Public Wi Fi - Security

[chools]

If we open up our BT router to enable public traffic via Wi Fi rather than our network, who is responsible for the connections that may be made, and what if someone using our BT router abuses the service (downloads porn etc)

I assume it is BT that is responsible for public conections, if so does anyone know as to where I might find the written BT policy?

Many thanks

Chools

[markp]

Hi chools,

There is two options for you, if you open up your wifi to be an unsecure wifi signal, you would be responsible for people connecting to it and anything that they download. If you enable BT Openzone/Wifi on your BT supplied router only BT customers who have a login can use this service and BT would be responsible for what they use as it has no affect on your conncetion. 

If you go to www.btopenzone.com, you will find information on BT Openzone and how it affects you and how you would login to this service.

Regards

Markp

BT Business Forum Moderator

[knobbster]

Hi Chools. It is not recommended to open a hotspot to the public. If you do, make sure to have a portal page server for it to ask credentials before a user can login.

[MHC]

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@knobbster wrote:

Hi Chools. It is not recommended to open a hotspot to the public. If you do, make sure to have a portal page server for it to ask credentials before a user can login.

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What total rubbish.  Can you justify yor comments?    No, probably not.

The BT hub is designed to specifically provide a public access Wi-Fi hotspot and is done in a way that ensures the BT Broadband customer is not liable for the actions of users.

In exchange for providing access, the cusotmer gains free WiFI access through other hotspots at no charge.

[Sogo7]

A big downside of this of course is that anybody else wishing to use said access in point in the manner described above MUST be registered and of paid BT or FON in advance.

Therefore if one ran a small cafe for instance and wanted to provide Internet access to its customers for FREE (or however much you can gouge them for) then you will need a portal system and a staff policy of recording users ID information in exchange for a temporay access code.  Such portal systems also have 'net nanny' features that restrict guests from visiting less savoury areas of the web to minimise the risks of abuse & legal repurcussions.

NB: do make sure to run the portal on WPA encryption,

never run an free access point behind a WEP password!

neferious tools can crack them in thirty seconds or less.