Summary of methods to create accounts for WiFi access?

[treimers]

Hi all -

Can someone summarize for me the various ways to manage "users" for WiFi access, NOT in a corporate AD-based environment?

I have a public venue environment which is _not_ part of any enterprise-AD environment.

They want to use/manage individual accounts for promoters/sales booth operators/audio-visual crews/sports event staff-coaches, when those various types of WiFi users are in the venue, as well as bill  them (flat rate, not usage based) for WiFi access.

Currently the venue does not allow wholesale public WiFi access, but may wish to do so down the road.

I'm trying to figure out the most flexible approach for them to have 'user authentication' for specific SSIDs, used by 

visiting promoters/sales vendors in convention booths, etc.

It's a bit confusing because Meraki tends to mix up "Administrators" with "users" as though it were a corporate network where everyone has an AD account and needs different levels of access, but all the admins and users are  all from the same enterprise corporate account back end platform.

I'm wondering if Meraki Radius in some manner is an easier way to go, for creating accounts that are good for a day or three, allow billing, etc?

Thanks Tim

[kYutobi]

Have you played around with sponsored login? It's an easy method that uses a guests email address.  

[MarcP]

Payed access could be an option as well...

You can configure how long they can be in after doing a payment

[PhilipDAth · Accepted solution]

You could use Meraki cloud hosted authentication:

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Encryption_and_Authentication/Meraki_Cloud_Hosted_Authentication

You could use one of the billing options:

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Splash_Page/Billing_for_Wireless_Access

Pre-paid billing could be attractive, as you don't actually need to collect any money if you don't want to.  You print out a bunch of codes in advance, and give me to visitors as they come in.

https://documentation.meraki.com/MR/Splash_Page/Configuring_a_Prepaid_Card_Billing_SSID

You could also check out commercial solutions like Splash Access.

https://www.splashaccess.com/

Go to "Products" and check out both "Captive Portals" and "Ambassador System",  Their "Co-Worker" solution could also be a suitable candidate.

[treimers]

Thanks everyone --- Researching now...