Free Wifi

[kucon]

I'm thinking of offer free wifi at my small business store.
Besides the cost, what's the cons from the tech point of view?
I plan to just use a simple wireless router.
I'm looking for all ideas

[PrntRhd]

Are you going to connect your PCs to the network, or are you keeping the public WiFi separated from your own PCs?
What controls are you going to use in case the customers start surfing inappropriate sites?
What controls will you provide to assure your customers that other customers won't be snooping on their PCs?
What ISP are you using that allows this sharing?

I would go up one level in the hardware, maybe to something like this:
http://www.zyxel.com/web/product_family_detail.php?PC1indexflag=20040520161 313&CategoryGroupNo=4E14C850-478D-4204-8C85-2994C9552426

[mjc]

As for software to run it...

http://www.publicip.net/

[kucon]

Thanks for the info
I plan to have verizon DSL straight to modem/wireless router, with no control, carte blanche.
Just want to use this to attract more customers
Only worry about lost, damage to customers laptops, sign to warn about internet usage
do you see any legal problem?

[Paul Komski]

The actual legalities do vary from place to place but places like hotels and internet cafes regularly provide such services. mjc linked to one sort of solution and Google could, I am sure, lead you to others. If it were me I would consider asking the nearest big hotel how they do things and how they avoid any liabilities.

[mjc]

One of the problems, at least in the US, with completely 'open' access WiFi is that it leaves you, the provider, open to all sorts of legal challenges...but not really against the law, more civil case matters.

If you don't have any kind of encryption/log in scheme then if one of your customers draws the ire of the RIAA it would be you who is looking at mounting defense. There was a recent case, ultimately thrown out, where the RIAA sued a guy. No conclusive proof was found that he was the culprit, in fact it turned out to be his adult daughter, using his connection. He is still trying to recover lawyers fees from the RIAA, I believe.

But, by using log ins, you become a service provider and to some degree, are protected from the idiocy of things like that...

With the type of software I linked to previously, you could limit access to certain types of sites and/or services.

Also, another thing you would need to check on would be whether or not, your ISP would actually let you share your account in this manner. With a business account there probably wouldn't be a problem, with a personal/home account maybe...