@anav: You have done much for this Forum. Having a posting guide, and having new posts reviewed for adherence is a fair idea. But. In this specific case (as in many others) it wouldn't have helped. The initial premise of the poster was that there is some sort of hidden L3 offloading mode that they can't find. At that point the title was a fair summary for the (misguided) topic.
At this point, either the hypothetical mod explains that there is no such mode, or silently blackholes the post. Neither are especially appropriate.
Your comment that no documentation is enough if no one reads it (and rely on LLMs instead) is true enough, and I know what exactly should be done about it. However I think that having documentation that is altogether friendly to beginners would be a nice idea. I think regulars on this forum don't appreciate how many obstacles have slowly been embedded in the Mikrotik configuration system. None of them are insurmountable on their own (and all of them have a well-intentioned purpose), but they've simply been allowed to accumulate without some sort of "Getting started" guide that when read (foolishly I'm assuming cover to cover) would help someone new along just a bit.
If you want to call this topic drawn-out and painful that is your choice. There was much discussion about the actual router and I learned things from the discussion I wouldn't have learned elsewhere. As @lurker888 pointed out, my premise was flawed to being with and no documentation or YouTube video would have helped. I don't think the end result of this was painful or drawn out. I am sorry you feel like you wasted your time.
One of my biggest pet peeves with forums is when someone says "Search the forum first." So I do and you find 500 different posts on VLANs and none of the ones you look at answers your question. Maybe number 387 does but who has that time? I'm on another forum where the moderator loves to direct people to some old forum posts from years ago. Problem is these posts are sometimes 50 pages long with hundreds of replies, etc. Again, who has time to read that many posts? I don't. So if I can't find something relatively quickly I ask the question. Sorry to be the 900th person who asked the same question, but searching for stuff is not always that easy. Those of you who have helped and responded to stuff thing, "Heck, there's plenty of information out there. I know this as I have helped solve issues." Indeed you are correct, but how deep in threads (even such as this one) is the answer someone is looking for? If you know the answer to something is it really that hard to be a nice person and answer it again for the 901st time? Isn't that what forums are for?
I can honestly say, I have never used an AI chatbot to look up information on MikroTik configurations. I don't trust it. I had a customer last week asking me questions about a piece of software I wrote and sell and he was claiming I had him locked out in kiosk mode. As I wrote the software there's is no kiosk or dealer mode. I had no idea what he was talking about. Then he sent me the ChatGPT screenshot. I almost had to change my pants I laughed so hard.
Oh, so you make my point for me! Thank you. So all the reading you would have a noob go off and do, may not be anything more than a colossal waste of their time because it didn't address their situation. Yet you may have had the answer the whole time but insisted they go searching through 500 other posts first.
I'm not sure I get the point in your first sentence. I would agree I need guidance. I have also been extremely verbose in my praise of those who have given me guidance. So I don't think you saying that I think I am above that is fair. I even took what I learned and turned it into a help article for others. Doesn't make me an expert in the subject but I tried to give back at least a little bit.
What I am hesitant to do is ask a question and the post my config file to have my config file ripped apart because someone doesn't have the context of my I don't have DHCP pools for my VLANs. It gets tiring having to defend myself in one area that is unrelated to the question at hand. So now I spend time editing the config so that these questions are not raised.
I don't know why you would say that when I have praised and thanked you for assisting me. You have guided me and been very helpful. So this doesn't make sense.
My angst about this whole post is that someone comes in a year later and criticizes the title when the title to begin with was 100% legit. I don't care how much he knows about MikroTik, he's closed the door to me.
Some of the pros need to understand, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
As noted, you had a premise and approached the whole thread with something incorrect instead of communicating, the user/device requirements for traffic flow, the network, the config, which have nothing to do with premise or assumptions, and thus we start with a clean slate of facts, unclouded by false distractions………
Being neither trained in education, nor engineering processes, I dont fault you for not getting the gist of the topic. The point is there is much fruitful learning and questions asked and answered, in a direct and useful manner, when the pertinent information has been communicated. In both directions!!!
Requirements would have articulated the lack of need for dhcp pools, and thus would not have been brought up, ( we are trying to fill gaps in the config, that are unexplained, and we are not inside your head, facts lives matter!) In the back and forth, would be the time to say/ask, why is this train of thought incorrect etc.
Within the context of a KNOWN scenario, and the facts, the explanation can be clear, accurate and satisfying.
You desire to have everything neatly set up with a bow around it before helping a new person is truly nuts. Many times users have no idea what they want or need on something, let alone have an understanding of what to give you to make you happy. Sheesh. I asked a simple question that morphed into a larger conversation. No where did I come into the situation and go:
Help me set up my router. My router is to be on 192.168.1.1. I have a NAS at 192.168.0.1, a NAS at 192.168.0.2 and a NAS at 192.168.0.3. All other 192.168.0.x addresses are in the DHCP pool with fixed devices at 192.168.1.2 and above.
I have a Just Add Power video over IP network that consists of 12 video sources each on their own VLAN and 10 TVs all on their own VLAN.
etc etc.
Help me set this up...
You would go, "Huh?"
So please stop wanting something to be perfectly expressed by a new poster. Regardless of how well you think it would work, it's just not realistic.
Excuse me? I have a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I spent 6 and a half years doing design work on microwave communication and cellular communication system. I have spent 30 years in technical sales in the semiconductor industry. I own a software company as well. You know absolutely zero fricking nothing about me!
I won't bother asking you for help again. I am sorry I wasted your time with the help you have given me.
Seriously thinking about not buying a MikroTik next time around with attitudes like this. Assumptions like yours just tick me off...
I"m out guys. Screw it. If you can't give a new person grace over an incorrect title to a post, forget it. Arguing with you over how newbies should do stuff isn't worth the time.
And @anav - if I am ever asking for help with anything on the forums again, feel no obligation to help me. I probably won't ask it correctly or give you the correct information. I obviously don't have the engineering background or educational experience to give you that. I wouldn't want to waste your time..
Again, missing the point entirely.
Of course will be happy to assist again.
Knowing that you will provide a network diagram, a complete set of user requirements, and a full config, with which to work with, makes this grinch all warm inside! Of course, no need for the full meal deal, if its just a simple one liner question, and not an issue solving exercise!
