All About 'HOTSPOT' -MIS-

Hotspot is a physical location that offers INTERNET ACCES over a WIRELESS LAN through the use of a shared internet connection and a single ROUTER. Hotspots can typically be found in COFFE SHOPS and various other public establishment.

The public can use a laptop, WiFi phone, or other suitable portable device to access the wireless connection (usually Wi-Fi) provided. Of the estimated 150 million laptops, 14 million PDAs, and other emerging Wi-Fi devices sold per year for the last few years, most include the Wi-Fi feature. For venues that have broadband Internet access, offering wireless access is as simple as purchasing one AP, in conjunction with a router and connecting the AP to the Internet connection. A single wireless router combining these functions may suffice.

Hotspots are often found at restaurants, train stations, airports, military bases, libraries, hotels, hospitals, coffe shops, bookstores, fuel stations, departments stores,supermarkets, RV parks and campgrounds and other public places. Many universities and schools have wireless networks in their campus.

There is 2 types of Hotspot :

1.Free Wi-Fi hotspots

• Using an open public network is the easiest way to create a free HotSpot. All that is needed is a Wi-Fi router. Private users of wireless routers can turn off their authentication requirements, thus opening their connection, intentionally or not, for sharing by anyone in range. The disadvantage is that access to the router cannot be controlled.
• Closed public networks use a HotSpot Management System to control the HotSpot. This software runs on the router itself or an external computer. With this software, operators can authorize only specific users to access the Internet, and they often associate the free access to a menu or to a purchase limit. Operators are also now able to limit each user's available bandwidth - each user is therefore restricted to a certain speed to ensure that everyone gets a good quality service. Often this is done through Service Legal Agreement
  

2.Commercial hotspots

A commercial hotspot may feature:

• A captive portal / Login Screen that users are redirected to forauthentication and payment
• A payment option using credit card, PayPal, BOZII,iPass or other payment service
• A walled garden feature that allows free access to certain sites

Many services provide payment services to hotspot providers, for a monthly fee or commission from the end-user income.ZoneCD is a Linux distribution that provides payment services for hotspots who wish to deploy their own service.

Major airports and business hotels are more likely to charge for service. Most hotels provide free service to guests; and increasingly small airports and airline lounges offer free service.

Roaming services are expanding among major hotspot service providers. With roaming service the users of a commercial provider can have access to other provider's hotspots with extra fees, in which such a user will be usually charged on the basis of access-per-minuite.

FON is a European company that allows users to share their wireless broadband and sells excess bandwidth to outside users (Aliens). Since this may breach users terms of service, FON has agreements with many broadband providers / ISPs.

One of the companies is TravelNetcon- an international high-speed Internet HotSpot mediator. Boingo is another major provider of hotspots.