Hotel "open" Wifi Control Software

[kme]

So we have a hotel we "manage"

They want to put wifi access in for the guests......but they want to restrict their ability to download questionable stuff; monitor usage, etc.

Does any have any ideas of appropriate / quality software - or can anyone write some ( for a price )

Ideas welcomed

KME

 

[Chewbacca]

not sure but you should be able to set fire wall on wifi router to 'high' - think that would filter out many naughty sites.

 

[steptoe]

there is quite a plethora of commercial stuff available,

including streaming blockers available, ie, stops some guests from hogging too much bandwidth, it simply pops up a message explaining they are being 'greedy' sort of thing,

basically, it involves blacklisting sites,

you could start with using a pattern off DL helper for the adult sites,

that would give you a template to at least start with.

not sure but you should be able to set fire wall on wifi router to 'high' - think that would filter out many naughty sites.

not as much as you would think Chewie.

 

[kme]

Yup - it`d have to be seperate from router - as the same tinternet connection is site-wide.........

Could set it for just the "free" wifi network easily enough - but that still doesn`t give them access to what is or isn`t being done, iykwim?

edit. Albert: pattern off DL helper? WTF?????

 

[steptoe]

blacklists

and whitelists are you only option I would think,

and choke speeds to stop streaming

althoiugh you could blacklist the common streaming sites too I suppose,

I could give you a few names apart from the obvious i[player ones

 

[kme]

I know black- and white- lists

The rest of that went over my head ( yeah.....I know! :slap )

 

[OnOff]

We have a BT Home Hub 3 and as long as you can restrict access to the router itself (so it can't have the reset button pressed) you can restrict certain sites etc:

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=27269&s_cid=con_FURL_familyprotection

I know you're after a freebie ideally but I find McAfee's products very good and they supply BT:

http://www.mcafeeprotection.com/UK/?source=002_mcafee_UK&tid=002&gclid=CKDpktK6-7gCFeXMtAodLTcAPQ

£30 a year?

 

[Jono Pashley]

http://www.antamediahotspot.com/

Take a butchers at that should accomodate their needs.

 

[steptoe]

OK,

why use stuff that is working on windoze, ? McAfee etc....... waste of time IMHO

any *nix user will easily bypass it, besides, chances are >99% your router is using *nix anyway, so why not simply use a *nix server with inbuilt and changeable lists on it?

bit of effort on set-up, but simple to use for anyone after that.

We have a BT Home Hub 3 and as long as you can restrict access to the router itself (so it can't have the reset button pressed) you can restrict certain sites etc:

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=27269&s_cid=con_FURL_familyprotection

I know you're after a freebie ideally but I find McAfee's products very good and they supply BT:

http://www.mcafeeprotection.com/UK/?source=002_mcafee_UK&tid=002&gclid=CKDpktK6-7gCFeXMtAodLTcAPQ

£30 a year?

but that'd be system wide surely?

 

[kme]

OnOff:

Thanks, but this a commercial server / switch / router etc... The "site blocking" type thing isn`t much use. Money isn`t the issue - they`ve been quoted £ 1K for the software side by another. Sorry, I probably didn`t explain too well.....

Jono: That looks like the sort of thing. Scoobed.

Albert: Yes - I don`t think generic "home use" type s/w is the answer - and the client won`t care either. It needs to be cheaper than about £ 800; and capable of controlling / overviewing their wifi system.

Which was why I said about someone writing summat - cos they`ll pay to have what they want. 

 

[steptoe]

OK

my thoughts,

get a proper server set up,

and put some lists on it,

that is how I understand most pubs, cafes etc work, apart from the ones that merely provide 'cloud' cover from BT etc,

Im fairly sure you could spec a system from most of the server suppliers for what you want, with an additional window of xamount addresses with free access,

perhaps 'cloud9' is the person you need to speak to.

its deffo doable, and its a common commercial availability.

http://www.antamediahotspot.com/

Take a butchers at that should accomodate their needs.

good link jono

but,

as its windows based Id be concerned about its vunerability,

if someone really did want to access every other computer on the network, but I suppose if they are using wi-fi thats their problem anyway,

just wondering where the hotels liability would extend to if they didnt take all reasonable precautions to protect the network........

 

[kme]

Yup - I think thats their concern, too.

Thanks mate - i`ll speak to their server people, and see what comes back.......

And yes, I`m hoping "cloud9" can help too - .......

 

[binky]

why not e-mail technical help of on-line supplier like e-buyer??

 

[Sidewinder]

I have 2 wireless networks on my Draytek, and NEVER the twain shall meet as they are different IP pools.

I can throttle content, block IP's etc. etc. I just don't bother because I don't need to.

Draytek are professional broadcast quality devices.

I'll second the post by Canoe.

 

[kme]

Thanks guys........

Does the Draytek option give `em "overlooking" type ability?

 

[Sidewinder]

What do they want to "overlook" & in what detail?

Remember, could privacy laws apply?

 

[kme]

Don`t know, and don`t know.

But I think that THEY think they have a requirement to be able to monitor stuff. Don`t know to what extent.

 

[steptoe]

if you run a linux box,

especially BT ypoui can see everything that happens on any wi-fi you connect to,

dunno how privacy laws affect that, but they do tell you in BT conditions you are only permitted to look at connectioons you have permission for

 

[IzzyS]

How about this http://www.zeroshell.org/  

 

[kme]

What do they want to "overlook" & in what detail?

Remember, could privacy laws apply?

According to the anti-terrorism Pisanu Law and EU DIRECTIVE 2006/24/EC, each Internet Service Provider (in this case YOU), are required to store customer details, and to track Internet user activity by storing visited URLs into the log. Offering Free Hotel WiFi without tracking URLs and collecting customer data imposes you to a risk from illegal customer activity that is performed from your Internet connection.