Comments on: Free WiFi At Church http://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/ where Tech meets church Tue, 01 May 2012 14:49:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Stuarthttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-2720 Stuart Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:51:48 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-2720 Hi Brad and thanks for stopping by and commenting. As to your dilemma then I don't have an immediate answer. I don't know the Cisco E3000 so can't advise on what it can or can't do - but bits of kit such as Open-Mesh's AP's with 2 distinct wi-fi networks in one small, cheap unit (approx $50) which is also expandable to a mesh if the area needing coverage grows, etc ... is one answer. Failing that, an approach would be to setup a standalone AP that simply provides an ad-hoc network but that doesn't have any external connectivity - finding the right AP to "direct" the traffic is the trick. Maybe one of the ones that has an install of DD-WRT on it would work...? The only other immediate answer I have is to look at using something like ZoneCD (as was, now called PublicIP) which appears to be defunct though. This provides(d) a captive portal which returns a login screen. This in tirn can be customised to provide information or deliver an advertisement for the venue - such as a library, coffee shop, or restaurant. Feel free to ask more or drop me an email with specifics... Hi Brad and thanks for stopping by and commenting.

As to your dilemma then I don't have an immediate answer. I don't know the Cisco E3000 so can't advise on what it can or can't do – but bits of kit such as Open-Mesh's AP's with 2 distinct wi-fi networks in one small, cheap unit (approx $50) which is also expandable to a mesh if the area needing coverage grows, etc … is one answer.

Failing that, an approach would be to setup a standalone AP that simply provides an ad-hoc network but that doesn't have any external connectivity – finding the right AP to "direct" the traffic is the trick. Maybe one of the ones that has an install of DD-WRT on it would work…?

The only other immediate answer I have is to look at using something like ZoneCD (as was, now called PublicIP) which appears to be defunct though. This provides(d) a captive portal which returns a login screen. This in tirn can be customised to provide information or deliver an advertisement for the venue – such as a library, coffee shop, or restaurant.

Feel free to ask more or drop me an email with specifics…

]]> By: Bradhttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-2719 Brad Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:36:47 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-2719 I am so glad I came upon this site - I hope I can encourage your suggestions on our plans. We are starting a new church ( 82% of county residents do not attend church). We want to set up an "in sanctuary" WiFi (no internet access) - just offer guests access to an "electronic church bulletin" which will provide them support material for the sermon, notes, maps, pics, announcements, simple .html bible search tool, etc. We would like to redirect all WiFi traffice that his the router to a "landing page" on a laptop. I see alot of "linux" solutions, but those are just over my head. Do you guys have any simple (Windows based) solutions? Right now I am looking at Home Web Server, which sets up a 'localhost' web handler at the standard root (IP 127.0.0.1) - I've got my web content there. Works fine on my laptop at <a href="http://127.0.0.1/" rel="nofollow">http://127.0.0.1/</a> - web content launches fine. I just need to figure out how to redirect my Cisco E3000 series dual band WiFi router to that "IP" on my laptop. thank you for any ideas you can offer. - in Christ! Brad @ New Life I am so glad I came upon this site – I hope I can encourage your suggestions on our plans. We are starting a new church ( 82% of county residents do not attend church). We want to set up an "in sanctuary" WiFi (no internet access) – just offer guests access to an "electronic church bulletin" which will provide them support material for the sermon, notes, maps, pics, announcements, simple .html bible search tool, etc. We would like to redirect all WiFi traffice that his the router to a "landing page" on a laptop. I see alot of "linux" solutions, but those are just over my head. Do you guys have any simple (Windows based) solutions? Right now I am looking at Home Web Server, which sets up a 'localhost' web handler at the standard root (IP 127.0.0.1) – I've got my web content there. Works fine on my laptop at http://127.0.0.1/ – web content launches fine. I just need to figure out how to redirect my Cisco E3000 series dual band WiFi router to that "IP" on my laptop. thank you for any ideas you can offer. – in Christ! Brad @ New Life

]]> By: Does Your Church Offer Wi-Fi? | RajkumarDixit.comhttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-1340 Does Your Church Offer Wi-Fi? | RajkumarDixit.com Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:11:39 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-1340 [...] your Wi-fi is set up, here are some ways Churchtechy suggests you can utilize [...] [...] your Wi-fi is set up, here are some ways Churchtechy suggests you can utilize [...]

]]> By: Stuarthttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-724 Stuart Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:27:42 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-724 That's cool and no pressures if you don't want to do so. That's cool and no pressures if you don't want to do so.

]]> By: Samhttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-723 Sam Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:30:10 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-723 Maybe someday as a guest post, but I can't commit to it yet (time constraints). Thanks for the offer and if I feel lead/inspired to put thought to paper, I'll start here. Cheers! Maybe someday as a guest post, but I can't commit to it yet (time constraints). Thanks for the offer and if I feel lead/inspired to put thought to paper, I'll start here. Cheers!

]]> By: Stuarthttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-722 Stuart Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:31:30 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-722 Oh wow, thanks Sam I apprecieate that I really do and if there's anything you'd like me to cover specifically then just ask or use my suggestion box! Would you perhaps be interested in doing a write up about Meraki and why you picked it, how you did it, the benefits etc? Oh wow, thanks Sam I apprecieate that I really do and if there's anything you'd like me to cover specifically then just ask or use my suggestion box!

Would you perhaps be interested in doing a write up about Meraki and why you picked it, how you did it, the benefits etc?

]]> By: Samhttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-721 Sam Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:59:25 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-721 Stuart - love your blog, have been tracking it for a few months and really appreciate what you do here. We're in the middle of discussions about the whole "free wi-fi" issue at our church and at a meeting tonight I'm going to share my experience with using Meraki as a solution I implemented at home to setup a neighbourhood network. It isn't free, but it's been solid, super easy to maintain, and comes with a ton of great administrative features. Keep the posts coming, there are those of us out here who would miss it :-) - Sam Stuart – love your blog, have been tracking it for a few months and really appreciate what you do here.

We're in the middle of discussions about the whole "free wi-fi" issue at our church and at a meeting tonight I'm going to share my experience with using Meraki as a solution I implemented at home to setup a neighbourhood network. It isn't free, but it's been solid, super easy to maintain, and comes with a ton of great administrative features.

Keep the posts coming, there are those of us out here who would miss it :-)

- Sam

]]> By: Stuarthttp://www.churchtechy.com/2010/01/free-wifi-at-church/comment-page-1/#comment-719 Stuart Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:34:24 +0000 http://www.churchtechy.com/?p=1233#comment-719 Kevin - thank you for this. Another product I can look into as I haven't heard of Open-Mesh before. And I do like the fact that their kit is cheap - wonder if that translates to the UK? When I replied to the email I did so out of my own knowledge and a quick and dirty google search - but that was restricted by my own ability to think creatively on the search terms. Professionally I know of kit that does dual SSIDs or can be configured to do so, but they don't come cheap (I'm thinking Cisco here). Thanks for teh twitter ID - now following you and have added you to my ChurchIT list as well. Also intrigued to hear how you get on with your proposed recommendations ... I know what happens to mine! Kevin – thank you for this. Another product I can look into as I haven't heard of Open-Mesh before. And I do like the fact that their kit is cheap – wonder if that translates to the UK?

When I replied to the email I did so out of my own knowledge and a quick and dirty google search – but that was restricted by my own ability to think creatively on the search terms. Professionally I know of kit that does dual SSIDs or can be configured to do so, but they don't come cheap (I'm thinking Cisco here).

Thanks for teh twitter ID – now following you and have added you to my ChurchIT list as well. Also intrigued to hear how you get on with your proposed recommendations … I know what happens to mine!

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