I'm Fabthemolis, just joined the MikroTik community forum. I've been curious about MikroTik routers for a while and finally decided to take the plunge.
I'm currently running a small home network and considering upgrading to a MikroTik hAP ax2 or similar device. Coming from a consumer router background, I'm excited to explore RouterOS and all the possibilities it offers - VLANs, firewall rules, bandwidth management, etc.
Looking forward to learning from the experienced users here. Any tips for a complete beginner getting started with RouterOS?
If you have any question or a problem configuring your device, open a topic, include whole configuration of the device you are having a problem with.
!!! DO NOT USE CHATGPT AND ANY OTHER AI TOOL AS YOU MAY RECIEVE INVALID CONFIGURATIONS FROM THEM AND POTENTIALY EXPOSING YOUR NETWORK TO THE DARK SIDE OF THE INTERNET !!!
To configure, connect to ether2 or any port EXCEPT ether1
Start by using Quickset to get things working and go back to it as much as you want [others will probably disagree] BUT once you use the regular settings menus, don't use Quickset again, because it can undo changes you make from regular settings menus in unpredictable ways.
Some suggestions:
If your devices work, don't update them.
It's stupid to enable automatic updates (it doesn't exist by default).
If there's a security bug, that's another matter, but most of the time,
a properly configured firewall (the default one) is more than enough.
Configure your firewall well.
Don't delete default settings just because someone with a different opinion tells you to.
Never use "detect internet" (is not an opinion, just search the forum...)
Don't use quickset, don't use it, it shouldn't be used...
Could be, don't use quickset until one understands what changes it makes on the actual config, which is really not possible until one understands how the lines in the config integrate with each other.
I am advocating the converse. If you understand lines in the config, you wouldn't want to use Quickset. So I suggest use Quickset to get started as a newbie, but once you alter the config using anything other than quickset, never use Quickset again on that device.
My guess is that this user won't be coming back, based on their user stats...
My recommendations for a new user would be to use their new MikroTik router behind their current router so they are working in a sandbox environment until they get things working. I.e. treat the existing router and dhcp server as the new MikroTik router's "ISP" connection. This has mulitple advantages.
Much less likely to affect current users of home network.
The new router is somewhat protected by the existing router, i.e. unless it is in a "DMZ" or is being port forwarded to, it will be protected from connections from the interenet.
The WAN side firewall can be tested from the original router's LAN side.
And I think they should start with either the default config or quickset for the first config, because it will as least create a reasonably safe config.
I don't recommend manually doing it following a youtube video. I have seen too many that don't protect the router while it is being configured from an "empty" config.
That manual configuration can come after the user learns enough from looking at the defconf compared to a reset with no-defaults, what @rextendedreferred to as "default" with no ipaddresses, etc.
What is confusing is that winbox show this as "No Default Configuration", to create an "emply" config. If this isn't checked, then the defconf will be applied, which is more like initial home config (with ipaddresses, dhcp server, dns, NAT masquerade, and firewall configured).
For reference, I am including an export after resetting with "no-defaults"
Here is what export shows, unless you include verbose
[demo@MikroTik] > export
# 2025-09-11 10:47:52 by RouterOS 7.19.6
# software id = ****
#
# model = RB760iGS
# serial number = *****
[demo@MikroTik] >
If you do include the verbose qualifier, then it will display the "default" values that don't get printed by an export without verbose specified.
When using quickset, do it it first thing when the config has not been changed, i.e. after doing a reset config with default (and possibly save user).
I just did this with my lab RB760iGS, and using quickset (withoug the vpn) changes very little. It does allow you to change the LAN ip (but you have to change that multiple places, in the ip address and the dhcp-server range sections).
Here is the "sanatized" defconf exported just after the reset, then the export after using quickset to change the LAN ip address from 192.168.88.1 to 192.168.188.1, and router_id to "LAB-RB760iGS", getting the WAN configuration from my home router's dhcp server.
with this selected from System menu (same as /system/reset-configuration keep-users) (I also selected no backup, because I didn't want one, I am just playing and there is nothing of value to backup)
TL;DR use Quickset only for initial setup (you can use later as long as you have not changed anything outside of QuickSet, but as with many things in MikroTik, it will not warn you of this limitation).
Sure, but if netmask=24 is "undefined" in default, the Quickset should not change that, unless it is changed to anything different from netmask=24 which then is a sort of "implied" value.
For completeness, the netmask is still communicated, like DNS,
if the value is not inserted in the "network" based on the values that the Router has (for DNS) and the IP address (/24).
