Hi!
I'm a total noob to Mikrotik, but fairly familiar with networking in general. I'm looking for a Mikrotik device to enhance my home network which currently consists of Synology 5 bay NAS, 4 media players (WD TV Live x 2, Popcorn Hour A-210 and and older Egreat), 3 wired computers (2 PCs, an iMac), 2 iPads and 3 iPhones which connect over wifi. All the wires are connected to an18 port unmanaged gigabit switch (Cisco, consumer model from 2011). The router is Cisco/Linksys E4200 and is connected to ADSL modem (20/4 Mbit connection, shoulg go optical in a year ot two) on WAN side and switch on the LAN side. It also provides Wifi for the ground floor (so the new device must have wifi too).
Since I was using my old router (Asus RT-N15) as an access point and it died, I would like to either buy a more capable router (like RB2011) and use the current E4200 as AP instead of Asus, or buy a router/switch combo (like the CRS125) to replace my unmanaged switch at the same time as router (switch does not support link aggregation for NAS, but otherwise works OK).
I'm expecting my network to grow and evolve in the future, the first chang being to replace PH A-210 with a Minix Android player capable of 4K resolution, and the number of computers will also increase.
What do you think? Is there much to gain if I replace the switch too?
P.S. I just remembered one more thing - Synology NAS (1511+) is used to download torrents a lot, so it would be perfect if the new device would have a good QoS so I could prioritize other traffic (web browsing, YouTube, FB etc.)over torrents (if it can be done on the base of IP address, MAC address, type of traffic etc.)...
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florentrivoire
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
After reading (quickly) your request, I would say : hAP ac.
And you keep your switch.
This device fills your current need, has very good wifi (2.4 and 5Ghz), and will support an "optical" connection (100-300 Mbits) in the future, for ~120$.
And you keep your switch.
This device fills your current need, has very good wifi (2.4 and 5Ghz), and will support an "optical" connection (100-300 Mbits) in the future, for ~120$.
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Thank you very much - I haven't thought about hAP ac since I haven't seen it in the stores here in Slovenia, will check it out...
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
hAP AC will probably run short of horsepower if you use it for gigabit wifi AND as a gigabit-speeds router.
I would personally use a dedicated router and a dedicated AP. The reason is that for WiFi, gigabit speeds can matter right now even if your internet isn't optical yet. You have in-house media services, and if you have AC-capable wireless clients, you'll benefit from that right now - and the CPU of the hAP AC will handle a gigabit of bridging between the wireless and the wired worlds, but if you throw routing on top of that, it will fall short.
Get a router that can handle the routing you require, and get the hAP AC to be a very very nice access point that will enhance your network.
Router-wise, I'd look to the 3011 (although it's still giving people some strange bugginess, as the ARM platform is new to Mikrotik) or maybe the HEX (not lite) would suffice if you're looking to keep costs to a minimum. I'd say the RB850Gx2 would probably be the best value home router for routing capacity, but you'd also need to get a case for it.
The CRS you mention would be fine as a switch/access point only. You'll find lots of threads on these forums where people cannot get good performance from their CRS as a router. It's intended to be a switch, and if you only use it as a switch, then you'll be satisfied with it, but don't look at it like a router with a gajillion interfaces - because it's not.
I would personally use a dedicated router and a dedicated AP. The reason is that for WiFi, gigabit speeds can matter right now even if your internet isn't optical yet. You have in-house media services, and if you have AC-capable wireless clients, you'll benefit from that right now - and the CPU of the hAP AC will handle a gigabit of bridging between the wireless and the wired worlds, but if you throw routing on top of that, it will fall short.
Get a router that can handle the routing you require, and get the hAP AC to be a very very nice access point that will enhance your network.
Router-wise, I'd look to the 3011 (although it's still giving people some strange bugginess, as the ARM platform is new to Mikrotik) or maybe the HEX (not lite) would suffice if you're looking to keep costs to a minimum. I'd say the RB850Gx2 would probably be the best value home router for routing capacity, but you'd also need to get a case for it.
The CRS you mention would be fine as a switch/access point only. You'll find lots of threads on these forums where people cannot get good performance from their CRS as a router. It's intended to be a switch, and if you only use it as a switch, then you'll be satisfied with it, but don't look at it like a router with a gajillion interfaces - because it's not.
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Thank you very much for explanation. Do you think just replacing the router with RB2011 would be OK (I can get one almost new for a really good price of 70 EUR, and I'm sure it should be much better than the Cisco/Linksys E4200)? I do not have ac clients at the moment, but I could address that with hAP ac at a later time when I get them....
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
WOW, the 3011 looks like a beast... Cannot find it anywhere yet, not even a test or review... the price is around 200 EUR I believe?
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
RB3011 is relatively new and you should ask local Mikrotik distributors about availability. In the US some distributors just got their first stock this week I think.
hAP AC is brand new and is pretty much only available in Latvia so far.... still looking at a 2+ week wait here in the US, not sure about availability in other countries.
hAP AC is brand new and is pretty much only available in Latvia so far.... still looking at a 2+ week wait here in the US, not sure about availability in other countries.
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Thank you. It definitely looks like the 3011 will be my best choice, but I will probbably wait for some tests/reviews to become available...
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Just one more question - as I mentioned, I can get an almost new RB2011 for 70 EUR... Maybe I should just replace my E4200 with RB2011 for now, get some experience with RouterOS, and upgrade to RB3011 when the bugs are ironed out?
Your connectivity 20/4 Mbits can be easily managed even by hap lite for 20 bucks together with whatever dumb gigabit switch for local network. If you want to spare money and learn how to manage ros device. When you will need speed over its possibilities you will know what router is right for you so you will swap them and use hap lite as additional Ap somewhere in the house.
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
So, if I get the RB2011UiAS-2HnD-IN as my main router, and connect it between ADSL modem and a dumb switch, it should work like a charm (providing I configure it right)? And I can use the E4200 as AC for 2nd floor, while RB2011UiAS-2HnD-IN covers the ground floor... Is my thinking correct?
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
You could just use the 2011 as your switch as well, and yes, you can connect another AP behind it for expanded coverage. The best thing in that scenario would be to use the LAN side of the other AP, with DHCP disabled, so that way it's just a bridging access point, and if your devices decide to roam to the other AP, they won't lose their IP address, etc.So, if I get the RB2011UiAS-2HnD-IN as my main router, and connect it between ADSL modem and a dumb switch, it should work like a charm (providing I configure it right)? And I can use the E4200 as AC for 2nd floor, while RB2011UiAS-2HnD-IN covers the ground floor... Is my thinking correct?
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Thank you - unfortunately, RB2011 just has 10 ports, not enough for me, so the dumb gigabit switch stays. I decided a few years ago to install wires around the whole house and use wireless just for phones and tablets. So my current netork consists of ADSL modem connected to E4200 router, which then connects to dumb gigabit switch to which all the rest of the gear is connected, including two old routers serving as access points (Buffalo WHR 54G and Asus RT-N15 which died on me and started this whole process). So right now I do not really need more than 802.11n router, although it would not hurt to be future proof. Will probably go for RB2011 and later upgrade with 802.11ac access points as needed.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Definitelly avoid RB3011 or at least wait, let's say, 6 months to know the reality of this device:
Yes, it works but...
- Partition does not work.
- Performance is still under question.
- It's not cheap: aprox. 170€ in Europe with taxes but without shipping costs.
- New porting: ARM architecture, so no experience at all.
- Misterious problems with ethernet ports: if you have software bridge,,,, if you use master port in a group misterious errors reported
- I suspect that this is a 2nd try of multiCPU on small devices that remembers too much RB850x2 "roadmap" of events.
- Some of these bugs are solved without formal comunication from Mikrotik: update and test, update and test,...
I'm owner of both RB2011 and RB3011, with RB2011 more or less confortable if I miss the first 6.X releases.
About the RB3011...I still feel a real beta tester of an unfinsihed product: my idea about MIkrotik is to avoid this perception from consumer devices (ASUS and similars....), but it seems that Mikrotik entered definitelly in this segment.
Kind Regards
Yes, it works but...
- Partition does not work.
- Performance is still under question.
- It's not cheap: aprox. 170€ in Europe with taxes but without shipping costs.
- New porting: ARM architecture, so no experience at all.
- Misterious problems with ethernet ports: if you have software bridge,,,, if you use master port in a group misterious errors reported
- I suspect that this is a 2nd try of multiCPU on small devices that remembers too much RB850x2 "roadmap" of events.
- Some of these bugs are solved without formal comunication from Mikrotik: update and test, update and test,...
I'm owner of both RB2011 and RB3011, with RB2011 more or less confortable if I miss the first 6.X releases.
About the RB3011...I still feel a real beta tester of an unfinsihed product: my idea about MIkrotik is to avoid this perception from consumer devices (ASUS and similars....), but it seems that Mikrotik entered definitelly in this segment.
Kind Regards
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Having the 2011, I don't want the 3011, because even if the 10 ports are now all gigabit, they are still on 2 separate switches.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
You want to look at the CRS125's. They have the same CPU as the 2011, but only 1 switch chip. That is more than enough for routing a 500/50 connection at a home if you use fasttrack and LAN switching. By the time you get 1000, you can upgrade to something current then.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but a CRS125-16G-1S line is a big hole in the offer.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
I think a fair price for 16G would be about $40 more than the corresponding 2011 router, and that the RM version is not really needed.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
If there's no suitable 18-port switch chip, a 14G would be fine in my case, although I don't think I will be upgrading until I get 1000 Mbps, so a more powerful version would be needed (I would be looking for at least 2000/200 capability for the expenditure to feel right).
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Which means SFP+ and 10GBase-T for my next device.
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Well, in reality there is almost zero chance to get over 100/100 in the immediate future (saj 3-5 years). So, if CRS125 is strong enough, that would be a good option, it just bothers me that ZeroByte wrote it is not a good router and is intended to be a switch...You want to look at the CRS125's. They have the same CPU as the 2011, but only 1 switch chip. That is more than enough for routing a 500/50 connection at a home if you use fasttrack and LAN switching. By the time you get 1000, you can upgrade to something current then.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
The general idea with the CRS is that they are geared for switching, but they run the same software.
As the 125 has the same CPU as the 2011, it is fine for a home.
It would be more problematic for a business with many concurrent users.
As the 125 has the same CPU as the 2011, it is fine for a home.
It would be more problematic for a business with many concurrent users.
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
The general idea with the CRS is that they are geared for switching, but they run the same software.
As the 125 has the same CPU as the 2011, it is fine for a home.
It would be more problematic for a business with many concurrent users.
So, for my home with Synology NAS (1511+), 4 media streamers, 3 PCs, 1 iMac, (all wired) plus Playstation 3, Wii, 2 Panasonic TVs, 4 iPhones and 2 iPads it should be enough?
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Well, somebody posted once that some CPU resources are used for switching, so it would be good for Mikrotik to comment on this.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
I have CRS125. It is connected to Cisco ADSL router 15Mbps down and 1Mbps up. I have firewall, OpenVPN and routing between 4 VLANs, no bridges. CPU usage average usage is around 6% with picks to 52%.
NATing happens on Cisco but the firewall rules and routing happens on CRS125.
This is home usage, with KODI media centre, a file server. 2 laptops and 3 mobile devices. Not pushing great amount of traffic, rather megabytes then gigabytes.
So in my scenario CRS125 is working fine.
NATing happens on Cisco but the firewall rules and routing happens on CRS125.
This is home usage, with KODI media centre, a file server. 2 laptops and 3 mobile devices. Not pushing great amount of traffic, rather megabytes then gigabytes.
So in my scenario CRS125 is working fine.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Yes if you use bridges, no if you use switch chipWell, somebody posted once that some CPU resources are used for switching, so it would be good for Mikrotik to comment on this.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Then it would be fine in my case, I only had to use bridge to connect the 2 switch chips, so it would actually be better for this than the 2011, as I said before.Yes if you use bridges, no if you use switch chipWell, somebody posted once that some CPU resources are used for switching, so it would be good for Mikrotik to comment on this.
The question would be then what happens if you use the built-in WiFi, but I guess nothing would change compared to the 2011 (I have mine disabled because it is not simultaneous dual band).
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
Unoptimized, that is, without fasttrack?I have CRS125. It is connected to Cisco ADSL router 15Mbps down and 1Mbps up. I have firewall, OpenVPN and routing between 4 VLANs, no bridges. CPU usage average usage is around 6% with picks to 52%.
NATing happens on Cisco but the firewall rules and routing happens on CRS125.
This is home usage, with KODI media centre, a file server. 2 laptops and 3 mobile devices. Not pushing great amount of traffic, rather megabytes then gigabytes.
So in my scenario CRS125 is working fine.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
yes, without fasttrack. fasttrack was introduced after I configurer the switch and never bothered to enable it as never had to.Unoptimized, that is, without fasttrack?
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
OK - if you were in my situation, whichof these two would you choose:
1. RB951G-2hnd for 65 EURO
2. RB2011UiAS-2HnD-IN for 70 EURO
Both are just tested and almost new.
1. RB951G-2hnd for 65 EURO
2. RB2011UiAS-2HnD-IN for 70 EURO
Both are just tested and almost new.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
I think a "hAP ac medium" is missing (lite + gigabit ports).
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banditbanger
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Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
That would be the ideal one for me....
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
I found that partition still doesn't work yesterday.Definitelly avoid RB3011 or at least wait, let's say, 6 months to know the reality of this device:
Yes, it works but...
- Partition does not work.
Re: Advice needed in choosing the right Mikrotik device
its Exactly original hAP AC hiche. its just "overpriced too much" even compared to "recommended prices", despite hype/demands.I think a "hAP ac medium" is missing (lite + gigabit ports).
anyway "gigabit ports" was kinda "marketing trick" with such weak CPU inside
(aside HAP AC you had 1Gb PHY/ports in HEX for example.)
would make lot more sense with quad-core(or more)CPU's like used in RB3011 perhaps (for 5-ports device). there would be quite sexy SoC on A32 and especially on A35 cores for that.
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