Data source error message

A tip for anyone, if your tight on cash and have a wifi dead spot almost any wireless router/modem will act as a wireless access point if you disable the DHCP and run ethernet from your main internet router/DHCP derver to the LAN side of the DHCP-less box. :slight_smile:
Key thing to remember is you only ever want one DHCP server on one LAN (unless you work with much more complex V-Lans etc)

Also multiple wifi access points can have the same name and password so long as you set them to different channels - ideally 2-3 channels apart if there coverage overlaps. This will give you basic ‘roaming’ between them.

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@Jesse if you want any comment from my experience let me know. Your obviously a very tech savey chap but have had several years of tinkering on the multi-subnet network at the hotel :slight_smile: and while im not an expert I have learnt many tricks and issues the hard way :slight_smile:
Am lucky the hotel are very understanding in that the network has developed extensively at minimal cost as I have used it as a training ground LOL.
Have used many types of ticket/timed systems over the last 7 years there and now at a point that they have 95% good quality wifi signal across a very spread out 45 bedroom hotel with very thick cotswold stone walls.

One issue you might come up with this is public devices not yet fitted with the 5ghz chips. a pub I was asked to check when they had issues bought a new 5ghz AP but half their customers had older phones etc which only had 2.4g type chips (including the owners own laptop LOL :joy: )

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That is true I did not think of that about the 5ghz band.

If you want to avoid ticket based timed systems which enduo being more hastle that they are worth look at pfSense, is free open Linux based package you can dump on an old pc with two network ports that gives you a apart enterprise level firewall type router/switch.
Supports vlans, captive portal, radius server and all sorts.
The hotel only uses the most basic features with limiting bandwidth etc but would be ideal for someone like you who knows what they at doing :smile:
The hotel use tplink access points as are super cheap and support passive POE which is rare for budget APs. Although only passive allows much better positioning of AP away from power socket.
If security is not your primary consern have a play with multiple subnets or if your feeling adventitious the same budget tplink APs support virtual lans, you could have two separate visual wireless networks running on the same network whith multiple dhcp etc.
I never bothered with virtual LANs as hotel only uses static wired machines for there ‘in house’ devices so no real bead for multiple wifi networks and the multi subnet works for their situation.

I will be doing a free Wifi with a simple web based authentication no password.

I have used TPLink its a good value brand that works great and seems to last decent.

Hi Chipwagon,

I have the following configuration
Wireless Router1 were the Internet comes in (WLAN) and distribute the Wifi for the Restaurant.
The Ip adress is set on 192.168.2.1 and distribute wifi access with the IP range 192.168.2.100 - 200
One TCP/IP Port is Hard wired to the Router2 and connected to the Internet (Wlan) and is called Management.
Router2 configured on IP Range 192.168.3.xxx range.
So I use 1 internet connection and have still the Management network separated from the Restaurant network.

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