Datto Networking: Add WiFi Marketing to Your MSP Stack
Key Takeaways: Datto Networking (now part of Kaseya) is the MSP's go-to managed WiFi platform. MyWiFi integrates through the Datto Network Manager cloud console, turning existing Datto AP deployments into guest WiFi marketing venues. Setup takes under 15 minutes per site. The MSP-native multi-tenant architecture means you add WiFi marketing to your managed service offering without changing your hardware stack. Every MyWiFi feature — WhatsApp OTP, SMS OTP, email capture, marketing automation, white-label portals — works at full parity with Datto hardware. For MSPs already managing Datto networks, this is the fastest path to new recurring revenue.
If you are an MSP, there is a high probability you already manage Datto equipment. Datto (acquired by Kaseya in 2022) has been the MSP channel's default for backup, RMM, and networking. The Datto Networking product line — access points, switches, and edge routers — was built specifically for MSP workflows: cloud-managed, multi-tenant, zero-touch provisioning, and integrated with PSA/RMM tools that MSPs already use.
The WiFi marketing opportunity here is uniquely low-friction. You are not asking your clients to install new hardware. You are not introducing a new vendor. You are activating a feature on infrastructure that is already deployed, managed, and billing. The Datto APs at your client's restaurant, retail store, or clinic are already serving a guest network (or can be configured to do so in minutes). MyWiFi adds the captive portal, data capture, analytics, and marketing automation layer on top.
This guide covers the complete integration: Datto Network Manager configuration, guest SSID setup, captive portal redirect, multi-tenant MSP architecture, zero-touch provisioning, and the business case for adding WiFi marketing to your MSP stack.
Why Datto is the MSP's fastest path to WiFi marketing revenue
Datto carries the "MSP Favorite" badge on the MyWiFi hardware compatibility page. The reasons are operational, not technical:
You already manage it. Most MSPs have Datto APs deployed across 20 to 200 client sites. The hardware is in place. The management console is in your daily workflow. Adding a guest captive portal is a configuration change, not a deployment project.
Multi-tenant by design. Datto Network Manager supports per-client sites within a single MSP console. This maps directly to MyWiFi's multi-location, white-label architecture. Each client gets their own branded WiFi marketing dashboard without seeing other clients' data.
Zero-touch provisioning. New Datto APs auto-adopt to your cloud account when they connect to the internet. When you ship an AP to a new client site, it configures itself. Pair this with MyWiFi's template-based portal setup, and you can onboard a new WiFi marketing client with zero on-site visits.
The recurring revenue math. An MSP managing 50 client sites charges $99 to $299/month per site for managed WiFi marketing. At the midpoint ($199/month), that is $9,950/month in new MRR on hardware you already manage. The MSP pricing guide breaks this down in detail.
Prerequisites
- •Datto Network Manager account with MSP-level access
- •Datto APs deployed and online at client sites (D-200, AP-440, or any current model)
- •MyWiFi account at the Pro tier or above (multi-location support)
- •Client agreement to enable guest WiFi marketing at their venues
Step 1: Create the guest SSID in Datto Network Manager
Log into the Datto Network Manager at networking.datto.com. Navigate to the target client site.
Go to WiFi → SSIDs and create a new SSID:
- •SSID name: The client's guest network name (e.g., "FreeWiFi-[BusinessName]")
- •Security: Open (no password — captive portal handles authentication)
- •VLAN: Assign to a dedicated guest VLAN. If the site does not have VLANs configured, Datto supports creating a guest VLAN directly in the Network Manager.
- •Band steering: Enable to push capable devices to 5 GHz for better performance
- •Client isolation: Enable to prevent guest devices from communicating with each other
Apply the SSID to all APs at the site, or specific APs if the client only wants guest WiFi in certain areas (e.g., front-of-house only, not back office).
Step 2: Configure captive portal redirect
Under the SSID settings, locate the Captive Portal or Splash Page configuration.
- •Captive portal: Enable
- •Portal type: External URL
- •Portal URL: Enter your MyWiFi portal URL for this client's location
https://portal.mywifi.io/location/{location-id}
Or with your MSP's white-label domain:
https://wifi.yourmsp.com/location/{location-id}
Datto redirects all unauthenticated guests on this SSID to the portal URL. After the guest completes the login process in MyWiFi (email, SMS OTP, WhatsApp OTP, or venue passcode), MyWiFi authorizes the guest's session, and Datto grants internet access.
Step 3: Pre-authorization access (walled garden)
Guests need to reach the MyWiFi portal and login providers before authentication. In Datto Network Manager, add these domains to the captive portal's allowed list:
*.mywifi.io
*.mywifinetworks.com
*.facebook.com
*.google.com
*.googleapis.com
*.gstatic.com
*.apple.com
*.whatsapp.com
*.cloudfront.net
Add your custom portal domain if applicable. Without these entries, guests cannot reach the login page or authenticate through social providers.
Step 4: RADIUS authentication
Configure RADIUS for authenticated session management. In the SSID settings under Authentication:
- •RADIUS server: Enter MyWiFi's RADIUS server details from your MyWiFi dashboard (Location → Hardware Settings → RADIUS Configuration)
- •Server IP: As provided
- •Port: 1812 (authentication), 1813 (accounting)
- •Shared secret: As provided
- •Enable accounting: Yes — accounting data feeds session metrics into MyWiFi's analytics
RADIUS provides authenticated sessions rather than simple click-through access. This means MyWiFi can enforce session timeouts, bandwidth policies, and track per-user usage data.
Step 5: Multi-tenant MSP configuration
The MSP-specific value of Datto + MyWiFi is the multi-tenant architecture. Here is how the two platforms align:
Datto side:
- •Your MSP account in Datto Network Manager contains all client sites
- •Each client site has its own APs, SSIDs, and network configuration
- •Client-level admin accounts can optionally access their own site (view-only or limited edit)
MyWiFi side:
- •Your MSP reseller account contains all client locations
- •Each client location has its own captive portal, analytics, and automation
- •Client-level sub-user accounts access their own white-label dashboard with your MSP branding
- •Clients see their venue's analytics without seeing other clients' data or the MyWiFi brand
The mapping: One Datto client site = one MyWiFi location. Each site's guest SSID points to its own MyWiFi portal URL. Your MSP team manages both platforms, and clients interact with the branded MyWiFi dashboard for their marketing data.
Template-based deployment: Create a standard guest SSID configuration template in Datto Network Manager. Apply this template to new client sites. In MyWiFi, create a portal template with your standard design, login methods, and automation rules. When onboarding a new client, clone the MyWiFi template, customize the branding, and point the Datto SSID to the new location's portal URL. Total onboarding time: under 15 minutes.
Step 6: Zero-touch provisioning workflow
Datto's zero-touch provisioning means new APs auto-adopt to your cloud account when powered on. Combined with MyWiFi's template system, the new-client onboarding workflow is:
- •Ship the Datto AP to the client site (or have the client purchase it directly)
- •Client plugs in the AP. It connects to the internet, contacts Datto's cloud, and auto-adopts to your MSP account
- •AP inherits the site configuration — including the guest SSID, VLAN, captive portal redirect, and walled garden
- •MyWiFi location is pre-configured with the client's portal design and automation rules (cloned from your template)
- •Guest WiFi marketing is live without an on-site visit from your team
For MSPs scaling WiFi marketing across dozens of clients, this zero-touch model keeps deployment costs near zero. The per-client setup is a configuration task, not a field service engagement.
Step 7: The MSP business case
Adding WiFi marketing to your Datto-managed MSP stack creates a new recurring revenue stream on existing infrastructure. Here are the numbers:
Revenue model:
| MSP Service Tier | Monthly Price to Client | Your Monthly Cost (MyWiFi) | Monthly Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (portal + data capture) | $99/mo | ~$39/mo (Starter plan allocation) | $60/mo |
| Standard (+ automation + analytics) | $199/mo | ~$80/mo | $119/mo |
| Premium (+ white-label + reporting) | $299/mo | ~$120/mo | $179/mo |
At 50 client sites on the Standard tier: $5,950/month in margin on WiFi marketing alone. This is additive to your existing managed WiFi service fee.
Client retention impact: WiFi marketing data creates stickiness. When your client has 6 months of guest data, automated campaigns running, and analytics dashboards they review weekly, switching MSPs means losing that data and those workflows. This is the retention moat that MSPs adding $5K+ MRR are building.
Competitive differentiation: Most MSPs manage the network and stop. WiFi marketing extends the MSP relationship into the marketing stack. Your QBR (quarterly business review) includes guest analytics, campaign performance, and revenue attribution alongside uptime and ticket metrics. That is a different conversation than "your network was 99.8% up this quarter."
Visit MyWiFi pricing to see which plan tier matches your MSP's deployment scale and margin targets.
Step 8: Client reporting and analytics
Your clients need to see the value of WiFi marketing to justify the monthly fee. MyWiFi provides the reporting infrastructure:
- •Automated reports: Schedule weekly or monthly PDF reports delivered to clients via email. Reports include guest count, new vs. returning visitors, login methods used, demographics, and campaign performance.
- •White-label dashboard access: Give each client a login to their own branded dashboard. They can view real-time analytics, browse their guest list, and see campaign results. The dashboard carries your MSP brand, not MyWiFi's.
- •QBR-ready data: Export analytics for your quarterly business reviews. Present alongside network health metrics from Datto. The combination of "your network is healthy AND it generated 2,340 guest profiles this quarter" is a powerful retention message.
MyWiFi's analytics capabilities include guest capture rate, visit frequency, dwell time (where hardware supports it), demographic breakdowns, and campaign ROI metrics. For Datto deployments, the analytics focus on portal-level data (who logged in, how, when) rather than network-level presence data (which requires more advanced hardware like Meraki CMX or Juniper Mist).
Datto hardware recommendations
| Model | Use Case | WiFi Standard | MSP Price Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-200 | Small venue (1-2 room) | WiFi 5 | Budget |
| AP-440 | Standard SMB venue | WiFi 6 | Mid-range |
| AP-840 | High-density indoor | WiFi 6E | Premium |
For most MSP client venues (restaurants, retail, clinics, small offices), the AP-440 is the standard recommendation. It handles 50 to 100 concurrent guests, supports WiFi 6, and is priced for the SMB market. Deploy one AP for small venues, two to three for larger spaces.
Datto APs do not carry per-AP licensing fees (unlike Meraki). Your hardware cost is the one-time AP purchase plus the managed WiFi service fee you charge the client. Factor the MyWiFi subscription cost into your per-site service fee for a clean margin calculation.
Common MSP deployment patterns
Pattern 1: Bundled with managed WiFi. Add WiFi marketing as a line item on your existing managed WiFi service. Client pays one fee for network management + guest WiFi marketing. This is the simplest model and produces the highest adoption rate because there is no separate buying decision.
Pattern 2: Standalone WiFi marketing service. Offer WiFi marketing as a separate service, independent of managed WiFi. Clients who manage their own Datto network (or have another MSP managing it) can still use your WiFi marketing service. This requires the client to grant you access to their Datto site for captive portal configuration.
Pattern 3: Tiered service levels. Offer Basic (portal + data capture), Standard (+ automation + analytics), and Premium (+ white-label + custom reports) tiers. Clients self-select based on their sophistication and budget. This lets you capture revenue from both the pizza shop that wants a simple login page and the multi-location retail chain that wants full marketing automation.
FAQ
Do I need to change any Datto hardware to enable WiFi marketing?
No. If you have Datto APs deployed and managed through Datto Network Manager, the hardware is already in place. WiFi marketing is a software configuration — adding a guest SSID (if one does not exist), enabling the captive portal redirect, and configuring the MyWiFi integration. No hardware changes, no firmware upgrades, no new equipment.
Can my clients access the WiFi marketing dashboard themselves?
Yes. MyWiFi supports sub-user accounts with per-location access. Create a login for your client that gives them view access to their location's analytics and guest list. The dashboard is fully white-labeled with your MSP branding. Clients manage their own captive portal design if you grant them edit permissions, or you can lock the portal design and only give them analytics access.
How does this affect my existing managed WiFi service?
The guest SSID and captive portal are isolated from the business network. Guest traffic on a separate VLAN does not impact your client's business operations. Bandwidth limits on the guest SSID prevent guest traffic from saturating the WAN link. Your SLA on network uptime and performance is unaffected.
What is the minimum MyWiFi plan for MSP deployments?
The Pro plan ($199/month or $159/month annual) supports multiple locations and is the minimum recommended tier for MSPs. The Agency plan ($499/month or $399/month annual) is designed for MSPs managing 20+ client sites and includes higher AP limits and priority support. See pricing details for the full comparison.
Can I white-label the entire solution so clients never see "MyWiFi"?
Yes. MyWiFi is 100% white-label. Your clients see your MSP brand on the captive portal, the dashboard login page, the email templates, the analytics reports, and the support links. The platform supports custom dashboard domains (e.g., wifi.yourmsp.com), custom captive portal domains, and branded email sending domains.
Does Datto's acquisition by Kaseya affect the integration?
The Datto Networking product line continues under Kaseya. The Network Manager cloud console, AP firmware, and API endpoints remain operational. MyWiFi's integration is through standard captive portal redirect and RADIUS, which are protocol-level features unaffected by corporate ownership changes.
Next steps
- •Identify your first 5 Datto clients — Pick clients with high foot traffic and existing guest WiFi needs (restaurants, retail, clinics)
- •Configure the first site — Follow the steps above and test the captive portal end-to-end
- •Build your service tier pricing — Use the margin table above and the MSP pricing guide to set your rates
- •Create your pitch deck — Use analytics ROI data and recurring revenue models to build the client conversation
- •Register for a reseller account — Sign up or book a demo to get started
Datto + MyWiFi is the lowest-friction path for MSPs to add WiFi marketing revenue. The hardware is deployed, the management is familiar, the provisioning is zero-touch, and the recurring revenue starts from day one. Every Datto site you manage is a WiFi marketing venue waiting to be activated. The only question is how many you turn on this month.