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| Figure 305 MikroTik |
History of Mikrotik
Mikrotik was created by MikroTikls, a company based in Riga, Latvia. Latvia is a country that was a breakaway from the former Soviet Union, or what is now Russia.
Mikrotik was founded in 1995, initially aimed at Internet Service Providers (ISPs) who served their customers using wireless technology.
MikroTik is an operating system and software that can be used to turn a computer into a reliable network router, including various features designed for IP networks and wireless networks, suitable for use by ISPs, hotspot providers, and internet cafes.
Currently MikroTikls provides services to many wireless ISPs for Internet access services in many countries in the world and is also very popular in Indonesia.
Understanding Mikrotik
MikroTik is an operating system and software installed on a computer, enabling it to operate. The computer connected to MikroTik acts as the heart of the network, controlling and regulating data traffic. This type of computer is called a router.
A router is a device that connects and manages two or more networks, allowing data to be transferred from one network to another. MikroTik is a Linux-based operating system used for network routers. MikroTik is designed to provide user convenience.
The administration system can be implemented using a Windows application (Winbox). Furthermore, the installation process can also be performed using a standard computer. Therefore, MikroTik can be defined as a router operating system used to run and manage all network activities comprehensively.
Mikrotik routers can be used on large or small scale computer networks, which of course must be adjusted to the resources of the computer itself.
If Mikrotik is used to manage a small network, then the computer equipment used can be ordinary or standard, but for large scale, a computer with high specifications must be used.
Mikrotik includes a variety of features designed for both wireless and IP networks. This system is suitable for use by ISPs, hotspot providers, and internet cafes. Therefore, Mikrotik truly helps its users.
Mikrotik Functions
The following are some of the functions of Mikrotik:
- To block sites that contain prohibited content using a proxy on Mikrotik, thus supporting the government's program in the form of positive internet use,
- Mikrotik functions to set up and configure LAN using PC Mikrotik Router OS along with very low hardware,
- Internet network settings can be done centrally, making it easier for admins to manage.
- Can be used as a billing hotspot which makes it easier to configure and share bandwidth on the network,
- Can be used to create PPPoE Server,
- Able to separate international and local traffic bandwidth
Router Function: acts as a connector between two or more networks, forwarding data from one network to another. A router differs from a switch. A switch connects several devices to form a Local Area Network (LAN).
To illustrate the difference in function between a router and a switch, consider a street, and a router as a connection between streets. Each house on a street has its own address in a specific order.
In the same way, switches connect various devices, where each device has its own IP address on a LAN.
Types of Mikrotik
Mikrotik isn't available in just one version. The company has developed two products, Mikrotik RouterOS and RouterBoard. Here's an explanation:
Mikrotik RouterOS
Mikrotik RouterOS is a UNIX-based operating system that can transform a regular computer into a router, firewall, bridge, hotspot, proxy server, and more. Because it's so easy to use, many people use this operating system to build their routers.
RouterBoard
While Mikrotik RouterOS is a software operating system, RouterBoard is actually a piece of networking hardware developed by Mikrotik. RouterBoard is installed with the Mikrotik RouterOS operating system. Despite being a hardware device, RouterBoard is very small and practical.
Built-in Mikrotik Hardware
This is a Mikrotik hardware packaged specifically on a router board with Mikrotik RouterOS pre-installed. For this version, the license is included in the price of the Mikrotik router board. An example of a Mikrotik hardware device is the RouterBoard 433 2 Indoor Access Point. The specifications of the RB 433 are as follows.
Mikrotik Features
Below are several Mikrotik features, consisting of:
- Address List : Grouping IP addresses based on name
- Asynchronous : Supports serial PPP dial-in/dial-out, with CHAP, PAP, MSCHAPv1 and MSCHAPv2 authentication, Radius, dial on demand, modem pool up to 128 ports.
- Bonding : Supports combining multiple ethernet interfaces into 1 pipe on a fast connection.
- Bridge : Supports bridge spinning tree functions, multiple bridge interfaces, bridging firewalling.
- Data Rate Management : HTB-based QoS with the use of burst, PCQ, RED, SFQ, FIFO queue, CIR, MIR, peer to peer limit
- DHCP : Supports DHCP per interface; DHCP Relay; DHCP Client, multiple network DHCP; static and dynamic DHCP leases.
- Firewall and NAT : Supports peer-to-peer connection filtering, source NAT, and destination NAT. Filtering based on MAC address, IP address, port range, IP protocol, and protocol options such as ICMP, TCP Flags, and MSS.
- Hotspot : Hotspot gateway with RADIUS authentication. Supports data rate limits, SSL, and HTTPS.
- IPSec : AH and ESP protocols for IPSec; MODP Diffie-Hellmann groups 1, 2, 5; MD5 and SHA1 hashing algorithms; encryption algorithms using DES, 3DES, AES-128, AES-192, AES-256; Perfect Forwarding Secrecy (PFS) MODP groups 1, 2, 5
- ISDN : Supports ISDN dial-in/dial-out. With PAP, CHAP, MSCHAPv1 and MSCHAPv2 authentication, Radius. Supports 128K bundle, Cisco HDLC, x751, x75ui, x75bui line protocols.
- M3P : MikroTik Protocol Packet Packer for wireless links and ethernet.
- MNDP : MikroTik Discovery Neighbor Protocol, also supports Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP).
- Monitoring / Accounting : IP Traffic Reports, logs, graph statistics accessible via HTTP.
- NTP : Network Time Protocol for servers and clients; synchronization using the GPS system.
- Point to Point Tunneling Protocol : PPTP, PPPoE and L2TP Access Concentrator; authentication protocols using PAP, CHAP, MSCHAPv1, MSCHAPv2; Radius authentication and reporting; MPPE encryption; compression for PPPoE; data rate limit.
- Proxy : Cache for FTP and HTTP proxy server, HTTPS proxy; transparent proxy for DNS and HTTP; supports SOCKS protocol; supports parent proxy; static DNS.
- Routing : Static and dynamic routing; RIP v1/v2, OSPF v2, BGP v4.
- SDSL : Supports Single Line DSL; connection and network line disconnection mode.
- Simple Tunnel : IPIP and EoIP (Ethernet over IP) tunnels.
- SNMP : Simple Network Monitoring Protocol read-only access mode.
- Synchronous : V.35, V.24, E1/T1, X21, DS3 (T3) media types; sync-PPP, Cisco HDLC; Frame Relay line protocol; ANSI-617d (ANDI or annex D) and Q933a (CCITT or annex A); Frame Relay type LMI.
- Tools : Ping, Traceroute; bandwidth test; ping flood; telnet; SSH; packet sniffers; Dynamic DNS updates.
- UPnP : Supports Universal Plug and Play interface.
- VLAN : Supports IEEE 802.1q Virtual LAN for Ethernet and wireless networks; multiple VLANs; VLAN bridging.
- VoIP : Supports voice over IP applications.
- VRRP : Supports Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol.
- WinBox : GUI mode application for remote and configure MikroTik RouterOS.
Benefits of Using Mikrotik
The benefits of using Mikrotik include:
:
1. As an Internet Gateway for LAN “Local Area Network”
For example, a MikroTik router connects multiple local networks to the internet. It can also regulate incoming and outgoing data traffic. It can also manage the internet content that clients can access.
2. As an Access Point
A MikroTik router equipped with a wireless interface can function as an access point on a Wi-Fi network. Schools, cafes, campuses, and public networks often use MikroTik routers as Wi-Fi access points.
3. As Routing
Routing is a key feature of a MikroTik router. It connects multiple networks and determines the best path to a destination computer or address. For example, if there are three branch offices, A, B, and C, the MikroTik router manages these three offices so they are connected to the internet.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Mikrotik
The advantages and disadvantages of Mikrotik include:
1. Advantages of Mikrotik
Consists of:
- More cost-effective, because the price of a router board license is much cheaper than a router OS (of the same level)
- More energy efficient, for example the RB750 only consumes 2.5 watts of electricity.
- No complicated installation, just turn on the settings and the router is ready to use.
- Suitable as a router with a small to medium workload, for heavy workloads you can buy a high spec routerboard, of course at a high price too.
2. Disadvantages of Mikrotik
Consists of:
- Limited hardware specs (CPU, Main Storage/NAND, RAM)
- Not good if used as an Internal Web Proxy
- If there is damage to the hardware that is not serious, it can still be repaired, but if it is serious, you will be forced to buy a new one and cannot upgrade the hardware.
How to Prevent Your Router from Being Hacked:
1. Change your WiFi password regularly
This is the simplest way to secure your Wi-Fi. You can do this through your router's settings. Typically, each router has a guide for changing the password.
Choose a password that's easy to remember but difficult to crack. Ideally, use a combination of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, and numbers. While it may be a bit of a hassle, prevention is better than cure, right?
2. Check WiFi Users
After changing your Wi-Fi password, there are a few other settings to check. The settings page usually displays a list of who's currently using your Wi-Fi. If any unfamiliar devices are connected, you should be wary.
3. Use the Application to Monitor
Using an app. For example, Fing is available for Android and iOS. Windows users can use Acrylic WiFi, and macOS users can use Who Is On My WiFi.
Source of:
https://raharja.ac.id/2020/04/30/14793/
