Guides · Updated 20 October 2026
How to set up a MikroTik hotspot with M-Pesa payments
A paid hotspot is simple from the customer's side: they connect to your WiFi, a page opens with your packages, they enter their phone number, approve the M-Pesa prompt, and they are online. Getting there on a MikroTik by hand means writing a captive portal, a walled garden, hotspot profiles and a payment callback. This guide shows the short way.
What you need
- A MikroTik router running RouterOS 6.45 or newer. A hAP lite is enough for a small shop; a hEX S or hAP ac² for more users.
- An internet line. Fibre, 4G, 5G or Starlink all work, with or without a public IP.
- An M-Pesa till or paybill. You do not need your own Daraja app.
- Access points if you want to cover a bigger area. They must run in access-point mode, not router mode.
Step by step
- Sign up for VunaFlow and add your router with its login details. VunaFlow detects the model and opens a secure tunnel to it.
- VunaFlow installs the hotspot for you: the captive portal in your colours and logo, the walled garden so unpaid phones can still reach the payment page, and the hotspot profiles.
- Create your packages: for example 1 hour, 1 day and 1 week, each with a price and a speed.
- Add your till or paybill in Settings. Payments go straight to you.
- Connect a phone to the WiFi and buy the cheapest package to test the whole flow.
Common problems and fixes
- The page does not open on a phone: the access point is probably in router mode. Switch it to access-point (bridge) mode so phones get their address from the MikroTik.
- Customers get free internet: the access point is plugged into a port that is not part of the hotspot. Move it to a hotspot port.
- The payment prompt does not arrive: check the phone number, and that the customer's phone has network. A prompt expires if it is not answered quickly.
- Customers are asked to log in again when they come back: many phones use a private (random) WiFi address. The router remembers paid devices, but only while the address stays the same, so the customer may need to turn off Private Wi-Fi Address for your network.
Cash customers
Not everyone pays by phone. You can print voucher codes and sell them at a counter or through agents. Each code gives the time and speed of its package, and you see which codes have been used.
Cost
VunaFlow is KSh 500 per router per month, with a 3-day free trial. It takes 0% of your hotspot sales. If you would rather not touch the router, setup by our team is a one-time KSh 1,000.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Safaricom Daraja account for a hotspot?
No. You need an M-Pesa till or paybill. VunaFlow handles the payment prompt and confirmation, and the money goes straight to your account.
Will it work on Starlink or without a public IP?
Yes. VunaFlow reaches the router through its own secure tunnel, so it works behind CGNAT, Starlink and 4G.
Which MikroTik routers work?
Any MikroTik running RouterOS 6.45 or newer, including hAP lite, hAP ac², hAP ax², hEX, RB750, RB951 and CCR models.
Try VunaFlow free. Connect your router, set your packages and take your first payment today.