Shared Internet Connection

A friend had a question for me. He owns a place in a campground, and is a volunteer for the company which runs the place. The company has an office there, and has a satellite internet connection which they use to help run the business. Some of the owners were asking if the company could share their satellite internet connection with the campers and residents and, if so, did they need security.

My Advice:

Yes, you definitely want security if you can get it.  There are bad guys out there who will listen in and hack if at all possible.  It's not easy, but it can be done.  It's especially important for commercial concerns, because that's where the bad guys go.  They're not necessarily so interested in residential, personal networks.  RR should definitely keep their network secure.  They probably have critical business interests that they conduct over the Internet and they don't want that disrupted by hackers.

There's several resources we're talking about here.  First, there's Wifi.  That is a short range technology.  It allows computers to establish a connection over a short range.  Then there's the broadband satellite connection, which allows you to access the Internet.  The users connect to the Wifi network; the wireless router combines different users Internet requests and aggregates them on to the broadband satellite connection.

It is possible for RR to share its network with residents.  Just give them the password.  Just be aware that what RR is doing in that case is extending their boundary of trust to the residents.  They are trusting that they are giving the keys to the house to good guys.  I would not recommend that.  99.99% of the residents might be good guys, but 0.01% might be hackers.

Also, by sharing its network with residents, all get to share the broadband Satellite connection.  By sharing the Satellite connection, the bandwidth gets shared as well. Whereas before the few who could use the Internet connection used the full bandwidth, had speedy downloads, had responsive connections.  Once they start sharing, each person gets a smaller share of the bandwidth, downloads can bog down and there might be long delays waiting for the Internet.  RR is still paying for the Satellite Internet connection, but they're subsidizing the resident's use of it.  I'm not saying that delays *will* happen; it depends on how much RR business uses its Internet connection and how tolerant they are of delays.

One possibility is to establish a second Wifi network for sharing with the residents. That would be like a wireless hotspot, like the one that is at the truckstop.  I'm getting out of my area of expertise, but I do know that more expensive wireless routers allow that possibility.  The second Wifi network would be open; no security, anybody could get on it.  The RR business wireless network would still be secure.  In this case, all would still be sharing the Satellite connection.  So you still have the bandwidth sharing effect.   RR is still paying for the Satellite Connection.  They have to decide whether its worth it to them.  I'm willing to bet that RR would have to invest in more expensive networking equipment to do this.

Another possibility is to establish a "pay as you go" Internet service for residents. This would help with the costs of the equipment and the Satellite connection.  This is basically RR getting into the Internet Service Provider business.  Kind of a mini Comcast.  It has been done.  It could be established as a cooperative.  I'm way out of my area of expertise here.

Another possibility is to convince Comcast that its worth their while to establish broadband cable Internet in the park.  I think there is no real technical hurdle to them doing that.  It's a matter of Comcast thinking they can get enough money from the residents, that there's enough people interested.  I don't think DSL would work in the park. You need a telephone switching center quite close in order to set up DSL.  I think it would have to be cable.

One final possibility is what's called a "managed" service.  You bring in Comcast, or AT&T, or somebody else.  Have them set up the wifi network and the Satellite connection.  They charge an ongoing fee for managing the network.  RR charges its residents for use of the network.  I have a feeling that would just be a little too risky for RR.  They would have to get enough residents interested in signing up to make up the charge that the managed service provider charges.  If they can't find enough residents, too bad.  The managed service provider still gets their cut.

I spoke to a colleague who has done exactly this thing for his son's school.

It would involve about $300 worth of equipment.  Two $150 wireless routers, a matched set.  I recommend buying newer equipment.  One router supplies the secure Wifi network for the business.  One router supplies the open Wifi network for the residents.  This would be in addition to whatever equipment is necessary for the Satellite connection.  Note that Wifi is short range; this would not supply internet service throughout the park; it would just be in the vicinity of the office.

A question becomes; who maintains the network?  There's some setup, and there's ongoing maintenance.  Shouldn't be much; most likely if they run into problems, just cycling power on the routers would be enough. But there will be occasions where more technical support is required.