I'm considering building a product around OpenWRT and would like some advice about appropriate hardware and feasibility. In a nutshell I'd like to have a router with an easy-to-use interface where people can share their internet connection with others nearby, optionally for a fee to subsidize the owner's broadband. The goal would be for people in remote parts of the world to buy and share high-speed internet connections with their neighbors, spreading the cost out.
Perhaps there would be an open access point one can connect to with a captive portal that allows account setup, and then gives the user credentials to connect to a different WPA2 network once their account is set up.
It would take payment with stripe if the owner wants to charge money for access.
It would all be open source. I'd be willing to pay someone to help build out the OpenWRT config automation if they were interested.
My questions:
What sort of router setup would have the greatest range?
Is a separate network for registration vs internet a good idea?
Is there something like this for captive portals or metering internet usage by client already?
What am I not thinking of that will be a pain in the ass?
Yes. Take a look at the openNDS package. It has an API designed to make development of such a system a relatively simple task and has indeed been used for that purpose in numerous projects.
What a coincidence, a new user shows up here, asking for an almost commercial-grade solution, soon after a very similar project has been posted on one of the well-known job sites for IT-freelancers ....
OpenNDS seems to be appropriate for basic systems, as it is rather simple to set up, compared to coova-chilli, which is more or less the standard in more advanced hotspot systems. But, much more complicated to set up, I have to admit.
I'll check out OpenNDS and coova-chilli, thanks! I haven't posted any jobs, so that must be a coincidence. I'm fine with hacking on things myself, doesn't have to be a ready-made commercial solution.
use cloudwifizone captive portal data/ time based voucher system.
Router must be openwrt support I advice Tplink CPE220 best out door and cheap price. Indoor use Tplink WA1750 dual band router.
separate network with central control system can get it.
Yes captive portal can calculate total Data usage.
Check it cloudwifizone can get all solutions.
I suppose it might be a coincience....