PPPoE Customer Management

PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) Customer Management in NettPortal allows you to create and manage PPPoE customer accounts that connect to your MikroTik routers via wired Ethernet connections. Unlike Hotspot (WiFi) customers, PPPoE customers use username/password authentication directly on the router and get dedicated connections. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about managing PPPoE customers. Even if you're not technical, we'll explain everything in simple terms.

🎯 What is a PPPoE Customer?

A PPPoE customer is a user account that connects to your network using PPPoE protocol, typically over wired Ethernet connections. PPPoE customers authenticate directly on the MikroTik router using a username and password, get assigned an IP address, and have dedicated connection settings including bandwidth limits, data limits, time limits, and assigned PPPoE profiles. PPPoE is commonly used for fixed-line broadband connections, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) services, and wired internet access where each customer has their own dedicated connection rather than sharing a WiFi network.

Getting Started: Your First PPPoE Customer

New to PPPoE? Follow these simple steps to get your first customer connected:

🚀 Quick Start Checklist

Set Up Your Router: Make sure your MikroTik router has PPPoE server enabled and is added to NettPortal
Create a PPPoE Profile: Set up at least one PPPoE profile on your router (defines connection settings)
Add Your First Customer: Use "Add PPPoE Customer" or "Import Customers" to create customer accounts
Set Passwords: Make sure each customer has a password set (required for connection)
Assign Packages (if using RADIUS): If your router uses RADIUS authentication, assign a package to each customer
Create Router User (if using Local Auth): If your router uses local authentication, create router users for each customer
Test Connection: Have customer configure their router with the username and password to connect

📋 Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Starting Fresh (New Customers)

Create PPPoE profiles on your router
Add customers manually or import from Excel
Set passwords for all customers
Assign packages (if using RADIUS)
Create router users (if using local auth)
Customers connect using their credentials

Workflow 2: Importing Existing Customers

Import customers from your router
Choose a default package during import (if using RADIUS)
Review imported customers and add missing information (names, emails)
Set passwords for customers who don't have them
Verify package assignments (if using RADIUS)
Customers continue using existing credentials

Workflow 3: Bulk Customer Creation

Prepare Excel file with customer information
Import from Excel
Review and confirm imported customers
Assign packages in bulk (if using RADIUS)
Set passwords for customers who need them
Create router users in bulk (if using local auth)

PPPoE vs Hotspot: When to Use Each

Understanding when to use PPPoE versus Hotspot customers:

🔌 Use PPPoE When:

Fixed-line connections: Customers have dedicated wired connections (fiber, DSL, cable)
Dedicated IP addresses: Each customer needs their own IP address
Point-to-point connections: Direct connections between customer equipment and router
Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH): Fiber optic connections to residential or business premises
Wired infrastructure: Ethernet-based network infrastructure
Bandwidth guarantees: Need guaranteed bandwidth per customer connection

📶 Use Hotspot When:

WiFi networks: Customers connect wirelessly via WiFi
Shared access: Multiple customers share the same WiFi network
Public access: Coffee shops, hotels, airports, public spaces
Captive portals: Need a login page before accessing the internet
Voucher-based access: Temporary access with voucher codes

Creating PPPoE Customers

There are three ways to add PPPoE customers to your system:

📥 Quick Ways to Add Customers

Import from Router: Bring existing PPPoE users from your MikroTik router into NettPortal automatically
Import from Excel: Upload a spreadsheet with multiple customers at once
Add Manually: Create customers one by one with full control over all settings

📥 Option 1: Import from Router

If you already have PPPoE users configured on your MikroTik router, you can import them into NettPortal with just a few clicks. This saves you from manually creating each customer account.

Go to PPPoE Customers page and click Import Customers
Select Import from Router tab
Choose the router you want to import users from
Select which service types to import (PPPoE, Hotspot, or Both)
Optional: Choose a default package to assign to all imported customers (recommended for RADIUS authentication)
Click Import Users and wait for the process to complete

✨ What Gets Imported

All PPPoE users from the router with their usernames
Bandwidth limits (download and upload speeds)
Data limits and time limits
Connection status and settings
Passwords (if available from router - some routers don't expose passwords)

⚠️ Important After Import

Set Passwords: If passwords weren't imported (router doesn't expose them), you'll need to set passwords for customers to connect
Assign Packages: If using RADIUS authentication, customers need an active package assignment to connect
Update Customer Info: Add names, emails, and contact details for better management

📊 Option 2: Import from Excel

Perfect for bulk customer creation. Prepare an Excel file with customer information and upload it to create multiple customers at once.

Go to PPPoE Customers page and click Import Customers
Select Import from Excel tab
Download the Excel template to see the required format
Fill in customer information (name, email, username, password, etc.)
Upload your completed Excel file
Review the preview and click Import to create all customers

💡 Tip: The Excel template includes all required fields and examples. Make sure to follow the format exactly for best results.

➕ Option 3: Add Manually

Create customers one by one with full control over all settings. Navigate to the PPPoE Customers page and click Add PPPoE Customer. Here's what you need to configure:

👤 Customer Information

First Name *: Customer's first name (e.g., "John"). Required—must be at least 2 characters.
Last Name *: Customer's last name (e.g., "Doe"). Required—must be at least 2 characters.
Email *: Customer's email address (e.g., "john.doe@example.com"). Required—must be a valid email format and unique within your organization.
Phone Number (Optional): Customer's phone number (e.g., "540000000"). Optional—customers can also use their phone number to log into the customer portal.
Address (Optional): Customer's physical address for service delivery and billing purposes.

🔌 Router Configuration

Router *: Select the MikroTik router where the PPPoE user will be created. Required—this router must have PPPoE server enabled.
PPPoE Profile *: Select a PPPoE profile from the selected router. Required—the profile defines connection settings like local/remote IP addresses, rate limits, timeouts, and advanced options. You can create a new profile directly from the customer creation page if needed.

💡 Tip: If you don't see the profile you need, click "Create Profile" to create a new one without leaving the customer creation page.

🔑 PPPoE Credentials

Username *: PPPoE username for router authentication (e.g., "john.doe" or "john-doe"). Required—only letters, numbers, underscores (_), and hyphens (-) are allowed. This is what the customer will use to connect.
Password *: PPPoE password for router authentication. Required—must be at least 6 characters long. Customers will use this password along with their username to connect to your network.
Confirm Password *: Re-enter the password to confirm it matches. This prevents typos and ensures the password is set correctly.
Generate: Click this button to automatically generate a strong, random password for the customer.

💡 Tip: Use strong, unique passwords for each customer. The system can generate secure passwords automatically using the "Generate" button.

🚀 Bandwidth Limits (Mbps)

Speed limits for download and upload: Control how fast customers can download and upload data. Both fields are optional—leave empty for unlimited speed. These limits override the profile's rate limits for this specific customer.

Download Speed (Mbps) *: Maximum download speed in Mbps (e.g., 10 = 10 Mbps download). Leave empty for unlimited download speed.
Upload Speed (Mbps) *: Maximum upload speed in Mbps (e.g., 5 = 5 Mbps upload). Leave empty for unlimited upload speed.
Example: Download: 100, Upload: 50 = Customer gets 100 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload
Example: Download: 50, Upload: 25 = Customer gets 50 Mbps download and 25 Mbps upload

📊 Data & Time Limits

Control how much data and how long customers can use: Set data limits (in GB) and time limits (in days) for the customer's connection. Both are optional—leave empty for unlimited data or time. These limits override the profile's limits for this specific customer.

Enable Data Limit (GB): Check this to enable data limits. Enter the maximum data usage in GB (e.g., 100 = 100 GB total). Once the limit is reached, the customer is automatically disconnected.
Enable Time Limit (Days): Check this to enable time limits. Enter the maximum connection time in days (e.g., 30 = 30 days). Once the limit expires, the customer is automatically disconnected.
Example: Data Limit: 100 GB, Time Limit: 30 days = Customer can use 100 GB over 30 days
Example: Data Limit: Unlimited, Time Limit: 7 days = Customer can use unlimited data for 7 days

🌐 Advanced Settings (Optional)

Assign Static IP Address: Enter a static IP address that will be assigned to this customer (e.g., "192.168.90.100"). Optional—leave empty to use dynamic IP assignment from the PPPoE profile. Static IPs are useful for customers who need a fixed IP address for port forwarding, VPN access, or server hosting.
Add Custom Routes: Enter custom routes in RouterOS format (e.g., "192.168.1.0/24"). Optional—leave empty for default routing. Custom routes allow customers to access specific networks or routes beyond the default gateway.
Comments / Notes (Optional): Additional notes about this customer for your records (e.g., "Premium customer", "Fiber connection", "Residential service").

⚡ What Happens Automatically

When you create a PPPoE customer, NettPortal automatically creates a customer account in the system, creates a PPPoE secret on the selected MikroTik router with the username and password, applies all configured settings (bandwidth limits, data limits, time limits, static IP, custom routes, and PPPoE profile), and links the customer to the router user for management. The customer can immediately use their credentials to connect to your network via PPPoE.

Managing PPPoE Customers

The PPPoE Customers page provides comprehensive tools for managing your PPPoE customers:

📋 Customer List

View all your PPPoE customers in a table showing:

Customer Name: First and last name
Email: Customer's email address
Username: PPPoE username for connection
Router: Which router the customer is connected to
Connection Status: Real-time status showing "Connected" or "Disconnected" with current IP address and uptime
Profile: Assigned PPPoE profile
Bandwidth: Download/upload speed limits
Status: Active or Inactive customer account

🔍 Search and Filter

Search: Search customers by name, email, phone, or username
Router Filter: Filter customers by specific router
Status Filter: Show only active or inactive customers

✏️ Edit Customer

Click the edit button on any customer to update:

Personal information (name, email, phone, address)
PPPoE credentials (username, password)
Router and profile assignment
Bandwidth limits, data limits, and time limits
Static IP and custom routes
Account status (active/inactive)

💡 Tip: Changes to bandwidth, data limits, time limits, or profile are immediately applied to the router user.

👁️ View Customer Details

Click on a customer's name to view detailed information:

Overview Tab: Personal information, PPPoE credentials, connection status, current IP address, uptime, and assigned settings. You can also set or change passwords directly from here.
Usage Tab: Data usage statistics, connection history, and usage charts
Sessions Tab: View active PPPoE sessions, disconnect sessions, and session history
Actions Tab: Enable/disable customer, create router user, update router user, disconnect sessions, and other management actions

🔑 Password Management

Managing customer passwords is easy and can be done from multiple places:

From Customer Overview: Click on a customer's name, then in the Overview tab, you'll see a "Set password" or "Change password" button next to the PPPoE Password field. Click it to update the password.
From Edit Customer: When editing a customer, you can change their password in the PPPoE Credentials section.
After Import: If you imported customers from a router and passwords weren't available, you'll need to set passwords for them to connect. The system will remind you about this after import.

💡 Why Passwords Matter

For Local Authentication, customers need their password to connect. For RADIUS Authentication, the password is stored in NettPortal and used by RADIUS for authentication. Always set strong, unique passwords for security.

🔌 Router User Creation

When you create a customer in NettPortal, you may need to create a corresponding user account on your router. This depends on your authentication method:

Local Authentication: If your router uses local authentication (username/password stored on router), you need to create a router user. Go to the customer's Actions tab and click "Create router user" if it's not already created.
RADIUS Authentication: If your router uses RADIUS, you don't need to create router users manually. RADIUS handles authentication automatically. However, the customer must have an active package assignment to connect.
Automatic Creation: When you manually create a customer and assign them to a router, the router user is created automatically if the router uses local authentication.

✅ How to Check

In the customer's Actions tab, you'll see either "Router user is set up..." (if already created) or a "Create router user" button (if needed). The system automatically detects whether your router uses RADIUS or local authentication.

📦 Bulk Operations

Select multiple customers to perform bulk actions:

Enable: Activate multiple customer accounts at once
Disable: Deactivate multiple customer accounts at once
Delete: Remove multiple customers from the system (removes router users too)
Disconnect: Disconnect all active sessions for selected customers

Authentication Methods: RADIUS vs Local

Understanding how your router authenticates PPPoE customers is important for proper setup. NettPortal supports both methods:

🌐 RADIUS Authentication

How it works: Your router sends authentication requests to NettPortal's RADIUS server, which checks customer credentials and settings.

Centralized Management: All customer data is stored in NettPortal, not on individual routers
Package Required: Customers MUST have an active package assignment to connect
No Router Users: You don't need to create users directly on the router
Multi-Router Support: Same customer can connect to different routers using the same credentials
Real-time Updates: Changes to limits or settings take effect immediately

⚠️ Important for RADIUS

Always assign a package to customers after creating or importing them
Make sure packages are active and have the correct service type (PPPoE)
Set passwords in NettPortal - these are used by RADIUS for authentication

🔐 Local Authentication

How it works: Customer credentials are stored directly on the router. The router checks usernames and passwords locally.

Router-Based: Each router has its own user database
Router User Required: You must create a user account on the router for each customer
Package Optional: Packages are for billing/management, not required for connection
Router-Specific: Customers are tied to specific routers
Direct Control: Router users are created and managed directly on the router

✅ For Local Authentication

Create router users using the "Create router user" button in customer Actions tab
Set passwords before creating router users
Router users are created automatically when you manually add customers

🤔 Which Method Am I Using?

Check your router's PPPoE server configuration. If it's configured to use RADIUS, you'll see RADIUS server settings. If not, it's using local authentication. NettPortal automatically detects this and shows the appropriate options.

Package Assignment

Packages define service plans (speed, data limits, time limits) that customers can be assigned to. Understanding when and how to assign packages is crucial:

📦 When Packages Are Required

RADIUS Authentication: Packages are REQUIRED. Customers cannot connect without an active package assignment.
Local Authentication: Packages are optional but recommended for billing and service management.
After Import: When importing customers from a router, you can assign a default package to all imported customers.

➕ How to Assign Packages

During Import: When importing from router, select a default package from the dropdown. All imported customers will be assigned this package.
From Customer Profile: Go to customer details → Overview tab → Find the Packages section → Click "Assign Package" → Select a package → Save.
From Edit Customer: When editing a customer, you can assign or change their package in the Package Assignment section.

⚠️ Remember

For RADIUS authentication, customers need an active package to connect. Always assign packages after importing or creating customers if you're using RADIUS.

PPPoE Customer Connection

How customers connect using PPPoE:

🔌 Connection Process

Customer Equipment: Customer's router or device connects to your network via Ethernet cable
PPPoE Client: Customer's router is configured as a PPPoE client with the username and password
Authentication: Customer's router sends PPPoE connection request with username and password to your MikroTik router
Authorization: MikroTik router verifies credentials against the PPPoE secret and checks limits (bandwidth, data, time)
IP Assignment: Router assigns an IP address (static or dynamic from profile's IP pool)
Connection Established: Customer's router receives IP address and can access the internet

📡 Connection Status Monitoring

The system provides real-time connection status:

Connected: Customer has an active PPPoE session with current IP address and uptime displayed
Disconnected: Customer is not currently connected
Auto-refresh: Connection status updates automatically every few seconds
Session Details: View active session information including IP, uptime, data usage, and connection time

Use Case Examples

Here are some real-world examples of how PPPoE customers are used:

🏠 Residential Fiber Internet (FTTH)

Scenario: An ISP provides fiber-to-the-home internet service to residential customers. Each home has a dedicated fiber connection that terminates at the customer's router.

Setup: Create PPPoE customer for each home with unique username/password
Configuration: Assign profile with appropriate bandwidth (e.g., 100 Mbps download, 50 Mbps upload)
Limits: Set data limits per billing cycle (e.g., 500 GB/month) or unlimited
Result: Customers configure their routers with PPPoE credentials and get dedicated internet connection

🏢 Business Broadband Connections

Scenario: An ISP provides dedicated broadband connections to business customers who need reliable, high-speed internet for their offices.

Setup: Create PPPoE customer for each business location
Configuration: Assign premium profile with high bandwidth (e.g., 500 Mbps download, 250 Mbps upload)
Advanced Settings: Assign static IP addresses for businesses that need fixed IPs
Result: Businesses get dedicated connections with guaranteed bandwidth and static IPs

🏗️ Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) Service

Scenario: An ISP provides internet service to multiple apartments or units in a building, where each unit has its own dedicated connection.

Setup: Create PPPoE customer for each apartment unit
Configuration: Assign standard profile with appropriate bandwidth limits per unit
Management: Use bulk operations to enable/disable services for multiple units
Result: Each apartment gets its own PPPoE connection with individual limits and settings

Best Practices

Here are some tips for managing PPPoE customers effectively:

🔐 Username Best Practices

Use descriptive usernames that identify the customer (e.g., "john.doe", "unit-101", "business-main")
Avoid generic usernames like "user1", "test", or "admin"
Use consistent naming conventions for easier management (e.g., "customer-name-location")
Keep usernames simple and easy to communicate to customers

🔑 Password Security

Use strong passwords (at least 6 characters, mix of letters, numbers, and special characters)
Use the "Generate" button to create secure, random passwords automatically
Never reuse passwords across customers
Document passwords securely or send them to customers via secure channels

📊 Profile Management

Create profiles for different service tiers (Basic, Standard, Premium) and assign customers accordingly
Use profile-level defaults for common settings, override per-customer only when needed
Update profiles when you need to change settings for multiple customers at once

🔍 Regular Monitoring

Monitor active sessions to see which customers are connected
Check connection status regularly to identify connection issues
Review data usage to identify customers approaching their limits
Use bulk disconnect for maintenance or troubleshooting

Next Steps

Now that you understand PPPoE customer management, you may want to learn about:

PPPoE Profile Management - Learn how to create and manage PPPoE profiles that define connection settings
PPPoE Package Management - Learn how to create packages for PPPoE customers to purchase
PPPoE Session Management - Learn how to monitor and manage active PPPoE sessions
Router Management - Learn how to configure PPPoE server settings on your routers

Documentation