Installing Captive Portal Gateway on rPi

Introducing Better Gateway, the simplest way to turn your Wi-Fi into a marketing powerhouse. This pre-configured plug-and-play device—built on a robust Raspberry Pi 5—works seamlessly with professional Wi-Fi systems like UniFi and TP-Link Omada, adding powerful features without complex setup

🚀 Installation Steps

1. Prepare Your Pi:

   • Flash Raspberry Pi OS onto your Pi 5’s microSD card.

   • Boot the device and ensure it’s connected to your network.
     
     

2. SSH to Your Pi:

   • Find the Pi’s IP address from your router or scanner.

   • Open a terminal and run:

     ssh pi@<device-ip>
sudo -i
wget -qO- https://rpi.betterstr.com/install.sh | sudo bash
     
     

3. Adopt the Device:

   • Visit: BetterSTR Gateway Manager.

   • Click “Adopt Device.”

   • Enter the Pi’s MAC address to register it with your account.
     
     

4. Verify Connectivity:

   • If no device is found, ensure your Pi is online and sending heartbeat data.

   • Test by browsing to http://<device-ip>:8080/ (e.g., http://192.168.1.201:8080/).

🌟 Key Features

• Plug-and-Play Captive Portal – Captures guest emails automatically.

• Party Prevention & Alerts – Monitors connected devices for unusual activity.

• Remote Management – Full control via BetterSTR’s dashboard.

• Smart Whitelisting – Seamless access for IoT devices.

• Lightweight & Efficient – Runs on Raspberry Pi 5 hardware with minimal power use.

• Secure & Auto-Updating – Always up-to-date with encrypted communications.

Key Features & Benefits:

• Zero Configuration: Just plug it into power and your network, scan the QR code to link it to your property, and start capturing guest emails—all within 5 minutes.

• Captive Portal Email Capture: Guests are redirected to your BetterSTR Guidebook upon connecting, entering their email automatically to join your guest database.

• Party Prevention & Device Monitoring: Track connected devices in real time and set occupancy thresholds to receive alerts when usage exceeds limits.

• Smart Whitelisting: IoT devices like smart TVs and speakers bypass the portal for seamless connectivity.

• Remote Management: Change settings, reboot devices, and monitor usage from anywhere using the BetterSTR dashboard.

• Robust Hardware: Powered by Raspberry Pi 5 with a quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 32 GB microSD storage, gigabit Ethernet, and dual-band Wi-Fi—ensuring enterprise reliability.

• Secure & Efficient: Includes enterprise-grade firewall, encrypted connections, automatic OTA updates, and consumes under ~$5/year in electricity.

• Scalable Use Cases:

  • Single Properties: Covers up to 3,000 sq ft, supports 50+ devices.

  • Large Estates: Supports mesh networking, zone-based monitoring.

  • Property Managers: Centralized control across multiple locations, bulk deployment, and white-label options BetterSTR.

Pricing & Value:

• One-time device cost: $89, which includes a 1-year hardware warranty, mounting accessories, quick-start guide, and priority support BetterSTR.

• Service fee: $2/month for cloud services, monitoring, updates, and email capture processing (first month free) BetterSTR.

Why Better Gateway Stands Out:

Better Gateway transforms your Wi-Fi from a simple utility into a dynamic business tool—capturing guest data, safeguarding your property, and enabling full remote control—all without the hassle of configuring routers or network systems.

To learn more or get started, check out the official BetterSTR Better Gateway page: https://betterstr.com/services/wifi/gateway/