MikroTik Routers and Switches Reviews

We use MikroTik routers for routing, mainly for the connection between our branches and the head office factory.

The process is for microservices, and we use it to differentiate between the Internet lines, like one for LAN, from our LAN to branches LAN, and factory LAN. Actually, we use the MAM (Metropolitan Area Networks) by MikroTik reseller.  We use the GRE and IPSEC protocols with our MikroTik routers.

We like the solution because it is cost-effective. We just have to buy the hardware. We don't have to buy any software, and we don't have to renew that product. Just the hardware, and we can use it for routing purposes for a lifetime. It also provides some basic security, but we don't use future security.

MikroTik routers are very user-friendly and easy to manage. They support a wide variety of routing protocols, including BGP, OSPF, and RIP. We use MikroTik routers for both routing and switching.

There is an area of improvement. The firewall features are self-contained, but features like email scanning and voice control should be improved. This is the best routing product.

It has the firewall feature, but we have to configure it manually, and it is more of a graphic feature, not an advanced one like Layer 7. 

MikroTik Routers and Switches are very fast, and it is easy to operate. If it is combined with the firewall features, which we use from the Sophos firewall, then it will be great because we won't have to use more devices in the same place.

And also, for the second layer, we use Sophos for the firewall control. If that is built into the MikroTik router, then that would be very fair. Then we don't have to log in to another device. Only one device can be used for support purposes.

We have been using MikroTik routers for almost 15 years for different purposes.

I've been using the solution for the past few months, and I haven't had any issues with stability. They're very user-friendly and easy to configure.

If a router fails, has low bandwidth, or hangs, we can just buy another router and include the configuration. It's very cost-effective.  In our country, you can get a good MikroTik router with 10 gigabit ports for only $300.

According to my use, I would give it a nine or ten out of ten because, actually, I have not used one hundred percent of MikroTik's facilities. At my usage level, it serves me very well.

If we need to scale, MikroTik routers allow us to do so effectively.

We have two MikroTik routers in our headquarters, and our branches are connected with different models of MikroTik routers based on their internet or data link requirements. Almost 17 branches are connected to the headquarters, and it is working fine. 

Additionally, we have two physical servers located in different locations. We use separate data links for the servers to ensure redundancy. In total, we are using almost seventeen to eighteen MikroTik hardware devices.

We haven't had to use it yet. We've been able to solve all of our problems on our own.

The setup process is simple because MikroTik routers have two setup facilities: console mode and graphical mode. It can be set up very easily using graphical mode. It also provides real-time data on how much data is passing through each port, and it offers redundancy if we have multiple internet connections.

I set up some protocols by myself, and for some others, we took vendor or IT help. I manage the router for internet, bandwidth, data link, and also for the IT platform.

Sometimes it becomes complex, and in such cases, I take help from IT. But it seems to be easier because we always have the interface to run Winbox and monitor how much data is flowing through each port.

Also, if any port needs maintenance, we can easily check if it is disconnected or not. Even if it's physically connected but not functioning properly, it can be easily identified using MikroTik Toolbox.

It is deployed on-premises. And it is only hardware. It uses the Winbox software for the router. It is not cloud-based and is not used for security or other purposes. Its sole purpose is to maintain the data link and internet connection.

The pricing is actually very cheap because with that stuff too, buy the product. We just have to buy the router. We don't have to buy any routing software, MC. Let me see for the only hardware, we have to pay.

If I have any opportunity, I would go for Cisco as a CCNA holder, but it's very complicated to configure and maintain. In the case of MikroTik, the complexity is low, and maintenance is also easier. Additionally, it's cost-effective; we can easily change the hardware and import the configuration.

Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten. The solution fulfills all my use cases. 

Even a MikroTik switch can be made to be a router. And even a router, you can convert it into a switch. It depends on your configuration and the way you set it. If you want it to be a switch, it'll be a switch. If you want it to work as a router, it will work as a router. This is not like Cisco, for example, where a router cannot be a switch.

The solution is very flexible. On the MikroTik router, you may have it as your many ports, so you can make one port or two ports routers, and the rest you can have as a switch.

Technical support is good.

It's pretty stable.

The product is growing in popularity.

The solution does suffer from freezing and corruption issues. 

I cannot recall coming across any missing features. It offers us what we need. 

I've been using the solution for more than five years. I've used it since 2013. 

The solution does freeze and is prone to corruption. That said, for the most part, it is stable enough to run. 

The solution is growing in popularity n my country. People want to use this product more and more and in that sense, it is growing. We have about 100 people using it and a lot of designs. 

Technical support is pretty good. They gave me a lot of tips. I cannot give them a perfect score, however, as they're human beings. There are some minor errors and minor mistakes. Overall, they are helpful.

Positive

I've used Cisco in the past, however, it is not as flexible and changeable. 

The initial setup is very fast if you know what you are doing. If you are new to MicroTik you may run into issues. 

I'm a customer and end-user.

I just upgrade the licensing. I never buy it. Therefore, I can't speak to the exact pricing. It is easy to upgrade and downgrade, however, according to your needs. 

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. It's a pretty good product.

I'd recommend the solution to others. 

We use the solution mostly for wireless communications and as our core connection to the Internet. For our local networks, we use Aruba. When we need to connect to the Internet, we use MikroTik Routers and Switches because of their firewalls. Although we have a few implementations of FortiGate, we've decided to stay with MikroTik Routers and Switches for our startup solutions. It also handles our VPN access to remote switches. It has a really good firewall and supports many leading protocols.

I think the tool's most valuable is its firewall. Cisco assisted them in developing it, making it easy to use. They expose a lot of background features, so you can go deep into integration, similar to Cisco switches. You can choose to use the command line interface or user interface.

MikroTik Routers and Switches are very customizable. We can add our scripts to perform specific tasks. For example, we log data to a database whenever clients connect to specific areas. This allows us to keep track of connections by integrating our scripts into the routing sessions.

I think the documentation of specific features could probably be improved. Especially if you want to try a new feature, sometimes you must test it thoroughly before implementing it with the client because the documentation doesn't give you the full background.

Also, we only use MikroTik Routers and Switches for Internet breakout. I wouldn't use them as switches inside the network or as part of the backbone of our networks. For those purposes, I would use something more reliable, like Aruba. So, they are not reliable enough for those features.

I have been using the product for ten years. 

The product is stable. I had it installed about ten years ago and have never replaced it. We've had some problems like access points being exposed to the sun for too long or enclosures not being installed correctly. Some were broken due to vandalism. When exposed to the elements, they stop routing and have issues.

The solution is highly scalable. It includes a router, DNS server, and VPN server and can create IPC connections. You can set up VLANs on it, and it has a built-in firewall system. Additionally, you can create Wi-Fi access points for general Internet setup. So, it caters to a wide range of usage, making it highly scalable.

I have issues with support's language and time barriers. Also, we do not have access to local support. 

Neutral

The timeframe for deployment depends on the size of the solution we provide for our clients. If it's something simple, then it's less than a day. If it's larger and includes other industrial automation equipment requiring network connectivity, our projects can go from one to six months. Deployment on just the solution side usually takes a few days to get everything set up and commissioned.

The tool's pricing is competitive. 

The solution is recommended mostly for medium businesses. I rate it a nine out of ten. 

Depending on the specific requirements, I utilize MikroTik Routers and Switches to configure IPSec connections between two sites, where one serves as a backup and the other as the production site. Additionally, I employ them as an internal VPN server for external users. These devices are also used for routing and firewall purposes, and I take advantage of various other features, such as redirection, blocking, and more.

MikroTik offers full enterprise capabilities at a very reasonable price. If we already have it and need to improve our networking skills, it becomes essential to configure it in detail. Perhaps some might see this as a disadvantage, but in my case, I find it highly beneficial as it keeps my networking knowledge up-to-date. I utilize it extensively for computing and completing tasks. Moreover, new features are constantly being introduced, making it even more valuable. For instance, features like DOH and containers are available, allowing us to install services like Pi-hole within McAfee. I believe it's a highly useful tool from my perspective. Some other brands are quite expensive, whereas MikroTik offers reliability at a decent price, providing us with the capabilities we need.

The scalability has room for improvement.

MikroTik's firewall is acceptable, but it is not as advanced as some of the other vendors. I would like to have some additional filtering options added in the future.

I have been using MikroTik Routers and Switches for five years.

The scalability is acceptable, but I am not entirely satisfied since we lack the budget to scale any further.

The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment process depends on multiple factors. For example, if I need to choose a backup location outside or inside the town, or a different location altogether, and I want to have a protected link such as IPSec or any of these solutions, then we can configure the MikroTik Router according to that specific goal.

When we purchase MikroTik devices, a certain level of the license is included in the price. Additionally, we may receive different devices for various achievements, and this is also part of the price. The idea is that the basic license is covered in the initial cost, and if we require more features, we can buy additional credits. Although it is possible to purchase another license, it is uncommon as I have never heard of anyone having to do this.

I give MikroTik Routers and Switches a nine out of ten.

For graphical improvements, I prefer the Firewall brand. For example, Check Point, Fortinet, or other similar options, including PSMs, with which I also have experience. In small businesses like ours, MikroTik Routers and Switches are highly beneficial as they offer some of the edge capabilities that we require for a smaller environment. If we don't need an enterprise solution due to the small number of users, these firewalls serve our needs effectively.

Once we become familiar with the hidden features, we can truly appreciate the power of MikroTik Routers and Switches. This understanding can enable us to unlock even more capabilities in the way we configure the routers. While MikroTik may not be the absolute best, it is indeed very good and highly useful. I wholeheartedly recommend MikroTik Routers and Switches.

We have a dedicated crew for maintenance.

Our clients use it to implement network solutions.

Our clients like the product because it's an open-source solution. The features of the equipment fit all the needs of the customers.

The solution should improve the features of Wi-Fi 6 a little bit.

I have been working with the solution as a distributor for more than ten years.

It's a good product, and I am satisfied with its stability. I rate the product’s stability an eight out of ten.

I rate the scalability an eight to nine out of ten. We can scale it to a large number of endpoints. We have more than 100 users in Portugal. Our clients are medium and enterprise-level businesses.

The support is not very clear. The way they deal with issues is not very good.

Neutral

The solution is easy to install. I rate the ease of setup a nine out of ten.

We took only a few minutes to install the product. We install and configure the solution for our customers. We also provide support and maintenance to customers.

The solution is not expensive. The pricing is good. There are no additional charges associated with the product. The product’s license is for life. I rate the pricing a nine out of ten.

I am working with all the versions of the product. We have buyers on the market for the solution. People who want to use the product must be confident because the product is good and has a competitive price compared to other vendors. Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.

The solution is primarily for routing and switching.

They work nice, and they're easy to set up, and everything.

The routing is nice and straightforward. I run all the MikroTiks and we connect to our office. Therefore, the routing is so easy and the firewall's easy to set up. The queues obviously throttle certain users if they're abusing it. 

Everything just works easy and fine. To block websites is easy. It just works fine for me.

The stability is great.

The product makes scaling very simple.

In terms of the initial setup, it's very straightforward. 

If they can improve the OpenVPN, to make that a bit more straightforward, that would be ideal. Obviously, it's got a built-in OpenVPN server that you can do. I've played around with it a bit, however, normally, if people want OpenVPN, they just use a virtual machine with Ubuntu, as it's just easier to set up. 

When you block a website, so what I normally have to do is create a script with the domain name in it. And then it auto-updates the IP list. If they can maybe implement something where you can block websites using this domain name rather than the IP address, that'll be great. You can also obviously block it via the certificate, however, the problem is, a lot of the websites use a generic certificate from, Certbot or something like that. And then you block that, and it blocks a whole other list of websites. If they can do something like that, it will be great as well. I know it's not so easy as everything's encrypted, however, that'll be a great thing to improve.

If they can implement something for the hotspot, where you can actually filter out, that would be ideal. With the hotspot, you've got your counters. If they can implement something that if you use local data, it doesn't go towards your hotspot. I've got a client and they've set up the hotspot. They use it so they don't use the internet. If they copy something from the server, it goes towards their quota. Now, if you copy a big file from the server, and it uses your quota, then you have to obviously first call them and say, "Listen here, I've copied this thing. Please increase my quota, or reset it," or whatever. That's the only struggle that I found. Other than that, I can't really think of anything else.

I've been using the solution for the last three years.

It's super stable. I've never had any issues. There were obviously a couple of years back, maybe a year or two back, where there was a vulnerability version 6.3 or 5.8 or something, where the people were able to just run a script, and then it would give them the MikroTik username and password. They could obviously just log in and deploy whatever viruses or grab whatever they needed. That's long since fixed. Other than that, I've never had any issues.

The solution is super-easy to scale. 

I've never had to deal with technical support.

If I do need information or whatever, I'm on the Reddit forums everywhere. The community is super helpful. For that reason, I've never had to contact support.

I've got a client that had a Palo Alto, however, the licensing fees were too expensive for them. Eventually, we just got them over on a MikroTik. 

Before I started using MikroTik, I was using open source firewalls such as pfSense and OPNsense, which also obviously worked 100%. The problem is it works out to be expensive due to the fact that if you're running that, you basically have to buy a whole computer. Whereas with the MikroTik, you buy the router and you've got everything, and that's it. I've never really looked at anything else other than that. For example, RB2011, you buy it for R3,000 or R4,000, and that's it. There are no licensing fees, there's nothing. That's what I like. I don't like products where there's obviously recurring cost. Obviously there are required antiviruses and stuff like that. However, that's not that expensive. The bigger firewalls, however, such as Palo Alto or FortiGate have all these licensing fees. The services are very nice, however, for my clients, it's not needed.

The initial setup is easy. That said, for our junior techs, it's not that easy. I normally have to come in, do the firewall, stuff like that. For me, as a seasoned tech, it's pretty straightforward. 

I've got quite a lot of experience with firewalls. However, I'm more likely to look at the open-source stuff like pfSense, OPNsense, and MikroTik. That type of stuff. I try and get protection for my clients as cheap as possible, rather than letting them pay R200,000 a year licensing fee they obviously can't afford. That's why I normally just use the MikroTik.

We normally just buy the solution from the vendors, and then obviously we're just a reseller of IT companies.

I only use the routers. I've never used the switches or the APs. Usually, the switches we use, they're Ubiquiti. Same for the APs. And then obviously for the firewall, router, we use the MikroTik.

With most of my clients, including home users and companies, everything MikroTik. Obviously, the home users will use the RG750. For businesses, they'll use 2011, the bigger switches that have a bit more beef.

In terms of which version we're using, they auto-update. We're always on the latest stable version.

I'd rate the solution an eight out of ten.

So the company I work for sells a guest Wi-Fi platform for restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, etc. 

Predominantly, we configure MikroTik Routers and Switches with our platform and then integrate them into the existing network of the businesses.

The stability of the market and the ability to remotely control them are the most valuable features for me.

It would be nice if the interface was easier to use. It's probably one of the most complicated user interfaces to use, but then again, MikroTik routers are also the most flexible routers to use. So I guess it's a price you pay for using a product that's capable of doing pretty much anything.

I have been using this solution for three years.

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten.

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten, it's very scalable.

We're continually adding new locations to our client base all the time. We manage more than 4500 locations globally.

The initial setup is easy now. But when I first started out, it was difficult. The initial deployment of the platform that we use and set up the network was done before I started with the company.

In comparison, especially once you start getting into commercial applications, MikroTik is very affordable. So on the cheaper side of the scale, definitely.

Probably do one of the MikroTik authorized training courses before you start. Overall, I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

We use the solution to provide the same speed internet to 3,000 users, including students and teachers who are using this in school and college.

The valuable features are the hotspot, network address, registration, and firewall.

MikroTik Routers and Switches lack a user-friendly interface for applications or specific settings. For example, compared to a router from VGG Network, MikroTik's DNS and UI apps might require more technical knowledge to configure easily. While MikroTik offers certified support and clear website guides, some features, like Webex configuration, lack an intuitive interface for automatic setup.

Additionally, MikroTik often requires manual tasks like uploading hotspot tickets and setting up certificates. This can be burdensome, unlike easier solutions like UniFi, especially for monthly updates.

I have been using MikroTik Routers and Switches since 2010.

The product is stable.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight out of ten.

MikroTik doesn't have a simple solution. We have to bring a new one to upgrade the CPU's capacity. It's hard to scale.

Around 2,000 users are using the solution.

I rate the solution's scalability a three out of ten.

We use Unifi Switches to deploy and manage access points on-site.

The initial setup is complex.

I rate the product’s pricing a six out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.