Internet control for a resort

I have a client that would like to charge for Internet access at a resort. The guest would be using their own
computers. Can someone recommend a program that would be easy to administer. I was thinking of building a Linux box as
the router and administrator for the system.

-MD

Mark D adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:

> I have a client that would like to charge for Internet access at a
> resort. The guest would be using their own
> computers. Can someone recommend a program that would be easy to
> administer. I was thinking of building a Linux box as the router and
> administrator for the system.
>
> -MD

Mark,

Are we talking about an application that can monitor individual IP/MAC
addresses and works out the cost to each?

The same sort of server that can be used in a web cafe?

I did do a search a long time ago for this type of software for a friend
and could not find anything suitable at the time except for some
propriety software ( mostly windows based ) there must be stuff out
there and maybe my search criteria was not good enough.

I just had another look and still cannot find any specific applications.

Depending on the size of this resort and amount of connections I would
start looking at ISP systems software, he will have quite a job with
this sort of venture as he will find that also the legal side will come
into it and everything ( thinking about having to start blocking
certain sites and network activity ) it is not as easy as it looks when
you start delving into the deep down stuff.

However if this is just going to be the odd laptop with wifi and not
much traffic then charging a standard hourly/daily rate is easier to
manage and keep secure.

This is the sort of job spec that would need professional advice though.

HTH

--
Mark
Twixt hill and high water
N. Wales, UK
Novell Support Forums SysOp

Mark,

I also did a lot of googleing. What I found was software that required client side software. For the application that
would not be good. The resort only has 16 units. The manager wants to charge for access as a way of limiting traffic.
The location requires the use of satellite Internet connection. Most guest would be using their own laptops with
wireless connections.

Thank you for the reply. I have been trying to get some quotes from some vendors but as of yet not received any. That
has led me to see if I could do this on a customized Linux machine.

-MD

baskitcaise wrote:
> Mark D adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:
>
>> I have a client that would like to charge for Internet access at a
>> resort. The guest would be using their own
>> computers. Can someone recommend a program that would be easy to
>> administer. I was thinking of building a Linux box as the router and
>> administrator for the system.
>>
>> -MD
>
> Mark,
>
> Are we talking about an application that can monitor individual IP/MAC
> addresses and works out the cost to each?
>
> The same sort of server that can be used in a web cafe?
>
> I did do a search a long time ago for this type of software for a friend
> and could not find anything suitable at the time except for some
> propriety software ( mostly windows based ) there must be stuff out
> there and maybe my search criteria was not good enough.
>
> I just had another look and still cannot find any specific applications.
>
> Depending on the size of this resort and amount of connections I would
> start looking at ISP systems software, he will have quite a job with
> this sort of venture as he will find that also the legal side will come
> into it and everything ( thinking about having to start blocking
> certain sites and network activity ) it is not as easy as it looks when
> you start delving into the deep down stuff.
>
> However if this is just going to be the odd laptop with wifi and not
> much traffic then charging a standard hourly/daily rate is easier to
> manage and keep secure.
>
> This is the sort of job spec that would need professional advice though.
>
> HTH
>

Mark D wrote:

> Mark,
>
> I also did a lot of googleing. What I found was software that required
> client side software. For the application that
> would not be good. The resort only has 16 units. The manager wants to
> charge for access as a way of limiting traffic.
> The location requires the use of satellite Internet connection. Most
> guest would be using their own laptops with
> wireless connections.
>
> Thank you for the reply. I have been trying to get some quotes from some
> vendors but as of yet not received any. That has led me to see if I could
> do this on a customized Linux machine.
>
> -MD
>
> baskitcaise wrote:
>> Mark D adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:
>>
>>> I have a client that would like to charge for Internet access at a
>>> resort. The guest would be using their own
>>> computers. Can someone recommend a program that would be easy to
>>> administer. I was thinking of building a Linux box as the router and
>>> administrator for the system.
>>>
>>> -MD
>>
>> Mark,
>>
>> Are we talking about an application that can monitor individual IP/MAC
>> addresses and works out the cost to each?
>>
>> The same sort of server that can be used in a web cafe?
>>
>> I did do a search a long time ago for this type of software for a friend
>> and could not find anything suitable at the time except for some
>> propriety software ( mostly windows based ) there must be stuff out
>> there and maybe my search criteria was not good enough.
>>
>> I just had another look and still cannot find any specific applications.
>>
>> Depending on the size of this resort and amount of connections I would
>> start looking at ISP systems software, he will have quite a job with
>> this sort of venture as he will find that also the legal side will come
>> into it and everything ( thinking about having to start blocking
>> certain sites and network activity ) it is not as easy as it looks when
>> you start delving into the deep down stuff.
>>
>> However if this is just going to be the odd laptop with wifi and not
>> much traffic then charging a standard hourly/daily rate is easier to
>> manage and keep secure.
>>
>> This is the sort of job spec that would need professional advice though.
>>
>> HTH
>>
you could by a router ( i believe it a linksys and upload the firmware that
people have to use paypal account to access router ) also you could
probably do it by proxy server software.( proxy server adds abit of added
security since one needs to know the port address to get into your network)
and wireless connection by mac address or you could use mesh software..

but a proxy server is probably the easiest to secure and maintain since alot
of proxy servers maintain access time and amounts and site restrictions.
also maintian webpage access logs as pretainins to users.. so if the
client does some illegal stuff that later comes back and haunts you .you
can provide logs to authorities. you can also print logs out and attach
them to client accounts..

simplest way is two network cards in the proxy server computer one connected
to the sat internet connection the the other connect to a wireless bridge
(with dns server) then just give them the proxy port for browser and the
port map for the email (via pop smtp connection) usually anything can be
done for free but there always a bit of work involved

sash adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:

> simplest way is two network cards in the proxy server computer one
> connected
> to the sat internet connection the the other connect to a wireless
> bridge
> (with dns server) then just give them the proxy port for browser and
> the port map for the email (via pop smtp connection) usually anything
> can be done for free but there always a bit of work involved

Hey I did not think of doing it that way sash, that is definitely a
keeper might come in handy here if needed.


--
Mark
Twixt hill and high water
N. Wales, UK
Novell Support Forums SysOp

baskitcaise wrote:

> sash adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:
>
>> simplest way is two network cards in the proxy server computer one
>> connected
>> to the sat internet connection the the other connect to a wireless
>> bridge
>> (with dns server) then just give them the proxy port for browser and
>> the port map for the email (via pop smtp connection) usually anything
>> can be done for free but there always a bit of work involved
>
> Hey I did not think of doing it that way sash, that is definitely a
> keeper might come in handy here if needed.
>
>
Here a nice proxy server that suitable for this type of situation. and has a
nice easy http configuration page... there is a free version but there is
also a a paid version that can limit user based on time and or usage.

I finally got it installed on my computer in suse 10 it was a bit of a
bugger to figure out this little install glitch for suse..

but it works fine now.. in their forum I posted the how to get around the
install glitch . also you need to install the service level patch posted by
someone else. and it works really well.. ( I used squid before but this is
much easier to configure via the browser interface...)

sash adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:

> Here a nice proxy server that suitable for this type of situation.

I know it is early here so did I miss something sash?

:-)

--
Mark
Twixt hill and high water
N. Wales, UK
Novell Support Forums SysOp

baskitcaise wrote:

> sash adjusted his/her tinfoil beanie to post:
>
>> Here a nice proxy server that suitable for this type of situation.
>
> I know it is early here so did I miss something sash?
>
> :-)
>

oops, I see, I forgot to mention the proxy server name--- Safesquid found
at safesquid.com

forgetful me... sometimes I think I would forget my head somewhere if it not
screwed on.