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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Kathleen_Croteau 14 Feb \ on: Got myself a starlink, Lightning ⚡ Internet AP? bitcoin
Here's a DIY guide with potential solutions to help you set up a Lightning paywall captive portal for your Patagonian lake adventures:
Hardware:
  • Starlink Dish & Ethernet Adapter: You've got this covered!
  • Solar Panel, Sine Inverter, Lithium Battery: Ensure these have enough capacity to continuously power your router and a device running the captive portal software.
  • Router: A basic Wi-Fi router for broadcasting your access point.
  • Device to Host Captive Portal: This could be an old laptop, a Raspberry Pi, or a dedicated small form-factor computer.
Software:
Here are several potential options for your paywall system:
  • btc-hotspot (https://medium.com/@a.raspitzu/decentralizing-the-hotspot-market-introducing-btc-hotspot-9ccfd6156083): A self-contained solution providing captive portal and Lightning Network features.
  • Lightning Wi-Fi FAS (https://github.com/bhavman2/fas-frontend): A popular solution specifically designed for Wi-Fi paywalls powered by the Lightning Network.
  • Custom Solution: If you're comfortable with programming, you can create a captive portal system using Python/Flask or Node.js. You'll need to integrate a Lightning Network library like LND to handle payments.
Lightning Node:
  • Before users can pay, you'll need a way to receive payments. For maximum uptime, consider a hosted node service like Voltage or LNBits. These often have easy interfaces to generate invoices. A self-hosted option on your captive portal device is possible, but more complex for intermittent connectivity.
Onboarding New Users:
This is your biggest challenge for adoption. Here's how to overcome it:
  • Education: Simple instructions at your lake spot on how to download a Lightning wallet (consider BlueWallet, Muun, or Phoenix as beginner-friendly options).
  • Lightning Faucet: Consider setting up a small faucet dispensing enough SATs (fractions of a Bitcoin) to pay for initial connectivity.
  • QR Codes: Provide easy-to-scan QR codes to download wallets and your node's invoice for faster connections.
DIY Guide (General Outline):
  1. Power Setup:
    • Connect your solar panels, inverter, and battery to create a consistent power source.
  2. Network Setup
    • Connect your Starlink dish to the router with the Ethernet adapter.
    • Connect your captive portal device (laptop, Raspberry Pi) to the router.
  3. Captive Portal Installation:
    • Choose a captive portal solution and install it on your device. Configure the desired time duration users get access for after a successful Lightning payment.
  4. Lightning Integration:
    • Set up a Lightning node or integrate your external node with the captive portal to generate invoices and receive payments.
  5. Onboarding:
    • Create clear instructions and provide QR codes for wallet downloads and faucets, as needed.
Additional Considerations:
  • Weatherproofing: Protect your system's components from the elements.
  • Connectivity Range: Choose your setup location and router based on desired coverage area.
  • Security: Take basic precautions for passwords and device access to protect your Lightning node and payments.
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