Linksys easyHOTSPOT WRT54GL User manual

Installation Manual

Table of Contents
1. Introduction...............................................................................................1
1.1. Features for the easyHotspot Owner.................................................1
1.2. Features for the easyHotspot Customer............................................2
2. Installation.................................................................................................3
2.1. How easyHotspot Fits in Your Network .............................................3
2.2. Installation Requirements ..................................................................3
2.3. Installation Procedure........................................................................5
2.4. Testing...............................................................................................6
3. Range Extenders ......................................................................................9
AAA Server .............................................................................................10
4. Tickets ....................................................................................................11
Author: Rob Clark
Version Date: 2006-12-16

Page 1
1. Introduction
The easyHotspot is the ideal solution for providing controlled WiFi access to
your network or the Internet. Password controlled access makes it ideal for
these applications:
• Community wireless networks
• Company networks
• Temporary hotspots at seminars
• Cafes
• Motels/Hotels
• Caravan parks
• etc.
This manual details the installation of the easyHotspot into your existing
computer network.
You should have the following components in your easyHotspot kit:
• easyHotspot unit, with power supply and Linksys manuals
• this manual
Depending on the options purchased with the easyHotspot kit, you may have
some or none of these:
• tickets
• range extender equipment
1.1. Features for the easyHotspot Owner
• Ticket Controlled Access. Your customers access your Internet
connection by using a Ticket provided by you. The ticket has a login
password. Tickets control the time online.
• No onsite PC required. Unlike some hotspot solutions, easyHotspot
does not require that you have a PC onsite to manage the controlled
access. The only hardware you need onsite is the easyHotspot unit.
• Wireless or Wired Access. You can provide controlled Internet
access via wireless (WiFi), and/or wired (Ethernet). Wired access
would suit an Internet Cafe with desktop PCs.
• Usage Statistics. With an optional private AAA Server account, you
can check/download a variety of data including total data volumes,
connect times, etc.
• Expandable. You can expand the wireless coverage range by adding
extra antennas, amplifiers, and/or Range Extenders. No matter how
large the physical network, you only need one easyHotspot device to
control all network access.

Page 2
• Profitable. Attract more customers by offering free Internet access -
but only to your customers. Alternatively, you can increase your profits
by selling Internet access at any price you choose.
• Secure. By default, customers can not access any devices on your
local area network (LAN). Customer traffic passes through the LAN to
get to the Internet, but customers can not access any LAN device.
However, ticket controlled access to your office LAN can be enabled by
using a front-panel button.
1.2. Features for the easyHotspot Customer
• WiFi Access. Any WiFi equipped laptop can connect to the Hotspot.
[Optional: the hotspot owner can provide access via ethernet (CAT5)
cable.]
• No special software required. The customer simply needs a computer
that has a standard WWW browser. That's it!
• Simple login/logoff procedure.

Page 3
2. Installation
2.1. How easyHotspot Fits in Your Network
The easyHotspot sits between your existing broadband router and the
PCs/Laptops that you want to control. The easyHotspot acts like a traffic cop,
making sure only those with a valid ticket are allowed to pass.
You can extend the wireless coverage area by adding one or more Range
Extender units
2.2. Installation Requirements
The easyHotspot requires an ethernet cable connection to a local LAN. The
type of LAN is a very common one that is provided by almost all broadband
routers.
The LAN:
•must have a DHCP server that automatically provides the following
network configuration:
oIP address,
oSubnet Mask,
oDNS server address, and
ogateway (to the Internet) address.

Page 4
•must have a connection (via the gateway router) to the Internet.
•can have a firewall between the LAN and INTERNET. easyHotspot has
been tested and works with the very common Network Address
Translation (NAT) type of firewall.
The easyHotspot connects to the exiting LAN in the same way a wired PC
would connect.

Page 5
2.3. Installation Procedure
Please note that the easyHotspot comes in a Linksys box with Linksys
manuals. These manuals do not apply to the easyHotspot. The easyHotspot is
a Linksys WRT54GL, but all the Linksys firmware
1
has been replaced by
easyHotspot firmware.
Your easyHotspot comes pre-configured. There are no software settings to be
changed.
Make the following connections to your easyHotspot device.
•LAN Connection: The supplied CAT5 (LAN) cable goes from the socket
labeled “Internet” on the rear of the easyHotspot, to your existing Local
Area Network (LAN)
•Power: The supplied plug pack goes between a normal wall socket and
the socket labeled “Power” on the rear of the easyHotspot.
•Optional: If wired Range Extender units were purchased separately,
they are connected to any of the sockets labeled “1,2,3, or 4”.
Power
Pack
To existing
LAN
Optional:
To Range Extender
units.
Purchased
separately .
1
Firmware is software embedded within the device

Page 6
2.4. Testing
After the easyHotspot has been installed and power applied, the front panel
should look like this:
Light (LED) Should be ….
CiscoSystems
Button
Change between ON and OFF by
pressing the CiscoSystems button for 1
second. The change is semi-permanent:
if power is removed and re-applied the
state (ON or OFF) is restored to the
same as it was when power was
removed.
OFF: (default) Users with valid tickets do not have
access to any device on the network (LAN) connected
to the Internet rear socket. Their data traffic can pass
through this network to get to the Internet.
ON (orange colour): Users with valid tickets do have
access to both the Internet, and devices on the
network connected to the Internet rear socket.
Power ON
DMZ OFF
WLAN ON (blink occasionally)
Ethernet 1,2,3,4 ON: If a LAN cable is plugged into the corresponding
rear socket.
OFF: Otherwise
Internet ON: (Blink occasionally)

Page 7
Using a laptop (or other WiFi enabled computer)
•Use the wireless networking utility provided with the computer to
connect to easyHotspot wireless network. In most cases, the wireless
network name will be easyHotspot. If ordered with a custom
configuration, the wireless network name may be different. The
wireless network name can not be changed.
•Your PC should have been automatically assigned a network
configuration as below. If not – see section 7 - Troubleshooting.
oIP Address: 192.168.182.2
oSubnet mask: 255.255.255.0
oDefault gateway: 192.168.182.1
To see the network configuration on a Windows PC:
•Click Start, then Run…
•Enter cmd and press OK.
•When the command window opens, type: ipconfig and click Enter.
•Open up the internet browser
2
on the PC. You should see a page
similar to this. If not, see section 7 - Troubleshooting..
•Enter the Username/Password pair from a ticket, and click Login.
Some starter tickets are included with most orders. A ticket will look
2
e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc

Page 8
something like this:
•At this point, you should be granted internet access, and automatically
sent to your browser’s Home Page.