Especially if you are implementing a captive portal on a Wi-Fi network, you should give some consideration to the overall user experience before you plow ahead and set it up. We need to consider the following:

• Is the network easy to connect to, and does it provide an adequate signal?
• Does the captive portal login page contain all the relevant information? Is it user-friendly?
• Have you addressed security concerns?

The network should be as easy to connect to as possible. It might be helpful to consider this issue from the perspective of the customer. You may want to set up several access points to ensure good coverage. If you do this, be sure to make sure overlapping access points are not on the same or adjacent channels, to minimize interference. Consider setting the channels as far apart as possible, for example, one access point on channel 1, another on channel 4, and a third on channel 7.

In addition, try to avoid access points that use the 2.4 GHz band (primarily 802.11 b and g access points), as many devices, such as microwave ovens, use these frequencies, and the band is full of interference. As an alternative, try to use devices that use the 5 GHz and other bands (for example, 802.11 n and ac).

If you are implementing a captive portal as part of your business, consider that the captive portal login page is part of your branding and design it accordingly. The captive portal page should have your company's logo, and it should clearly identify the company. Take care to personalize your captive portal page. You can use the captive portal page as an opportunity to display advertisements, but they should be relevant to your customers. Asking the customer for personal information up front (for example, asking them for email addresses) and displaying lengthy terms of service should be avoided where possible.

Finally, security concerns should be addressed. This can usually be done by keeping the captive portal on a separate network, and making sure sensitive company data is on a separate network or networks that are not accessible from the captive portal. There is always the possibility of someone trying to bypass the security restrictions of a captive portal to try to access your internal networks; depending on how sensitive your company's data is, it may be something you want to be constantly on guard against. Keeping track of captive portal activity by reviewing the relevant log files can help pinpoint areas of concern.