If you are a coffeeshop, cafe, bookstore, RV park, laundramat, restaurant and other location owner that wants to become a Wi-Fi hotspot or FreeSpot that provides wireless high speed internet access you'll need a piece of hardware called an access point ( Wireless AP - also called bridges, hubs, switches, routers and gateways)to broadcast your broadband signal to your customers.

You will have a wide choice of products that use the 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g standards or a combination the three. To this point 802.11b (11Mbps maximum throughput rate) products have been the most popular and least expensive but 802.11g (54 Mbps maximum throughput rate) is the most recently approved standard and those products are now entering the marketplace.

If you wish to access the Wi-Fi signal at a hotspot or Wi-Fi-FreeSpot you'll need a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a PDA or a laptop computer that contains an Internal PC card or mini-PCI module (Wireless NIC).

Manufacturers and developers of Wi-Fi and wireless products include the following

• Apple - Airport Extreme router/access point
  
• Belkin - routers and access points and Wi-Fi cards
  
• Binary Wolf has a page about low cost, do-it-yourself, wireless antennas
  
• Bits' Bolts - NetChaser v1.0 - Wi-Fi signal finder for Palm Tungsten C
  
• Buffalo/Melco
  
• Canary Wireless makes the Digital Hotspotter - a Wi-Fi signal detector
  
• Cisco
  
• Colubris Networks
  
• D-Link
  
• Dr. Bott's extendAIR - extends range of Apple's AirPort Extreme up to 500 feet
  
• Freefinet.com is an ad serving system for hotspots and FreeSpots
  
• Gemtek - the Sputnik AP 220 is a carrier-grade access point based on Gemtek Systems model P-520. The new access point runs Sputnik's award-winning Agent software so that it can be centrally managed over the Internet, out of the box. The Sputnik AP 220 is designed for maximum coverage for large wireless venues such as hotels, multi-tenant dwellings, dormitories, and businesses.
  
• Hospitality Wi-Fi - Wireless Wi-Fi High Speed Internet Provider for Hotels , Motels , Resorts , and Other Hotspots
• Intel makes Centrino chips
  
• DNS Redirector - redirects to a welcome/advertisement page and has other features as well
  
• Linksys - routers, access points and cards
  
• Megapath.net allows connection sharing of their broadband services
  
• Microtik - software router
  
• NetGear - routers and access points
  
• Netopia supplies all the networking hardware, back-end software, and venue marketing materials you need to start offering Wi-Fi to your customers.
  
• Palm - Tungsten C handheld
  
• PatronSoft - FirstSpot product has Captive Portal feature
  
• Public IP Services - The Hot Spot solution for public spaces that want to offer free wireless Internet.
  
• Redspan Solutions - UK based retailer with over 20,000 wireless and IT products
  
• RV Wireless Internet - installer of Free Wi-Fi at RV Parks/Campgrounds
• Sesame Network’s first solution allows institutions and enterprises to offer secure, traceable temporary Wi-Fi Internet access for visiting employees, customers, suppliers, business partners, consultants, or guests. Sesame is planning to bring additional solutions to market that leverage its Identity Management Process and current guest access product.
  
• SMC Networks
  
• Speakeasy.net allows and encourages sharing of their DSL broadband service
  
• Sputnik - Sputnik’s solution consists of two components: embedded software, known as the Sputnik Agent, that runs on wireless access points, and server software, called Sputnik Control Center, that runs in a data center. Together, they bring enterprise-class network management and security features to high-volume access points.
  
• Vivato - large area coverage solution
  
• VoiceStick - inserts into a USB port on your laptop or desktop computer, and allows you to make calls to any phone around the world by connecting you to the i2 Telecom network and the Internet.
• WiFi Plus offers obstruction penetrating antennas.
  
• The Wi-Fi Seeker will help people find Wi-Fi signals before opening their laptop to connect.
  
• YachtSpot - complete solution for providing wireless Internet access to Marinas, Boat Yards, Boat Shows

"Wi-Fi" is a registered certification mark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. The Wi-Fi Alliance has a certification program for 802.11-based products. Click here for a list of the Wi-Fi Alliance's Certified Products.

To read reviews of products visit Small Net Builder or Practically Networked.

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