I have an application where I'll be setting up a ring network for redundancy in a multi-site, countywide network. I'll be using CRS326-24G-2S+RM Switches/Routers, in RouterOS mode, at each site.

I'm thinking about using the MESH in RouterOS for this. But there will be no wifi. I'm only interested in using the MESH because of how it appears that it can handle fail over between the connections as well as prevent traffic from flowing around the ring in a continuous loop.

So, the MESH would be 'connected' to ports Eth1 and Eth2 on each Switch/Router.

Does this seem like a reasonable/logical way to use MESH?

John Rayfield, Jr.

For this purpose there are well standardized and established protocols ... a bunch of Spanning Tree Protocols. You can get an idea about how they work from Wikipedia.

Thanks for the link. I understand that using STP or RSTP are the 'standard' way of doing what I need to do. But, if I understand correctly, MESH takes into consideration the 'condition' of the connections between routers/switches (such as packet loss), which will be important in this network, since this network will use some cellular data connections for backup connections.

John Rayfield, Jr.

You say your looking for a "mesh" protocol that:

1 –

ring network for redundancy in a multi-site, countywide network

2 –

takes into consideration the 'condition' of the connections between routers/switches (such as packet loss), which will be important in this network, since this network will use some cellular data connections for backup connections.

Evaluating the "condition" of a network is a subjective decision, and probably best done at the application layer or above. But I'll see if can answer... HWMP+ and MME are both are "MESHs support by MIkrotik". Not sure which one we're talking about here.

If your thinking HWMP+ (https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:I ... e/HWMPplus) is going to help with ethernet links, I'm guessing not... the manual says:

For Ethernet links the metric is configured statically (same as for OSPF, for example).

Now if you have some scheme, welcome to try. But STP/RSTP also just check the metrics too, and it's standard. And the newer MSTP might offer even more flexibility to design "overlays" (for lack of better word) of topologies over the physical links. Certainly HWMP+ might have some theoretical benefit...but your kinda going off less travelled path.

If we're talking about MME (https://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/Manual:Routing/MME) for this, perhaps the gateway-metic or what might do something useful for ya, dunno. Again, pretty non-standard and not sure how it gets all of what you want either...

Try it in a lab, and see?

I think you've got a good idea. Try it in the lab. As to travelling off the less traveled path, I've always done that. Push the envelope. Try things that no one else has done before. It's amazing what you can learn and do, by trying 'untried' things.

John

Yeah, I certainly didn't mean to be discouraging...

The "standard" approaches DO leave some gaps when you start talking about "multipath internet" (beyond BGP at edge) and the variability of wireless internet links like commercial LTE pose additional unsolved challenges to existing routing standards. While, RouterOS gives a lot of tools that might be useful to help – there ain't no magic formula for all case. Even the IETF/RFCs are still working through these kinda problems (MP-TCP, HTTP over UDP, QUIC, SRTP, etc., etc.)