Post date: Apr 4, 2009 4:04:47 AM
This post will be more on the technical side, but there are a couple alternatives available to the ROBIN mesh router firmware available from open-mesh.com.
The first is an alpha release from Wifi-CPA, which includes working captive-portal with payment processing builtin, along with Quality of Service (QoS). Read about QoS on our technology page.
http://www.wifi-cpa.com/downloads.php (scroll to the bottom)
The 2nd is an upcoming release from a member of the ROBIN/open-mesh community, who has QoS working, and has a much smaller firmware image that can fit better in tiny (and cheap!) routers like the Ubiquiti Bullet2.
http://robin.forumup.it/viewtopic.php?p=7603&highlight=&mforum=robin
Incidentally, the Bullet2 connected to a homemade cantenna becomes wonderfully useful when you happen to live within slingshot distance (imagine wrist-rocket caliber) of a coffeehouse/business with free wifi.