Was wondering if anyone has had success getting Winbox to run on a Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.3.

I have a MacBook Pro (the new 13-inch model that just came out, unibody 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) which is running Snow Leopard (Mac OS X10.6.3) and an older iMac (White 17" Intel Core Duo) running Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5.. X11 is installed on the iMac running Leopard and I downloaded the pre-packaged Winebox version of the Winbox app from the Wiki and it worked. X11 automatically opened as well when I clicked to open the app and came up to the Connect window. I did not actually connect to a RouterBOARD to test full functionality, but I'm just trying to get my MacBook running Snow Leopard to that point. The Snow Leopard machine did not have X11 on it at first so I put in my Install DVD and loaded X11. When I click on the Winbox app the icon pops up on the dock and the Menu Bar gives me the same Wine options as when I run it on the Leopard machine, but the Connect window never appears. X11 does not open like it does on the Leopard machine and even if I open X11 manually and then run the app, I still never see the Connect window.

Anyone have any suggestions or links to How-To's that get Winbox working on Snow Leopard (as close to natively as possible). I don't want to have to hack my machine to pieces to get Winbox working in OS X. In that case, I'll just create a Boot Camp partition and install Windows, but I just hate to install Windows on my machine for one simple app, not to mention I won't have access to my E-mail, preferred web browser, Skype, etc. when I'm in a board configuring or troubleshooting.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

We have no problems here running it on snow leopard, did you try to install the new darwine from http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/wine/ ?

We have no problems here running it on snow leopard, did you try to install the new darwine from http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/wine/ ?

Hmm. I don't believe I did. I'll try that now and let you know what my results are.

We have no problems here running it on snow leopard, did you try to install the new darwine from http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/wine/ ?

So far, I have installed Xcode (Snow Leopard Disc), X11 (Snow Leopard Disc), Wine, Darwine, Winebottle, Created my own Winebottle version of Winbox.exe, used the pre-compiled Winebottle version of Winbox.exe as can be found on the Wiki (http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/MikroTik_ ... StandAlone), and nothing has worked. I am afraid to install MacPorts and go down that router, for the How-To looks really involved and I feel like I shouldn't have to do that much work to get this working on my Snow Leopard machine when it works fine on my Leopard machine. What am I missing or overlooking?

try to find some other x11 installation, we didn't use the one off the SL disk, as we upgraded OS from 10.5. I know that there is some open source project that makes X11 for Mac, maybe that version is newer and works better? So far I personally know at least 5 SL machines where it all works perfectly.

try to find some other x11 installation, we didn't use the one off the SL disk.

That's the ticket. I downloaded and installed XQuartz which I did once before and did not work, but I had not had Darwin (as you suggested before) installed, nor had I installed Xcode yet (like my 10.5.8 Leopard machine had).

After install XQuartz, Winbox pops up like it was meant to run on a Mac all along. I think the Wiki (which states all you need to do is download this pre-compiled Winebottle app and your good) should be updated to included using XQuartz and having Xcode (from the OS Disc) installed for that is what I believe is working for me. After XQuartz did the trick, I uninstalled Darwine and Wine because the copy of Winbox I have is a Winebottle package and I should not have to have Wine or Darwin installed and Winbox still opens up fine.

Thanks Normis. I really appreciate your help. This makes my work flow go a lot smoother, now that I don't have to touch a Windows PC for anything at work or at home now. Thanks.

I don't see the plus sign under karma for you. How do I give you karma. You've been very helpful and totally deserve it.

I personally know at least 5 SL machines where it all works perfectly.

Do you happen to know how to open multiple instances of Winbox on a Mac? In Windows, I would just open another instance of winbox.exe by executing winbox.exe. But I have been unable to determine how to accomplish this on a Mac. This is very helpful when troubleshooting (to compare the config of a RB with an issue to the config of a working RB).

Thanks.

And how do you copy files (updateds) to the device to upgrade the firmware/RouterOS version? Dragging and dropping obviously doesn't work.

And how do you copy files (updateds) to the device to upgrade the firmware/RouterOS version? Dragging and dropping obviously doesn't work.

FTP

you happen to know how to open multiple instances of Winbox on a Mac? In Windows, I would just open another instance of winbox.exe by executing winbox.exe. But I have been unable to determine how to accomplish this on a Mac.

Simply opening Winbox.exe twice works fine for us

FTP

Can you FTP to a MAC address? I am needed to upgrade the RouterOS on several RouterBOARDs quickly before we configure them and are trying to avoid having to setup a static IP just to be able to connect to the board. It's a pain constantly having to change my LAN ports IP address and would be so much smoother if we could use WinBox to connect via MAC address and update the OS.

Simply opening Winbox.exe twice works fine for us

I am on a Mac. I am not using Winbox.exe, but rather the pre-compiled winebottle Winbox.app and after opening one Winbox window, clicking Winbox.app again, just brings the currently open window in focus. However, I've found that keeping the WinBox.aap in different folders and opening the app from the alternate folders as well as the Applications folder allows me to have multiple Winbox instances (windows) running. Or one can number the WinBox.app: Winbox1.app, Winbox2 and opening Winbox1.app will open one Winbox window (instance) from which you can access one RouterBOARD, and opening Winbox2.app will open a second window (instance) from which you can access a second RouterBOARD.

You can't upload files to Winbox even in Windows if you use MAC address to conencect. The transfer will be interrupted most probably.

We also use MacOS, but we run Winbox.exe directly via Wine, we don't use the precompiled Winebottler app. Maybe that's the difference. How about if you make a copy of that app, rename it, and then launch a second one?

You can't upload files to Winbox even in Windows if you use MAC address to conencect. The transfer will be interrupted most probably.

We also use MacOS, but we run Winbox.exe directly via Wine, we don't use the precompiled Winebottler app. Maybe that's the difference. How about if you make a copy of that app, rename it, and then launch a second one?

I thought about that (making a copy of the app and running both copies to accomplish the goal of having two Winbox instances/windows) and it worked.

And everyone always has bad things to say about being connected via MAC address. However, I have had no problems connecting, uploading files to the device, upgrading RouterOS successfully, completely configuring the boards/radio cards while connected via MAC address, and troubleshooting via MAC Address. I have had no problems at all.

As a matter of fact, we power our boards via PoE and there is a LAN port on the PoE injector which is located at the bottom of the tower. We can plug into this port, pull up winbox, and access the router via MAC address.

From a Network Admin, this acts as an extra layer of security. Anyone who does happen to gain physical access to our equipment can't connect to the device because there is no IP address on that interface. It is strictly there to power the device. But it can still be used to access the BOARD via the MAC address and if a someone attempted to login to the device after having gained physical access, they would have to know to use Winbox, connect via MAC Address and then try to crack our Admin Password. I really like that extra layer of security.

We've done this with all of our RB600a and RB800's.


I may try installing Darwine again and just running winbox.exe via Darwine and see if I experience the same issue. I really need to be able to connect to the boards via the MAC address and copy file to and from them (routeros updates and supout.rif) and have full winbox functionality on my MacBook Pro. I'll post my results.

MAC access will not work in Wine, it doesn't support it by design

MAC access will not work in Wine, it doesn't support it by design

Hmm. Has worked for me all day long. I have XQuartz and the Xcode suite installed.

Not sure if Xcode made a difference or not. I doubt it, but I did installed it and did a few other things and Winbox started working after your suggesting to use an Snow Leopard X11 alternative so it could have been a factor or not.

And I used the instructions on the Wiki to create my own winbox.app and I can access any RouterBOARD I am directly connected to via MAC address all day. Let me make it clear I am not accessing units on the live network via MAC address remotely. Not sure if that is even possible and if so it's probably definitely not safe. I connect via the MAC address in the field on location and plug into the LAN port on the PoE powering the BOARD or am in the lab configuring and preparing new BOARDs for deployment.

You can't upload files to Winbox even in Windows if you use MAC address to conencect.

thanks god I didn't know that many times when I was uploading new files via MAC-WinBox (on x86 and RBs) =) it was working brilliantly, don't "fix" it in future releases

Of course you can use your TV as a dinner table, but don't ask the manufacturer why it breaks when it does

Of course you can use your TV as a dinner table, but don't ask the manufacturer why it breaks when it does

Noted. You have warned us, but until I experience an issue, I see no reason to modify my workflow. However, let me just clarify I am not uploading files to the boards remotely on the live network. Again, I'm not even sure that works. and highly doubt it would. As a matter of fact, I'm positive it would.

However, when I am in the lab configuring freshly unboxed equipment, I use the LAN port on the back of the PoE to Winbox into a unit via the MAC address on an MacBook Pro using the Winebottle'd Winbox App and have never had a problem uploading files or configuring a RouterBOARD. And I only use the LAN port on the back of the PoE to Winbox into a unit via the MAC address on my MacBook Pro or any other machine for that matter to access and troubleshoot config issues in the field. I do not forsee having to upload files to a unit on site to fix a problem, but it could happen.

My point is I'm not clear on something. Are you saying, Normis, that you and MT do not recommend using the MAC address to access the device at ALL, or just to upload files to the unit. And is it a Mac OS X / WINE thing or do you not recommend using the MAC address on Windows machines as well?

MAC address connection is very unreliable and slow. If you want normal experience, use IP. In some cases the filter rules don't appear in the list for up to 10 seconds when using MAC connection. We recommend using the MAC address connection only if you know these limitations and other connection methods are not available.