Consider the following diagram:

Let us briefly describe each of the items inside the diagram and how they relate to each other.

• The root user of RADIUSdesk can create Access Providers. These Access Providers in turn can create sub-providers up to n-levels deep.
• More simply put, the Access Provider is the person that allows users onto a WiFi system. For example the Manager of a hotel can allow the Receptionist onto the WiFi Realm and in turn give the Receptionist rights to allow the hotel visitors onto the WiFi realm. The Manager is then the first Access Provider. The Receptionist is the lowest level Access Provider. And the hotel Visitors only log into the WiFi as Permanent Users or with Vouchers.
• Each access provider can manage their own little playpen.
• The playpen consists of various components which will be discussed next.

• Realms are a way to group Vouchers, Permanent Users and Devices.
• Each Voucher, Permanent User or Device has to belong to a single Realm.

• Vouchers are disposable and mass produced ways to provide Internet Access.
• A Voucher system does not care who the person that uses the voucher is.

• Permanent Users are used for long term usage with options to give a person a monthly usage cap.
• Permanent users typically have one or more devices which they own. This is managed through the BYOD Manager.

• Devices are a sub-item to Permanent Users.
• Each device registered on RADIUSdesk has to belong to a Permanent User.
• The Device will also by association belong to the same realm to which its owner belongs.

• Each Voucher, Permanent User and Device also has to be assigned to a single Profile.
• A Profile typically controls the connection of a user, determining how much data or bandwidth the User, Voucher or Device is allowed.
• Each Profile in turn can consist of zero or more Profile Components.

• Profile Components are the building blocks to create flexible profiles.
• Apart from bandwidth and data usage, you can add fields like Time or Expiry Date to a profile.

• NAS (Network Access Server) devices are network equipment that provides a controlled way to grant users access to the network.
• A WiFi Access Point with a captive portal (like CoovaChilli or Mikrotik) is an examples of a NAS device.

• Each NAS Device can have zero or more tags to help group and label Access Points.

• Dynamic Login Pages are the custom welcoming page when users connect to the Hotspot.
• You can create a login page with custom user fields, themes and graphics.
• Dynamic Login Pages provides an easy and central way to manage login pages for CoovaChilli and Mikrotik Captive Portals.

• MESHdesk is the interface that allows you to add and manage NAS devices in an automated way. This is most useful in a mesh environment.
• MESHdesk provides an easy and central way to manage and monitor Batman-adv mesh networks.

• APdesk is used to manage hundreds of Access Points centrally. APdesk uses the MESHdesk firmware but in AP mode. This makes switching between mesh mode and access-point-only mode possible.