Home/office routers (access point mode)SOHO routerExtra setup
Hotspot-Box with Keenetic
Keenetic home and small office routers work with Hotspot-Box in access point (AP) mode. The device is switched to AP mode, connected by a LAN port to the box's LAN side, and its Wi-Fi is bridged onto the box's guest network; the login screen, SMS verification and Law 5651 records stay on the box. Keenetic's own 'guest network' feature is not used. Menu names change between KeeneticOS versions, so we describe each setting by its function.
The one setting that changes on the AP
Switch the device to access point (bridge) mode and connect its main Wi-Fi to the box's LAN; do not use Keenetic's guest network feature.
Step by step
- 1
Change the Keenetic's operating mode from router to access point; the device no longer does NAT or DHCP.
- 2
Connect one of the Keenetic's LAN ports by cable to the box's LAN side (or to an access port of the guest VLAN that goes to the box).
- 3
Broadcast the main Wi-Fi SSID under the guest name; keep Keenetic's separate 'guest network' SSID off.
- 4
If the wireless settings offer an isolation option that blocks client-to-client traffic, enable it; if not, the box's guest network rules provide the separation.
- 5
DHCP is already off in AP mode; confirm the Keenetic gets its own address from the box and that no DNS filter service is configured.
- 6
Test: join the SSID, the box's screen should open, and the SMS code should get you online.
Common traps
Keenetic's guest network feature isolates but keeps no identity-bound records and usually cannot tag a VLAN; for Law 5651 use the SSID bridged onto the box.
If the device stays in router mode it does its own NAT; the box sees a single device and guests cannot be told apart.
If you use Keenetic Mesh (Wi-Fi system), all extenders must stay behind the controller Keenetic on the same bridged SSID.
If Keenetic's DNS filtering / family protection services are on, the box's login screen can break; keep them off in AP mode.
Check that the cable to the box is in a LAN port; in AP mode some models turn the WAN port into LAN, others do not.
Frequently asked
Can I keep using the Keenetic as my modem?
Yes; then the Keenetic stays a router, the box connects behind it, and guest Wi-Fi is broadcast on the box's LAN by a second AP (or a second Keenetic in AP mode). If the same device is both modem and guest AP, guest traffic never reaches the box.
Isn't Keenetic's guest network enough for Law 5651?
The guest network feature separates devices, but it does not keep time-stamped records of who connected, with which device, when. The box provides the record structure; the Keenetic only broadcasts the Wi-Fi.
Can I cover a large area with several Keenetics?
Yes; each one connects to the box's LAN in AP mode and broadcasts the same SSID. A guest device keeps its session on the box while moving between APs.
Menu names and locations change with firmware versions; this page describes each setting by its function. Screenshots are available from your installer or from us.