A Hot-spot is a venue that offers Internet access over a wireless LAN through the use of a shared Internet. In general, a hot spot provides users' unfettered access to the Internet via one or more wireless access points.
Well, how to set up your own hot spot, from determining your coverage area to installing and controlling access to your network. However, before we begin, make sure your ISP lets you share your Internet connection. Some companies don't care, while it may be a violation of your Terms of Service with others.
Before you start:
Who want this connection.
Where you want them to connect
What your ISP's connection-sharing policy is for your service
Which network resources on your network require protection from hot-spot users
Follow the Steps:
Determine Hot-Spot Coverage: The goal of a hot spot is to cover a public area with an 802.11 signal. Most of the decisions about how and where to mount your access point and what antenna to use will depend on your desired coverage area. For small areas close to the physical location of your access point, a standard device such as one offered by your service provider or any wireless routers you can get off-the-shelf would do the job. Draft N (or 802.11n or Wireless-N) routers are faster and offer larger coverage than 802.11g routers.
Well, if you want to provide coverage to a municipal park a mile away, you will need to attach a more sensitive antenna and establish a line-of-site connection between your access point and the hot-spot location.
Wireless Standards & Characteristics
802.11
Operates at 2.4GHz; the lowest common denominator of the IEEE wireless LAN standards; provides bandwidth of only 1Mbps; equipment based on this older standard may be hard to find
802.11b
Operates at 2.4GHz; backward compatible with the older 802.11 standard; delivers bandwidth of up to 11Mbps. This once-popular standard is becoming obsolete and routers/access points based on this standard are hard to find.
802.11g
Operates at 2.4GHz; delivers bandwidth of up to 54Mbps; backward compatible with 802.11b; currently has the largest user base, especially in mobile hand held applications
802.11n
Also called Draft N; operates at 2.4GHz and 5GHz ; currently a draft specification awaiting ratification by the IEEE; delivers bandwidth of up to 300Mbps; backward compatible with 802.11g and b (when operated at 2.4Ghz); we expect this standard to co-exist with 802.11g as the standards of choice.
Bluetooth
Operates at 2.4GHz; is a short-range, low-bandwidth solution designed to connect peripheral devices without the use of cables; is not compatible with any of the above standards; is not well suited for hot-spot deployment.
Steps 2,
Choose an antenna type: If you use a Wireless-N router and have a relatively small area to cover, say a restaurant or a cafe, the built-in antenna of the router should suffice. For larger area, you will need a high-gain antenna capable of bridging the gap.
High-gain antennas concentrate radiation in a certain direction, in much the same way that flashlights focus beams of light. A low-gain, omni directional antenna spreads the signal in a 360-degree circular pattern, whereas a high-gain antenna focuses the signal in a particular direction, reducing the coverage from 360 degrees to 180 degrees or less. However, because a high-gain antenna delivers a more-concentrated radiation pattern, it's capable of spanning a greater distance. For example, a 24dB-gain antenna may reduce your coverage to a 10-degree swath of space but will dramatically increase the sensitivity and range of your access point in one direction.
Connect the antenna: Once you've determined the appropriate antenna based on your desired coverage area, you'll need to attach it to your access point or wireless router. (A wireless router is a regular router with a built-in access point). While most antennas feature N or SMA connectors, access points can vary.
Step 4
Mount the antenna: If your entire setup sits inside, mounting the antenna should prove easy. However, if your rig sits outside, you will need to put your access point into a weatherproof case. Just how much weatherproofing you need to make the enclosure depends on the local climate. There are both commercial and home-brew options available, depending on your level of crafting skills, it can range from something as simple as putting the device in a close box or elaborate.
Step 5
Lock down your Network: Generally, if your hot spot is open to the public, you'd want to separate it from your home or office network while allowing it to share your access to the Internet.
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