The Mikrotik SwOS and VLAN Configuration

[@manglerule8007]

One awesome thing MikroTik has as well is an API module. Everything you can do in the CLI, Winbox, etc. can be done through the API. The built in scripting language also has a fetch tool that you can use to make http requests from the router to an external service.

[@massfrommars]

Mikrotik gears are awesome, and Tom's review is also great. With Mikrotik it's necessary for the designer to know both the hardware and the software inside out. I also love Mikrotik transparency effort in revealing the hardware without even having to open up the box. One look at the posted block diagram and one can easily get a good understanding of what can be done with that device. After that it's just about keeping in mind the block diagram and then going about designing the network using standard concepts. RouterOS allows one to configure one's network to their design, no matter how complex. SwitchOS works great for a fully managed L2 switching. Only thing I'd state as a negative for SwitchOS would be the lack of winbox support, which I've learned to love over time. Another thing I've noticed is unlike RouterOS (which shows up with the full kitchen sink regardless of the hardware and its capabilities), SwitchOS version does vary across several models depending on the capabilities of the device. I think atm there are 3 different versions of SwitchOS for CRS3xx, CSSxxx and CSS610 (a new 2020 release I hope Tom will get to review soon).

[@HairlessApes]

Setting up VLANS on RouterOS was impossible for me. I couldn't get it to work no matter how many videos i watched and copied EXACTLY to a T. With SwOS it was a simple set the number click apply and done. amazing.

[@PoeLemic]

Thank you for reviewing this and showing us how it works. I bought one (after watching one of your videos), and it was hard for me to understand. But, now, this video does help explain it.

[@manglerule8007]

To clarify, this device isn't really built for layer 3 traffic. This is a low power draw 10G switch that supports a ton of features that are hardware offloaded to the switch chip which allows for full wirespeed and no CPU use. The products are called CRS (Cloud Router Switch) because some of the CRS3 products actually have switch chips in them that support layer 3 offloading as well. In the beta version of RouterOS the bigger CRS3 switch (CRS317-1G-16S+RM) supports this and will be coming to more switches as they tap more into the switch chips. If you actually want to route they have a bunch of router products for this that are less switch chip focused and have onboard encryption hardware offloading for VPNs. The RouterOS software has a really powerful scripting system you can use to do some really cool things, it has a built in packet sniffer that you can stream directly into wireshark if you want, a torch tool that you can use to quickly see a basic view of live traffic going over network interfaces for troubleshooting.

[@deafno]

This is a good overview and I would add that the lowest cost 10G switches from competitors are * Netgear XS505M ~320$ (4 RJ45 ports, 1 SFP+ port) * QNAP QSW-308S ~200$ (3 SFP+ ports) Both of which do not offer ANY managed features. The low cost MikroTik devices offer way more value and big part of that is the availability and functionality of RouterOS / SwitchOS.

[@SB-qm5wg]

I found the Sw/OS vlan configs to be super easy to use. I had mine fully set up in under an hour without any research. Very clearly laid out. LOVE the PoE.

[@DrDingus]

I've found it very difficult. I'm reading their documentation, but it isn't clear when trying to create a basic access port if I should be setting that port to 'enabled', 'strict', or 'optional'. As he shows in this video, leaving it as 'optional' seems to work. But what are the others there for?

[@azurite2926]

Honestly the routerOS UI is probably one of the things keeping me from picking up a Mikrotik switch but switchOS looks very straight-forward. I don't really need layer 3 routing on a 10gb switch anyway so i might pick one up now.

[@sadeqalbana]

I personally find the RouterOS UI (winbox) is very user friendly (at least for the advanced user). is there anything in particular that you don't like about the UI ?

[@txrxtech8349]

Hello Lawrence. Just listened to your video again and I am passing some more comments. 3 mins 07 secs. Web Configuration (WebFig) interface for MikroTik is not ugly in any sense. The interface is very, very similar to the Winbox interface, just a bit flatter because it is done from a web browser page and we are used to the Winbox GUI exists. But I like the WebFig and it is very easy to use. Trust me!

[@sopota6469]

You are right, it's not ugly, it's beyond awful. I maintain several inherited Mikrotik boxes (with Winbox) and they are so damn behind the times, which is a shame because there is a really great concept down there. But let's focus on the silver lining, RouterOS 7 final is going to be releases this decade!

[@deafno]

@@sopota6469 What is so beyond awful about it? RouterOS 7 will not be so different in WebFig and WinBox side, just more features and newer linux underneath it.

[@KeithTingle]

the timing of this video could not be better, I just got my MikroTik RB4011iGS+5HacQ2HnD-IN-US, btw I think the best deals on MikroTik gear is on Ebay

[@ittos90]

Ive been using that router for over a year now and love it. Mikrotik definitely has a big learning curve but its worth it. The level of control it gives you for the price cannot be beat!

[@user-ym9wb2mk5e]

How secure are Mikrotik devices. I’m used to Cisco, Aruba, Netgear and Fortinet. Do they have back doors or send data to the Chinese gov?

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

Mikrotik are from Latvia so not sure if they send data to China, but they don't need internet access to work.

[@wiebowesterhof]

best part number ever, I don't see what the problem is :p - it is surprising though as it seems like a cleaner naming convention wouldn't hurt the brand. The products are solid. I am sticking with Unifi but the value is there for sure.

[@kenzieduckmoo]

mikrotik has the easiest to read model numbers because they tell you everything you need to know about the product. like the CRS328-24P-4S+RM is from their Cloud Router Switch line, features 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports with POE Out, 4 SFP+ ports, and is Rack Mountable.

[@SteveRivett]

Do these switches come out of the box set-up as unmanaged switches? Canada now has 1.5 gig Internet and it seems impossible to find APs that take advantage of the bandwidth due to 1 gig nics but some stuff does have 2.5 gig nics. Thanks, Steve

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

All the ones I have tested have.

[@janisvaskevics93]

Actually, SwitchOS ir probably the only perfect way for VLANS. In Routeros i struggle to get it working anf it is so complex. SwitchOS on the other hand is easier than 99% of other brands.

[@ForyantoJayaWigunaChannel]

one of my fave video, great explaination...awesome dude...

[@HighlanderJC]

Hi I got this switch to connect 2xNAS and 2X computers over 10g. Everything seems to work ok but both NAS still require seperate rj45 to connect to my router/internet. Both PCs connect to internet via the switch with no problem. Is there a way I can make the NAS go through the switch as well?

[@KentWillumsen]

Mikrotik sends me back to 1998 or so; UI wise...

[@funkiam9214]

why GUI if you can use cli

[@sopota6469]

@@funkiam9214 of course man, just leave behind everyone not that tech savvy with Mikrotik! Stop being and elitist and think of everyone. And this comes from someone that uses CLI 80% of the time.

[@robyee3325]

Does the CSS106-5G-1S swos have less features than the crs305 swos?

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN 10G Switch Setup Review With VLANS kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6O8c5t8fqpgp6M wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/SwOS

[@BattousaiHBr]

second time i see you do this now, but it's not RTSP, it's RSTP ("spanning-tree protocol", the R in the beginning is an upgrade that stands for "rapid")

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

Yeah, getting letters in the right order when I say them can be challenging.

[@notpublic7149]

Cheers, informative video. Useful!

[@ferasawwad71]

Hello, does this type have a DMZ feature. ARP proxy settings

[@tcc5750]

WHERE THE WINBOX AT?! Jokes aside, please make a Mikrotik video using Winbox. I will literally donate on your Patreon $10 if need be, I am so sick of new users whining about how bad webfig is, assuming there is no alternative. Show them the way, show them Winbox.

[@jacobnoori]

Thanks, Tom.

[@Tracksidemodelrailroading]

This is a bit funny and sad. I have a few of these 4 port units on desktops and some of their other bigger 10G CRS309-1G-8S+IN in the server rack. I have only ever used the RouterOS but the next time I have downtime I am moving over to SwitchOS. I should have tried that sooner, I could have saved myself so much time. I only looked at this because I am looking at the CSS326-24G-2S+RM 24 port and it only supports SwitchOS, I haven't used that cause I read I would loose all my settings and I spent so long setting them up. I can't beleive how easy the VLAN tagging is in the SwitchOS.

[@Printcrashrepeat]

You're definitely right, there is no wifi in that model but routerOS is one size fits all. If they are not convinced they should go buy that switch and see how that wifi works for them 😂

[@Printcrashrepeat]

What I love about routerOS, enterprise features for and amazing price, you can really customize anything and scripting is fun. With great power comes great responsibility, you really have to understand the hardware you are running when you decide how to build your config. I think it is a great platform to learn on and play with but not easy to support and deploy because of the learning curve.

[@Printcrashrepeat]

You have to go to the forums for tshoot. RouterOS documentation is robust, switchOS is just really simple.

[@johnmcquay82]

I'm a huge fan of MikroTik and SwitchOS. As I don't have much need for layer 3 switching at home, the kit does all I need for a good price point with a good price/performance balance.

[@Printcrashrepeat]

​@@johnmcquay82 I think it is the wrong device to buy if you want a L3 switch, it is just a great way to get some extra 10G and you could use other features in RouterOS, should is another story. I don't see how that is different from any other hw that has lots of features you shouldn't use, lol. I had a Cisco RV series small business router a long time ago and using mac filtering brought that device to its knees.

[@RobtoshiFakamoto]

Where is management port to access SWos ? Is the mikrotik management port for sw os accessible from any of the vlans ? If so can a dedicated vlan for accessing swos be set so all other vlans are unable to access the management of swos ?

[@InversionesAlfadan]

Hello, do you know the procedure to create a link aggregation between routerOS and Swos?

[@unapologetic7900]

Every time I boot into Switch OS, I can never get into the Config interface, either Browser, or Winbox. I do have connectivity to the internet, but I can't even ping the Switch IP. SwOS firmware v 2.13. If I reset to defaults, I get back in OK under RouterOS.

[@LampJustin]

Whyyyyyyyy now! I just had to set it up 2 days ago 😭😭 damn it! Great video btw!

[@chrisumali9841]

Thanks for the demo and info, haver a great day

[@pawebucior4023]

could you give a link to hardware you have pfsense on ? thanks

[@zesta77]

I could never get LACP + tagged VLANs to work on any MikroTik switch using SwOS. I could get it to work sometimes on RouterOS, but it was never stable. I just had to give up and use better gear.

[@CheekyMiner]

Weird my new Mikrotik does nothing after rebooting with SWOS swap.

[@ryantfinchum]

The debate rages on: meekrotik or micro-tik? I prefer micro

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

There is no debate forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?t=87582

[@ryantfinchum]

@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS touche

[@stucker7860]

Thanks!

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

Welcome & Thank You!

[@alonzosmith6189]

Tk U for the video, I sold my Microtik switch :-(

[@chrismmint]

Because of the vid or before?!

[@augurseer]

Reason?

[@alonzosmith6189]

Nothing wrong with Micotik, went with the Unifi US-XG-16, stayed with the Unifi eco system

[@enderst81]

Is it 'me crow tick' or 'my crow tick'? Like dee bian vs deb ian or line ux vs lynn ux...

[@kenzieduckmoo]

me-kro-tik. just like its spelled. Deb-ian, just like the deb file extension. and lyn-ux (unless you want to say it like linus torvalds, then its lee-nyucks)

[@enderst81]

@@kenzieduckmoo Was meant rhetorical. I hear them both ways.

[@gintarasp2]

Do you have a video on how to set up RouterOS to send tagged traffic with vlan info to SwitchOS. Also how to set up management vlan for those devices. Learned cisco yet strugle with Mikrotik :D

[@gintarasp2]

I do have a lab set up and trying bunch of configs, yet cant get them to work properly. I want to send tagged traffic from two router ports to two different switches. How should my config be set up?

[@gintarasp2]

Both switches must be aware of same vlans. Tried to create bridge on router, assign vlan interfaces with pvids to the bridge and then set up dhcp for vlan interfaces. Aslo assigned ports that i want to send tagged traffic to the same bridge. After connecting switch to those ports and setting up the port membership on thic boxes i do not get any dhcp traffic to my access ports.

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

No, just a SwitchOS video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbQeq2jqryne9U

[@davidstievenard6313]

'1337' love it ;-)

[@seenstee]

"hacky"

[@12Burton24]

Im currently goigb crazy with this trash the Ubiquiti SFP transceivers are recognized but on the link page is nothing shown. I can just see the RJ45 Module......i have no connection from the pc nor from my windows 10 server. And i can not even create an account on the support page....it alqays says the password is not meeting the specs but i followed alm they say.......

[@qwerty74]

Swossup, folks?

[@mrfluffyhedgehog]

mikrotik has an incredibly ugly and outdated interface, but it also has a ton of functionality in that ugly coat, much more and much more granular than what ubiquiti allows. i wish either mikrotik hired someone who has seen a gui that is not from the early 90s or ubiquiti actually figures out that there small switches/routers like the CRS305-1G-4S are a great idea and fiberchannel networks are a thing in some soho environments. i'd use ubiquiti if they had a small switch with 4-6 sfp+ ports that can serve as endpoint. not everything that has an sfp+ port automatically has to be rack sized and use a gazillion aircoolers screaming louder than a love sick cat at 3am. as it stand, ubiquiti looses out because they dont provide the appropriate hardware and that trumps a shiny gui every day in my book.

[@TrueNetworking]

Does it support QinQ Translation?

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Interface/VLAN

[@clockwork666]

i've fallen for the prise... LACP not working at all... yeah...

[@manglerule8007]

LACP works on the device just fine. What are you connecting the switch to? There are three different modes. With LACP usually one device is active and the other is passive. So you might have to switch modes based on how the other devices connected to the MikroTik is configured.

[@txrxtech8349]

5mins 00 secs You said everything you use in RouterBOARD and SwitchOS? You even called it RouterBOARD-OS. No, that is not the official name. It is simply RouterOS (ROS). RouterBOARD is the hardware that comes from MikroTik. RouterOS can run on an ordinary PC, turning it into a solid router. RouterBOARD does not boot up, ROS does. Both SwOS and ROS run on that RouterBOARD that you have in this video. You need to spend more time in ROS and you will just love it, trust me.

[@scbtripwire]

It heats up too much if all the ports are used? Wtf? :/

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

If you put rj45 sfp+ adapters in all the ports

[@scbtripwire]

@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS As opposed to sfp+ cables?

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

Yes

[@DrDingus]

say meerkotik one more time..

[@LAWRENCESYSTEMS]

That is how they say it forum.mikrotik.com/viewtopic.php?t=87582

[@DrDingus]

@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS Dear God..

[@AdrianHiggins83]

3

[@will8anthony]

69 ha

[@DrDingus]

stop saying meekrotik.

[@robyee3325]

Lol

[@RobbyPedrica]

A 14 min video for around 3 mins of info ... Time to get to the point?

[@txrxtech8349]

12 mins 30 secs as well. MikroTik SwitchOS (SwOS) does not do Layer III. It is simply a Layer II OS. The Layer III capabilities of that device comes from using RouterOS itself. The operating systems are both not unusable at the same time. It is either one or the other (you are aware of that). The Layer III routing is very, very practical. I think you mixed it up by saying they throw a lot into SwOS because they actually don't. They however throw a lot into RouterOS, their flagship Operating System. Please, there is nothing about MikroTik that is just about the marketing people ticking unnecessary boxes. They are very diligent with their work and conservative in their approach. They are Latvian.