Hotspot
See Overview to see which models support Hotspot management.
Billing Overview
You can use the built-in billing function to setup billing profiles. A billing profile describes how to charge users.
Accumulation Accounting Method
The accumulation accounting method allows multiple re-logins until the allocated time period or until the user account is expired. The Zyxel Device accounts the time that the user is logged in for Internet access.
Time-to-finish Accounting Method
The time-to-finish accounting method is good for one-time logins. Once a user logs in, the Zyxel Device stores the IP address of the user’s computer for the duration of the time allocated. Thus the user does not have to enter the user name and password again for re-login within the allocated time. Once activated, the user account is valid until the allocated time is reached even if the user disconnects Internet access for a certain period within the allocated time. For example, Joe purchases a one-hour time-to-finish account. He starts using the Internet for the first 20 minutes and then disconnects his Internet access to go to a 20-minute meeting. After the meeting, he only has 20 minutes left on his account.
Billing > General Screen
Use this screen to configure the general billing settings, such as the accounting method, currency unit and the SSID profiles to which the settings are applied.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
General Settings | |
Unused account will be deleted after the time: | Enter the number and select a time unit from the drop-down list box to specify how long to wait before the Zyxel Device deletes an account that has not been used. |
Accounting Method | Select Time to Finish to allow each user a one-time login. Once the user logs in, the system starts counting down the pre-defined usage even if the user stops the Internet access before the time period is finished. If a user disconnects and reconnects before the allocated time expires, the user does not have to enter the user name and password to access the Internet again. Select Accumulation to allow each user multiple re-login until the time allocated is used up. The Zyxel Device accounts the time that the user is logged in for Internet access. |
User idle timeout | The Zyxel Device automatically disconnects a computer from the network after a period of inactivity. The user may need to enter the username and password again before access to the network is allowed. If you select Accumulation, specify the idle timeout between 1 and 60 minutes. |
Accumulation account will be deleted after the time: | Enter the number and select a time unit from the drop-down list box to specify how long to wait before the Zyxel Device deletes the account. This is for use with accumulation accounting. |
Billing User Logon Settings | |
Maximum number per billing account | Enter the maximum number of the users that are allowed to log in with the same account. |
Reach maximum number per billing account | Select Block to stop new users from logging in when the Maximum number per billing account is reached. Select Remove previous user and login to disassociate the first user that logged in and allow new user to log in when the Maximum number per billing account is reached. |
Username & Password length | Select to specify how many characters the username and password of a newly-created dynamic guest account will have after you click Apply. |
Keep user logged in | Select to let the users automatically log in without entering their user name and password if the Zyxel Device restarts.  This works only for free guest accounts or when the accounting method is Time to Finish. |
Currency | Select the appropriate currency symbol or currency unit. If you set Currency code to User-Define, enter a three-letter alphabetic code manually. |
Number of decimals places | This shows the number of decimal places to be used for billing. |
Decimal symbol | Select whether you would like to use a dot (.) or a comma (,) for the decimal point. |
Tax | Select this option to charge sales tax for the account. Enter the tax rate (a 6% sales tax is entered as 6). |
SSID Profile Settings | The Selectable SSID Profiles list displays the name(s) of the SSID profile(s) to which you can apply the general billing settings. To apply settings to an SSID profile, you can double-click a single entry to move it or use the [Shift] or [Ctrl] key to select multiple entries and click the right arrow button to add to the Selected SSID Profiles list. To remove an SSID profile, select the name(s) in the Selected SSID Profiles list and click the left arrow button. |
Hotspot Service Status | |
Service Status | This field displays whether a service license is enabled at myZyxel (Activated) or not (Not Activated) or expired (Expired). It displays the remaining Grace Period if your license has Expired. It displays Not Licensed if there isn’t a license to be activated for this service. If you need a license or a trial license has expired, click Buy to buy a new one. If a Standard license has expired, click Renew to extend the license. Then, click Activate to connect with the myZyxel server to activate the new license. |
Service Type | This shows whether you have a trial or standard license or none (Trial, Standard, None). |
Expiration Date | This shows when your hotspot license will expire. |
Apply | Click this button to save your changes to the Zyxel Device. |
Reset | Click this button to return the screen to its last-saved settings. |
Billing > Billing Profile Screen
Use this screen to configure the billing profiles that defines the maximum Internet access time and charge per time unit.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Account Generator Settings | |
Button A ~ C | Select a billing profile for each button of the web-based account generator. The buttons correspond to the buttons on a connected statement printer. |
Preview | Click this button to open the Account Generator screen, where you can generate a dynamic guest account and print the account information using a statement printer connected to the Zyxel Device (see Account Generator for more information). |
Billing Profile | |
Add | Click this to create a new entry. |
Edit | Double-click an entry or select it and click Edit to open a screen where you can modify the entry’s settings. |
Remove | To remove an entry, select it and click Remove. The Zyxel Device confirms you want to remove it before doing so. |
Activate | To turn on an entry, select it and click Activate. |
Inactivate | To turn off an entry, select it and click Inactivate. |
# | This field is a sequential value, and it is not associated with a specific entry. |
Status | This icon is lit when the entry is active and dimmed when the entry is inactive. |
Name | This field displays the descriptive profile name for this entry. |
Time Period | This field displays the duration of the billing period. |
Quota (T/U/D) | This field is NOT available when you set Accounting Method to Time to Finish in the Billing > General screen. This field displays how much data in both directions (Total) or upstream data (Upload) and downstream data (Download) can be transmitted through the WAN interface before the account expires. |
Bandwidth (U/D) | This field displays the maximum upstream (Upload) and downstream (Download) bandwidth allowed for the user account in kilobits per second. |
Price | This field displays each profile’s price per time unit. |
Apply | Click this button to save your changes to the Zyxel Device. |
Reset | Click this button to return the screen to its last-saved settings. |
Account Generator
The Account Generator screen allows you to automatically create dynamic guest accounts (see Dynamic-Guest Accounts for more information on dynamic guest accounts).
You can also open this screen by logging into the Web Configurator with the guest-manager account.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Account Generator Settings | Select a button and specify how many units of billing period to be charged for new account in the Button x Unit field. |
Discount plan for Button x | This section displays only when you enable the discount price plan in the Billing > Discount screen. |
# | This is the number of each discount level. The default (first) level cannot be edited or deleted. It is created automatically according to the billing profile of the button you select. |
Name | This field displays the conditions of each discount level. |
Unit | This field displays the duration of the billing period that should be reached before the Zyxel Device charges users at this level. |
Price | This field displays the price per time unit for each level. |
Customer Information | |
Real Name | Enter the user’s name. |
Email | Enter the user’s email address. |
Phone Number | Enter the user’s phone number. |
Default Thermal Printer | Select a statement printer that is attached to the Zyxel Device. It displays n/a if there is no printer attached. |
Summary | |
Total | This shows the total price for the account before sales tax is added. |
Tax | This shows the tax rate. |
Grand Total | This shows the total price including tax. |
Quantity | Specify the number of account to be created. |
Generate | Click Generate to generate an account based on the billing settings you configure for the selected button in the Billing Profile screen. A window displays showing the SMS message and/or a printout preview of the account generated. |
Cancel | Click Cancel to exit this screen without saving. |
Logout | Click Logout to log out of the web configurator. This button is available only when you open this screen by logging in with the guest-manager account. |
The SMS screen displays only when you enable SMS in the Configuration > System > Notification > SMS screen. You can enter the user’s mobile phone number and click Send SMS to send the account information in an SMS text message to the user’s mobile phone. Click Cancel to close this window when you are finished viewing it.
The Printer screen shows a printout preview example. Click Printer to print this subscriber statement. Click Cancel to close this window when you are finished viewing it.
Account Redeem
The Account Redeem screen allows you to send SMS messages for certain accounts.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Query Account Information | |
Phone Number | Enter the country code and mobile phone number and click Query to display only the account(s) that has the specified phone number. |
SMS | Click this button to send text messages for the accounts in the list below. You can use this button only when SMS is enabled and there is at least one account in the list. |
# | This is the index number of the dynamic guest account in the list. |
Status | This field displays whether an account expires or not. |
Username | This field displays the user name of the account. |
Create Time | This field displays when the account was created. |
Remaining Time | This field displays the amount of Internet access time remaining for each account. |
Time Period | This field displays the total account of time the account can use to access the Internet through the Zyxel Device. |
Expiration Time | This field displays the date and time the account becomes invalid. Once the time allocated to a dynamic account is used up or a dynamic account remains unused after the expiration time, the account is deleted from the account list. |
Charge | This field displays the total cost of the account. |
Payment Info | This field displays the method of payment for each account. |
Phone Num | This field displays the mobile phone number for the account. |
Cancel | Click Cancel to exit this screen without saving. |
Logout | Click Logout to log out of the web configurator. This button is available only when you open this screen by logging in with the guest-manager account. |
Billing Profile Add/Edit
The Billing Profile Add/Edit screen allows you to create a new billing profile or edit an existing one.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Enable billing profile | Select this option to activate the profile. |
Name | Enter a name for the billing profile. You can use up to 31 alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9) and underscores (_). Spaces are not allowed. The first character must be a letter. |
Price | Define each profile’s price, up to 999999.99, per time unit. |
Time Period | Set the duration of the billing period (minute, hour, or day). When this period expires, the user’s access will be stopped. The allowed time period ranges are 10 to 60 minutes, 0 to 24 hours, or 0 to 365 days. |
Quota Type | The quota settings section is NOT available when you set Accounting Method to Time to Finish in the Billing > General screen. Set a limit for the user accounts. This only applies to user’s traffic that is received or transmitted through the WAN interface. When the limit is exceeded, the user is not allowed to access the Internet through the Zyxel Device.Select Total to set a limit on the total traffic in both directions. Select Upload/Download to set a limit on the upstream traffic and downstream traffic respectively. |
Total Quota | If you select Total, specify how much downstream and/or upstream data (in MB (Megabytes) or GB (Gigabytes)) can be transmitted through the WAN interface before the account expires. 0 means there is no data limit for the user account. |
Upload Quota | If you select Upload/Download, specify how much upstream data (in MB (Megabytes) or GB (Gigabytes)) can be transmitted through the WAN interface before the account expires. 0 means there is no data limit for the user account. |
Download Quota | If you select Upload/Download, specify how much downstream data (in MB (Megabytes) or GB (Gigabytes)) can be transmitted through the WAN interface before the account expires. 0 means there is no data limit for the user account. |
Enable Bandwidth | Select this option to turn on bandwidth management for the user accounts. |
Upload | Specify the maximum outgoing bandwidth allowed for the user account in kilobits per second. Upload refers to the traffic the Zyxel Device sends out from a user. |
Download | Specify the maximum incoming bandwidth allowed for the user account in kilobits per second. Download refers to the traffic the Zyxel Device sends to a user. |
Priority | Enter a number between 1 and 7 to set the priority for the user’s traffic. The smaller the number, the higher the priority. Traffic with a higher priority is given bandwidth before traffic with a lower priority. The priority setting here has priority over the priority setting in a bandwidth management rule. |
OK | Click OK to save your changes back to the Zyxel Device. |
Cancel | Click Cancel to exit this screen without saving. |
Billing > Discount Screen
Use this screen to configure a custom discount pricing plan. This is useful for providing reduced rates for purchases of longer periods of time. You can charge higher rates per unit at lower levels (fewer units purchased) and lower rates per unit at higher levels (more units purchased).
Note: The discount price plan does not apply to users who purchase access time online with a credit card.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Discount Settings | |
Enable Discount | Select the check box to activate the discount price plan. |
Button Select | Select a button from the drop-down list box to assign the base charge. |
Charge by levels | Select this to charge the rate at each successive level from the first level (most expensive per unit) to the highest level (least expensive per unit) that the total purchase reaches. Otherwise, clear this to charge all of the user’s time units only at the highest level (least expensive) that their total purchase reaches. |
Discount Price Plan | |
Add | Click this to create a new entry. |
Edit | Double-click an entry or select it and click Edit to open a screen where you can modify the entry’s settings. |
Remove | To remove an entry, select it and click Remove. The Zyxel Device confirms you want to remove it before doing so. |
# | This is the number of each discount level. The default (first) level cannot be edited or deleted. It is created automatically according to the billing profile of the button you select. |
Name | This field displays the conditions of each discount level. |
Unit | This field displays the duration of the billing period that should be reached before the Zyxel Device charges users at this level. |
Price | This field displays the price per time unit for each level. |
Apply | Click this button to save your changes to the Zyxel Device. |
Reset | Click this button to return the screen to its last-saved settings. |
Discount Add/Edit
The Discount Add/Edit screen allows you to create a new discount level or edit an existing one.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Name | This field displays the conditions of each discount level. |
Unit | Set the duration of the billing period that should be reached before the Zyxel Device charges users at this level. |
Price | Define this level’s charge per time unit. |
OK | Click OK to save your changes back to the Zyxel Device. |
Cancel | Click Cancel to exit this screen without saving. |
Billing > Payment Service
Use this screen to use a credit card service to authorize, process, and manage credit card transactions directly through the Internet. You must register with the supported credit card service before you can configure the Zyxel Device to handle credit card transactions.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
General Setting | |
Enable Payment Service | Select the check box to use PayPal to authorize credit card payments. After you set up web authentication policies and enable the online payment service on the Zyxel Device, a link displays in the login screen when users try to access the Internet. The link redirects users to a screen where they can make online payments by credit card to purchase access time and get dynamic guest account information. |
Payment Provider Selection | |
Account | You should already have a PayPal account to receive credit card payments. Enter your PayPal account name. |
Currency | Select the currency in which payments are made. The available options depend on currencies that PayPal supports. |
Identity Token | Enter the ID token provided to you by PayPal after successfully applying for your PayPal account. |
Payment Gateway | Enter the address of the PayPal gateway provided to you by PayPal after applying for your PayPal account. |
Account Delivery Method | |
Delivery Method | Specify how the Zyxel Device provides dynamic guest account information after the user’s online payment is done. Select On-Screen to display the user account information in the web screen. Select SMS to use Short Message Service (SMS) to send account information in a text message to the user’s mobile device. Select On-Screen and SMS to provide the account information both in the web screen and via SMS text messages. You should have enabled SMS in the Configuration > System > Notification > SMS screen to send text messages to the user’s mobile device. |
Apply | Click this button to save your changes to the Zyxel Device. |
Reset | Click this button to return the screen to its last-saved settings. |
Payment Service > Desktop / Mobile View
Use this screen to customize the online payment service pages that displays after an unauthorized user clicks the link in the Web Configurator login screen to purchase access time. You can configure both the desktop and mobile versions of the service pages. Users click a link in the pages to switch between the two versions.
Label | Description |
|---|---|
Select Type | |
Use Default Page | Select this to use the default online payment service page built into the device. If you later create a custom online payment service page, you can still return to the Zyxel Device’s default page as it is saved indefinitely. |
Use Customized Page | Select this to use a custom online payment service page instead of the default one built into the Zyxel Device. Once this option is selected, the custom page controls below become active. |
Customized Profile Selection Page | |
Selection Message | Enter a note to display in the first welcome page that allows users to choose a billing period they want. Use up to 256 printable ASCII characters. Spaces are allowed. |
Customized Successfully Page | |
Successfully Message | Enter a note to display in the second page after the user’s online payment is made successfully. Use up to 256 printable ASCII characters. Spaces are allowed. |
Notification Message | Enter the important information you want to display. Use up to 256 printable ASCII characters. Spaces are allowed. |
Notification Color | Specify the font color of the important information. You can use the color palette chooser, or enter a color value of your own. |
Account Message | Enter a note to display above the user account information. Use up to 256 printable ASCII characters. Spaces are allowed. |
Day Time | Select the format in which you want to display the date and how long an account is allowed to stay unused before it expires. |
Customized Fail Page | |
Failed Message | Enter a note to display when the user’s online payment failed. Use up to 256 printable ASCII characters. Spaces are allowed. |
Customized SMS Page | |
Information Message | Enter a note to display when you set the Zyxel Device to send account information via SMS text messages. Use up to 256 printable ASCII characters. Spaces are allowed. |
Apply | Click this button to save your changes to the Zyxel Device. |
Reset | Click this button to return the screen to its last-saved settings. |