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Cisco Meraki Integration

Connect CaptiFi to your Cisco Meraki wireless network using Meraki's click-through splash page. This is the simplest integration of all — no API keys, no controller credentials, no RADIUS.

Quick setup

Most venues complete this in under 15 minutes. You only need your Meraki Dashboard login and your CaptiFi site ID.

Prerequisites

  • Cisco Meraki MR access point(s) online in your Meraki Dashboard
  • Dashboard admin access for your organisation/network
  • CaptiFi account at app.captifi.io with your site ID (shown in your dashboard's Meraki Setup Guide, or ask support)

How It Works

  1. A guest connects to your guest SSID
  2. Meraki redirects them to your CaptiFi splash page (passing a one-time grant URL)
  3. The guest completes the splash form
  4. CaptiFi sends the guest's browser back to Meraki's grant URL — Meraki authorises the session automatically

No server-to-server API calls are involved — it's all handled in the guest's browser.


Step 1: Set the Custom Splash URL

  1. Open the Meraki DashboardWirelessConfigureSplash page
  2. Select your guest SSID from the dropdown at the top
  3. Under Custom splash URL, select "Or provide a URL where users will be redirected"
  4. Enter:
https://app.captifi.io/guest/meraki?site_id=YOUR_SITE_ID

Replace YOUR_SITE_ID with your CaptiFi site ID (a copy-paste ready version is shown in your CaptiFi dashboard).

  1. Click Save

Step 2: Configure Access Control

  1. Go to WirelessConfigureAccess control
  2. Select your guest SSID
  3. Configure:
SettingValue
SecurityOpen (no encryption)
Splash pageClick-through
Captive portal strengthBlock all access until sign-on is complete
  1. Click Save

Step 3: Add Walled Garden Domains

The walled garden allows guests to reach CaptiFi's servers before they authenticate. Without it, the splash page cannot load.

  1. Still in Access control, scroll to Advanced splash settings
  2. Set Walled garden to Walled garden is enabled
  3. Add these entries to Walled garden ranges:
app.captifi.io
site.app.captifi.io
*.captifi.io
fonts.googleapis.com
fonts.gstatic.com
  1. Click Save

Step 4: Test

  1. Wait 1–2 minutes for the configuration to push to your access points
  2. Connect a phone to your guest SSID
  3. The CaptiFi splash page should appear automatically
  4. Complete the form — you should be granted access and redirected
  5. Check your CaptiFi dashboard — the guest appears in your guest log

Troubleshooting

IssueSolution
Splash page not appearingVerify Splash page is set to Click-through and the custom splash URL is saved on the correct SSID
Blank or broken splash pageCheck all five walled garden entries are present — fonts.googleapis.com and fonts.gstatic.com are needed for page assets
"Configuration Error" messageThe site_id in your splash URL is missing or wrong — copy it again from your CaptiFi dashboard
Guest completes form but no internetEnsure Captive portal strength is "Block all access until sign-on is complete" and the SSID firewall isn't blocking post-auth traffic
Works on some APs onlyConfirm all MR access points are online and broadcasting the guest SSID; configs can take a couple of minutes to push
HTTPS sites not triggering redirectGuests may need to visit an HTTP site first (e.g. http://example.com) to trigger the portal

Session Length

With click-through splash, the session duration is controlled by Meraki's splash frequency setting (Access control → Splash page → Splash frequency). Set it to how often you'd like returning guests to see the splash page (e.g. every day, every week).


Next Steps


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