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Author Topic: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?  (Read 5947 times)

phi2008

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Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« on: February 03, 2013, 02:34:10 PM »

Just wondering if any of you out there are using Mikrotik routers? What do you think of them and RouterOS?   :-\
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meritez

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2019, 08:59:57 PM »

Just wondering if any of you out there are using Mikrotik routers? What do you think of them and RouterOS?   :-\

6 and half years old post, but yes I'm using them.

I first came across them last year when removing a RB951UI-2HND from a customer's premises.

600mhz AR9344 cpu, 128mb RAM, 128mb Storage, 1000mw WiFI4, Passive PoE in, Passive PoE out.
https://mikrotik.com/product/RB951Ui-2HnD

Pretty nice, flashed it with OpenWRT immediately, as I was overwhelmed by RouterOS.
But, RouterOS on reading up seems better, so a quick netinstall recovery back and it runs quite well.
Sadly I live in a block of 24 apartments, and with 15 visible WiFi4 networks in the area, WiFi4 really does not do what I need it to, regardless of how high power 1000mw is.

Looking at Amazon, there are plenty of Mikrotik Devices, the cheapest ones are sold as other things but you can netinstall back to RouterOS.
Case in point, the LibertyShield Lite is a Mikrotik hAP Lite TC, it's on Amazon for £17.99 and not even Mikrotik distributors will sell it at that low a price, that's even cheaper than the HAP Mini, which is the device below the hAP Lite: https://www.amazon.co.uk/LibertyShield-Lite-Configured-Country-Router/dp/B017W43M4M

hAP Lite TC specs: https://mikrotik.com/product/RB941-2nD-TC

I ordered 2, just in case I broke one, they arrived in Mikrotik branded boxes, and the only branding is an OpenVPN sticker you can peel off  :lol:

Reinstalling RouterOS using NetInstall was simple, the Mikrotik Wiki really helps: https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Netinstall

Using the QuickSet interface, I had the hAP Lite setup as as Home AP, with PPPoE connecting to my VDSL Modem, throughput over wired Ethernet was superb, and the RouterOS Interface showed excellent information on how my FTTC connection was performing.
But the WiFi4 was not cutting it in my location.

So I tried OpenWRT on it, just in case it was driver issue, same problem, competing with 15 wireless networks is an problem, does not matter how good the hardware is.

LibertyShield sell a Pro VPN Router, it's a Mikrotik hAP ac2: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pre-Configured-Multi-Country-Router/dp/B00O173RH6/
hAP ac2 specs: https://mikrotik.com/product/hap_ac2
£60 is expensive, but it's still cheaper than buying from Mikrotik dealers.

I did consider the hAP ac Lite at one point, but it only has a single 5ghz stream and 100 mb Fast Ethernet Ports, it's real purpose seems to be a wireless repeater.

I'm quite happy with them, I get a chance to lock a device down to how I want it to be without having to flash OpenWRT on to it.
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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2019, 09:16:33 AM »

I've just seen this post.  I'm using a Mikrotik SXT as our LTE modem/router and I've just swapped out the Billion main router for a Mikrotik Hap AC Hap AC.  Strange names they have for their routers.  As well as being a real router, meaning it will do what I tell it, the wireless is definitely better than the Billion meaning the whole house can be covered from one AP.  Another fringe benefit is that it can power the SXT meaning one less mains adapter.  I would have liked more Ethernet ports, for example their model with five 10/100 plus another five 10/100/1000 but that one doesn't have such good wireless.

Currently I've hardly scratched the surface. The SXT was basically just deployed "out of the box" other than setting login security.  The Hap AC was setup initially using the "Quick Set" function, then tweaked to my preference.  Probably not worth doing it that way, for example changing the LAN sub net required changes in a lot of different places (for example DHCP not only had to be changed but also assigned to the network).  Similarly changing the WAN from default of eth1 to the PoE port eth5 was a bit fiddly.  I'm not sure it saved any time over setting up from scratch without the initial "Quick Set".  Currently I'm using double NAT on the LTE connection.

Still to do ... (1) Outbound QoS, this will go on the SXT.  (2) I'd like to set the SXT in passthrough mode, with separate VLAN for management.  Really just for my own satisfaction because it uses CGNAT in any case so there's not a real Internet address to be passed through.  (3) automatic failover to DSL, configuration is straightforward but at the moment I don't have a spare cable run for that purpose.

As for RouterOS it will be a steep learning curve as I've really only ever worked on Cisco which uses pretty much the same conventions from data centre switches, to firewalls to routers.  I think part of the curve is the terminology ("mangle", "chain", "masquerade") and part learning the hierarchy for example the fact that NAT is included with Firewall which in turn is within IP, and static routes are within IP rather than Routing.
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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2019, 01:27:18 PM »

In case anyone's interested you can run a Mikrotik instance in GNS3.
https://docs.gns3.com/appliances/mikrotik-chr.html
Rather than a simulation, this is an actual Mikrotik product, in its unlicensed form it still has full functionality but with a throughput limit.  The same product can be run as a native VM on various platforms, the advantage of using it inside GNS3 is really just that it can easily be modelled with other devices.

Back in the real world by Mikrotik main router just let me down by losing three quarters of its wireless configuration overnight.  That's strange because I set up the wireless configuration all in one session, so it's not that it rolled back to a previous configuration.  None other other settings seem to have been lost, just the wireless.  Quite a disappointment.
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burakkucat

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2019, 05:05:04 PM »

. . . Mikrotik main router just let me down by losing three quarters of its wireless configuration overnight.  That's strange because I set up the wireless configuration all in one session, so it's not that it rolled back to a previous configuration.  None other other settings seem to have been lost, just the wireless.  Quite a disappointment.

More than a disappointment -- I would classify that as very annoying.

Is there any logical connection between the settings that have "gone missing" (hopefully not all the security settings) or do they appear to be quite random?
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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #5 on: November 01, 2019, 05:56:57 PM »

Is there any logical connection between the settings that have "gone missing" (hopefully not all the security settings) or do they appear to be quite random?

Yes and no, not completely random but not quite consistent either.  The bits that disappeared were the two virtual wireless interfaces created to support a second SSID on each band, and the security profile created for that SSID.  Then in addition one of the two default wireless interfaces reverted to the out of the box "Mikrotik.." SSID, while the other one retained my customised settings.

However I have a theory, that I inadvertently went into "safe mode",  in that mode any changes made come into effect immediately, but are reverted if the client making the changes loses its connection.  It's supposed to be a get out of jail if you lock yourself out, an alternative to Cisco's "reload in 10".  I think that could be the explanation, as I have been in the habit of leaving the Winbox utility running on my home desktop PC, and that PC did have some sort of glitch causing a reboot.  As for why it didn't revert all my wireless config, maybe I did in fact set that first SSID as a separate operation.
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burakkucat

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2019, 05:59:59 PM »

Ah, that makes sense of your observations. Something to record in your log-book, for further careful scrutiny.
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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #7 on: November 01, 2019, 06:22:32 PM »

Yes indeed.  Initially I was wary of the way settings are immediately changed, as compared to Cisco's "running config" vs "startup config", so the Safe Mode safety net is a nice idea.  Now that I know how it works.
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meritez

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2019, 09:35:57 PM »

I've just seen this post.  I'm using a Mikrotik SXT as our LTE modem/router and I've just swapped out the Billion main router for a Mikrotik Hap AC Hap AC.  Strange names they have for their routers.  As well as being a real router, meaning it will do what I tell it, the wireless is definitely better than the Billion meaning the whole house can be covered from one AP.  Another fringe benefit is that it can power the SXT meaning one less mains adapter.  I would have liked more Ethernet ports, for example their model with five 10/100 plus another five 10/100/1000 but that one doesn't have such good wireless.


How are you finding throughput?
I managed to pick up a damaged packaging hAP ac2 from Amazon for £42.


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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2019, 08:19:11 AM »

That's not something I've really tested as I don't normally have any high bandwidth jobs running at home. On exception would be when I FTP something from desktop PC to the PVR, but currently that goes over power line adapters which would be the limit in any case.   The Mikrotiks have some many options available I have a feeling that switching them all on could start to cause limits with CPU power.  That may just be an assumption, I'm guessing that at their low pricing they do more in software and less in custom ASICs compared to say Cisco.   It would interesting to see what throughput I could get with mine, could the Gigabit ports run anywhere near line rate internally when they should just be switching with no firewall or routing or NAT?
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meritez

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2019, 06:01:00 PM »

That's not something I've really tested as I don't normally have any high bandwidth jobs running at home. On exception would be when I FTP something from desktop PC to the PVR, but currently that goes over power line adapters which would be the limit in any case.   The Mikrotiks have some many options available I have a feeling that switching them all on could start to cause limits with CPU power.  That may just be an assumption, I'm guessing that at their low pricing they do more in software and less in custom ASICs compared to say Cisco.   It would interesting to see what throughput I could get with mine, could the Gigabit ports run anywhere near line rate internally when they should just be switching with no firewall or routing or NAT?

There's a good review of the hAP AC here: https://blog.quindorian.org/2016/02/review-of-mikrotik-hap-ac-and-great.html/

tl;dr roughly 900 down and 900 up local network side.

I'm currently reading up on MCS rates: https://itimagination.com/mikrotik-capsman-setup-access-rates-for-high-density-wireless/

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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2019, 09:57:00 AM »

I'd be interested in how you get on with the CAPMAN function.  How many APs are you going to be controlling, and what sort?   
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meritez

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2019, 05:55:43 PM »

3 x rbcap2n I won on ebay for £9 each  :cool:
They came with power supplies and Mikrotik RBPoE injectors.

The injectors are worth £5.28 each, so less than £4 an access point?
Supported by latest RouterOS, MIPSBE platform, 16mb storage, 64mb RAM.
Discontinued on Mikrotik website, but I found the brochure here: https://www.doubleradius.com/site/stores/mikrotik/Mikrotik-cAP-RBcAP2n-Brochure.pdf
« Last Edit: November 14, 2019, 07:52:12 PM by meritez »
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aesmith

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2021, 06:19:10 PM »

Thought I'd just update this one because I've finally put in place just about everything I wanted.  I ended up replacing my HAP AC router with ab RB4011, mainly because a more sophisticated home working setup required more interfaces than I had planned for.  So implemented so far ..
- Default route via LTE with failover to ADSL
- Ability to force certain traffic over ADSL in normal service (not yet configured failover for that)
- L2TP client on the RB so that certain traffic is routed via the office, for example where customers have our address space white listed
- Separate firewalled interface to the company VPN segment, to allow my work laptop to access certain home devices
- DNS caching and script to update DNS with DHCP assignments
- Outbound QoS on the LTE router
- Removed double NAT, the LTE and ADSL routers each have their own NAT, the RB just routes
- Script and scheduled event to update NTP IP addresses by re-resolving "0.uk.pool.ntp.org" and "1.uk.pool.ntp.org"

To be honest a lot of that was done for fun, learning the new platform, rather than because the functions were strictly essential.
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meritez

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Re: Anyone Using Mikrotik Routers?
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2021, 08:58:54 PM »

Finally removed my 100mb limit from my local network.

Now using vmg1312-b10a bridged to rb750gr3, powered by a rb260gsp, wap AC as my cap, pihole powered by the rb750gr3 usb port.

« Last Edit: January 25, 2021, 09:12:54 AM by meritez »
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