Mikrotik as HUB (configuration)

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hi everyone!
I have to configure device as a HUB but I don’t have any experience working with this devices and OS.
Can you take me step by step throughout the entire configuration or do you have any instructions? Thanks for any help.

2

Do you mean simply as a managed switch?

3

IP > DHCP Server, delete the dhcp server for bridge1
IP > Addresses, delete the ip address of bridge1

At this point, Ports 2-5 and wifi are considered a switch. ether1 remains the gateway. If you want to use ether1 as another port in the switch…

IP > DHCP Client, delete DHCP Client for ether1
Bridge > Ports, add ether1 to bridge1.
IP > Firewall > NAT, delete the masquerade rule

That’s about it I think…

I usually add a DHCP client to bridge1 so the Mikrotik takes on an IP.

4

I have to do it in the configuration as in the picture - https://ibb.co/jJWS2rd I work on Mikrotik RB 1100. I have to configure it as a hub and then I ping at the same time pc1 and pc2 and for example I switch pc2 to another port for example 3 and “ping” still should work. Any ideas how to do it?

5

If you bridge ports together (/interface bridge and sub-menus), they will act as a switch. Which is not exactly the same as hub.

6

So how to do it to work like a hub?

7

As I wrote: routerboards don’t work as hubs. They can be made to work as switches.

8

More to the point: why do you want a hub?

Sent from my cell phone. Sorry for the errors.

9

Because I have to simulate something like that in laboratories. Maybe as a bridge to do it, that it would be similar?

10

Who would ask you to emulate a hub???
It would be like saying okay I want you to emulate a rotary dial telephone, or an 8 track tape LOL.

11

I don’t think you can emulate a hub properly using routerboards. The MAC address tables can be flushed which would make RB to work as a hub … but only for a very short while. It’d soon learn addresses again.

12

Without MAC adress and IP. It would be possible? I do not know, I have such a exercise, and earlier I did not have any contact with Mikrotiks.

13

A hub is a multiport repeater working on layer 1. It will span a big collision domain. If THIS is needed for what reason ever, you cannot use any switch/bridge (layer 2) device.

14

I’m not sure you know what you require if you think that a hub and a switch are similar.

Can you explain what you need to achieve? That could help us understand.


Sent from my cell phone. Sorry for the errors.

15

Let’s start from the beginning. I’ve never worked on mikrotik before, only Cisco. I have to configure 4 ports on Mikrotik RB 1100, here the visual schematic - https://ibb.co/jJWS2rd 3 of them will be connected to computers, one port will be free. One of the computers will be monitor with Wireshark.
When everything is set up, I need to ping the pc1 to pc2 and pc2 to pc1 at the same time. Then, for example, I switch pc2 cable to free port - in the schematic it is port 3 and ping should still work. I have to do some measurements on the Wireshark. I explained everything? This configuration should be a HUB.

16

Ok, got it.

Still can’t do hub in MikroTik.

Do a switch as was suggested before using a bridge. From within the router, you can launch a packet sniffer (in tools menu) which is wireshark compatible (make sure to name the file .pcap). You’ll have to play with it as I don’t remember if the bridge will see all traffic. At least, you can capture one port’s traffic in both directions.

Cheers,


Sent from my cell phone. Sorry for the errors.

17

Hey Guys again.

I managed to do what I wrote about. Could someone else explain what these options mean, because I’m not sure. Here - https://i.ibb.co/sjK0fF4/aaaa.png

  • Edge Port Discovery
  • External FDB
  • Forwarding

Now I have to make this device work as a switch, what options need to change?

Thanks for any help.

18

I would be interested to know how you did the hub config. I’m wanting to do the same thing on a hAP ac lite.

19

Hi,

I need to emulate the behaviour of a hub also. Real Hubs (yes, not switches) are hard to get these days, but in my case the industial bus system/protocol PowerLink (B&R) only works with hubs (or by daisy-chaning the device-ports).
What I found to be the right solution (with MikroTik at least) is to put all ports that are supposed to handle PowerLink into one bridge let’s call it “hub-bridge”.
hub-bridge has following settings:

  • ARP: disabled


  • STP: none

then bind the ports to the bridge “hub-bridge” that you want to behave like hub-port.
For every port in the hub-bridge set following configuration:

  • Learn: no


  • Unkown Unicast Flood: active


  • Unkown Multicast Flood: active


  • Broadcast Flood: active


  • Multicast router: disabled