How to setup Ubiquiti devices with DD-WRT & HotSpot System (Bullet, Nanostation, Powerstation, Picostation, etc.)

First you need to download the latest firmware:

- Go to the router database at www.dd-wrt.com
- Search for the router type you have (like "Nanostation", then and select your model)
- Select the latest v24 preSP2 (build 14144 or later) in the "Supported by" listbox
- Download the TFTP image

Then change the firmware to DD-WRT (you can also find a guide in DD-WRT forums):

- Connect to Nanostation's LAN port with fixed IP (set your computer to e.g. 192.168.1.2)
- You can test if the device is there if you ping the ip 192.168.1.20 continously (M$ Win cmd "ping -t 192.168.1.20").
- Put the device in fail safe mode (keep pressing the reset button, disconnect the power, wait 3 seconds and connect the power - keep the reset button pressed during the whole time - after a couple of seconds you will see blinking disco led lights, you can release the reset button now):

user@host:~$ tftp 192.168.1.20
tftp> bin
tftp> put ubnt_firmware.bin (use the name that you have downloaded)

If you don't have tftp, you can download it from here: TFTP for Windows

Alternatively you can upgrade the firmware via the web interface at http://192.168.1.20, System > Upgrade(we have successfully uploaded the tftp image via webflash)

- Wait approximately 5 minutes for the firmware upgrade to be finished

Set up HotspotSystem with DD-WRT:

- Open the new DD-WRT page at http://192.168.1.1, then change username/password
- Go to Setup > Basic setup > WAN Connection Type to DHCP, then press SAVE SETTINGS (we will apply settings later)



- Connect Nanostation's LAN port to a local network with internet connection
- Connect your computer wirelessly to SSID: dd-wrt
- Go to http://192.168.1.1, on Services > Hotspot > Hotspot System has to be enabled, fill out your Operator Username and Location ID



Press APPLY SETTINGS.

You can change SSID to a hotspot name like "Cheap Hotspot" at Wireless > Basic Settings.

You are done!

Device List

We have silently updated the Manage > Locations > View Location page, which now has a device list table.

The table list all of your installed devices with mac address, IP address, system load, uptime, OS and the date and time of last report. You can even sort devices if you want.

Popup Status Window Redesigned

NOTE: The popup status is english only. If you can help us translate it to your language, please send us a help desk ticket!

When a Wi-Fi user logs in to your hotspot, a status window appears which shows the usage and some other window.

We have redesigned this, showing more information like session time and usage, remaining traffic (if the user has a traffic limit) and remaining time.

Traffic is calculated from the accounting information. The router is sending the usage periodically to the router (in every 100 seconds), so when the user hits refresh, the usage stats may not show the real usage.

The status window looks the same in every skins. If you are using a custom skin and modified the popup html code, you should revert it to the original and do the modifications again. If you didn't modify that code, then it will be automatically updated fro your skin, there is nothing you have to do.

Do you like this? Click on the button below :)

Small changes in Locations List

You can now see the last activity of each routers when you put the cursor over the load graph.

Last activity is a user log in, log out or interim updates.

If the router is not sending life signals for some reason, but there was an activity in the last 2 hours, then it will not say "DOWN", it will say "UP, but not sending life signals".
In this case you should turn off any firewalls, especially any SPI Firewalls you may have on your network.

HotspotSystem.com Launches Free Wi-Fi Control and Management Service

Businesses running open Wi-Fi networks should protect themselves by placing a control on their Wi-Fi in order to know who used their public hotspot and when. Hotspotsystem.com provides a new, easy and free of charge solution, called Hotspot Splash.


(PRWEB) April 14, 2010 -- Using existing open-source firmwares like DD-WRT, CoovaAP, Open-Mesh and a hosted and free hotspot management service by HotspotSystem.com, businesses can add new functionality to their existing routers in just a few minutes without any costs.

After they subscribe to the service, they can redirect Wi-Fi users to their own Wi-Fi start page, where users have to accept the Terms & Conditions to be able to use the internet. From that point, their computer can be identified and can be tracked retroactively.

Days of completely open and unsecured Wi-Fi networks are numbered.” - said Oliver Faludi, managing director of HotspotSystem.com. “Italy was the first country in 2005 who regulated public internet with the “Pisanu Act”. Now the UK government prepares a new “Digital Economy Bill” after a UK Bar Owner was faced a $13,000 fine for copyright infringement. Eventually registration of Wi-Fi users will be a standard requirement internationally. Using our service, businesses can continue to provide free public internet to their users.

The service comes with multiple Start Page designs, called “Skins” for cafes, hotels, etc. and can be completely customized so they can display their own logo, a daily menu, special offers or they can run ads to sponsor their Wi-Fi.

The company also offers the system with vouchers for a small fee, where people can only use the internet with a valid voucher code. In countries, where registration of users is required by the law, businesses can make their Wi-Fi more secure by giving vouchers to their guests and optionally register people so they will know exactly who used their Wi-Fi service and when.

Although there are several free hotspot management software out there, the new service of HotspotSystem.com can be an ideal choice for those who wish to control their Wi-Fi, because of the added features and easy handling. There are no additional computers required to run the service as the software is running on the router itself. Also, the company alerts the staff via email when the service is down.

For more information you can visit the company's website at http://www.hotspotsystem.com.

Run commands on your router remotely!

You can now run remote commands on any DD-WRT/HotspotWRT/CoovaAP routers through the Control Center.

Requirements:

- Your routers must send life signals in every hour which are recorded in the Control Center (Router Alert function) properly.
- If you have installed your router before 1st of April, 2010, then you need to execute a patch or re-setup your router. You also need this patch if you have installed dd-wrt through the built-in hotspotsystem setup (latest pre-SP2 firmwares).

Why is this good for you?

Because you can remotely reboot or change settings on your router without having to go to the router's admin interface!

You can run any commands, but we have pre-set some important functions for you, like:

- Reboot
- Change SSID
- Change TX Power
- Change DNS
- Add/Remove one Host/IP to the WhiteList
- Add/Remove a Domain and its Subdomains to the WhiteList (HotspotWRT/Coova only)
- Display Login Box on Main Splash Page (Combined Splash/Login page)

These are just preconfigured example commands, but you can use any command you wish (for example you can play with iptables)

How does it work?

When the router sends a life signal (in every hour), it will execute the commands you recorded. This means you may have to wait 1 hour for the command to be executed. You can record multiple commands, all will be executed at once.

Where can I execute a command?

In the Control Center, go to Manage > Locations > Click on location > scroll at the bottom. Choose a command or create your own and choose the mac address of the router, then press submit.

Enjoy :)

Introducing Hotspot Splash: a free service from HotspotSystem.com

12th, March 2010 - Introducing Hotspot SPLASH

Hotspot SPLASH is for those who want to offer a Free Wi-Fi service (in a café, tourist attraction, airport, etc), but want to show a splash page first where users are forwarded before they can use the internet. There are several reasons why Hotspot Operators want to do that:

- they want to show a specialized page of the place (tourist information, daily menus, etc)
- they want to show advertisements to users
- they have special terms which users have to accept before they can use the internet



Hotspot SPLASH Features:

- There is no need to enter any username or password for the users to log in to the hotspot. Users have to click on the continue button and access is granted automatically.
- You can set a time interval and/or a traffic limit which is allowed for the user to browse the internet. After this, the user will be forwarded back to your splash page.
- You can set the bandwidth limits for users.
- The landing page can be fully customized, but you can use our existing built-in Skins as a base.
- You can track the usage of each MAC address in the Control Center.



Pricing: the service is currently free. In the future you may have to pay a small monthly fee for high traffic locations (over 1000 accesses/month).

More features will be added for this service soon. It would be great to hear your feedback about the Hotspot SPLASH service. What options would you like to see in the future?