I would like to offer free Wi-Fi Internet access in my cafe, but am worried about liability and management issues. What are my options?

Free Wi-Fi can be a great way to bring in new customers, especially at off-peak times, and in high-traffic areas where people with laptops or Wi-Fi PDAs are likely to congregate. While you can go the bare-bones do-it-yourself route, plugging in an off-the-shelf router and hanging out a shingle, it's best to install some type of management software that at the very least puts up a splash screen with a liability disclaimer, protecting you against possible misuse of your hotspot.

One easy solution that fits this bill is SputnikNet Express. The completely free Sputnik Agent software can be uploaded to inexpensive Linksys routers, and includes the ability to display a 640x480 splash screen of your design. No computer is needed to manage the system.

If Wi-Fi users quickly overwhelm your free hotspot you can convert to a paid Sputnik system, or choose one of the many other "hotspot-in-a-box"-type solutions that come from major wireless ISPs who'd love to add your site to their nationwide networks. Boingo, Cafe.com and Surf-and-Sip all sell kits for the individual hotspot owner; Boingo even allows you to list free hotspots in its network.