Troubleshooting

Guests have to log in to the WiFi every day

Two separate clocks decide what a regular sees. The controller’s session length decides when the portal comes back. The auto login period decides whether VoqadoWiFi recognises the device and lets it straight through when it does.

Why do guests have to log in to the WiFi every visit?

The controller session expired, which is normal; it is sent with every authorization and is 8 hours unless the location is set otherwise. What should not happen is the form again: within the auto login period, default 30 days, a recognised device is let back in. If regulars retype, check auto login and private MAC settings.

Causes, in the order to check them

1. Auto login is set to 0Omada and UniFi

Cause

The Auto-Login Period in the portal builder controls how long a returning device skips the form. At 0 it is disabled, so everyone fills it in again.

Check

Portal builder, Auto-Login. The presets are 0, 1, 7, 30 and 90 days.

Fix

Set it to match your regulars’ rhythm. 30 days suits most venues.

2. The phone rotates its private addressPhone

Cause

Recognition is by device MAC. A phone that changes its private address for the network looks like a new device each time.

Check

The same guest appears in the guest list with several devices, or regulars report it on one phone and not another.

Fix

Nothing to change on the network. Most phones keep one private address per network by default; guests who chose rotating addresses will see the form again.

3. The session is shorter than a visitOmada and UniFi

Cause

If the session ends during a long visit, the portal returns mid visit. Recognised devices pass straight through, but it still interrupts.

Check

Complaints come from long stays: lounges, coworking, hotel lobbies.

Fix

Ask for a longer session length on the location. Also check the controller’s own portal timeout is not shorter.

4. The controller has its own shorter timeoutOmada and UniFi

Cause

Omada portals and the UniFi hotspot have their own expiry settings. The shorter of the two wins.

Check

Omada: the portal’s authentication timeout. UniFi: the hotspot expiration.

Fix

Align it with the session length you want.

Reference

The two clocks
Setting	Where	Default	Controls
Session length	Location portal settings	480 minutes (8 hours)	When the controller asks the device to sign in again
Auto-Login Period	Portal builder	30 days	Whether a returning device skips the form

Questions

Is seeing the portal every day bad?

Not if the device is recognised. The guest sees a brief welcome back screen and is reconnected, and each day becomes its own visit in your data.

Should I make the session 30 days so it never comes back?

You can, but each return is also how a visit is counted. Most venues are better served by a session around a visit’s length and a generous auto login period.

Keep reading

Captive portal keeps coming back MAC address randomisation, explained Omada setup hub Captive portal not showing on iPhone Portal loads but the WiFi never unlocks All troubleshooting guides

Error kinds and codes on this page are the ones the VoqadoWiFi integration records, checked against the code on 7 October 2026.

See every authorization attempt

Portal Health in the free dashboard shows each guest login with its error kind and code. One location and 25 guest logins a month, no card.