MikroTik hotspot login page not opening: causes and fixes

Last updated: 2 October 2026

The device connects to the Wi-Fi, but the login page never appears. This is the most common hotspot problem and it nearly always has one of six causes. Work through them in this order.

1. The first site opened was HTTPS

A hotspot can only redirect plain http:// pages. A browser that opens an https:// site shows a certificate warning or nothing at all. Phones normally detect the hotspot themselves and open a sign-in window; if that does not happen, type a plain address such as http://neverssl.com or your hotspot DNS name.

2. DNS is not answering

The redirect starts with a DNS lookup. The router must answer DNS for its clients:

/ip dns set allow-remote-requests=yes servers=1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8

and the DHCP network must hand out the router as DNS server:

/ip dhcp-server network print

3. The phone uses private DNS or a fixed DNS

Android "Private DNS" and browsers with secure DNS skip the router. Ask the customer to set Private DNS to Automatic, or open the login address directly.

4. The hotspot is on the wrong interface

If the customer port is inside a bridge, the hotspot must run on the bridge. Check:

/ip hotspot print
/interface bridge port print

5. The device is bypassed or already logged in

A device listed as bypassed never sees the page, and a device with an open session is already online.

/ip hotspot ip-binding print
/ip hotspot active print
/ip hotspot host print

6. The hotspot DNS name does not resolve

If the profile has a dns-name, it must be a name clients can resolve through the router. Avoid names ending in .local, which some phones handle specially.

/ip hotspot profile print

Still not working?

Remove the stuck device from the host list and reconnect it:

/ip hotspot host remove [find mac-address=AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF]

Where RadiusNest fits

RadiusNest does not change how the login page is shown; that part is always the router. It does remove a related class of calls: customers who can log in but have run out of data or days can see that themselves on their own account page.

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Questions and answers

Why does the login page work on a laptop but not on a phone?

Usually private DNS or a secure-DNS setting on the phone. Set Private DNS to Automatic, forget the network and connect again.

Can I make HTTPS sites redirect to the login page?

Not cleanly. The browser sees a certificate that does not match the site and warns the user. Rely on the phone's own sign-in window and a plain http address.

The page opens but login fails. Is that the same problem?

No. That is a username, password, limit or RADIUS matter. Check Log in Winbox for the reason the login was refused.

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