Prism's Hotspot feature lets you share Prism's cellular or wired internet over Wi-Fi or Wired 2. Use it to provide internet to third-party wireless or wired devices, and to route them through an OpenVPN connection.
NOTE: The hotspot does not use bonding: hotspot traffic goes over a single interface.
Interface Priority
When Hotspot Interface is set to Auto, the hotspot uses the highest priority interface, so set the priority order before you turn on the hotspot.
- Connect and enable the modem(s), Wired 1, or other interfaces you will use for internet.
- Select Network > Network Interfaces. The interface list shows each interface in priority order with its current state (see image below).
- Click Change order, then move your preferred interfaces to the top so they have the highest priority, with the fallback options below them.
NOTE: Consider using an interface other than the top priority interface for the hotspot, because the top priority interface always carries the most control data.
Wi-Fi Hotspot Setup
Warning: If your computer is connected to Prism over Wi-Fi in Client mode, switching the WiFi Mode to Access Point disconnects your browser when you click Apply. Connect over Ethernet first, or reconnect to Prism's access point network afterward.
- Set the interface priority as described above.
- Select Network > Network Interfaces, then click Settings next to Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi settings panel opens.
- Set WiFi Mode to Access Point. The access point settings appear.
- (OPTIONAL) Set the Access Point Name (SSID), Access Point Security Mode, and Access Point Password for the hotspot network. Use WPA2 to protect the hotspot with a password.
- Turn on Hotspot. The Hotspot Interface field appears.
SCREENSHOT NEEDED: Wi-Fi Access Point mode settings with Hotspot on
- Select a Hotspot Interface (see Hotspot Interface Options below).
- Click Apply. Prism starts the access point and shares internet from the selected interface.
- Connect a mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android phone, etc.) to Prism's access point and check that it has an internet connection.
Wired 2 Hotspot Setup
CAUTION: In DHCP Server mode, Prism assigns IP addresses to devices connected to Wired 2. Do not use it on a network that already has a DHCP server: only connect Wired 2 to devices or switches that should get their address from Prism.
- Connect and enable the modem(s), Wi-Fi Client, or Wired 1 connection you will use for internet, then set the interface priority as described above.
- Select Network > Network Interfaces, then click Settings next to Wired 2. The Wired 2 settings panel opens.
- Set IP Mode to DHCP Server. The Hotspot setting appears.
- Turn on Hotspot. The Hotspot Interface field appears (see image below).
- Select a Hotspot Interface (see Hotspot Interface Options below).
- (OPTIONAL) Turn off Web UI Access to prevent devices on the Wired 2 hotspot from opening Prism's web UI.
- Click Apply. Prism starts handing out IP addresses on Wired 2 and shares internet from the selected interface.
- Connect a device (or a switch or router) to Wired 2 and check that it has an internet connection.
Hotspot Interface Options
The Hotspot Interface list shows each available interface with its current state, for example "Modem A - No SIM" (see image below).
- Auto - (Default) The hotspot uses the interface with the highest priority and falls back to another interface if the current one is unavailable. NOTE: The hotspot does NOT switch back to the higher priority interface when it reconnects. To return to the higher priority interface, turn the hotspot off and on again, or select a different interface and then return to Auto.
- A specific interface (for example Wired 1, Wi-Fi, Modem A) - The hotspot only uses that interface for Internet access, it will not fallback to another if the connection is lost.
Interface availability:
- The Wired 2 hotspot can use Wired 1, Wi-Fi (in Client mode), and the modems.
- OpenVPN routes hotspot traffic through the VPN tunnel if enabled.
- Bonding backpack interfaces (Modems D, E, F, G) only appear if a bonding backpack is connected. All other interfaces appear regardless of their connection state.