JohnInSJ
Premium
join:2003-09-22
San Jose, CA
 ·Comcast
| reply to DaneJasper
Re: Hosting a WiFi hotspot?
Uh... I am hosting a hotspot, the old style one.
I would not mind at all continuing doing so in whatever form it takes. It would be nice if it didn't burn one of my 8 IP addresses, I think I'm now using 6 or 7 of em now (had no idea I would end up using so many of em!) but I can live with it.
I never get much traffic on mine, but I did already do the isolation/bandwidth capping myself, so if you're going to take over the bandwidth capping that would be fine as well.
I never did have a concern about security - the downside is minimal for most configurations - no different then anything else on 'the internet' as it looks the same to the rest of my out-facing machines.
So yep, count me in. A monthly base credit would actually be more incentive for me (doesn't have to be a ton of money - a buck or so is plenty - covers electricity and helps defray the cost of the Wireless gateway) vs actual use credit - and would simplify your accounting maybe...
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My place : »www.schettino.us |
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DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs:
| Thanks for the feedback John. This new solution would be far easier to use and would offer free access, so it might attract a lot more actual use - a key metric.
I do like the "everyone shares the same credit" concept. It means that those in high traffic (living above a coffee shop) and low traffic (on an acre in the country) both are encouraged to deploy and to promote use of the network.
What are your thoughts on equipment cost? The new gear plugs in to anything which offers an IP via DHCP, so there's no other config, and you can put it behind a router or a switch (if you have multiple IPs from us). The equipment costs us $49 today. As a host, what are your thoughts on buying this gear?
-Dane |
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JohnInSJ
Premium
join:2003-09-22
San Jose, CA
·Comcast
| Is it optional to buy it? I went out and bought a $15 802.11b gateway just for the hotspot when I set mine up a few years ago.
One way to do it "cost free" to those deploying it is to give it to them, then let them work it off via the usage payment - basically they'd get no benefit (but also have no cost) until they broke even on the kickback for usage (however that's payed out...)
I guess if I had a reasonable expectation to break even in a year or less I'd still be willing to fork out the $$ for it myself... but it sound like we have to use the one you're providing either way?
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My place : »www.schettino.us |
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DaneJasper
Sonic.Net
Premium,VIP
join:2001-08-20
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs:
| Ya, that's a good idea. Basically, the units cost us $49, so we were thinking of offering them at a subsidized price point, perhaps somewhere between $25 and $39. For customers in key (downtown) locations, perhaps we'd go even deeper than this, if we think they'll get some significant use.
It's an interesting idea to offset the cost with the credit, but it might be a bit of a task to keep track. 
-Dane |
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