Quick Start

Overview

DataRadius is an ISP billing and network management platform that connects to your routers, collects subscriber payments, and manages internet access automatically. This guide walks you through the four steps to go live: create a workspace, connect a router, set up payments, and create your first plan.

Step 1 — Create your workspace

Sign up at dataradius.net and fill in your business name, email address, and password. Verification takes under a minute — check your inbox for the confirmation link.

Your workspace comes with a 14-day free trial. Every feature is available from the start: payment integration, unlimited routers, the captive portal editor, RADIUS for PPPoE, team management, and the API. No credit card required.

After verifying your email, you land on the dashboard. The setup wizard highlights the three things you need to do next: add a router, configure payments, and create a billing plan.

Step 2 — Connect your first router

Navigate to Routers → Add Router. Give the router a name and select the services you want: Hotspot, PPPoE, or both.

DataRadius generates a setup command. Copy it and paste it into your router's terminal. The command:

Creates an encrypted VPN tunnel back to DataRadius (no public IP needed — works behind CGNAT or cellular).
Configures the hotspot server or PPPoE server on your chosen interface.
Adds walled garden entries so subscribers can reach the captive portal and pay before getting internet.
Sets QoS rules to prioritise payment traffic on congested links.

The router appears as "Online" in the dashboard within 60 seconds. For the full walkthrough, see Add Your First Router.

Step 3 — Configure payments

Go to Settings → Payments and connect a payment provider. DataRadius supports M-Pesa, Paystack, Flutterwave, and Stripe — available providers depend on your region and currency.

Enter your provider credentials in the dashboard. DataRadius validates them immediately, registers any callback URLs automatically, and starts processing payments for your billing plans. Payments go directly to your account — DataRadius does not hold subscriber funds.

For the full walkthrough, see Accept Payments.

Step 4 — Create a billing plan

For hotspot, go to Hotspot → Plans → New Plan. Set the name, duration, speed limit, optional data cap, and price. DataRadius creates the corresponding user profile on every connected router automatically. See Hotspot Portal.

For PPPoE, go to PPPoE → Plans → New Plan. Set the plan name, speed (upload/download), and monthly price. DataRadius provisions RADIUS attributes so the router enforces speed limits and session policies without manual configuration. See PPPoE Plans.

What happens next

Once a subscriber connects to your hotspot Wi-Fi, they see the captive portal, pick a plan, pay, and are online within seconds — automatically. PPPoE subscribers authenticate via RADIUS, and their sessions are managed based on plan status and payment history.

From here, you can:

Customise your captive portal — upload your logo, set colours, arrange plan cards. See Hotspot Portal.
Invite your team — add operators with role-based permissions. See Team & Roles.
Integrate via API — build custom workflows on top of the REST API. See API Overview.