In a MikroTik HotSpot, when several terminals try to connect using the same username and password, the default behavior may vary depending on the specific HotSpot configuration. However, there are two common scenarios that could happen, depending on how the HotSpot is configured in terms of handling multiple sessions for a single user:

1. Last Connected User Moves to Previous

By default, if a second endpoint attempts to connect with the same credentials while another endpoint is already connected, the new login may evict the previous user. This means that the first terminal will be logged out automatically, and only the new terminal will remain logged in. This occurs because the system is configured to allow only one active session per set of user credentials.

2. New Connection is Prohibited

Another possible configuration is that the system rejects the connection attempt of the new terminal if there is already an active session with the same credentials. In this case, the first user who logged in will continue with their active session, while the second user will receive an error message stating that the login has failed because the user is already logged in.

How to Configure Behavior in MikroTik HotSpot

If you want to control this behavior on a MikroTik HotSpot, you can adjust the settings to specify how multiple sessions for a single user should be handled. Here I explain how to do it:

1. Access HotSpot Settings:
   • Connect to your MikroTik router using WinBox or WebFig.
   • Navigate to IP > HotSpot.
2. Edit User Profile:
   • In the HotSpot section, go to User Profiles.
   • Select the user profile you want to modify or create a new one.
3. Adjust Concurrent Session Settings:
   • Within the user profile, look for an option like Shared Users. This setting determines the number of simultaneous sessions allowed for a single set of credentials.
   • setup Shared Users a:
     • 1 if you want to allow only one session per user (the default behavior).
     • A larger number if you want to allow multiple simultaneous sessions for the same user.
     • none so as not to limit the number of simultaneous connections.
4. Save Changes:
   • Be sure to apply and save your changes before exiting.

Choosing between these session management methods depends on your security and network management needs.

Allowing multiple sessions can be useful in environments where multiple devices legitimately need simultaneous access with the same credentials, while limiting to a single session can help prevent abuse of access credentials.