OVERVIEW

Apart from revenues through the hotspot services, the security and usage auditing is becoming more and more important and a statutory compliance. The authentication mechanism must be quicker and easier and yet more secured.

To suit the above need, hotspot express has stepped into using Mobile SMS as an authentication mechanism to allow the users to access ‘Free WiFi’.

METHODOLOGIES:

Authentication request initiated through SMS
Authentication request initiated through Laptop

Benefits:

Authentication request initiated through SMS

• The user will send an SMS to the specified mobile number to receive the codes.

• Mobile number can not be spoofed. Hence ‘Privacy of the sender’s mobile number’ is ensured.

• This will cost a user for an outgoing SMS.

Receiving authentication code through Laptop

• The user will use his laptop to receive the codes.

• The risk of sending SMS to an unintentional user exists may be encountered either by typo-mistake or purposely, by the users.

How it works:

1.Authentication request initiated through SMS

a. User sends SMS to a specified mobile number.
b. User receives login codes
c. User tries to access Internet.
d. User gets login page
d. User enters the login codes
e. User is logged-in successfully and gets Internet Access.


2.Receiving authentication code through Laptop

a. User tries to access Internet
b. User gets login page
c. User enters his mobile number in the ‘Get Codes through SMS’ box
d. User receives an SMS with the login codes
e. User enters this login codes to logon
f. User gets Internet Access.

System Capabilities:

• Detailed reports on usage

• Log of visited websites against mobile number

• Optional Integration with payment gateways

• Option to allow free access only for specified duration per day or per laptop or etc.

• Optional banner rotation for advertisements

• Walled Garden feature to allow free access to specific websites.

• Optional LDAP authentication support

Summary:

With the widespread use of ‘Open WiFi’ in premier hotels and corporate, adoption of SMS authentication for hotspot locations will be very useful in securing the networks and hence it will result in the increasing the productivity.