A captive portal is a web page that a person sees after connecting to a public or guest WiFi network and before getting full access to the internet. It is also called a splash page, a welcome page or a login page. If you have ever connected to WiFi in a hotel, airport or cafe and been asked to accept terms, enter a code or give an email address, you have used one.
How a captive portal works
- A guest connects their phone, tablet or laptop to the WiFi network (the SSID).
- The network holds back normal internet access and sends the guest to the portal page. Most phones and laptops notice this and open the page automatically.
- The guest does what the portal asks, such as entering a voucher code, a room number, an email address or answering a question.
- The system then lets that device onto the network, usually for a limited time.
What a business can do with it
The portal is the one page every guest sees, so it is useful for more than access control:
- Branding: show your logo, imagery and special offers. TekiEazi's branded splash page adapts to phones, tablets and laptops.
- Login options: let guests choose between an ePin voucher, email, survey, ad, social media, direct device access or hotel room number.
- Payment: sell WiFi packages, with voucher codes that guests buy by credit card on the splash page.
- Marketing: show ads, coupons and notifications, and use WiFi marketing to learn about your guests.
- Control: apply speed, data, time and device limits through bandwidth management.
Choosing the right login
The login you choose decides what you learn and how much effort guests need to spend:
- An email login gives you an address and lets you ask custom questions.
- A survey login asks guests to rate your service with emoticons and can identify returning customers.
- A WiFi ads login gives free WiFi in exchange for watching an ad or viewing an offer.
- A voucher login is the right choice for paid WiFi.
- A hotel room number login uses the hotel's property management system, so guests do not need a code.
You can offer more than one option on the same portal.
Get started
TekiEazi is a web-based WiFi management platform that includes the captive portal, the login options, payments, advertising and analytics in one system. Read more about WiFi management, see frequently asked questions or contact us to discuss your location.