Help setting up free WiFi for customers...

Hey all,
I need some help setting up Wifi for the customers in my shop.

I have a Netgear wpn824 v3 Wireless router (which is just for costomer use) which I will be connecting to my regular DSL Router (which the business network goes through).

Now, I was told that all I have to do is change the IP of the Netgear router so that no one will be able to access the business network. Well there are so many diffrent setting in there that I can’t figure out how to “just change the IP” without haveing to setup something else.

Thoughts? Help?

Thanks all!

Integraoligist,

Easy to do:

Step 1: In your hardwired connection to the router, type into the address bar this: 192.168.0.1
Step 2: Default username: admin Default password: password
Step 3: Go to wireless settings. Change name of your router to the name of your restaurant. NO PASSWORD!
Step 4: Go to admin tab. Change your router’s password so that only you know it.

By following these steps, anyone can access this router for internet purposes but nobody will be able to access the setup part. This will eliminate the wannabe hackers. Hope this helps.

-J_r0kk

Don’t do what is posted above - that will open your internal network to the public, and you don’t want to do that - because it will give people wireless access to the other PC’s on your network. Doing that will be no different from letting someone walk in and plug their PC directly into your switch.

You want to separate the wireless router DHCP generated addresses from your internal network. I’ll take a look at the setup for that router and see how that router does it. It will be sunday before I have a chance though…

Registered Guest writes:

Don’t do what is posted above - that will open your internal network to the public

If you read his original post, the Netgear wireless router is connected to his DSL router. If the DSL router is firewalled and password protected, how could anyone access his network?

If the netgear is connected to his DSL router, he is already behind the DSL Router’s firewall.

As for the changing of the IP addresses, I believe the 2wire DSL routers and the netgear routers already use different IP scopes. i’d have to have some more information to be sure.

Is the DSL router wireless?

Thanks all for the replies…

Yes I have my regular DSL 2-wire router as the “main” 1 port on that is going to the Switch connecting all the restaurant PC’s and the 2nd port is going to the Netgear Wireless Router.
I dont have a Laptop so i connected at PC to the Netgear router and looked at “My Network Places”… none of the restaurant PC’s appear in there… so I’m assumeing everything is locked down and ready to go?

Question 2 for you guys, I want to put a Disclaimer with “Agree” and “Disagree” as the start-up page when people try to access the router.

How do I do this? I’ve been searching everywhere and can’t find any info on how to set that up.

Thanks again all!

  1. Just make sure you change your password on your DSL router to something long, difficult, and definately not the default. Also change the management password for your netgear router as well so that customers cant log into it and change settings and try and work their way back to your store computers.

  2. For this type of thing, you are going to have to look into proxy servers and such to control access. The netgear router alone will not do this.

This is called a captive portal and requires a separate web server, usually on a PC. However, you can use OpenWRT[/url] and [url=http://kokoro.ucsd.edu/nodogsplash/]NoDogSplash for a simple “splash page” with no authentication. I doubt you will want to assign passwords or the like. All that this configuration does is redirect any new connection to a page with your logo and terms of use where they must click on an Accept button before they are allowed limited access. I doubt your wireless router will work with it, but you can pick up a decent Broadcom-based router cheap on eBay.

Makes for a professional installation. Good way to also promote your business with notices of specials, etc.

Shoot, I meant that with the OpenWRT and NoDogSplash you can run the whole shebang off the router itself… No separate webserver required.

A Splash page is exactly what i’m looking for… But I wonder, if my new router dosent work with the OpenWRT and NoDogSplash, what about a simple sign on the door when people walk in? :shock:

It’ll be posted so I don’t see any type of “legal” issue…
Thoughts?

You just won’t be as cool, man.

this is something I need to work on (a splash page with a password) I unfortunatly have several cars that will park outside and use the wifi and bog down the connection and never come inside

What about handing out a WPA key whenever a customer request it? You could include the terms of conditions on the sheet. Then you can change the WEP key every few days to keep the leechers off of your network.

Somebody could be sitting outside of your restaurant doing some nefarious activity - and your IP address is stamped on it. Handing out a WPA key and changing it frequently will give you the control to only let customers use your WiFi.

There is a coffee shop here that does that. PITA. Don’t do it. Now, if you want, you can easily go into your router and enter the MAC address of those WiFi leeches to block them.

But a simple splash page with a password is better. Just change daily and then print out on your receipts.

Well, I guess I didn’t really think about it from the customer’s perspective. Typing in a WPA key twice (once initially, once for confirmation) would be a PITA. Scratch my idea!

I once suggested on here to build a Faraday cage to eliminate employees using cell phones. That would also stop the parking lot WiFi leaches. Plus, you could say your restaurant has a Faraday cage! Even cooler than a splash page, IMHO :stuck_out_tongue:

I agree. Just get a whole bunch of half-inch wire mesh and wrap the interior walls of your place with it. Uber wicked, dude. Oh, but still put the splash page.

well crap, seeing as though this nice new router I just purchased is’nt compatiable with those programs i’ll have no choice but to put up the disclaimer on the wall for the time being… going to look into the Routers on TigerDirect (where I bought this one from) and maybe swap it out with another one…

Thanks!