How to set up gateway installations

Installing a hardware gateway allows you to offer the MyWiFi experience layered on top of an existing wireless network that does not have this capability natively. Here are some points to think about when you're choosing your gateway installation.

Gateway installations

Select your gateway

When choosing your gateway, here are some points to consider:

• How many guests do you expect to be using the WiFi at the same time? Different hardware can support different amounts of concurrent users.
• What wireless capabilities are already set up at your location? Are there any existing access points you can use for MyWiFi?
• What area will the WiFi need to cover? How large is it? How many access points will be needed to provide proper coverage?
• Will you need a switch or other hardware to properly separate the guest network from any internal networks?
• Are there any network changes necessary to add a guest network?

Need help deciding now that you've gathered your information? Contact MyWiFi support with this information, and we'll help you narrow it down.

Isolate your guest network access points

• Find your guest network access points
• If possible, have all access points connected to a single switch that can be connected to a single LAN port. If not, minimize the number of switches used.
• Make sure the access points support DCHP and are set up for client IP assignment.
• Make sure you're not using an isolated VLAN.

Get internet access

• Make sure the gateway will have internet access, either through a switch or directly through the modem or router.
• Make sure that necessary ports are open on all uplink firewalls -- all output ports should be open, but 80, 443, 4343, 1812, 1813 are all mandatory.

Set up in MyWiFi

• Log in to MyWiFi
• Make sure you have an existing location.
• Add your gateway as a device and associate it with your location.
• Make sure there is a campaign assigned to that location.
• Make sure your device has up-to-date firmware.

Install your gateway

• Plug in your gateway's power adapter, power your hardware on, and wait for it to fully boot up.
• Connect an ethernet cable from the WAN port on your gateway to the LAN port on your switch, router, modem, or firewall.
• If needed, connect another ethernet cable from the LAN port on your gateway to the switch your access points are connecting to.

Set up your controller

• Log in to the management interface for your gateway controller.
• Associate the access points with your controller and guest network. You may need to reboot or restart the network or access points.

Test the wireless network

• Use a device like a cellphone or laptop to connect to the wireless network and make sure you are brought to the campaign.
• Go through the login process and make sure that you are properly connected to the internet after authentication.