The splash screen template can be branded with your company or organization logo (except in Open mode). The splash pages are available in Dutch, French, German, Spanish, and English. Figure 5-4 shows an example of a splash screen for hotspots using the premium services.

Figure 5-4. Closed Mode Splash Screen Example for the Premium Services

ZoneCD runs an unmodified version of Dansguardian, an open source content filter. Dansguardian is configurable inside Zone Control and is based on the user classes. The content filter configuration is downloaded to your ZoneCD system during boot or using the queue system. This feature is useful and is recommended for places such as libraries, schools, youth clubs, and any other organization that wants to block inappropriate content, such as foul language and pornography.

ZoneCD uses a user class system to assign special rights and privileges to users. All users in your zone, or hotspot, are members of a class or group. Four user classes exist:

You can assign each user class a predefined limit for bandwidth, data transfer, and usage time. Protected or Liberated classes can be configured to use the content filter. The Protected user class default firewall rule is to block your defined open ports. The Liberated user class default firewall rule is to allow (you define ports to block). Trusted and Super user classes have no firewall rules; only (optional) time and transfer limits are applied to users in these classes. Super users are given special access to LAN resources. To determine new user classes, you define a default user class for new users to be added upon registration.

The user class feature is useful in any organization in which you want to provide certain privileges to different hotspot users. For example, you can assign the Super class to yourself and all your staff members so that you do not have limitations, such as speed, content, and private network access, while using the hotspot.

You can control the amount of bandwidth available to a user in each user class by setting the upload and download speeds for each user class. This comes in handy if you will share a single Internet connection between a private network and a public hotspot. You can limit the upload and download speeds that hotspot users receive so that they do not take up all the bandwidth or speed of the Internet connection. This allows users on the private network to have the performance they need.

You can configure data and time limits on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. You can define usage limits by user class or for individual users. Temporary limits can increase a user’s usage limits for the remainder of the day without changing his or her permanent account settings.

This feature allows you to specify the times you would like your hotspot to be active. For example, you might not want to have the hotspot on while your business is closed.

You can add websites to a list that users can visit before they log in and register. For example, suppose that you want all users to register before they use the Internet; however, you want to give them easy access to your company website. Therefore, you would just add your company domain (yourcompany.com) to the walled garden list.

Use Public IP to configure the firewall rules to protect your network from malicious activities. Open and close ports as needed, and configure access to computers on your local network. ZoneCD allows you to configure your wireless signal to block or limit access to your wired network. By default, private (wired) LAN access is blocked from hotspot users. (However, the Super user class has access to the entire network.) You can also allow access to your entire wired network, or define a specific IP address and ports to allow access to a single or multiple computers on your network.

Many reports are available, such as usage, limits and blocks, and another for the content filter. You can apply date ranges and filter results by username, MAC address, or IP address. You can also group the data by username, MAC, or IP if you want to see more cumulative data. All reports also generate bar graphs and pie charts. You can also view summary reports for the number of logins per day and time-of-day usage for the past four weeks so that you can get an idea of your busy times.

A ticket system is available if you want to disable self-registration for the hotspot users and generate automatically chosen logins to be printed and distributed to visitors. The ticket has the network name, username, ticket valid date and time, and a brief message from you (optional).

This allows you to have more control over who uses the hotspot. Suppose you notice that some people are using the free hotspot but are not purchasing your products within your store. To remedy that, you can start giving hotspot access to only paying customers. You can set up the ticketing system and hand out the login information at the front counter or cash register.

Unlike the open/closed feature, the network availability function allows you to define when your hotspot is available for each hour of each day. This is a nice feature to keep users off your network during closed hours or busy times.

A Rich Site Summary (RSS) feed is available to monitor the usage and availability of your hotspot. While inside Zone Control, the same data is available from the status page from within a Flash object. Watch active user sessions and system loads to always be on top of your hotspot. If a gateway fails, you are notified via RSS or a message in the Flash object, and the system also e-mails the details of the crash to your hotspot’s support e-mail address. You are notified again upon recovery.

Note

RSS typically syndicates news and other information online. You can enter the RSS feed address provided by ZoneCD into a reader, display, or device that interfaces with this type of feed, such as customized Yahoo or Google home pages.

You can list your hotspot in the hotspot directory on the Public IP website. This provides additional marketing of your hotspot.

You can configure a shared network printer via Zone Control. If you provide an IP address of the printer, along with a small note to users, the printer (among other things such as available time, transfer, hours, and so on) will be displayed in the user’s Connection Properties window upon login.

Implementing some configuration changes on your ZoneCD might require restarting a service or rebooting the gateway. After you have made any configuration changes in Zone Control, you can approve the updates. The changes are then downloaded to your gateway. A broadcast message is sent to users if the action might affect connectivity (Windows XP and Windows 2000 users). The update is made on the gateway within 5 minutes. You receive an e-mail response at your support e-mail address when configuration is complete.

Choose a template that is designed by Public IP, or, if you want more control, design your own. The template system uses the Smarty Template engine. If you decide to subscribe to a service that allows you to customize your template, you should become familiar with the Smarty syntax.

You can customize the e-mails that the server generates and sends to your users. Welcome, Forgot Password, and E-Mail Validation e-mails can be customized by entering your message and using special tags to insert variable values such as name, username, and password.

Figure 5-5 shows where the router is placed in the solution.

Figure 5-5. Router Placement Example

If you do not have an existing network at your location, you need to purchase a wireless or wired router. As pointed out in Figure 5-5, this router connects to your Internet modem and to the back of the ZoneCD computer.

No specific features are required for the wired or wireless router. You just need to use a standard wired router or a Wi-Fi-compliant wireless router.

This router enables you to easily create a private network, if desired. If you do decide to create a private network, take into account which router you should purchase. If you plan to have wireless coverage on the private network, use a wireless router. Otherwise, use a wired router. Keep in mind that you can use a wired router and later plug in access points to provide private wireless access. In addition, use a wired router if you do not plan to create a private network.

If you do have an existing network, and you have an available Ethernet port on the back of a wireless or wired router, you can plug into that instead of purchasing another one.

Figure 5-6 shows the recommended wired router, which typically costs between $40 and $90.

Figure 5-6. Recommended Wired Router: Linksys EtherFast Cable/DSL Router with Four-Port Switch (Model #BEFSR41)

Figure 5-7 shows the recommended wireless router, which typically costs between $25 and $70.

Figure 5-7. Recommended Wireless Router: Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router (Model #WRT54G)

Figure 5-8 shows where the wireless access point or router is placed in the solution.

Figure 5-8. Placement Example of the Wireless Access Point or Router

This piece of equipment, as pointed out in Figure 5-8, provides the public wireless access for the hotspot solution. You can use either an access point or a wireless router.

No specific features are required for the access point or wireless router. They just need to be Wi-Fi-compliant.

Figure 5-9 shows the recommended wireless router, which typically costs between $25 and $70.

Figure 5-9. Recommended Wireless Router: Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router (Model #WRT54G)

Figure 5-10 shows the recommended access point, which typically costs between $60 and $80.

Figure 5-10. Recommended Access Point: Linksys Wireless-G Access Point (Model #WAP54G)

Figure 5-11 shows where the dedicated PC is placed in the solution.

Figure 5-11. Dedicated PC Placement

Make sure the computer you will use for the ZoneCD solution meets the requirements discussed earlier. The ZoneCD computer does not require an input/output device, such as a keyboard, mouse, or monitor, after the initial configuration is complete. To provide easier access when running headless (with no input/output devices), you can use Secure Shell (SSH) for remote administration of the system.

ZoneCD operates from a LiveCD; therefore, it cannot retain settings during a reboot. However, it has a system that saves the ZoneCD configuration and setting to a removable medium. Therefore, you need a floppy disk or a USB thumb/flash drive.

Figure 5-12 shows the recommended Ethernet NIC, which costs between $15 and $30.

Figure 5-12. Recommended Ethernet NIC: Linksys EtherFast 10/100 LAN Card (Model #LNE100TX)

Do not forget that you need the brains of this solution—the ZoneCD disc, which is included on this book’s companion CD-ROM.

Note

This book’s companion CD-ROM includes ZoneCD version 1.2-7.

If you download ZoneCD and burn your own CD, make a note of the version number. You’ll probably need to reference it later.

You can also download the CD image (ISO file) free of charge from the Public IP website (http://www.publicip.net/zonecd/download.php).

You need to burn the ZoneCD ISO file to a regular CD-R disc. You can find help on the Public IP website, under the Development & Support section, on how to burn the file using several well-known CD-writing software packages.

You can also order a ZoneCD CD disc from Public IP for $10. This is good if you do not have a CD burner available, or you are not sure how to burn the ISO file onto a disc with your particular CD-writing software.