Public vs Private Hotspots

When you share a hotspot, you decide who can access it. Linkr provides three access configurations: public, limited, and private.

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Public hotspots

A public hotspot is accessible to any Linkr user. How it works:

• Anyone with a Linkr account can connect
• No approval required
• Connections are first-come, first-served

Best for:

• Community contributions in public spaces
• Businesses that want maximum discoverability
• Contributors who want to help as many people as possible

Public hotspots are the most discoverable. They appear prominently on the map and can be accessed by anyone who finds them.

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Limited hotspots

A limited hotspot is accessible under specific conditions you define. How it works:

• You set criteria for access (e.g., users from a specific organization, users with verified accounts)
• Users who meet the criteria can connect
• Users who do not meet the criteria can see the hotspot but not access it

Best for:

• Organizations that want to share with members only
• Contributors who want some control over who uses their connectivity
• Networks with capacity constraints

Limited hotspots appear on the map with an indicator showing their restricted status.

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Private hotspots

A private hotspot is only accessible to users you explicitly approve. How it works:

• You must individually approve each user
• Approved users can connect; others cannot
• The hotspot is visible on the map but marked as private

Best for:

• Personal networks shared with friends or family
• Secure environments where access must be controlled
• Testing before making a hotspot public

Private hotspots are still discoverable, which helps users know connectivity exists in an area, even if they cannot access that specific hotspot.

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Changing access settings

You can change your hotspot’s access configuration at any time:

1. Go to your hotspot’s settings in the app
2. Select the new access level
3. Save

Changes take effect immediately. If you switch from public to private, existing connections are not interrupted, but new connections will require approval.

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Visibility vs accessibility

All hotspots are visible on the map regardless of access configuration. This is intentional. Visibility serves discovery. A user planning a trip can see that connectivity exists in an area, even if some hotspots are private. They can then look for public alternatives or plan accordingly. Accessibility is controlled by you. Visibility is what makes the map useful.