In brief
Hotspot software on a spare PC looks cheap. Add the OS licence, a PC that never sleeps, disk, backup, UPS and upkeep, and the sum changes. We count the items one by one.
"We have a spare computer, let's install the hotspot software on that" is said in many businesses. It sounds reasonable: free hardware, install the software, done. But guest Wi-Fi is not an office application. It is a network service expected to keep records for two years. This post counts the items a PC-based setup never puts on the invoice, then explains what an appliance changes. No brand names; the items apply to any PC installation.
The invisible items
1. Operating system licence
The OS on a spare computer is usually an old release, or its licence came with another machine. A box that will run around the clock like a server needs a current, supported and licensed system. That means a purchase or a regular renewal.
2. A PC that must never switch off
The guest network goes down when the computer does. So the machine cannot be shut down after closing time, cannot sleep, cannot be rebooted "to free some memory". Desktop computers were not designed for this duty cycle: fan, power supply and disk age under constant load. Power consumption is also noticeably higher than an appliance's.
3. A large, reliable disk
Records are expected to be kept for 2 years (730 days). In a busy venue that means hundreds of days of line files, hash chains and stamp files. When the disk fills, recording stops; when it fails, the records go with it. A PC usually has one disk, shared with the operating system.
4. Backup: a NAS or a second copy
A record sitting on a single disk is not a backup. Standard practice is to move a second copy of the archive to another device (a NAS, an SFTP server) on a schedule. In a PC setup someone has to plan it, set it up and check that it still runs.
5. Clock synchronisation
A timestamp only means something on a device whose clock is right. PC clocks drift when the battery dies, after an update, or when the time zone changes. If nobody watches the drift, it is noticed months later.
6. UPS and sudden power loss
When the power goes, a PC dies instantly; open files can corrupt and the disk can throw errors. Buying an uninterruptible power supply and checking its battery every year joins the list.
7. Updates
An OS update may demand a reboot at night, and the guest network drops while it happens. The hotspot software's own updates, driver incompatibilities and an antivirus closing a port all belong under this heading too.
8. Who maintains it?
This is the most expensive item. In a PC setup, the person to call "if something happens" is usually the most technical employee in the building. When that person leaves, the knowledge leaves. Without a calendar for checking that the backup ran, the disk is not full and the clock is right, the problem surfaces only when records are requested.
All items in one table
| Item | PC setup | Appliance |
|---|---|---|
| OS licence | Bought and renewed separately | Comes with the software |
| 24/7 operation | Desktop hardware, high consumption | Hardware built for the job, fanless or low-power |
| Record disk | Shared with the system, usage unwatched | Usage monitored, alerts by e-mail, Telegram or webhook |
| Expired records | Deleted by hand, or never | Deleted automatically after 730 days, deletion written to the audit trail |
| Second copy | Someone has to set up and watch it | Automatic copy to SFTP/FTPS |
| Clock | Nobody watches | NTP drift monitored, alarm in the panel |
| Power cut | UPS and upkeep needed | Low consumption; a UPS is still advised, but a small one does |
| Updates | Reboots, compatibility risk | Software updated as one unit |
| Maintainer | The "technical" person on staff | Panel health view, alerts, support |
The right-hand column describes Hotspot-Box, but the left applies to any PC installation.
What the appliance changes
An appliance pulls most of those items into a single device. Box + Software comes with a perpetual licence, carries 250 concurrent users, and plugs in behind your existing modem, switch and access points without replacing any of them. Daily records are linked with a SHA-256 hash chain, stamped under RFC 3161, and stay on the premises. Disk usage, the stamping service, SMS credit and offline status are watched from the panel, and alerts reach you.
If you already run a virtualisation host, the Virtual Appliance runs the same software on ESXi, Proxmox VE, Hyper-V or KVM; instead of a "spare PC" you use server infrastructure that is already maintained. If you do not want any device on site and keep Law 5651 records with your own infrastructure, there is the SaaS cloud service.
When a PC setup still makes sense
Let us be honest: for a trial, a short event, or an environment run by a network team to its own standards, a PC installation works. The problem is the "temporary" setup that stays for three years while nobody looks at the disk or the clock.
Questions to ask before deciding
- Can this machine run for two years without switching off?
- Who finds out when the disk fills?
- Who notices when the clock drifts?
- Where does the backup go, and when was it last checked?
- If the technical employee leaves, who holds the passwords and the knowledge?
If the answer is "I don't know", the bill is not absent just because it is invisible. Compare the options on the Products page, or write to us about your own environment.