RadiusNest › Guides

MikroTik hotspot setup, step by step

Last updated: 2 October 2026

A MikroTik hotspot makes every new device open a login page before it gets internet. This guide sets one up from an empty interface to a first working login, with the wizard and with plain commands, for RouterOS v6 and v7.

Before you start

  • The router already has working internet on its WAN port.
  • You have one interface or bridge for the hotspot network (for example bridge-hotspot). Do not run the hotspot on the port you are managing the router from, or you will be asked to log in yourself.
  • The router clock is right (System → Clock).

Before you change a live router: take a backup (how) and turn on Safe Mode in Winbox, so a mistake that locks you out is undone by itself.

The quick way: the setup wizard

/ip hotspot setup

The wizard asks, in order: the hotspot interface, the local address of the network (for example 10.5.50.1/24), whether to masquerade the network (yes), the address pool, a certificate (none), an SMTP server (0.0.0.0), DNS servers, a DNS name for the login page (for example login.wifi) and a first user.

The same thing by hand

/ip address add address=10.5.50.1/24 interface=bridge-hotspot
/ip pool add name=hs-pool ranges=10.5.50.2-10.5.50.254
/ip dhcp-server add name=hs-dhcp interface=bridge-hotspot address-pool=hs-pool disabled=no
/ip dhcp-server network add address=10.5.50.0/24 gateway=10.5.50.1 dns-server=10.5.50.1
/ip dns set allow-remote-requests=yes
/ip firewall nat add chain=srcnat src-address=10.5.50.0/24 action=masquerade
/ip hotspot profile add name=hsprof1 hotspot-address=10.5.50.1 dns-name=login.wifi
/ip hotspot add name=hotspot1 interface=bridge-hotspot address-pool=hs-pool profile=hsprof1 disabled=no
/ip hotspot user add name=test password=1234

Test it

  1. Connect a phone to the hotspot network.
  2. The login page should open by itself. If not, open any http:// address.
  3. Log in as test / 1234.
  4. In Winbox, IP → Hotspot → Active shows the session.

If the page does not open, see hotspot login page not opening.

What to do next

Where RadiusNest fits

The hotspot above keeps its users on the router. To sell packages that expire, print vouchers and see your takings, switch the hotspot to RADIUS: with RadiusNest that is one pasted command, and your users and limits then live in a dashboard instead of on the router.

Start the free trial See pricing

Questions and answers

Which interface should the hotspot run on?

A bridge or a single interface that only your customers use. If the interface is a port inside a bridge, run the hotspot on the bridge, not on the port.

Does the hotspot need its own DHCP server?

Yes, clients need an address before they can see the login page. The wizard creates the pool and DHCP server for you.

Can I have hotspot and normal LAN on the same router?

Yes. Keep them on different interfaces or bridges with different address ranges. Only the hotspot interface asks for a login.

Related guides

Start the free trial See pricing