Topic: Use as ISP server

[Ray]

I'm starting up a business as a wireless internet service provider (WISP).  I will be offering highspeed internet access through dedicated T-1's, email, web hosting, and dialup backup.

Is the e-smith server setup to do this type of service?

Thanks

[Andrei]

You need to be a bit more specific a number of us on this forum are IT consultants and can better assist you probably by direct contact. E-smith is targeting small to medium sized businesses who need file, e-mail and gateway services.

ISP support is a whole different animal.

[Ray]

I'm trying to find something like this www.mikrotik.com for linux.  I'm using e-smith for my church's lan and it is GREAT!  Now I would like to find a way to use it in my WISP setting.

I need to be able to authenticate users and limit their bandwidth to the level service they are subscribing to.  I also need to monitor network traffic to analyize performance and bandwidth hogs.

These are the first things I'm looking at.

Thanks,

Ray

[Andrew]

SME server cannot do this. Please check out www.dslreports.com and to be specific the brodband photography forum, look for a person with the handle oxygen, he has done something similar and could probably help you. But the equipment is very expensive, but I know it is possible to do in linux/bsd but NOT esmith

a T1 should be unlimited bandwidth, so you need to set a cap, not monitor bandwidth usage (as in gigs transfered)

Do as I did, I started off with e-smith server and learned linux, I was able to setup my own server from scratch and get it colocated, alot better than shared hosting.

[Tony]

Hi,  
I use the SME like an ISP-Server, in server and gateway mode.
With CBQ to controll the bandwitd and the 1to1 nat to give public ip-adresses for those who need theit own public ip. Still I have no bandhwitd monitor program cus just diden,t need it . On this Server we have about 40 clients and it runs very good.  /Tony

[Gary]

Check out Proxim http://www.proxim.com. They have wireless gatways that have RADIUS authentication built in, as well as per user bandwidth levels & throttling. The kit is not that expensive either.

Linux software for running an ISP? I know of two open source packages - one is from NoCat http://www.nocat.net which is designed from the ground up for providing wireless services, and the other is Freeside http://www.sisd.com/freeside/ which handles billing & administration. Both I believe are written in Perl.

As for SME being able to handle it - I have a Cobalt RAQ4 which at the moment has 120 websites being hosted on it and provides email for 3 times as many users. Add to that the constant FTP uploads and downloads, 80 MySQL databases and you can imagine that the poor old RAQ is under a lot of strain - no it's not, it handles it easily, and that's a Linux machine with 256mb of RAM and a lowly 400Mhz processor.
So I believe SME as a barebones Linux OS on a half decent machine will run your wireless ISP - but don't go chasing AOL - you may need two machines for that!

[Andrej]

Can you publish a HowTo for CBQ ???