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Aruba Instant On

Configure Aruba Instant On cloud-managed access points with IronWifi for small business WiFi. This guide covers the cloud portal configuration for external captive portal, RADIUS authentication, allowed destinations (walled garden), and WPA2-Enterprise setup - all managed through the intuitive web portal or mobile app interface.

Prerequisites​

In Aruba Instant On:

In IronWifi Console (complete these first):

  1. Create a Network and note the RADIUS details:
    • Primary server IP address
    • Authentication port (1812)
    • Shared secret
  2. Create a Captive Portal with vendor set to Aruba Instant On and note the Splash Page URL

Instant On Configuration​

Access the Portal​

  1. Go to portal.arubainstanton.com
  2. Log in with your account
  3. Select your site

Step 1: Create Guest Network​

  1. Navigate to Networks
  2. Click + Add Network
  3. Configure:
FieldValue
Network TypeGuest
NameGuest-WiFi
SecurityOpen

Step 2: Configure Captive Portal​

  1. In the network settings, find Captive Portal
  2. Enable Captive Portal
  3. Select External portal type
  4. Configure:
FieldValue
Server URL107.178.250.42
Port443
Use HTTPSEnabled
Custom splash page URL{Splash URL from IronWifi}

Step 3: Configure Allowed Destinations (Walled Garden)​

Add entries to allow access before authentication.

Required Entry​

Always add the IronWifi server:

107.178.250.42

Additional Entries by Authentication Provider​

Only add entries for authentication methods you've enabled in IronWifi:

ProviderRequired Allowed Destinations
Google*.google.com, *.googleapis.com, *.gstatic.com, accounts.google.com
Facebook*.facebook.com, *.fbcdn.net, connect.facebook.net, facebook.com
LinkedIn*.linkedin.com, *.licdn.com, linkedin.com
Twitter/X*.twitter.com, *.twimg.com, twitter.com, *.x.com, x.com
Apple*.apple.com, *.icloud.com, appleid.apple.com
Microsoft/Azure AD*.microsoft.com, *.microsoftonline.com, *.msftauth.net, login.microsoftonline.com
Stripe*.stripe.com, js.stripe.com
PayPal*.paypal.com, *.paypalobjects.com
Twilio (SMS)*.twilio.com

Step 4: Configure RADIUS (Optional)​

If using RADIUS authentication for session tracking:

  1. Navigate to Network Security
  2. Add RADIUS server:
FieldValue
IP Address{Primary IP from IronWifi}
Port1812
Shared Secret{Shared secret from IronWifi}

Alternative: WPA-Enterprise (No Captive Portal)​

For 802.1X authentication where users enter credentials in their device WiFi settings:

  1. Create new network
  2. Set Security to WPA2 Enterprise
  3. Configure RADIUS servers with IronWifi details
  4. Save and deploy to access points

Testing and Verification​

After completing the configuration, verify everything works correctly.

Test Captive Portal Flow​

  1. Connect a device to the Guest-WiFi network
  2. Open a browser and navigate to http://example.com
  3. Verify redirect to IronWifi splash page
  4. Complete authentication
  5. Confirm internet access is granted

Verify in Instant On Portal​

  1. Navigate to Clients in the Instant On portal
  2. Find your test device
  3. Verify it shows as connected and authorized

Troubleshooting​

If testing reveals issues, use this section to diagnose common problems.

No Splash Page​

SymptomCauseSolution
No redirectCaptive portal disabledEnable captive portal in network settings
Wrong pageIncorrect external portal URLVerify URL matches IronWifi Console
Blank pageMissing allowed destinationAdd 107.178.250.42 to allowed destinations

Authentication Failed​

SymptomCauseSolution
Login errorRADIUS misconfiguredVerify server IP, port, and secret
TimeoutServer unreachableCheck firewall allows UDP 1812
RejectWrong credentialsTest credentials in IronWifi Console

Connectivity Issues​

SymptomCauseSolution
AP offlineNo internetEnsure AP has internet connectivity
Config not applyingSync issueWait for config to push, or restart AP
DNS failuresDNS not allowedEnsure DNS is permitted before auth