Captive Portal
Also known as: Wi-Fi Login Page · Hotspot Login
A captive portal is the login page that opens automatically when a device joins a Wi-Fi network, before internet access is granted.
A captive portal intercepts a newly connected device's traffic and redirects it to a page requiring some action — accepting terms, entering a code, or logging in — before actual internet access is unlocked. It's common on public and guest Wi-Fi.
In practice, the page opens automatically on connecting, or at the latest when the device tries to load any website. It can be as simple as an 'accept terms' click, or require a code or contact details.
A common misunderstanding: a captive portal is not network separation. It only controls whether and how a device gets initial access — without a separate VLAN behind it, devices past the portal still land on the same network as internal systems.
What it means in practice
A guest Wi-Fi with a login page looks professional, but on its own it doesn't protect the till system or servers on the same network — that needs a real VLAN separation as well. NDVDL sets up captive portal and network separation together, not as substitutes for each other.
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