Can't get started with mAP lite

RouterOS Wireless Networking
1

I have bought a new mAP lite but am have no luck getting into the config interface. I am familiar with the hAP ac2, via the Webfig and via the Console, with reset-configuration and fully scripted RouterOS config. But this miniature device is defying me access to itself.

I have followed https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/UM/mAP+lite and even tried reseting the device (both with the button pressed before and immediately after supplying power). As far as I can tell from https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Default_Configurations#AP_Router the default config for the mAP lite is AP Router, just like for the hAP ac2. But I just can’t seem to connect.

  • If ethernet is connected to my main network, then
  • when I connect to the mAP lite wireless interface I get a DHCP address from my main network, and
    • I get local and internet access via the device, but
    • I cannot see any way to connect to the device’s Webfig or Console as the device does not appear to have an IP address on my network.
  • If ethernet is disconnected,
  • I can connect to the wireless interface but
    • I get no DHCP address, and
    • even if I set it manually in 192.168.88/24 I cannot connect to 192.168.88.1

It’s as if the DHCP Server on the device is not supplying my client with an address, or the device does not really have a local interface on the 88 network, but I have tried reseting it in multiple ways.

Could someone please help me to connect and configure this mAP lite

2

You could try using WinBox with MAC connectivity to get into mAP lite. Before you ask: WinBox runs happily under Wine in Linux (and in similar windows-like environment in MacOS).

3

It looks like it is in bridge mode, i.e. it just relays all traffic between ethernet and wifi.
However, it most likely has obtained an IP address from your home network when you connected to it.
Check the DHCP server (router) on your home network to see what address it obtained from there, and connect it on that address (try from both sides).

4

Thanks @mkx, I knew I had winbox up my sleeve if I really needed it, but I wanted to avoid adding the wine emulater to my current macos build.

But the real credit must go to @pe1chl who clearly sprinkled his magic dust on my issue. Yesterday, no matter how hard I tried, I could not get an ip address for this mAP lite. But now, I have just powered it back up, and I can see the IP and hostname sitting boldly in both my DHCP Server Lease List and my Router ARP Cache smiling at me as if to say ‘so where have you been, then?’

Now I can indeed see

/system default-configuration print



WISP Bridge - wireless and LAN interfaces are bridged – DHCP Client: enabled on bridge (LAN port)

Thanks for your patient assistance. Now to have some fun with this little box!

5

Ok! Well of course these boxes are very versatile, as any MikroTik device.
You can configure it as a router intead of bridge, and you can decide to run a DHCP server on it and on which side of the device that should be (ethernet or wlan).
So you can either connect it to an ethernet network (and possibly obtain an IP as it does now), and then clients connect to the wlan side and get an IP from it, or you can connect the wlan side to another wireless network, get an IP from there, and run it as a router for an ethernet-connected device towards a wireless network.
In fact, it can even be both a client and an accesspoint on the WiFi at the same time! (with a clever configuration)
So you can connect the wlan to the Hotel WiFi where you are allowed to connect a single device only, and then connect laptop and phone to the AP function of the same mAP lite and let it work as a NAT wifi-to-wifi router. And have something connected to ethernet as well, when you want.
But of course this all requires some study of the matter.