Hotspots FAQ

Sonic.net Hotspots are public-accessible 802.11b wireless Internet access points provided by Sonic.net in partnership with local businesses and individual customers. This allows for fast, easy Internet access with a minimal of setup for the convenience of customers.

Questions

1. Do I need WEP encryption?
2. How secure is a Wireless Web Hotspot connection?
3. Do I need to have a Sonic.net account to use a Wireless Hotspot?
4. What wireless networking protocols are supported?
5. What networking equipment is compatible?
6. I keep getting the same webpage when I connect. Why can't I surf?
7. How can I host my own Hotspot?
8. What's in it for me if I host a Sonic.net Hotspot?

1. Do I need WEP encryption?

   No.

2. How secure is a Wireless Web Hotspot connection?

   All data transferred over the wireless Local Area Network (LAN) is broadcast and thus non-secure in nature. For this reason, a VPN client will be necessary to access the Hotspots network. All traffic across such a connection is encrypted by the VPN tunneling software, and thus more secure than simply broadcasting.

3. Do I need to have a Sonic.net account to use a Wireless Web Hotspot?

   Yes. All active Sonic.net accounts can make use of this network at no additional cost. Authentication via VPN is required to make use of a Hotspots connection.

   Day passes are available at https://sonic.sonic.net/wifi_signup/. A day pass is good for 24 hours and works with any Sonic.net Hotspot.

4. What wireless networking protocols are supported?

   Sonic.net Hotspots is a 802.11b network. Other wireless networking protocols may be introduced in the future.

5. What networking equipment is compatible?

   Any system with 802.11b wireless capability and TCP/IP is compatible with this network. Windows, Macintosh, and Unix systems, as well as a variety of palm-top systems are totally compatible.

6. I keep getting the same webpage when I connect. Why can't I surf?

   If you are not connected via VPN, the Sonic.net Hotspot Portal page is the only place you can go on the Internet. You will find downloads for Macintosh, Linux, and Windows systems that will allow you to connect to our network as well as configuration information in case you already have VPN Client software.

7. How can I host my own Hotspot?

   Any Sonic.net DSL account with static IP addressing can host a Hotspot. Take a look at our Hotspots Host Requirements page. This will give you information about how you will want to have your local area network (LAN) configured.

   Use the DSL IP Tool to enable your Hotspot IP. You will want to configure any devices on your network to obtain IP address information using DHCP (or "obtain automatically") so the transition will go smoothly. When we process this, we will reassign your DSL connection to a new set of IP addresses. The last IP address will be occupied by your wireless access point.

8. What's in it for me if I host a Sonic.net Hotspot?

Sonic.net DSL customers who share their connection over WiFi will be compensated with a pro-rated daily share of 50% of the Sonic.net basic Internet service fee for any others who use it. This is $0.50 per Sonic.net customer that makes use of your Hotspot per day.

If your Hotspot is located in a busy area, this can help offset the cost of Sonic.net DSL. With some dedication and enough WiFi users, you could turn a profit on your DSL account.

WiFi security is extremely important, as you wouldn't want your Internet connection being used for nefarious purposes. Configuring your wireless access point as a hotspot makes visitors accountable for their own traffic on the Internet.