PayPal Integration

Enable paid WiFi access by accepting PayPal and credit card payments on your captive portal using PayPal Checkout with support for multiple currencies.

Overview

The PayPal integration enables:

One-time payments for WiFi access
PayPal Checkout for seamless payments
Credit/Debit card acceptance via PayPal
Multiple currencies support

Prerequisites

IronWiFi account with captive portal configured
PayPal Business account
PayPal REST API credentials

PayPal Setup

Create Business Account

Go to paypal.com/business
Sign up for a Business account
Complete verification

Get API Credentials

Log in to PayPal Developer Dashboard (developer.paypal.com)
Go to My Apps & Credentials
Create a new REST API app:
- App Name: IronWiFi WiFi Payments
- Account: Your business account
Copy credentials:
- Client ID
- Client Secret

Sandbox Testing

For development:

Use Sandbox credentials
Create sandbox buyer accounts
Test payment flow before going live

IronWiFi Configuration

Step 1: Add PayPal Provider

Log in to IronWiFi Console
Navigate to Networks > Captive Portals
Select your captive portal
Go to Authentication Providers
Click Add Provider > PayPal

Step 2: Configure API

Enter PayPal credentials:

Client ID: Your PayPal REST API Client ID
Client Secret: Your PayPal Client Secret
Environment: Sandbox (testing) or Live (production)

Step 3: Create Access Plans

Configure WiFi access plans:

Click Add Plan
Set up each plan:
- Name: Display name (e.g., "1 Hour Access")
- Price: Amount (e.g., 2.99)
- Currency: USD, EUR, GBP, etc.
- Duration: Access time in minutes
- Data Limit: Optional data cap

Example Plans:

Plan	Price	Duration	Data
1 Hour	$1.99	60 min	Unlimited
Day Pass	$4.99	1440 min	Unlimited
Week	$14.99	10080 min	20 GB

Payment Flow

Guest Experience

Guest connects to WiFi
Captive portal shows available plans
Guest selects plan and clicks "Pay with PayPal"
Redirected to PayPal Checkout
Guest logs in to PayPal or pays with card
Payment confirmed
Redirected back, access granted

Technical Flow

Guest → Captive Portal → PayPal Checkout
                              ↓
                         Payment Approved
                              ↓
       Access Granted ← IronWiFi ← PayPal Webhook

Customization

Splash Page Integration

Add PayPal buttons to your splash page:

<div class="wifi-plans">
  <div class="plan">
    <h3>1 Hour Access</h3>
    <p class="price">$1.99</p>
    <button onclick="purchasePlan('1hour')">Buy Now</button>
  </div>
  <div class="plan">
    <h3>Day Pass</h3>
    <p class="price">$4.99</p>
    <button onclick="purchasePlan('daypass')">Buy Now</button>
  </div>
</div>

```html
&lt;script>
function purchasePlan(planId) {
  window.location.href = '\{\{paypal_checkout_url}}?plan=' + planId;
}
&lt;/script&gt;

### Branding

PayPal Checkout can display:
- Your logo
- Business name
- Custom colors (limited)

Configure in PayPal account settings.

## Webhook Configuration

### Set Up Webhooks

1. In PayPal Developer Dashboard
2. Go to your app > **Webhooks**
3. Click **Add Webhook**
4. Enter IronWiFi webhook URL
5. Select events:
   - `PAYMENT.CAPTURE.COMPLETED`
   - `PAYMENT.CAPTURE.DENIED`
   - `CHECKOUT.ORDER.APPROVED`

### Webhook URL

Get webhook URL from IronWiFi:

https://auth.ironwifi.com/webhook/paypal/your-org-id

## Testing

### Sandbox Testing

1. Use sandbox API credentials
2. Create sandbox buyer account
3. Use sandbox buyer to test payments
4. Verify access is granted after payment

### Test Scenarios

Test these scenarios:
- Successful payment → access granted
- Cancelled payment → returns to portal
- Failed payment → error message shown
- Expired session → graceful handling

## Receipts

### PayPal Receipts

PayPal automatically sends receipts to buyers.

### Custom Receipts

Configure additional email notifications:
1. In IronWiFi, enable payment confirmation emails
2. Customize template with plan details
3. Include WiFi credentials if applicable

## Troubleshooting

### Payment Not Completing

1. Verify API credentials
2. Check PayPal account status
3. Review PayPal transaction logs
4. Check webhook delivery

### Access Not Granted After Payment

1. Confirm payment in PayPal Dashboard
2. Check webhook was received
3. Review IronWiFi logs
4. Verify plan configuration

### Webhook Errors

1. Verify webhook URL is correct
2. Check webhook signing verification
3. Review PayPal webhook logs
4. Ensure IronWiFi can receive webhooks

## Refunds

### Process Refund

1. Log in to **PayPal Business Dashboard**
2. Go to **Activity** > **All Transactions**
3. Find the transaction
4. Click **Refund**
5. Enter refund amount

### Access After Refund

- By default, WiFi access continues until expiration
- For immediate revocation, manually disconnect user in IronWiFi

## Security

### Best Practices

1. **Use HTTPS** for all webhooks
2. **Verify webhook signatures** (automatic in IronWiFi)
3. **Monitor for fraud** using PayPal tools
4. **Enable 2FA** on PayPal account
5. **Limit API permissions** to necessary scopes

### PCI Compliance

PayPal handles card data:
- No card numbers touch your systems
- PayPal is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant
- Reduces your compliance burden

## Multi-Currency

### Supported Currencies

PayPal supports many currencies:
- USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD
- And many more

### Configuration

Set currency per plan or globally:
1. In plan settings, select currency
2. Prices display in selected currency
3. PayPal converts if buyer uses different currency

## Best Practices

1. **Clear pricing** - Display all fees upfront
2. **Multiple plans** - Offer variety
3. **Test thoroughly** - Use sandbox first
4. **Monitor transactions** - Check daily
5. **Quick support** - Have refund policy ready

## Related Topics

- [Stripe Integration](/user-guide/integrations/stripe)
- [Braintree Integration](/user-guide/integrations/braintree)
- [Captive Portals](/user-guide/captive-portals)

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Overview​

Prerequisites​

PayPal Setup​

Create Business Account​

Get API Credentials​

Sandbox Testing​

IronWiFi Configuration​

Step 1: Add PayPal Provider​

Step 2: Configure API​

Step 3: Create Access Plans​

Payment Flow​

Guest Experience​

Technical Flow​

Customization​

Splash Page Integration​