Prepare a Wi-Fi-enabled RobustOS router to present a captive portal to guests and manage its portal through RCMS. This guide covers the device-side Apps, RCMS connection, portal service and Wi-Fi access point. After setup, a guest can connect to the Wi-Fi network and complete the portal page before accessing the internet.

For an overview of the components and how they work together, see Get Started with Captive Portal in RCMS.

Before you begin

• A compatible RobustOS router with Wi-Fi support and an internet connection.
• Access to the router's web interface and an RCMS account with access to the device.
• The RCMS and RCMS Portal Apps compatible with the router and its firmware. For an R5020, see the R5020 App downloads.
• A Captive Portal PRO licence available for the device in RCMS.

Install the required Apps

1. Sign in to the router's web interface and open System > App Center.
2. Check Installed Apps for the RCMS and RCMS Portal Apps. If an App is missing, obtain the package for your device model and firmware from the Robustel Support Portal.
3. Under App Install, select Choose File, choose the App package and select Install. Follow any device prompt to reboot, then check that the App appears in the installed list. Repeat for the other App if needed.

Connect the router to RCMS

Enable RCMS on the router, add the device to your RCMS company account and check that it appears online. Follow Connect a RobustOS Router to RCMS Cloud for the complete procedure.

Enable RCMS Portal

1. In the router's web interface, open Services > RCMS Portal.
2. Set Enable to ON and select Submit.
3. Select Save & Apply to apply the change.

The example shows RCMS Portal enabled. Client Network and Client Netmask identify the client network; use the values appropriate for your network. Data Limit Settings provide controls for traffic and session limits. The values shown are examples; configure them to suit your deployment.

Portal content and device settings can then be managed through Portal Manager in RCMS.

To check the App in RCMS, open the device in View All Devices, select the Apps tab and check that rcms_portal is listed with the status Running.

Configure the Wi-Fi access point

1. Open Interface > WiFi and select Access Point 2.4G or Access Point 5G, according to the Wi-Fi band supported by your device.
2. Set Enable to ON and enter the network name in SSID. For example, use Acme Guest WiFi.
3. Choose the security settings appropriate for the guest network. If using WPA-Personal, choose a supported WPA version and set a strong PSK Password.
4. Select Submit, then Save & Apply.

The example shows an enabled 2.4 GHz access point with Broadcast SSID on and WPA-Personal security using WPA2/WPA3 and AES. Choose an SSID and security settings suitable for your guest network and devices.

The SSID identifies the network that guests select. The Wi-Fi password, if configured, controls access to that network; the captive portal is the page presented after the guest connects.

Apply the portal and check the result

1. In RCMS, allocate the Captive Portal PRO licence to the router.
2. Create a portal template and select the router, then update the template on the device.
3. Check the update result in RCMS. On a test phone or laptop, connect to the guest Wi-Fi network and confirm that the portal page appears. Complete the portal flow and check internet access.

If the portal does not appear

• Check that the router has internet access and appears online in RCMS.
• Check that the guest device is connected to the configured Wi-Fi SSID.
• Check the router's Captive Portal PRO licence and the portal template update result in RCMS.