Documentation
Captive Portal
The Captive Portal is the Wi‑Fi login page guests see before they get internet. Brand it with your template, colors, logo, and text — then enable buy vouchers or free trial so customers can get online without calling you.
In plain language
Guest joins your Wi‑Fi → phone opens the login page → they enter a voucher code (or buy a package / try free trial) → they get internet. That login page is the Captive Portal.
It is not your public marketing website (Homepage Builder), not Free Access (everyone open with no login), and not IP Bindings (one device always online by MAC).
When to use Captive Portal
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Brand the Wi‑Fi login and sell/redeem vouchers | Captive Portal |
| Public business website / SEO pages | Homepage Builder |
| Everyone free for an event (no login) | Free Access |
| Printer / POS always online | IP Bindings |
Where to find it
- Sidebar Network → Captive Portal — opens the editor for your Hotspot router (picker if you have more than one).
- Or Routers → open a router → Captive Portal tab.
- You need view Routers permission. Staff who manage routers day-to-day typically also have edit routers access.
- MikroTik: Hotspot must be enabled on the router. Ruijie: gateway must use RADIUS / WISPr (after Make Live). Pure Cloud-auth Ruijie gateways use Ruijie’s own portal — the NettPortal Captive Portal tab is hidden.
How it works (MikroTik vs Ruijie)
MikroTik
Save Template stores your design in NettPortal. Push to Router uploads login / logout / status / error HTML into the router’s Hotspot directory and points the Hotspot profile at it. Guests are redirected to your branded page (and often the hosted NettPortal login at /your-org/hotspot/login).
The router must be reachable over WireGuard and show as connected. Save alone does not update the live Hotspot files — you must Push.
Ruijie / Reyee (RADIUS)
Same visual editor. There is no Push to Router button — Save Template also updates the EXTERNAL WISPr captive portal policy in Ruijie Cloud so guests land on your NettPortal login URL. Finish Make Live first. If the page looks stale, re-push portal from Hotspot Setup on the router.
Cloud-auth-only Ruijie setups do not use this editor — map packages under Settings → Ruijie Cloud instead.
Design and deploy (step by step)
- Open Captive Portal for the router you want to brand.
- Click Open Editor if the sidebar is closed.
- Template tab — pick a layout, then customize Text, Background, Fonts, Colors, Buttons, Borders, Spacing, and optional logo.
- Settings tab — Buy Voucher, buy mode, code-only login, contact number, free trial, voucher top-up, show logo.
- Preview Login, Logout, Status, and Error pages.
- Click Save Template.
- MikroTik: click Push to Router. Ruijie: Save is enough for Cloud policy (watch for the success message).
- Connect a phone to the guest Wi‑Fi and confirm the login page and voucher flow.
Templates
Nine ready layouts. Pick one that matches your brand — then fine-tune colors and text.
- Classic Gradient — centered card; optional online-only background animations (water, snow, particles, etc.)
- Minimal Clean — simple, few distractions
- Animated Gradient — animated gradient background
- Card Elevated — elevated card with shadows
- Split Layout — split screen with accent sidebar
- Centered Modern — modern typography
- Full Background — no card; content on the background
- Inset Depth — carved-in fields, no card
- Top Image — image or color header with form below
There is no raw HTML/CSS editor — design with the visual controls only.
Settings that matter
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Enable Buy Voucher | Guests can purchase packages from the portal (self-service) |
| Buy page mode | Separate buy page, or Login | Buy tabs on the same page |
| Code-only Login | Single voucher code field vs username + password |
| Show Contact Number | Phone above login (defaults from org business phones) |
| Enable Free Trial | One-tap free sample Wi‑Fi — needs a Free Trial package under Packages |
| Allow Voucher Top-Up | Banner when a voucher runs out so guests can buy more without leaving Wi‑Fi |
| Show Logo | Org logo or a captive-portal-specific upload |
With Buy Voucher and Free Trial both on, NettPortal can use a smart guest layout (trial on top, login center, buy at the bottom).
Important caveats
- MikroTik: Save ≠ live. Always Push to Router after design changes. Ruijie Save updates Cloud policy without a separate Push button.
- WireGuard / connected is required for MikroTik push. Offline routers cannot receive files.
- Free Access on skips the portal entirely — guests will not see login or buy until you restore billing. See Free Access.
- Homepage Builder does not change Hotspot login. Brand Wi‑Fi here; brand your public site under Homepage.
- DNS name on MikroTik Hotspot setup affects how redirects look — set it carefully during Router Setup.
- Design is per router. Mixed MikroTik + Ruijie fleets: configure each gateway’s portal (deploy path differs by vendor).
Troubleshooting
- Portal not showing on MikroTik → confirm Push succeeded, Hotspot server enabled, profile HTML directory points at the pushed files, router online.
- Ruijie still shows an old page → Save again, or re-push portal from Hotspot Setup / Make Live.
- Buy button missing → Enable Buy Voucher in Settings; ensure packages are active for that router.
- Free Trial missing → create/enable a Free Trial package, then turn on Enable Free Trial and Save (Push on MikroTik).
- Test with another phone or browser; clear captive portal cache if the OS remembers an old page.
Related guides
- Voucher Management — codes guests enter on the portal
- Active Users — who is online now (disconnect sessions)
- Package Management — plans sold on Buy Voucher / Free Trial; attach Promotions for discounts / data bonus
- Payments & Gateways — how guest buy collects money
- Router Management — routers list, tabs, health
- Ruijie Gateways — Make Live + WISPr for Ruijie portals
- Homepage Builder — public site (not Hotspot login)
- Free Access — temporarily turn the portal off for everyone