LearnMikrotik.com Blog

RouterOS Compact Export

2012-03-15T15:15:00.002-07:00

Compact Export

Ever exported a config from RouterOS and saw tons of lines of garbage you didn't need or sometimes even recognize? If so, you will love this!

Starting from v5.12 compact export was added. It allows to export only part of configuration that is not default RouterOS config.

[admin@SXT-ST] /routing ospf> export compact

# jan/02/1970 20:16:32 by RouterOS 5.12

# software id = JRB7-9UGC

/routing ospf instance

set [ find default=yes ] redistribute-connected=as-type-1

/routing ospf interface

add disabled=yes interface=wlan1 network-type=point-to-point

/routing ospf network

add area=backbone network=10.255.255.36/32

add area=backbone disabled=yes network=10.5.101.0/24

add area=backbone network=10.10.10.0/24

[admin@SXT-ST] /routing ospf>

Compact export introduces another feature that indicates which part of config is default on RouterOS and cannot be deleted. As in example below '*' indicates that this OSPF instance is part of default configuration.

[admin@SXT-ST] /routing ospf instance> print

Flags: X - disabled, * - default

0 * name="default" router-id=0.0.0.0 distribute-default=never

redistribute-connected=as-type-1 redistribute-static=no

redistribute-rip=no redistribute-bgp=no redistribute-other-ospf=no

metric-default=1 metric-connected=20 metric-static=20 metric-rip=20

metric-bgp=auto metric-other-ospf=auto in-filter=ospf-in

out-filter=ospf-out

Licensing 3.65 GHz

2012-01-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

The process of getting a FCC license for 3.65 can be daunting. In addition, there isn't much information out there about how to register sites using gear that doesn't cost thousands of dollars. In particular, I am speaking of Ubiquiti 3.65 or Ubiquiti + MikroTik 3.65 GHz products.

I posted a link HERE to get you to the HowTo. I hope this helps you in your process!

Four Training Classes Scheduled

2011-12-03T07:13:00.000-08:00

Four New Training Classes for 2012. Sign up now and claim your seat!
Start your year right by enrolling in basic or advanced MikroTik training
Ready to train and have some fun? Learn more...

MTCNA MikroTik Certified Network Associate
January 10-12 Houston, Texas
Enroll Now

MTCRE, MTCWE, MTCTCE MikroTik Advanced Training
February 21-24 Dallas, Texas
Enroll Now

MTCNA MikroTik Certified Network Associate
March 27-29 Houston, Texas
Enroll Now

MTCRE, MTCWE, MTCTCE MikroTik Advanced Training
April 24-27 Dallas, Texas
Enroll Now

European MUM Scheduled

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

I found out today the European MUM will be held in Warsaw, Poland March 15-18. We have tons of MikroTik in stock at ISPSupplies.com or MikroTik Training at LearnMikroTik.com.

Mikrotik Sextants on their way

2011-11-10T14:29:00.001-08:00

The new MikroTIk SEXTANT is very similar to the popular SXT unit, just slightly bigger. Inside is the brand new RB711-5HnD dual chain wireless device, with high performance, high output power, and low power requirements.

Easy to use and quick to deploy, SEXTANT is ideal for point to point links.

I think this will be your new favorite CPE so hurry and come get some!

Keeping RouterOS Queues on Top

2011-11-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

One frustration I have recently dealt with is the dynamic simple queue behavior in MikroTik RouterOS that started sometime after version 3. Somewhere in there, they started adding new, dynamically created queues (created by MikroTik HotSpot or UserManager/PPPOE) to the top of the list instead of at the bottom.
This really causes an issue with static queues you might have in place for prioritizing traffic like VOIP. When the dynamic user queues are inserted above your VOIP queue, VOIP traffic from that user's target IP no longer has priority. I contacted support@mikrotik.com and Janis Megis from MikroTik indicated it was a requested feature that would be added at some point in the future. This caused me a lot of grief recently workign with a large HotSpot deployment on a RouterBoard RB1200.

Until then, here is a solution.

Create a script with the following code:

/queue simple move [find name="VOIP"] [:pick [find] 0]

In this code, I have a simple queue named UDP that I always want at the top of the list of queues. You can repeat this code for other queues to be placed below this queue like this:

/queue simple move [find name="VOIP"] [:pick [find] 0]
/queue simple move [find name="VIDEO"] [:pick [find] 1]
/queue simple move [find name="SSH"] [:pick [find] 2]

Then, create a scheduler job to run the script every 10 seconds or so and you should be in QOS heaven!

RouterOS Version 5.7 Released

2011-09-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

What's new in 5.7 (2011-Sep-14 10:54):

*) ovpn client - fixed crash when user name or password together
were longer than 11 symbols;
*) sstp client - added an option to skip
server address verification from certificate;
*) fixed problem - router crashed sometimes when using USB modem;
*) userman - show overall totals, show user totals if user has more
than one entry;
*) lcd - retrieving '/system lcd page' configuration did not work with
hundreds of interfaces;
*) webfig - added ability to reorder fields in skins;
*) webfig - added ability to add/remove new tabs & separators in skins;
*) webfig - added ability to add any field to special status page;
*) webfig - fixed problem when user sometimes got logged out with message
"internal server error";
*) webfig - logout didn't log user out from router;
*) webfig - added System/Password for changing user's own password;
*) system reset-configuration - if keep-users is specified ssh user keys are
preserved as well;
*) ipsec - new exchange mode (main-l2tp) for l2tp tunnel users to allow
FQDN as a peer ID with preshared key authorization in main mode;
*) ssh - fix possible server crash when connection is interrupted;
*) improved ipv4 forwarding performance on all boards with simple configuration
by up to 30%;
*) add passthrough setting to change-dscp, change-ttl, change-mss,
strip-ipv4-options, change-hop-limit mangle targets;
*) ipsec - fixed problem of RB1200 rebooting when large amount of UDP traffic is
sent through IPsec;
*) sniffer - added more useful packet filtering options, also available as quick
mode command parameters;

Link to the download page:
http://www.mikrotik.com/download.html

MikroTik Training HERE

This is Mac Heaven

2011-08-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

After several weeks of arguing with my Windows 2003 server and the interoperability issues it now has with Mac OSX Lion, I bit the bullet or more appropriately drank Steve Job's kool-aid and spend the evening configuring my new Mac Mini server in my hotel room. Four hours from home and teaching a MikroTik class in Dallas, I was bored and angry that my Time Machine backups weren't working any more because Windows 2003 server's Appletalk protocol has not been updated. Blame it on Lion or blame it on me for still using Winblows as my server, whatever, it was time.

Off to the store I went and am now the owner of a Mac Mini (our new file server, contact server, calendar server, etc.) and a Time Capsule for our home backups. This is Mac heaven.

Since I didn't have a monitor, I jacked the hotel television (thank goodness for HDMI inputs)
hooked up the new mac mini and started downloading Lion server while my Time Capsule backed up my 15" Mac Pro and served up the wireless. This is Apple bliss!

Thank goodness I am able to watch a movie on my I Pad while I watch Lion install on my Mac Mini and type my blog on my MacBook Pro. Heaven I tell you!

Dallas MikroTik Training Started Today

2011-08-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

MikroTik MTCNA Training started today in Dallas, Texas with a great group of students. Typically we spend a lot of time with the basics but this group has a great grasp of basic networking so we moved quickly today. We started with the OSI Modem and ended with firewalls. Tomorrow we start the day with bandwidth limitations and hope to finish early on Wednesday.

Are you ready to train? Our next MikroTik Training is in Las Vegas, NV, in October. Send us an email or visit us at LearnMikroTik.com.

New MikroTIk RB750GL

2011-08-16T05:41:00.001-07:00

I am sure you have heard of the new MikroTik 750GL but what abut the RB750GK? It has five gigabit ports and a creamy center!

Phil Crawford, a MT colleague is celebrating his birthday and wanted to test drive the newest model!

MikroTik MTCNA Training August 30 - Sept 1 Dallas, Tx

2011-08-13T15:29:00.001-07:00

Ready to train? Come to Dallas and learn RouterOS. MikroTik training starts August 30. Learn more...

250 MBps link with MikroTik

2011-08-09T14:08:00.001-07:00

Arc Wireless Dual polarity antenna
R52HN Card
RouterBoard 435G
802.11N NV2 link
245 MBps throughput

Nice!

Come get yours at http://ispsupplies.com

Netscape, are you kidding me?

2011-08-08T10:10:00.001-07:00

While navigating around the AT&T wireless site today, I noticed something kinda funny. The favorite icon is Netscape! If you don't understand what that is, you won't find this funny...

OmniTIK Now Available

2011-08-02T08:26:00.001-07:00

We just got a load of the new OmniTik's, Mikrotik's newest integrated solution. OmniTIK is a weatherproof outdoor AP with dual-polarized omni antennas - the perfect companion for the SXT, or for any other 5GHz 802.11a/n standard device.

Weatherproof, durable and ready to use. It has five 10/100 Ethernet ports, PoE support and a built-in 400mW 802.11a/n wireless radio. It supports Nv2 TDMA technology with up to 200Mbit aggregate throughput.

LED signal indicators on it’s back are fully customizable, show Ethernet activity or wireless signal - or any other information from RouterOS.

The USB port gives the ability to connect a 3G modem or a storage drive.

I am thinking of applications for this device including wireless networks for apartment complexes, as a backbone for an RV park WiFi, temporary internet access venues. etc. What is missing in my opinion is a second radio. I would rather sacrifice the dual chains for 802.11n and instead add a second radio running 2.4 GHz. A dual band mesh node at this price point would be awesome and could lend itself to municipal WiFi deployments, etc.

Get in the Groove!

2011-06-15T14:56:00.001-07:00

We just received a huge MikroTik order with MikroTik RB1200's and Grooves. Look out Ubiquiti bullets, the MikroTik Groove is here!

Get yours today at ISPSupplies.com

Regex

2011-06-09T20:44:00.003-07:00

Found a great list of regular expressions.

http://mustnofee.com/download/l7.rsc

Regex

2011-06-09T20:44:00.001-07:00

Found a great collection of regular expressions.

http://mustnofee.com/download/l7.rsc

April 2011 Dallas - MTCNA Training Class Completed

2011-04-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

These 21 students just finished three long days of MikroTik Training in Dallas, Texas. They are taking a quick break before we start the MikroTik RouterOS certification exam.
Good job guys and gal!

MikroTik RouterOS Version 5.1 Released

2011-04-08T08:18:00.001-07:00

What's new in 5.1 (2011-Apr-08 12:55):

*) ipsec - fix SA lifetime display when timezone offset does not equal 0;

*) ipsec - now default DPD interval is 2 min for new configurations;

*) webfig - make bandwidth-test work;

*) fixed problem - wireless package got disabled after upgrading from v4;

*) sstp - fix problems on multicore systems;

http://www.mikrotik.com/download.html

Get MikroTik Training today!

MikroTik Routers or other MikroTik products, can be purchased from ISP Supplies

MikroTik RB1100 - More Stock Arrives

2011-01-08T07:05:00.000-08:00

I guess there is a lot to be said for pent up demand. After nearly six months of shortage, the MikroTik RouterBoard RB1100 is finally back and we have a shelf full and more on their way. Get yours today before they run out at Defacto Wireless.

New MikroTik Product!

2011-01-06T15:05:00.000-08:00

WOW! What a great new product from MikroTik for less than $90.

RouterBOARD SXT 5HnD is a low cost, high speed 5GHz wireless device. Dual chain 802.11n and Nv2 TDMA technology help to achieve even 200Mbit real throughput speed. Complete with a ready to mount enclosure and built-in antenna, this is the perfect CPE. Powered by RouterOS, it is also the most advanced router, bandwidth controller and firewall.

• Solid all-in-one design: quick and easy to mount
• Tower friendly one hand enclosure access
• 5GHz 802.11a/n wireless onboard
• One 10/100 Ethernet port
• 16dBi dual chain antenna built-in
• Signal strength LED indicators on back
• USB 2.0 port, voltage and temperature monitors
• Extended L2MTU support to avoid fragmentation overhead in MPLS, QinQ etc.
• Includes pole mounting bracket, mounting ring and PoE adapter
• RB/SXT

Read the DATASHEET.

Script to Set Rate Limits for Self Created Users in MikroTik UserManager

2011-01-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

Usermanager is MikroTik's version of radius and is a great way to centralize AAA on your network. In addition, it also has facility to allow users to buy credits on your network through hotspot, however, the only limitation it can automatically create is a time limitation. You can create packages that allow access for a day, week, month, etc., but in order to set a rate limit for that customer and their package, you have to manually make that change to the user in Usermanager.

I needed a way to automatically accomplish this so I enlisted the help of my script guru, Andrew Cox. Although I have never met Andrew in person, I can tell you he is a bright guy who is one of the few people I know that truly speaks MikroTik's scripting language. As usual, Andrew rose to the challenge and wrote a few lines of code that function perfectly.

A few notes, first the script uses the user property "credit-price" to determine which package the customer purchased, therefore, you need to have unique prices for each rate limit. For example, if the Gold package is 128k/64k and costs $25, then users that buy the 64k/64k package that costs $25 will get the same rate limit. In this example, just change the price slightly on one of the packages and it will work correctly. For example, make the 128k/64k package $19.95 or something similar.

So, here is the code, past it into a new script item through Winbox, set the scheduler to run it once every minute or so and you will enjoy the benefits of automatic rate limits with self created user accounts.

-- Script---
#Script to add rate limit's to newly created user-manager accounts.
#Written by Andrew Cox | http://www.mikrotik-routeros.com

:local counter
:local check

#Loop through all users in user-manager
:foreach counter in=[/tool user-manager user find] do={

#Check to see if comment contains "RLA" (short for 'rate limit added'). If it doesn't, this account hasn't had a rate limit set yet.
#We only check the first 3 characters, this means you can continue to use the comment field for whatever you like so long as you leave the 'RLA' untouched (if present)
:set check [:pick [/tool user-manager user get $counter value=comment] 0 3]
:if ($check="RLA") do={

#Has RLA, rate limit is already set so ignore

} else={

#Doesn't have RLA Set rate-limit based on initial purchase pricing
:if ([/tool user-manager user get $counter credit-price] ="1000") do={/tool user-manager user set $counter rate-limit="256k/128k" comment="RLA"}
:if ([/tool user-manager user get $counter credit-price] ="2500") do={/tool user-manager user set $counter rate-limit="256k/128k" comment="RLA"}
:if ([/tool user-manager user get $counter credit-price] ="4500") do={/tool user-manager user set $counter rate-limit="96k/48k" comment="RLA"}
:if ([/tool user-manager user get $counter credit-price] ="6000") do={/tool user-manager user set $counter rate-limit="128k/64k" comment="RLA"}
:if ([/tool user-manager user get $counter credit-price] ="7500") do={/tool user-manager user set $counter rate-limit="256k/128k" comment="RLA"}

}

}
--- End of Script---

Dot 1Q Trunking with MikroTik SWOS

2010-11-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

Router-On-A-Stick is a phrase referring to the connection of a 802.1Q capable switch to a single router interface. By trunking across the Ethernet interface and assigning separate Vlans to each of the switch's ports or groups of ports, it is possible to create a configuration that simulates a router with many separate physical Ethernet interfaces. Consider the following example:

In this example, a router with a single Ethernet interface is trunked to a MikroTik switch. In practice, this same configuration can be used between two switches or two routers. The purpose of this article is to show the steps required to setup the MikroTik RB250GS switch as a trunked switch in the router-on-a-stick configuration.

To log into the RB250GS switch, simply web browse to 192.168.88.1 from a computer on the same phyical network segment with an IP on the same subnet, 192.168.88.0/24. The default user name is admin with no password.

All settings may be left at the defaults with the exception of a few.

In this example we are using Vlan Id's 1, 200, 300 and 400. Note that the switch will respond to http requests to its IP address on all ports. This behavior is a bit different than Cisco IOS that responds to untagged traffic via an IP bound to Vlan 1. The way the OS is built, there is no need for a default gateway or a subnet mask.

Selection of the Vlan ID and the assignment to the ports is your choice, decide what Vlan ID's you will use and where you will assign them.

In this example we need two ports for devices on Vlan 300 on Ports 3 & 5 and one port for device on Vlan 400 on Port 4 and one port for a device on Vlan 200 on port 2.

1. Begin by clicking on the VLAN tab and make the following changes, assuming the trunk port will be Port1 (the port that is connected to the router).

2. The VLAN page determines how the switch strips the Vlan tags with specific Vlan ID's from the packets as they exit these ports. Setting Port 1 to Vlan Mode "enabled" and VLAN Header to "add if missing" makes Port 1 a trunk port.

3. When done, your VLAN page should look similar to this:

4. Next, click on the VLANs tab. This is where you create the Vlan Id's to be used on the switch and on which ports these tags will be applied. So, for example, in this scenario, if I create a Vlan interface on the router with a Vlan ID of 200, that traffic will appear on the switch on ports 3 & 5.

5. Here is the example:

6. The last step is to change the IP address, system identity and the password on the System tab and configure the router.

The router configuration is a standard one for Vlans, create Vlan interfaces attached to the Ethernet interface that is connected to the switch (in this example Ether1) and match the Vlan ID numbers you assigned to the switch. Then bind your IP addresses to the Vlan interfaces and you will be set.

Defacto Wireless sells the RB250GS, and it is a great bargain for the price point.

MikroTik Training and Deviled Eggs

2010-10-25T19:42:00.002-07:00

If you walk into a small town telephone company office and in the back room they have a dance floor, a TV lounge area for the kids after school, a bar, a complete commercial kitchen and the bathroom is outfitted with a changing table, diapers and wipes for the "granbabies" and at lunch time, grandma, one of the two owners of the 75+ year old company cooks everyone lunch, it might be a family owned business! It almost sounds like a Jeff Foxworthy joke but the truth is, why would you work any place else? This is one of the most relaxed, wholesome work environments I have ever been in.

Magtel in Boonville, Arkansas is just that, a family owned, family run business that still closes from noon to 1 for lunch. And, why wouldn't you close for lunch when grandma cooks for the group? Wow is all I can say and my hat is off to you Magtel. Keep doing what you are doing, you are a lost breed and I wish the remainder of the world did business just like you.

Today was day one of MTCNA training with 5 eager students. Tomorrow we get into the nitty gritty and I hope grandma cooks again! More deviled eggs please!

Pricate Training in Booneville, Ark and a New Training Announced

2010-10-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have the pleasure of being in Booneville, Arkansas this week, doing MikroTik MTCNA training for the Magazine Telephone Company. I really enjoy doing private trainings where I can tailor the curriculum to the student. The Magazine Telephone Company has been around since 1939 and is a family owned and run business. I am already enjoying being here as they put me up in a house they maintain on site with all the amenities. Currently I am kicked back in an overstuffed chair writing my blog which beats the heck out of staying on a hotel.

I have a new MikroTIk RouterOs training scheduled for the month of December in Dallas and a new class I will announce in January. Check back for details.

MUM Phoenix

2010-10-05T07:37:00.001-07:00

Five full days of training and the annual USA MikroTik Users Meeting (MUM) wrapped up last week in Phoenix, Arizona. The annual event was held at the Chapparrel Suites, an upscale convention center in the Scottsdale area. I was there for three days to conduct the MTCNA, MikroTik Certified Network Asssociate training at the request of MikroTik. We had a total of twenty students in attendance and eighteen were tested and certified. Thursday and Friday were all day events with presentations and social mixers. I gave two presentations, also available on TikTube.com. If you missed the MUM, you can get the entire presentation recap from the MikroTik site. See you next year!

26 Mile MikroTik Link

2010-10-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

I was contracted to design and deploy a wireless backhaul to deliver at least 20 Mbps TCP throughput for a wireless ISP. Reliability and price point were the main concerns. All ofthe equipment was MikroTik using methods taught in my MikroTik training. Check out the white paper here.