A single router as a default gateway is a single point of failure. When it goes down, every host pointed at it loses connectivity at the same moment — no failover, no warning, just a dead gateway. VRRP fixes this by giving two or more routers one shared virtual identity, so hosts keep working even…
Ethernet over IP (EoIP) is a MikroTik RouterOS tunneling protocol that encapsulates Ethernet frames inside GRE packets, letting you bridge two Layer 2 networks across any IP path — including the public internet. This guide covers how EoIP actually works at the packet level, real RouterOS v7 configuration, the loop and MTU issues that break…
Every network refresh eventually lands on this question: pay for the polished cloud dashboard, or keep the control and pay less. MikroTik and Cisco Meraki sit on opposite ends of that trade-off, and neither answer is wrong — they are built for different teams solving different problems. This guide compares MikroTik and Cisco Meraki on…
MPLS L3VPN is how service providers deliver private, isolated routing to customers over one shared core network. It is also one of the least documented corners of RouterOS v7 — the syntax changed significantly from v6, and most existing guides still show the old command structure. This guide covers a full MPLS L3VPN build on…
NAT is the first thing every MikroTik router needs to reach the internet, and the first thing every misconfigured router gets wrong. One missing rule, and the whole LAN loses connectivity. One rule in the wrong order, and port forwarding silently fails. This guide covers NAT on RouterOS 7 from the ground up: masquerade, source…
Every network design conversation eventually hits this question: does this segment need a Layer 2 switch, or a Layer 3 switch? Get it wrong and you either overpay for routing features that sit unused, or you bolt a router onto a flat network that needed segmentation from day one. This guide breaks down what each…
GRE is the tunnel protocol you reach for when a VPN alone will not do the job. It carries routing protocols across the internet, connects two private networks over a public link, and gives BGP peers a stable path independent of the underlying ISP topology. MikroTik GRE tunnel is simple to configure — the hard…
WinBox shows you what a router looks like. The CLI shows you what a router is doing. When a ticket says “the network is slow” or “it works sometimes,” the GUI runs out of answers fast — the CLI does not. This guide covers advanced diagnostic techniques on RouterOS: a troubleshooting methodology, resource and process…
IPv6 is not optional anymore. ISPs delegate it by default, mobile carriers run IPv6-only cores, and IPv4 exhaustion keeps pushing more networks toward dual-stack. If your MikroTik router still runs IPv4-only, you are one ISP policy change away from a support ticket you cannot explain. This guide covers a full IPv6 deployment on RouterOS: addressing,…
When securing your computer network, using a software firewall is essential. A software firewall is a program that monitors and controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. It helps prevent unauthorized access and protects your system from malware and cyber-attacks. Built-in operating system firewalls have improved significantly since 2023, but…
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