Troubleshooting Splash Page Appearance Frequency

Splash page authentication process

When you configure Sign-on splash page as the network sign-on method, a user authenticates by opening their web browser and submitting credentials to the splash page. Signing on opens full network access, provided no additional Layer 3 or Layer 7 firewall rules exist. The Cisco Meraki Cloud Controller authenticates users through the gateway MR access point.

If you configure a Click-through splash page, a user gains full network access after agreeing to the terms presented on the splash page.

After passing the splash page, the following three actions occur:

• The gateway access point receives an access control list (ACL) entry for the client device.
• The Cloud Controller receives an ACL entry for the client device.
• A session cookie is placed in the user's web browser cache.

The splash page appears more frequently than expected

Description: The splash page appears to users more often than the frequency configured in the dashboard.

Possible cause: The user's web browser is not configured to accept cookies, or the user has cleared their web browser cache.

Troubleshooting steps:

1. Confirm the user's web browser is configured to accept cookies. Users who clear their web cache, or who have browsers set to not accept cookies, will only see the splash page at the configured interval as long as the gateway access point has not been rebooted.
2. If the gateway access point has been rebooted, users must authenticate again or present the cookie to the splash server.
3. Review the Captive portal strength setting:
   • Allow non-HTTP traffic prior to sign-on: The user will not notice any loss of network access except HTTP (TCP port 80). When the user attempts to browse to a new HTTP web page, the system redirects them to the splash page. If the browser cookie is present in the web browser cache, the system authenticates the user in the background and the splash page does not appear.
   • Block all network access: The user loses network connectivity until they authenticate again by opening a web browser.

Expected outcome: Once the user enables cookies and the browser cache is intact, the user sees the splash page only at the configured interval, provided the gateway access point remains online and has not been rebooted

Splash page appears less frequently than expected

Description: The splash page appears to users less often than the frequency configured in the dashboard.

Possible cause: The splash frequency was increased in the dashboard after a client was already authorized. For example, if a network is configured to present a splash page weekly and the system authorizes a client under that setting, the client will not need to pass through the splash page for another week, even if you later change the setting to daily.

Troubleshooting steps:

To force the client to pass through the splash page earlier than their current authorized period, revoke the client's authentication:

1. Go to Network-wide > Monitor > Clients and select the specific client.
2. Select Edit details at the top of the client details page.
3. Select Revoke authorization under Splash Authorization and save the changes.

Expected outcome: After revoking the client's authorization, the client must pass through the splash page on their next connection attempt, in alignment with the updated dashboard configuration.

Web browser times out instead of loading the splash page

Description: An unauthorized user opens a web browser to reach the splash page for authentication, but the web browser times out or fails to load the page. This commonly occurs when the user attempts to access a website via HTTPS.

Possible cause: When the access point or MX WAN appliance detects an HTTP GET request from a non-authenticated user, it redirects that request to the configured splash page. If the user's initial request uses HTTPS, the request is encrypted and cannot be redirected, causing it to time out.

Troubleshooting steps:

• Clear browser cache.
• Access any website using HTTP (not HTTPS).
• If the issue persists, confirm that the client has a valid IP configuration.
• If the issue continues, troubleshoot for other possible network issues

Expected outcome: After clearing the browser cache and navigating to an HTTP website, the system successfully redirects you to the splash page to authenticate.

Blank page loads instead of splash page

Description: Instead of the splash page loading, the user's web browser displays a blank page. This is most common on mobile devices but can occur on any modern browser.

Possible cause: Cookies are not enabled on the user's web browser. Because splash pages rely on cookies to function, a blank page appears when cookies are disabled.

Troubleshooting steps:

Enable cookies in the user's web browser. Refer to the following browser-specific documentation for instructions:

• Internet Explorer 9
• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome
• Safari for iOS

Expected outcome

After the user enables cookies in their web browser, the splash page loads correctly when the user attempts to access the network.

Splash page loads but post-splash URL doesn't on Android

Description: On Android devices running OS version 5.0 or later, the URL configured in the dashboard under Where should users go after the splash page fails to load. This is expected behavior for Android OS 5.0 and later.