How secure is wireless internet use at my location?

Isn’t do-it-yourself wireless just as easy?"

Why does wiresnap not allow e-mails to go out? Why do we block SMTP? Why is port 25 blocked?

How does a customer sign-up for a free account? Is it Free?

Please select a question above, and the link will allow you to go to the answer/comment below

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What is a customer’s Wiresnap Experience like?

Two words: simple and smooth.

Once the Wiresnap Pro appliance is installed at your location (plus high-speed internet access if necessary), any interested patron – with a laptop and wireless card – can log on to the customer side of the network. Promotional materials such as signs, posters, and brochures provided by Wiresnap will draw patrons’ attention to this value-added service.

Your location’s custom start page includes terms of usage that the patron accepts before being allowed to surf the internet. This page cannot be bypassed and it presents you with a chance to promote your business.

[NOTE: If patrons will be paying for the service, they’re directed to your company’s log-in page where they can purchase time with a credit card.]

Once online, the WiSnap Pro appliance provides the safe internet surging expected at a public place.
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How safe is wireless internet use at my location?

When offering wireless internet service to the general public, every business needs to take security measures. The WiSnap Pro appliance makes possible a wide range and depth of verification and monitoring of your Wiresnap patrons.

Wiresnap’s security features include:

• Blocking objectionable Web sites
• Restricting threatening internet traffic
• Active real-time monitoring of internet traffic
• Regularly updated virus protection

If a site accessed is considered objectionable by the WiSnap Pro appliance, a page is shown stating that the user has violated the terms of service. Multiple attempts to access a blocked site results in the user’s information being sent to Wiresnap’s centrally-managed server for further analysis by Wiresnap.
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Isn’t do-it-yourself wireless just as easy?

Can you set up a wireless hotspot yourself?

Probably.

Is it worth your time and money?

Probably not.

The Wiresnap solution is complete and trouble-free for you.

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Why does wiresnap not allow e-mails to go out? Why do we block SMTP? Why is TCP port 25 blocked?

Due to securty issues with e-mail and SPAM, all wiresnap locations do not allow SMTP, port 25 to leave the location. This is to prevent users that may intentionally or unintentionally send spam from their machine, but it also restricts everyone from sending e-mail using an e-mail client that uses SMTP to send e-mail from the wireless hotspot.

Good News !! There are two ways to work around this restriction.

1) Use webmail for your e-mail - Yahoo, Hotmail are examples of a
webmail provider. In these cases since you are using the web browser to connecte to Yahoo or Hotmail, you are utilizing their mail servers and are then bound by their terms of service.

2) Use a VPN (Virutal Private Network) to connect to your office to use your mail server

This blocking of SMTP traffic is a common practice for service providers. Please read this article from Microsoft - Microsoft Knowledge Base Article #214402 - for more information.

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How does a customer signup for a wiresnap account? Is it free?

Sign-up for a *FREE* account at any wiresnap location using your laptop

All wiresnap locations feature a self-service registration process. You can get a free wiresnap account for the first time at any wiresnap location, you can find a list by clicking here. Once you have a wiresnap account, you can visit any location and use the same userid/password.

In order to signup for an account, associate with the wireless network at the wiresnap location, by setting your SSID on your wireless card to wiresnap. Open a web browser and visit http://www.cnn.com or any other web site. You will then be redirected automatically to a login web page like the one shown below. On this page, you will be able to sign-up for a new account.

Picture A: Example of what you will see at a wiresnap location, notice the red circle around the link for signing up for a new account

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