The Hotspot Menu

• Hotspot Settings
  • 1. Master/Standalone hotspot or Standalone hotspot
  • 2. Satellite hotspot
  • 3. External RADIUS server
  • 4. Use External Authentication
• Administration Interface
• Accounts
  • List
  • Import from CSV
  • Export from CSV
  • Account Generator
• Tickets
  • Rates
  • Quick Ticket
  • Ticket Generator
• Reports
  • Connections
  • Balance
  • Connection Logs
  • Export Connection Logs as CSV
  • SmartConnect Transactions
• Settings
  • Main
  • SmartConnect
  • API
  • Language
• Hotspot User
• Client Access to the Hotspot
  • Register new account
  • Login
  • Add ticket

The hotspot shipped with the Panda GateDefender Appliance is a highly flexible and customisable solution to provide secure and reliable wireless connection as well as for wired LAN connections. The key features implemented in the hotspot include:

• three roles for the hotspot: it can work as a standalone hotspot, in a master-satellite configuration, or relying on an external RADIUS server
• three types of users: hotspot administrators (full administration access), account-editors (some user management), and normal users (only Internet navigation)
• different types of tickets: time-based vs. data-based, pre-paid vs. post-paid access
• three different access portals for users: normal mode, no-JavaScript, and mobile
• the option to add a customised background page seen by all users
• a SmartConnect™ option to allow a user to buy access with credit card
• user creation and activation via SMS.
• option to allow certain web sites to be accessed even without tickets.

In the Panda GateDefender Appliance, the BLUE zone is dedicated to the wireless devices, therefore the hotspot does not work if the BLUE zone is disabled. The connections from the BLUE zone to the RED one (uplink, i.e., the Internet) are governed by the outgoing firewall, hence to selectively allow access to the Internet, appropriate rules shall be defined there.

Upon entering the Hotspot, a page will open that contains three items in the left-hand side sub-menu, an Enable hotspot switch, and the first configuration option: The operating role of the hotspot.

The left-hand side menu items give access to various configuration and management options for the Hotspot Settings, Administration Interface, and Hotspot User respectively :

Hotspot Settings is the starting hotspot’s page, e.g., the you are currently in, and allows to choose the modality of the hotspot.

Administration Interface is the main part of the hotspot, where all the administrative tasks can be accomplished.

Hotspot User allows the management of the hotspot’s superusers

Moreover, Client Access to the Hotspot is a guide that drives clients through the process of accessing the hotspot and then to connect to the Internet.