I am facing an issue with my MikroTik router running RouterOS where the network connection becomes unstable after making configuration changes, even though the settings appear to be correctly applied. The router works normally for some time, but randomly some clients lose connectivity, DNS requests fail, and certain routes become unreachable. Restarting the router temporarily fixes the problem, but the issue returns again after a few hours or after adding new firewall rules, queues, or routing entries.
I have already checked the basic configuration including IP addresses, DHCP settings, NAT rules, firewall rules, and interface status, but I cannot identify the cause. The CPU and memory usage remain within normal limits, and there are no obvious errors in the system logs. I also tested different network cables and connected devices, but the behavior remains the same. Sometimes the router shows that interfaces are active while connected devices still cannot access the internet or communicate with internal network resources. I would like to understand if this could be related to a RouterOS bug, routing table corruption, firewall processing order, connection tracking issues, or some hidden configuration problem. I’m also trying to make sure the connection stays reliable for Minecraft-related activity, including community projects and custom content such as download jenny minecraft, where intermittent connectivity could cause disconnects or failed downloads. Are there any recommended diagnostic commands or logs that I should check to identify what is causing these random connectivity failures? Appreciate your guidance.
Although you might get s different impression from reading this forum, RouterOS is pretty stable. The usual topics on this forum deal with advanced configurations and edge cases.
Many reports such as yours are down to incorrect, self-contradictory configurations, where the router essentially randomly decides which of the conflicting instructions it obeys.
Without seeing your config and a description of issues not much can be recommended. Only this: Turn off the detect-internet feature by setting its interfaces setting to none. This is an essential first step.
From your description, this sounds more like a configuration or connection-tracking issue than a hardware problem.
A few things I'd check first:
Update RouterOS to the latest stable release if you're not already on it.
Check /log print follow while the issue occurs for interface flaps, DHCP, or routing errors.
Inspect /ip firewall connection print count-only to see if the connection table is filling up or behaving unexpectedly.
Temporarily disable recently added firewall rules, queues, or routing changes one by one to identify the trigger.
Run /tool profile during the issue to see if a specific process is consuming resources, even if CPU usage appears low.
Export your config (/export hide-sensitive) and review the order of firewall, NAT, and routing rules, since rule order can cause intermittent connectivity.
If the issue started after a RouterOS upgrade, it's also worth checking the MikroTik changelog for any known bugs affecting your version.
Can you also share:
Your RouterOS version.
Router model.
Whether you're using FastTrack, VLANs, WireGuard/VPN, or multiple routing tables.
Those details can help narrow down the root cause much faster.