Once set up, using the SMC EliteConnect Wireless Hotspot Gateway is quite simple. Customers can access the Internet in two ways. The easier way is to have a clerk print out a receipt with all the needed information. For many sites offering the service for a small fee or for free, the clerk method will be ideal.

Customers can also choose to self-authenticate and pay, if the device is set up for those services. After associating with the WAP or plugging into an associated wired connection, the customer launches a browser. The SMC Hotspot redirects the browser to an authentication screen where the customer can log in.

The unit supports wireless speeds of up to 802.11g and wired speeds up to 100M bps. Access proved to be fast and easy and should serve any hot-spot user quite well. SMC has done a very good job of simplifying hot-spot deployment and has made its Hotspot a reality for most any business with a broadband connection.