) or in an office building (for visitors, consultants, and
salespeople), open source firmware offers an alternative solution for your hotspot needs.

Saving money is one of the greatest benefits. You can spend just $40 to $60 for a simple router and load it with free firmware to gain functions similar to those in a “real” hotspot gateway costing hundreds more. Additionally, the third-party firmware gives you the ability to use features usually available only in enterprise devices, such as VLANs, virtual/multiple SSIDs, VPN server, bridging and Quality-of-Service (QoS) capabilities.
Another benefit is being able to customize the functionality of the router even beyond what’s provided by the open-source firmware—if you know your way around coding and networking.
On the minus side, using third-party firmware will definitely void your warranty. So if you have problems, you can’t tap your product’s vendor for help or product replacement in case of failure. And given that you’re essentially messing with the “brains” of electronic equipment, setup is a bit more complex than using off-the-shelf hotspot gateways, which are specifically designed for hotspot solutions. Fortunately, the more popular alternative distributions, like the one we’ll use, tend to have active user communities with wikis, forums and other lifelines that you can grab onto in case of problems. But if you’re the type who needs to be able to call someone when you run into a problem, then alternative firmware probably isn’t for you.

There are three popular general open-source firmware projects offering hotspot capabilities:
• DD-WRT: Offers many firmware versions to support many different routers. Along with adding new general features, open-source projects designed specifically for hotspots are intergraded.
• Sveasoft: Also offers multiple firmware versions, including a free public release supporting the ubiquitous Linksys WRT54G/GS routers and more advanced editions supporting additional routers. It includes hotspot specific features, but requires a yearly $20 subscription fee.
• OpenWRT: Unlike most other firmware replacements, setting up hotspot features and a web-based GUI interface requires advanced knowledge and additional installation.

2hotspot is a powerful software that enables the instant creation wireless hotspots using your wireless router or WIFI card. With this free software you can, run your own free or commercial wireless hotspot network; Create local wireless communities where bulletin board, chat, and forums available locally with or without Internet service; Share your broadband service, split your ISP bill, control shared bandwidth; Can be used by individuals & corporations.
If you’ve already got a Wireless LAN in place that you want to use with 2hotspot, it’s not quite as simple as just installing the software. You’ll need to get Windows Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) working first in order to run 2hotspot. Here is an example scenario to help you understand better. If you have a desktop computer with a built-in LAN port, and also an external USB wireless adapter. An ADSL modem is connected to the built-in LAN port. My intention is to create a hotspot and share wireless Internet using the USB wireless adapter.
On the desktop computer that will act as a hotspot or call it server.
1. Go to Network Connections from Control Panel, right click Wireless Network Connection and select Properties.
2. Click Wireless Networks tab
3. Check “Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings“.
4. Click Add button.
5. Enter 2HOTSPOT in Network name (SSID).
6. Select “Disabled” for Data encryption
7. Check “This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network; wireless access points are not used“.
8. Click OK to close the window.
9. Right click Wireless Network Connection and select “View Available Wireless Networks”
10. You should see 2HOTSPOT in the list. Select 2HOTSPOT and click the Connect button.
11. Go to Network Connections from Control Panel, right click on the broadband/internet connection and select Properties
12. Go to Advanced tab, check “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection” and select “Wireless Network Connection” from the dropdown box. Click OK.
13. Now go to a CLIENT computer that will be connecting to the hotspot. Right click at the wireless connections and select “View Available Wireless Network“. You should see 2HOTSPOT in the list.
Select 2HOTSPOT and click Connect.

Note: If the server is connected to the Internet, the client computer should be able to access the Internet as well without limitations. Try browsing the web from the client computer. If it works, continue with the next step. If not, recheck all the steps above.
14. On the server computer, go to 2hotspot.com website, download the latest 2hotspot software and install.
15. At the end of 2hotspot installation, you’ll be prompted to select your wireless connection. Just select Wireless Network Connection and click OK.
16. Your default browser will open and you’ll be redirected to a page that requires you to sign up. You’ll need to enter your contact details at the first page. As for the second page, you get to select your wireless hotspot network purpose (free, for profit, cost sharing). The final step is to configure the access options such as maximum number of concurrent connections, maximum download and upload speed and etc…
17. Once you’ve completed the sign up, right click at the 2hotspot tray icon and make sure that you see “Connected to network: hotspotname”
If you’ve successfully gone through all 17 steps above without problems, any computer that is near your desktop should be able to see and connect to your 2HOTSPOT wireless network. When the client got connected and try to access any website such as google.com, a welcome page will be displayed requiring the user to sign in.

The 17 steps does look a bit long and tough but trust me, it will only be tough at the first try. Once you got used to the configuration, it’ll be really easy and you can configure without looking at this article. One warning though, some ISP doesn’t allow you to make profit from their service and they can terminate your account if they know about it. Make sure you’ve read their terms of usage and agreement.

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