EAP series, Omada controllerManaged APDirect
Hotspot-Box with TP-Link Omada
The TP-Link Omada EAP series works with Hotspot-Box out of the box. In the Omada controller (software, hardware or cloud) you attach the guest SSID to the box's LAN side or to the guest VLAN; the login screen, SMS verification and Law 5651 records stay on the box. Menu names vary with controller and EAP firmware versions, so we describe each setting by its function.
The one setting that changes on the AP
Tag the guest SSID onto the VLAN that reaches the box's LAN and keep Omada's own portal off for that SSID.
Step by step
- 1
Create the guest SSID under your Omada site; if you use VLANs, give the SSID the VLAN ID that exits to the box's LAN.
- 2
Set the switch port the EAP hangs off to carry that VLAN tagged; the box's LAN port receives the same VLAN.
- 3
Leave Omada's portal/hotspot feature off for this SSID; the controller only manages the Wi-Fi.
- 4
Turn on client isolation (guest network / client isolation).
- 5
If the Omada controller or an Omada router serves DHCP on the guest VLAN, switch it off; the box hands out the addresses.
- 6
Test: join the guest SSID, the box's login screen should open, and the SMS code should get you online.
Common traps
If Omada's own portal stays on you get two login screens, and Omada does not keep the record structure Law 5651 expects.
If an Omada router (ER series) is present, the guest VLAN must exit through the box, not the router; otherwise traffic skips the box.
The controller may label isolation as 'guest network'; it is the same function, you do not need to hunt for a second setting.
Band steering and EAP mesh are independent of the box; on remote meshed EAPs the guest SSID must stay on the same VLAN.
On EAPs powered by a passive PoE injector, the injector voltage must match the model; a wrong injector puts the AP in a reboot loop.
Frequently asked
Does it also work with the Omada cloud controller?
Yes. Where the controller lives (software, OC200/OC300 or cloud) makes no difference to the box; what matters is that the guest SSID exits to the box's LAN.
Can I use Omada's RADIUS support?
You can. If the box's RADIUS server is registered in Omada, the EAP reports sessions to the box as a NAS. For most businesses bridge mode is enough.
Do I need a separate EAP for the guest SSID?
No. The same EAP broadcasts the staff SSID and the guest SSID on different VLANs; only the guest VLAN goes to the box.
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.