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WiFiDog

Free#17 of 19 in Guest Wi-Fi Providers

WiFiDog: An open-source Linux gateway daemon for teams building a self-hosted hotspot. Ranked #17 of 19 in Guest Wi-Fi Providers by our editors (7.0/10); pricing: Open source; best for technical teams building a self-hosted hotspot.

7.0/10Editor score

Visit WiFiDog

WiFiDog7.0 Visit WiFiDog

At a glance

Editor score
7.0 / 10
Pricing
Open source
Best for
Technical teams building a self-hosted hotspot
Paid from
Free
Captive portal
Yes
Facts checked
24 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Runs as a client daemon on embedded hotspot hardware
- Redirects users to an authentication server and applies its response
- Configurable gateway ID can support server identification and monitoring
Where it doesn't
- This repository contains the gateway component, not the authentication server
- Requires a separate authentication server component
- Its described role is gateway access handling, not hosted guest Wi-Fi management

Our verdict on WiFiDog

WiFiDog is an open-source captive-portal gateway project for wireless community groups and individuals operating public hotspots. The gateway component is a client daemon designed to run on embedded hotspot hardware, including Linux-based self-hosted deployments. It redirects users to an authentication server and lifts access restrictions according to the server’s response. That makes it relevant to technical teams assembling their own hotspot system, rather than operators seeking a turnkey hosted guest Wi-Fi service.

The gateway communicates with the authentication server using WiFiDog Protocol Version 1. A configurable gateway ID identifies the gateway to the server and can be used for monitoring and statistics purposes. This keeps the described feature set focused on the gateway-server exchange: WiFiDog’s gateway handles redirection and applies an authentication decision, while the project describes the authentication server as a separate component. Teams should account for both pieces when planning a deployment.

WiFiDog is a fit for technical teams that want an open-source, self-hosted gateway daemon and can work with a separate authentication server. Its stated role is narrow: the repository is the gateway component, not a hosted management service. Organizations looking for a managed guest Wi-Fi offering should consider a different kind of product; WiFiDog suits builders who want to operate the hotspot infrastructure themselves.

Your product? Our editors can test WiFiDog in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

WiFiDog pricing

Plans Open sourceFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on github.com

WiFiDog fact sheet

Free plan	Not verified
Paid from	Free
Captive portal	Yes
Guest authentication	Not verified
Access vouchers	Not verified
Bandwidth controls	Not verified
Cloud management	Not verified
Guest analytics	Not verified
Deployment	Self-hosted
Platforms	Linux
Built for	Solo, Small business (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Open source
Website	github.com
Facts checked	24 Sep 2026

Alternatives to WiFiDog

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Featured on iTechGuides

WiFiDog is listed in our Guest Wi-Fi Providers directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update