Captive portal for UniFi: how Sosto Labs Captive Portal works

A captive portal is the page guests see when they join a public Wi‑Fi network: before they can browse, they sign in, enter a voucher or accept the terms. Sosto Labs Captive Portal is a cloud captive portal built for UniFi networks: it uses the external portal of your UniFi network’s hotspot.

What happens when a guest connects

1. The guest joins the guest Wi‑Fi network managed by UniFi.

2. UniFi redirects them to your portal’s sign-in page, with your logo, your colours and in their language.

3. The guest signs in with their e‑mail, enters a voucher code or the shared access code, or waits for a sponsor’s approval, depending on how you set up the portal.

4. Captive Portal authorizes the device on your UniFi console through the official API, with the duration and speed limits you chose.

5. The guest is online. You see the sign-in in the dashboard, with statistics and logs.

What you need

• UniFi access points and a UniFi OS console running UniFi Network 9.x or 10.x.

• An API key created in UniFi Network.

• A port forwarding rule on your router to the console, so our server can authorize guests. You can restrict it to our server’s address. Routers and firewalls can be any brand. A static IP address (or active DDNS) is required.

• The UniFi hotspot set up with the Captive Portal sign-in page.

Setup in three steps

1. Create your portal and add a site in the Captive Portal dashboard.

2. Connect the UniFi console: API key, port forwarding and connection test. All the steps are in Connect Captive Portal to your UniFi console.

3. Set up the UniFi hotspot: landing page, domain and allowed hosts. See Set up the UniFi hotspot for Captive Portal.

Then connect a phone to the guest network and try the sign-in as a guest would.