How to Sell Hourly WiFi with a QR Code: How the Model Works

The short answer: selling hourly WiFi with a QR code means guests get some free time first; when it runs out, they pick a package on the login page, scan a VietQR code to pay, and the system adds time to that guest's own WiFi session once the payment is confirmed. The money goes through the cafe's own PayOS account, and the cafe sets the price and length of each package.

IWAS is guest WiFi management software for cafes: guests get online through a login page (captive portal), the cafe sets its own plans by time, speed and data, and guests can buy more time with VietQR through the cafe's own PayOS account. IWAS works with MikroTik (RouterOS v7 or newer), OpenWrt and UniFi routers. Learn more about IWAS.

A customer has been sitting at the cafe for almost an hour.

Their coffee is still on the table. Their laptop is open. They are in the middle of their work.

Then the free WiFi session expires.

Instead of asking the customer to leave or manually extending their access, the cafe can simply offer another option:

Buy more WiFi time by scanning a QR Code.

This is a simple model, but behind that QR Code is a complete flow involving the WiFi package, payment, and the customer's active WiFi session.

Let's look at how the model actually works.

1. Selling hourly WiFi starts with a WiFi Package

The QR Code is not the product.

The product is the WiFi Package behind it.

For example, a cafe can create a package such as:

• 1 hour of WiFi
• A defined speed limit
• A defined data limit, if needed
• A specific price

The exact price and limits depend on how the cafe wants to operate.

The important part is that the package defines what the customer gets after payment.

So instead of thinking:

"We put a QR Code on the WiFi page."

Think of it as:

Package → Payment → WiFi Access

The QR Code is simply the bridge that makes the payment step convenient.

2. What happens when free WiFi expires?

The basic customer flow can be very simple:

Customer connects to Free WiFi
        ↓
Free WiFi time expires
        ↓
Customer chooses "Buy More WiFi"
        ↓
Customer selects a WiFi Package
        ↓
A payment QR Code is displayed
        ↓
Customer scans the QR Code and pays
        ↓
The system confirms the payment
        ↓
WiFi access is granted according to the Package
        ↓
Customer continues using WiFi

From the customer's perspective, there are only a few steps.

But the system needs to keep track of each step so that the right package is granted to the right WiFi session.

3. What does the QR Code actually do?

The QR Code is mainly a convenient way to start the payment.

A typical flow has three important steps.

Step 1: Create a payment request

When the customer selects a package, the system creates a payment request for that package.

For example:

WiFi 1 hour → payment request → QR Code

The payment amount comes from the selected package rather than from a random QR Code printed somewhere in the cafe.

Step 2: Customer scans the QR Code

The customer scans the QR Code with their phone and completes the payment.

They do not need to talk to staff or wait for someone to manually extend their WiFi access.

Step 3: Confirm the payment before granting access

This is the important part.

The system should not grant paid WiFi simply because a QR Code was displayed or because the customer says they have paid.

The payment needs to be confirmed first.

Only after the payment is confirmed should the system grant the corresponding WiFi access.

The core relationship is:

Package → Payment → WiFi Session

4. Why not just put a static QR Code on the WiFi page?

A static QR Code can be useful for simple payment collection.

But it does not automatically solve the WiFi access problem.

A proper hourly WiFi flow needs to know:

• Which package the customer selected
• How much the customer needs to pay
• Which payment transaction belongs to that package
• Whether the payment has been confirmed
• Which WiFi session should receive the access
• How much time or data should be granted

For example, imagine ten customers are using the cafe WiFi at the same time.

If one customer pays for an additional hour, the system needs to know which customer should receive that extra hour.

That's why the payment and WiFi session need to be connected.

5. What does the customer experience look like?

For the customer, the experience can stay very simple.

They connect to the cafe's free WiFi and use it normally.

When the free period ends, the portal can show something like:

Your free WiFi session has ended.
Buy more WiFi to continue.

Then:

WiFi 1 hour → Select → Scan QR Code → Pay → Continue WiFi

The customer doesn't need to understand what happens behind the scenes.

They only need to see a clear option and a straightforward payment flow.

6. Where does MikroTik fit into the model?

MikroTik is responsible for the network infrastructure.

It can enforce the access rules that the WiFi system provides.

A useful way to separate the responsibilities is:

IWAS manages:

• WiFi Packages
• Payment flow
• Payment status
• WiFi sessions
• Access rights

MikroTik handles:

• Network connectivity
• Captive Portal
• Access enforcement
• Traffic control

This separation makes the system easier to manage.

The cafe owner does not need to manually change MikroTik settings every time a customer buys another hour.

7. What happens if the payment is not confirmed?

This is an important rule for any paid WiFi system:

Payment not confirmed → access should not be granted.

For example, a customer may scan the QR Code but close the payment screen before completing the payment.

Or the payment may still be processing.

The system should wait for the actual payment confirmation before changing the customer's WiFi access.

This prevents a simple payment screen from being treated as proof of payment.

For where the money actually lands and how to reconcile at the end of the day, read collecting cafe WiFi payments with VietQR.

8. Does every cafe need to sell WiFi?

No.

Hourly WiFi is simply one operating model.

A cafe may choose to provide:

Free WiFi only

or:

Free WiFi → Buy more time when the free period ends

The second model can be useful when the cafe wants to separate basic free access from customers who need to stay online longer.

There is no need to make paid WiFi complicated from the beginning.

9. Start with a simple package

A cafe can start with just two options:

Free WiFi

and

WiFi 1 hour

For example:

Free WiFi
    ↓
Customer uses WiFi
    ↓
Time expires
    ↓
Buy WiFi 1 hour
    ↓
Scan QR Code
    ↓
Payment confirmed
    ↓
Continue using WiFi

Once the basic flow works, the cafe can add other packages if needed.

For example:

• 1 hour
• 2 hours
• Longer sessions
• Different speed limits
• Different data limits

The important thing is to make the first customer flow reliable before adding more options.

10. What should you check before deploying?

Before putting paid WiFi into production, test the complete flow from the customer's perspective.

Package

• Can the cafe create a WiFi Package?
• Is the duration correct?
• Is the price correct?
• Are any speed or data limits correct?

Payment

• Does selecting a package create the correct payment request?
• Does the QR Code display correctly?
• Is the payment status updated after payment?

WiFi session

• Does the correct customer session receive the package?
• Does the additional time actually become available?
• Does the customer regain Internet access?

Failure cases

Also test what happens when:

• The customer does not complete payment
• The payment is still pending
• The customer closes the payment screen
• The customer refreshes the portal
• The WiFi session expires before payment is completed

A paid WiFi system is not finished when the QR Code appears.

It is finished when the entire flow works reliably from package selection to actual Internet access.

11. How does this work with MikroTik?

If you're using MikroTik for your cafe network, the implementation can follow a simple workflow:

1. Connect your MikroTik router to the WiFi management platform.
2. Provision the required configuration.
3. Make sure the router is online.
4. Create your WiFi Packages.
5. Configure the free WiFi experience.
6. Test the customer flow.
7. Let customers purchase additional WiFi through the QR Code.
8. Verify that payment confirmation results in the correct WiFi access.

For a step-by-step MikroTik deployment, see:

Install Captive Portal + PayOS on MikroTik for a Cafe in 15 Minutes

FAQ

Can a cafe sell WiFi by the hour?

Yes. A cafe can define a WiFi Package with a specific duration and price, then allow customers to purchase that package when their free WiFi session ends.

Is the QR Code the same as the WiFi package?

No. The QR Code is part of the payment flow. The WiFi Package defines what the customer receives after the payment is confirmed.

Does the system need to know which customer paid?

It needs to associate the confirmed payment with the correct WiFi session so that the access is granted to the right customer.

Can MikroTik handle the whole payment flow by itself?

MikroTik provides the network and access-control infrastructure, but a complete paid WiFi flow also needs package management, payment processing, payment confirmation, and session management.

Does every cafe need paid WiFi?

No. Some cafes may only need free WiFi. Paid extensions are simply another option for customers who want to continue using the connection.

The simple idea behind hourly WiFi

Selling WiFi by the hour may look like a QR Code payment feature.

In reality, the important part is the flow behind it:

Package → Payment → WiFi Session

The customer sees a QR Code.

The cafe sees a simple way to offer additional WiFi time.

But the system needs to make sure that the package, payment, and WiFi session all stay connected.

That's what turns a simple QR Code into an actual WiFi payment workflow.