Captive Portal
A captive portal is a web page that users must interact with before being granted access to a public network, typically used in Wi-Fi hotspots at places like airports, hotels, and cafes. It often requires users to accept terms of service, authenticate with credentials, or view advertisements. This mechanism allows network administrators to control access, enforce policies, and sometimes monetize the service.
Developers should learn about captive portals when building or managing public Wi-Fi networks, as they are essential for implementing access control, user authentication, and compliance with legal requirements like data logging. Use cases include creating guest networks in corporate environments, providing paid internet access in hospitality settings, and ensuring secure onboarding for IoT devices in smart city deployments.