As Internet usages become more mobile, users have growing demands for secure wireless Internet access in public locations. Many hotspot owners have always been looking for robust networking devices that would help them construct an easily managed and maintained wireless network, where they can provide their customers with Internet access - free or for a fee. To address these demands, the 4ipnet Wireless Hotspot Gateway series presents an all-in-one solution for secure, manageable, and high-speed wireless Internet access.

Features and Benefits:

Multiple Authentication Methods
It is essential for hotspot owners to block unauthorized users from free-riding on Internet service. The Gateways support multiple authentication methods (local and external authentication servers) to ensure only authorized users have rights to Internet access. With this ability, it allows the Gateways to immediately achieve compatibility with existing networks.

Secure Wireless Connections
Speaking of critical security issues in a public network, on one hand, hotspot owners want to protect their networks from malicious hackers. On the other hand, Internet users want to secure over-the-air transmissions. To safeguard networks and protect wireless connections, the Gateway supports standards-based data encryption (e.g., WEP, WPA and WPA2), DoS prevention, and a set of global firewall rules.

Account Provisioning and Flexible Billing
To fulfill the needs of hotspot business operation, the Gateway is equipped with instant account generation and flexible billing capabilities. The instant account generation feature allows hotspot operators to generate one-time accounts for coming customers. The built-in billing profiles enable operators to charge different rates based on connection time and data volume. Customers can obtain and pay for Internet service online using their credit cards through Authorize.net or PayPal.

Wall Garden for Visitors
The Gateway supports Walled Garden (free surfing zone) for visitors to access certain websites without authentication. For example, a coffee shop owner may want his guests to be able to see the menu or promotional ads regardless of whether they have paid for Internet access.

Zero Configuration for Visitors
When a visitor's computer is configured to use a fixed IP address for another network, he will need to change the TCP/IP configuration to access the WLAN installed in a hotspot venue. The Gateway supports IP Plug and Play (IP PnP) function so visitors can connect to the WLAN without changing their TCP/IP settings.

Monitoring and Reporting
For controlling the network remotely in a trouble-free way, the Gateway provides a user-friendly management interface, allowing network administrators to easily monitor the status of online users. Also, traffic history report can be generated for troubleshooting and business analysis.