The Challenge: When "Click-Through" Isn't Enough
Click-through or MAC address-based access is fast and simple for one-time guests. However, it presents significant limitations for users who connect regularly or with multiple devices. The two main problems are:
- MAC Address Randomization: Modern devices (smartphones, tablets) regularly randomize their MAC address for privacy reasons. This breaks the auto-login feature and forces the user to repeat the onboarding process every time.
- Multi-Device Access: A user connecting with a laptop and a smartphone creates two separate user records. This increases administrative overhead and can lead to data confusion.
The Solution: Persistent Credentials
Persistent Credentials allow you to issue a dedicated username and password to any user, regardless of their initial sign-up method. This transforms a one-time access event into a lasting network identity.
Strategic Advantages for Your Organization
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Extended Reliability | Overcomes MAC address randomization, ensuring long-term users (e.g., contractors, frequent visitors) can reconnect seamlessly. |
| Improved User Experience (UX) | Users receive a universal set of credentials, enabling quick and easy access on all their devices. |
| Reduced Administrative Overhead | Prevents the creation of duplicate user profiles. Users are always uniquely identified, which improves the quality of your location analytics data. |
| Seamless Integration with Complex Onboarding | Ideal for workflows that require a one-time validation or approval. Once approved, the user can access the network anytime with their credentials. |
How to Enable the Feature: Key Configuration Points
To enable persistent credentials, you must configure the Login Profile that manages your splash page.
1. Enabling the Login Form
To enable persistent credentials, you'll need to configure the Login Profile that manages your splash page.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Navigate to the Login Profiles section in your Cloud4Wi dashboard.
- Select the specific login profile you want to edit.
- In the profile settings, ensure the Access Mode is set to
Click-Through. - Locate the SIGN IN FORM section and set Enable to
Yes.
This action integrates the credentials-based sign-in form directly into your click-through workflow.
2. Choosing the Display Mode
Once enabled, you can decide how the login option appears on the splash page for the end-user using the Experience Mode option:
- "In form": The username and password form is immediately visible on the splash page, in addition to the click-through access options.
- "Button": Only a "Log in with your account" button appears on the splash page. The credentials form will only show after the user clicks the button.
3. Distributing Credentials
To ensure the end-user receives their permanent credentials upon registration, you must enable the following option in the Login Profile:
- Send welcome email at sign-up: When this option is active, the user will receive an automated email containing their system-generated username and password.
Administrator FAQs
Q: Are the created credentials valid for future access?
A: Yes. Once generated and sent, the credentials are persistent and can be used by the user to access the network from any device at any time, as long as the account is active, the password has not been changed by the user, and the internet plan associated with the account has not expired.
Q: What if a user forgets their credentials?
A: If configured in the Login Profile, the user can use the password recovery function on the splash page. Alternatively, an administrator can manually reset them.