RaterNet

Raternet is a platform that helps customers discover the best Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in their area. Users can explore ISPs by location, compare plans and services, read reviews from other customers, and add their own reviews based on their experiences.

For ISPs, Raternet offers a dashboard to track reviews across locations, plans, and services, providing visual insights that help providers understand customer feedback and improve their offerings.

Tech Stack

• Backend: Node.js, Express, MongoDB
• Frontend: React

Execution Output

Main Company Flows

1. Login Page

2. Company Dashboard

3. Add Plans

Main Customer Flows

1. Customer Dashboard (Find ISPs in given area)

2. Customer - Check all reviews of the (Company, location) pair

3. Customer - Add reviews

Setup

1. Prerequisites

Install these first:

• Node.js 16+ (recommended Node.js 18 LTS)
• npm 8+
• MongoDB (local) or MongoDB Atlas connection string
• Git

Optional for mobile app:

• Android Studio + JDK 11+

2. Clone And Open

git clone <your-repo-url>
cd raternet

3. Backend Setup

3.1 Install dependencies

cd backend
npm install

3.2 Configure environment

Edit backend/config.env and set your values:

• DATABASE (Mongo connection string with <PASSWORD> placeholder)
• DATABASE_PASSWORD
• JWT_SECRET
• JWT_EXPIRES_IN
• JWT_COOKIE_EXPIRES_IN

Example:

NODE_ENV=development
PORT=7000
DATABASE=mongodb+srv://<user>:<PASSWORD>@cluster0.xxxxx.mongodb.net/test?retryWrites=true&w=majority
DATABASE_PASSWORD=your_db_password
JWT_SECRET=your_super_secret_key
JWT_EXPIRES_IN=7d
JWT_COOKIE_EXPIRES_IN=7

3.3 Start backend server

npm start

Backend should run at: http://localhost:7000

4. Frontend Setup

Open a new terminal:

cd frontend
npm install

Create/update frontend/.env:

REACT_APP_API_URL=your_google_maps_api_key

Start frontend:

npm start

Frontend should run at: http://localhost:3000

5. Run The App

Option A (from project root):

cd raternet
npm run dev

Option B (separate terminals):

1. Start backend first (backend terminal: npm start)
2. Start frontend next (frontend terminal: npm start)
3. Open http://localhost:3000
4. Sign up / log in as:
   • Company user
   • Customer user

6. Troubleshooting

• If backend exits immediately:
  • Check values in backend/config.env
  • Verify MongoDB is reachable
• If frontend cannot call backend:
  • Confirm backend is running on port 7000
  • Confirm no proxy/firewall blocks localhost
• If maps do not load:
  • Verify REACT_APP_API_URL contains a valid Google Maps API key
• If login works but wrong page opens:
  • Clear local storage and log in again

7. Suggested Development Workflow

# Single command from project root
cd raternet
npm run dev

You can also run backend and frontend in separate terminals if preferred.