What is the best way to leave my router open?

generalhavok writes: I read the story on Slashdot earlier about the EFF encouraging people to leave their WiFi open to share the internet. I would like to do this! I don't mind sharing my connection and letting my neighbors check their email or browse the web. However, when I used to leave it open, I quickly found my limited bandwidth dissappearing, as my neighbors started using it heavily by streaming videos, downloading large files, and torrenting. What is an easy way I can share my internet, while enforcing some limits so there is enough bandwidth left for me? What about separating the neighbors from my internal home network? Can this be done with consumer-grade routers? If the average consumer wants to share, what's the easiest and safest way to do it?

It Depends

[Halifax Samuels]

This'll be easiest if you've got a DDWRT-capable router or a PC acting as a firewall / router. Otherwise you may have severely limited configuration options. QoS can help to control bandwidth issues, as well as a hard limit on the bandwidth. Not sure you can configure any standard consumer-level router to separate the wireless network from your internal network, but it can be done with the right equipment. I'm no expert on the subject, but with certain equipment you could potentially firewall off the WAP fr

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[mistiry]

dd-wrt for sure.

I run it on a $40 Linksys WRT-54GS and have total control over my networking, it should do exactly what you need!

use pfsense

[septus]

If you an old pentium III box laying around somewhere you can use it as a firewall/router. stick in 3 network cards, one for your internet connection, one for your local network and one for sharing your internet with. You can cap the speed on the internet sharing NIC, it's seperated completely from your local network. Also make a captive portal so that people will see a webpage where they'll have to click "ok" or something before they can start using your internet. You can put some text up saying you're not

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[septus]

link might be handy : http://www.pfsense.org/ [pfsense.org] [pfsense.org] good luck!