Getting Started with MikroTik: An Introduction and Basic Setup for Beginners Print

Hey there!
I’m Emmanuel Corels, the admin over at Emmanuel Corels Creatives, and today we’re kicking off our MikroTik series with a friendly, beginner-friendly walkthrough. If you’ve ever wondered what MikroTik is all about, how to begin, or how to use WinBox for simple configurations—this is the perfect place to start.

1. What Is MikroTik?

MikroTik is a Latvian company that makes networking hardware and software. Their most well-known product is RouterOS—an operating system that can be installed on their physical routers (RouterBOARD) or used as a virtual machine called CHR (Cloud Hosted Router).

Key Points to Know

• RouterOS: The software that runs on MikroTik devices and provides networking features.
• CHR (Cloud Hosted Router): A version of RouterOS optimized for virtual environments (like VMware, Hyper-V, etc.).
• WinBox: MikroTik’s configuration utility for RouterOS devices, providing a graphical interface.

2. Why MikroTik?

• Feature-Rich: Firewall, routing, VPN, bandwidth management, wireless configuration, and more.
• Low Cost: Often more affordable than other enterprise networking solutions.
• Flexible: It runs on dedicated hardware or in a virtual environment.
• Community & Support: Large user community, regular software updates, and lots of documentation.

3. Getting to Know WinBox

WinBox is a Windows application for managing MikroTik routers. It allows you to configure everything in a graphical, user-friendly environment rather than relying solely on command lines.

Where to get WinBox?

1. Go to the official MikroTik website: https://mikrotik.com/download
2. Look for WinBox under the “Tools” section.
3. Download the executable file (no installation needed—just run it).

4. Basic Setup: Connecting to Your MikroTik Router

4.1 Physical Connection

1. Power on your MikroTik router.
2. Use an Ethernet cable to connect your computer to an Ethernet port on the MikroTik device (often labeled ether1).
3. Ensure your computer is set to obtain an IP automatically (DHCP).
4. Your MikroTik device usually comes with a default IP address like 192.168.88.1 (depending on the model).

4.2 Launching WinBox and Discovering Your Router

1. Open WinBox on your computer.
2. In the WinBox window, you should see a “Neighbors” tab. Clicking it shows a list of detected MikroTik devices on your local network.
3. Double-click on the device name or MAC address. WinBox will automatically fill in the address fields.
4. By default, Username might be “admin” and Password might be blank (on very old default configs) or set to something you configured.
5. Click Connect.

Tip: If you cannot see your device in the neighbors list, try connecting via MAC address. Just copy the MAC from the Neighbors list into the “Connect To” field in WinBox.

5. The WinBox Interface

Once connected, you’ll see a window with a list of configuration menus on the left side and a detailed view on the right side. The WinBox interface can be broken down into:

1. Menu Bar on the Left

   • System: Router identity, logging, scripts, upgrades.
   • Interfaces: Physical and virtual interfaces, bridging, bonding, etc.
   • IP: Addressing, routing, firewall, DNS, DHCP, etc.
   • Wireless (if supported): Wireless security, SSIDs, channels.
   • Tools: Ping, traceroute, bandwidth test, etc.

2. Right Panel: Shows detailed information for the menu item selected.

6. Performing Initial Configuration

Let’s do some basic housekeeping: rename the router, set a password, and assign IP addresses if needed.

6.1 Change the Router Identity

1. In WinBox, go to System -> Identity.
2. Under New Identity, type a friendly name (e.g. “MyFirstMikroTik”) and hit OK.

6.2 Set an Admin Password

1. Go to System -> Users.
2. Double-click the user “admin”.
3. Click on the Password field and set a secure password.
4. Click OK.

Important: Always set a strong password, especially if you’re connecting the device to the internet.

6.3 IP Address Configuration

If your router doesn’t already have a default IP (or you want to change it), you can add one:

1. Go to IP -> Addresses.
2. Click the “+” button.
3. Under Address, type the subnet with CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.88.1/24).
4. Under Interface, select the LAN interface or bridge (often “bridge” by default).
5. Click OK.

Command Line Equivalent:

/ip address add address=192.168.88.1/24 interface=bridge

(If you’re feeling adventurous, you can open the New Terminal in WinBox and type commands exactly as shown.)

6.4 DHCP Server Setup (Optional)

If you want your MikroTik to hand out IP addresses to devices on the network, here’s how:

1. Go to IP -> DHCP Server.
2. Click on DHCP Setup.
3. Select the interface (e.g., bridge or ether2 if you’re using a specific port).
4. Follow the wizard—it’ll ask for the network, gateway, and IP pool.
5. Click OK at the end to confirm.

7. Upgrading RouterOS

Keeping your MikroTik up-to-date is crucial for security and new features:

1. Go to System -> Packages.
2. Click Check For Updates.
3. If there’s a newer version, select Download & Install.
4. The router will download the update, then reboot.

Tip: Visit https://mikrotik.com/download to see the latest RouterOS version and release notes.

8. Backing Up and Restoring Configuration

Before making significant changes, it’s a good idea to back up your configuration.

1. Go to Files in WinBox.
2. Click Backup.
3. A .backup file will appear in the Files list.
4. You can drag and drop it to your computer for safekeeping.

To restore, just upload the backup file back into the router and click Restore in the Files menu.

9. Basic Security Tips

• Strong Password: We can’t say it enough—don’t keep the default password.
• Service Ports: Disable unused services like Telnet or FTP under IP -> Services if you’re not using them.
• Firewall: By default, MikroTik usually includes a basic firewall. Make sure it’s enabled and configured properly under IP -> Firewall -> Filter Rules.

10. Summary & Next Steps

Congratulations on completing the first article in our MikroTik series! You learned:

• What MikroTik is and why it’s popular.
• How to connect to your MikroTik device via WinBox.
• Basic configuration steps (identity, password, IP address, DHCP server).
• How to perform a firmware upgrade and backup/restore configurations.

In the next article, we’ll dive deeper into firewall configurations, NAT, and advanced features like port forwarding and VPN setups. We’ll also touch on CHR (Cloud Hosted Router) and how it can be a powerful solution in virtualized environments.

Stay tuned, and feel free to drop any questions or suggestions my way. I’m always here to help you master MikroTik from a friendly, down-to-earth perspective!

Written by:
Emmanuel Corels, Admin
Emmanuel Corels Creatives