Switch basics?

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hi All,
I’m using a few Mikrotik routers all is working great.
There are a few things that I’m not sure regarding the switch.

  1. What can I do with switch rules? Copy to CPU or redirect to CPU
  2. Master port it’s a must? I can use the port even when it’s a master port
  3. Is there any way to sniff data from the switch?

Many Thanks

2
  1. Switch rules can do basic traffic filtering. Copy to CPU will send copy of the traffic to CPU while redirect to CPU will send actual traffic.
  2. You switch ports by assign master-port to slave ports, so master-port is a must for such configuration.
  3. There is a mirroring feature.
3

Thank you.
What is the actually usage for copying or redirecting to the CPU?
Thanks again.

4

There is some traffic that will go only through the switch chip and no CPU of the router. You can change that with these features.

5

Thank you.
Can you please provide an example of a real usage?
Many thanks

6

I too would like to see an example of the “redirect-to-CPU” in use. I was hoping to use the switch chip to pass most data at wirespeed, but then use rules to pull some traffic out, process it and pass it on if the firewall rules permit.

7

+1 it looks that ACL filtering is done without copying to CPU? Do copy to CPU and then firewall cover the rest of cases?