I recently learned about MikroTik and RouterOS while exploring options for a home router. What are the benefits and drawbacks of installing RouterOS on a spare home computer instead of purchasing a MikroTik device? While the devices for sale are reasonably priced, they might lack the horsepower required for tasks like VPNs. Though MikroTik hardware is functional, could using a spare computer be a more optimal solution?
I’m seeking a router for typical home user needs: ad blocking, monitoring device usage, tracking new device connections, and potentially accommodating VPN users. I won’t require wireless APs since I intend to use an Eero network in bridge mode. To clarify, this is intended for home use. I have a 1gb fiber connection and plan to use a 4-port NIC on the computer.
It appears that installing RouterOS on a spare computer offers greater flexibility and future-proofing, but are there reasons not to pursue this option? Are there advantages to purchasing a MikroTik device instead? The primary use case is as a router, not a combined router and AP. Thank you.
I like virtualized CHR, but personally at home setup/maintaining a virtualized platform seem like “just another thing to do”. And, Installing RouterOS directly on bare metal, you have the worry about device drivers. There often enough networking configuration to do, so I try avoid troubleshooting PC hardware devices on top of that .
So if you wanted to try something on your spare PC, that can work. You can use RouterOS CHR without a license for free. While be speed limited, you can try that approach if you wanted.
If you care about power-consumption a device like RB5009 uses much less power then “the average spare computer”
When running 24x7 this might make some difference in yearly running cost.
I think my RB5009 is about 9.5Watt if I look at my home-automation graphs. (because I use a SFP-module it is slightly more then before)
Yeah what’s described screams a RB5009…
e.g. doesn’t need wi-fi, seem like 1G is max needed & may need containers for ad blocking, so needs decent CPU.
My thought is use the spare PC to play around with RouterOS, so when RB5009 arrives, OP be ready
If the most powerful MikroTik device can’t manage the traffic that you want with the config that you want because his power isn’t enough, maybe is the only way to think on use a regular PC as router.
Of course, but is that really an issue when talking home/small office case? The main reason for on running a PC is that you either like to roll your own firewall (linux/bsd etc.) or run on an existing virtual envoriment.
When talking 10G+ or massive BGP setups, then it’s more relevant dedicated x86_64 routers.
If the use case requires IPsec, then I have not managed to saturate a 1Gbit FTTH uplink with any model (except CCR 1072 & CCR 2116 - which I don’t have access to test, so I don’t know if they can do it - but I wouldn’t hold my breath, especially for 1072) and with real world configuration.
For such a use case, running a PC, is the only way forward, regardless of its many drawbacks compared to a dedicated network device.
MikroTik’s IPsec test results are nowhere near anything in the real word.
To my knowledge MikroTik has never released any example configuration on how to achieve the IPsec results posted on their products pages.
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