Documentation
IP Bindings
Some devices should never see the captive portal — printers, POS machines, cameras, office PCs, and other fixed equipment. IP Bindings let you reserve those devices by MAC address so they get internet automatically, with optional package limits, pause/resume, data quota, expiry, and staff Top up / Rebuy when the customer pays for more.
In plain language
Normal Hotspot users open Wi‑Fi, see the login page, and enter a voucher. An IP Binding (bypass) tells the router: “this MAC address is allowed — skip the login page.” NettPortal keeps a matching record so you can track usage, pause access, and cut the device off when data or time runs out.
This is a Hotspot feature. It is not the same as Free Access (everyone free on a port), and it is not how phone customers buy vouchers.
When to use IP Bindings
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Printer, POS, camera, staff PC — always online, no login | IP Bindings |
| Customer buys Wi‑Fi with a code on the portal | Vouchers / Packages |
| Make a whole hotspot free for everyone today | Free Access |
| Customers lost paid time after a power cut | Outage Compensation |
Where to find it
- Open IP Bindings under the Hotspot section in the sidebar.
- You need Hotspot enabled on at least one router.
- View needs Hotspot Profiles view permission. Add, Edit, Pause, Resume, Top up, Rebuy, Remove need edit permission on Hotspot Profiles (same family as profiles).
- The router must be reachable from NettPortal. Creates and pauses fail if it cannot be reached.
How to add a binding
Click Add IP Binding. You choose how limits work, which router, and which devices.
With Package (recommended)
Pick a Hotspot package you already sell. The binding inherits that package's time limit, data limit, and hotspot profile (speed). Paid packages can record a cash payment for your books. IP bindings never create vouchers.
Custom Settings
Set time (days / hours / minutes), data (GB / MB), both, or leave empty for unlimited. Optional price for your records. Speed still comes from the package profile or the router's MAC bypass default profile in router settings.
One MAC or Multi MAC
- One: Device name + MAC address.
- Multi: Add several devices in one go (each needs a name and MAC). Some may succeed and some may fail — NettPortal reports how many were saved.
Optional extras on create
- SMS reminder before expiry — about 24 hours before the end date (uses your SMS credits).
- Comment — note for your team (shown on the router comment too).
- Active on router — leave checked so the device can use internet immediately.
Create only succeeds if the router accepts it
NettPortal pushes the binding to MikroTik. If WireGuard is down or the router rejects the push, the binding is rolled back so you do not think a device is free when it is not. Fix the connection and try again.
Status meanings
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | Enabled on the router, not expired, data quota not exhausted |
| Paused | You paused it — internet stopped for that MAC |
| Expired | End date has passed (system also removes bypass from the router) |
| Quota used | Data limit reached — bypass removed until you Rebuy (or carefully Resume) |
Search the list by device name, MAC, router, or package. On phones, tap a row to expand details and actions.
Top up & Rebuy (cash renewals)
When a device plan has data and/or time limits, staff can renew it from the IP Bindings list without deleting the binding. Both actions record a cash payment and apply the 4% platform fee to billing (same family as other cash sales). The package you pick must have a price greater than zero.
| Action | When it appears | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Top up | Plan still Active (not paused, data/time not exhausted) | Adds the selected package's data and/or time on top of what is left. Usage counters stay the same. |
| Rebuy | Limits reached — Quota used and/or Expired | Starts a fresh cycle: usage cleared, new package limits from now, bypass restored on the router. |
How to run Top up or Rebuy
- Open the binding row (on phones, expand the row). You will see Top up or Rebuy when that action is allowed.
- Confirm the dialog, choose a Hotspot package (defaults to the binding's current package when set), then confirm cash.
- NettPortal records the sale, updates limits on the binding, and syncs the router (queue / bypass as needed).
Top up vs Rebuy — pick the right one
- Customer still online with remaining quota/time → use Top up so they keep what they already have and get more.
- Data finished or time expired → use Rebuy to wipe usage and start clean. Top up is blocked once limits are exhausted.
- Unlimited bindings (no data and no time limit) do not show Top up or Rebuy — there is nothing to renew.
- Paused bindings are not Top-up eligible; Resume first if the plan is still within limits, or Rebuy if already exhausted.
Cash + 4%
Top up and Rebuy record cash payments against the binding MAC — no voucher is created. The sale appears in Payments with 4% platform commission when applicable. Access remains MAC bypass only. Zero-price packages cannot be used for Top up / Rebuy cash recording.
Pause, Resume, Remove
Pause
Turns the binding off on the router and kicks the live Hotspot session. Internet for that device stops right away. Use this when a POS is stolen, a staff laptop should be offline for a while, or you need to stop abuse without deleting the record.
Resume
Turns the binding back on (or re-adds it if missing). Bypass works again. If the device was cut for Quota used or Expired, prefer Rebuy after the customer pays — Resume alone does not clear used bytes or start a fresh paid cycle.
Remove
Deletes the binding in NettPortal and on the router, and kicks any live session. If the router remove fails, NettPortal keeps the record so you do not think it is gone while the device is still bypassed.
Edit
Change device name, MAC, router, package link, SMS reminder, comment, or Active on router. Changes sync to the router when the binding was already pushed. For paid renewals of limits, use Top up or Rebuy instead of only editing the package field.
Data quota & usage
If the binding has a data cap (from package or custom settings), the list shows usage like 1.2 GB / 5 GB.
- Usage is reported from the router about every 5 minutes. Quota cut-off can lag a few minutes behind real usage — that is normal.
- When the cap is hit, NettPortal marks Quota used, removes bypass from the router, and clears the live session so internet stops.
- NettPortal installs a small usage script on the router after a successful push so counters keep flowing. If reports go quiet for a long time, a health job can reinstall the script.
Expiry & SMS
- Time limits from the package or custom settings become an end date on the binding. Leave time empty for permanent (until you pause or remove).
- When the end date passes, NettPortal disables the binding and removes bypass from the router automatically.
- Optional SMS reminder: roughly 24 hours before expiry, if you enabled it and provided a phone. Message tells them the device access is ending soon.
Multiple routers
- Each binding belongs to one MikroTik router.
- The same MAC can be reserved on different routers as separate bindings (e.g. HQ and branch).
- You cannot create two active bindings for the same MAC on the same router — NettPortal rejects the duplicate.
Billing note
IP bindings do not create vouchers. Limits live on the binding itself (package, data quota, expiry, hotspot profile). Cash Top up / Rebuy records a payment against the MAC for your books and 4% commission — the device never logs in with a voucher code. Access is MAC bypass on the router only.
What you need on the router
- The router must be online in NettPortal.
- A Hotspot profile on the package, or a MAC bypass default profile set on the router in NettPortal settings.
Common issues & tips
Device still asks for login
Confirm status is Active, MAC matches exactly (phones may randomize MAC — turn off private Wi‑Fi address or update the binding), and the device is on the same Hotspot router you selected.
Create or Pause failed
Check that the router is online in NettPortal. If it is, try again.
Quota used too early or late
Usage updates on a few-minute delay. After Rebuy, wait for the next report cycle before judging the new counter.
Top up / Rebuy button missing
Top up only shows while Active with data or time limits. Rebuy only shows when those limits are exhausted. Unlimited bindings never show either. You also need edit permission, and the package used for cash must have a price.
“Package must have a price”
Top up and Rebuy always record cash. Pick a paid Hotspot package, or set a price on the package under Voucher Packages.
Complimentary vs paid
IP bindings never create vouchers and do not use the free voucher allowance. Leave price empty for complimentary access, or use a paid package / custom price to record cash in Payments.
Not the same as Static IP & Routes
Docs page Static IP & Routes is for customer PPPoE/static addressing — a different feature from Hotspot IP Bindings.
Related docs
- Voucher Management — captive portal codes for people
- Package Management — plans you can attach to bindings
- Profile Management — Hotspot speeds and timeouts
- Payments & Gateways — where Top up / Rebuy cash sales appear
- Outage Compensation — credit paid time/data after downtime (different from Top up / Rebuy)