Well, one could only hope. While I'm getting along just fine using "CrossOver", It would be very helpful if the Mikrotik crew would at least consider making a Native MacOS NetInstall. I can never seem to get it running on an emulator.

We do have plans for true multi platform Winbox. Finally. Let this be a teaser for 2022 No ETA and no promises though.

Hi,

I recently switched to macOS and installed WinBox using Brewery (https://brew.sh).

First you need to find Winbox using:
brew search winbox

It will find me casks with the name "nrlquaker-winbox"

Then I just need to install this casks:
brew install -cask nrlquaker-winbox -v

And that's it
Martin

We do have plans for true multi platform Winbox. Finally. Let this be a teaser for 2022 No ETA and no promises though.

Very exciting !

Hopefully with a more flexible and modern GUI toolkit

We do have plans for true multi platform Winbox. Finally. Let this be a teaser for 2022 No ETA and no promises though.

yeeeeeees, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes !

Why is this question in the wrong FORUM.
Normis please move to Beta Router or somewhere else.
Speculation doesnt count as a useful article ;-P

I'm scared actually.

As a Windows user, I'm a bit scared too. I wish all the best to users of other systems, including for them to have nice native WinBox. But multi platform sounds as something common for all, so no need to develop the old WinBox anymore, and if it means complete rewrite, there's so many things that can go wrong. What if we end up with some Electron-based monstrosity or something? I'm just preparing myself for the worst, so that I can be pleasantly surprised.

As a Windows user, I'm a bit scared too. I wish all the best to users of other systems, including for them to have nice native WinBox. But multi platform sounds as something common for all, so no need to develop the old WinBox anymore, and if it means complete rewrite, there's so many things that can go wrong. What if we end up with some Electron-based monstrosity or something? I'm just preparing myself for the worst, so that I can be pleasantly surprised.

Sob living your life in constant fear is unhealthy. Like your fear that I may be right once! ;-PP
Normis has promised me that the new cross platform product will be even better.
The only requirement is that it will have to be run on a docker installed on a remote MT device and only accessible via a Zerotier connection to said docker.

I don't know, there's very common misconception that "new" and "better" are synonyms, so don't hold it against me if I have some trust issues.

What if we end up with some Electron-based monstrosity or something?

I wouldn't be surprised if they used Electron, because then they could revamp webfig at the same time and use much of the same code for both. The other way would be to use some popular framework like Qt.

https://github.com/nrlquaker/winbox-mac

Yup, that what I use on my Mac for a long while, works great. Only learned recently that even "Check for Update" in mac-winbox even works, so I only installed it once, and upgraded it through at least 3 versions of winbox now. All the drag-drop stuff and file browsing works just fine too using wine.

As long time Mac and Mikrotik user, I share @Sob's concerns here:

I don't know, there's very common misconception that "new" and "better" are synonyms, so don't hold it against me if I have some trust issues.

So this Apple fan boy prefer they improve the iOS app first, in particular iPad support – I still don't trust it since it seems not always populate correctly/quickly so you can upload with stale/null data. And the iOS lacks tabs etc as the Android app, and generally not that great on iPad.

To me wine + winbox works just fine for Linux & Mac, so a winbox port to Qt/electron/Java/whatever seems like trading one non-native UI for another, with potential it take a long time to match all the subtle things winbox does... An improved iPad app be way more useful, we already use Lighting-to-Ethernet dongles with it, but the Mikrotik iOS app just isn't that great and still buggy.

An improved iPad app be way more useful, we already use Lighting-to-Ethernet dongles with it, but the Mikrotik iOS app just isn't that great and still buggy.

If you think about it, this could actually be a way of unifying the iPhone/iPad app with everything else. The iOS app does have that "basic mode" which is really handy for non technical users. Some people might just want to get that in a web browser or in a GUI tool like Winbox rather than having to use their phone or tablet to access it. A reimagined winbox could conceivably provide this "basic mode" with a device overview and simple tasks, and advanced mode for the detailed settings, like the app. Ideally you could create one code base that would be used for winbox, webfig, and the iOS app, and they just become different targets. Then theoretically you have feature parity across all three management options.

An improved iPad app be way more useful, we already use Lighting-to-Ethernet dongles with it, but the Mikrotik iOS app just isn't that great and still buggy.

If you think about it, this could actually be a way of unifying the iPhone/iPad app with everything else. The iOS app does have that "basic mode" which is really handy for non technical users.

I really do use winbox daily on a Mac... But RN I have ZERO complaints about winbox, even on a Mac, so a replacement isn't that appealing. Count me skeptical too, but it took 6 years to get automatic reconnect only added in v3.32 winbox.

Be curious to see what Mikrotik is doing, but focusing on desktop apps seems the wrong direction. Mobile/tablets are the majority of devices on the internet, while PC/laptops are decreasing in usage. I personally prefer to never use my Mac (or windows laptop) to manage a Mikrotik or anything, but the iPad interface is lacking. Long way from retiring MacBook, but prefer if I could get away with only a tablet. Trust me using any laptop on a roof is PITA. Qt or Electron ain't going to help that problem.

Yeah the iOS/Android app's "basic mode" part works pretty well (& some ways better than webfig/winbox QuickSet). But it's the "Advanced" part where it's tough to use the iOS app as a winbox-replacement – since you have to keep navigating the menus. Android app uses tabs so you switch between config screen easily, but iOS lacks this feature so it constant navigating down, then up, then down to do anything. The reviews on Apple App Store tell the story: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mikrotik/ ... ll/reviews

Now I do think a richer iOS app be very difficult to do in a cross-platform manner...for example, Apple has macros "shortcuts"/app URLs that Mikrotik app could support (but doesn't), now that be iOS-specific code support. Or, similar integration for events/logs/etc to Apple notification via the Mikrotik app. etc. etc. Or the multi-tasking views of iPad. etc. etc..

Basically prefer seeing an improved/update (e.g. more Apple-ish) iOS app, than "new & better" MacOS app. Basically swapping one cross-platform (wine) for another doesn't have much appeal, at least to me.

Anyway, we'll see what surprise Mikrotik have in store, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe they'll have a revamped UI, beyond the 1990-style MVC windows app, but count me skeptical. They've let the iOS languish for a long time, so mildly annoying to see "hey we're working on something 'new and better'" when there's stuff to "fix" today.

No offence but you are simply different portion of customers. Mikrotik devices are using SOHO and purely home users and then cell phone or tablet app for management may be ok, but.
BUT.....

On another hand folks like I am have BIG company. With a lots of switches, routers, APs, hundreds of PCs and mobile terminals, with lots of people on home office.

There is no many models of Mikrotik hw which I don't have.
Big company have such a wide spectrum of needs and Mikrotik is covering that for me very well.
I like mikrotik A LOT.
I got rid of it all proprietary hw during years. There is no HP, Cisco, Ruckus...nothing like that cannot through my my company doors.

And because almost all of my network HW is Mikrotik (99,99%), I am using Winbox A LOT.
And I mean a lot like a lot.

For me is this tool number one and it is running about 6-12 hours by day. In my office I am running winbox in wine (winehq repository) on Ubuntu (KDE Neon distro), on my workroom (in my house) I am running MacBook Pro 14" M1 with MacOS.
Same story here.

My work hours are mostly spit on half between this two places so I have my experiences with both platforms. And I don't mention Windows because as I am always saying, windows is not a platform for IP/network/admin of any kind.

But back to linux/MacOs situation.
And it is no problem here and everything can be done with that setups. But is not native and it is noticeable.
There are just small details of this but when you run like that for thousands hours, you become getting it more and more.

So please, unless you not wearing my shoes for couple of years, do not say something like winbox for windows is ok, and it is enough, you can use web management, true sysadmin using ssh in command line anyway, blah blah....
Do not say PC ( I mean personal computers) are fading away and crap like that. Is maybe true and valid for you but there also admin which spending real hours in winbox an they need native version.

Maybe there is place for two different managing tools. PRO version and basic version. I dont know.
I would really appreciate it some more possibilities witch configuration of winbox.
Shortcuts. Different savable views for different devices (On wireless devices I am looking for different information and settings against ethernet routers and switches...).
Direct saveble icon-shortcuts for some concrete devices.
Different collors of WINBOX window for different devices based on "importance" ?? Stuff like that....


There is enormous potential for winbox and maybe it will be used. At least I am hope so.

We will never get a native version of WinBox for MacOS or Linux. It is very likely some cross-platform thingy. Rewritten in Java (LOL - I hope not) or Electron (LOL*2 - I hope not). Any cross-platform framework is kind of bloaty. They all have so much overhead and in the end they still do not feel like "native". They are just a compromise to reduce development resources.

@Rushlife, no offense either – just sharing my opinion. Certainly iOS is different topic, as would be still outstanding V7 bugs...so "better Mac support" nor "new winbox" are NOT very high on my list.

I just view "wine" as the cross-platform library, so they can keep improving the winbox and it still work on Mac/Linux via wine, vs. replace it with another cross-platform framework. But since it seems the ship already sailed here, we'll just have to see what Mikrotik comes up with. winbox is working fine on my Mac so I can wait a while.

Still I'm betting both @mducharme and @sob are right. Specifically, winbox2 = webfig2 + JS/electron. We'll see.

What if we end up with some Electron-based monstrosity or something?

I wouldn't be surprised if they used Electron, because then they could revamp webfig at the same time and use much of the same code for both. The other way would be to use some popular framework like Qt.

The open question here is will they still use winbox "secure" protocol in the new cross-platform, or will they move more standard protocol (TLS) to leverage all the rich/standard authentication, like x509 certs or 2FA. Maybe they'll support REST API + QUIC, that be interesting since imagine winbox protocol is actually more efficient than HTTP.

But how Layer2/MAC discovery will work is another concern – that which works surprising well even under wine on Mac (and even with Mac ZeroTier client too).

But how Layer2/MAC discovery will work is another concern – that which works surprising well even under wine on Mac (and even with Mac ZeroTier client too).

This!!! Saved my bacon more than a few times.

But how Layer2/MAC discovery will work is another concern – that which works surprising well even under wine on Mac (and even with Mac ZeroTier client too).

Mikrotik have my full confidence. I think L2 mac discovery is so essential for this tool, It would be virtually useless without this ability....
We must hope

I'm sure they would have layer 2 discovery just like the current Winbox, and allow MAC layer 2 connections. I'm not sure if it can be done with electron itself, but maybe by adding a small binary shim that would talk MAC winbox and present some kind of REST API that the electron client could use to interact with the shim. It would be easy enough to build a tiny shim such as this for Windows, MacOS and Linux. The main concern there would be with the stability of the shim - what if it crashed etc.

We will be smarter after some beta version become available....

I guess another possibility here is the Dude client will be merged with winbox... They still haven't released a V7 Dude yet. That might offer multi-device management in the "cross-platform winbox".

I don't see why the app should be made in Electron. iOS already has MikroTik app, and it startup timings are very fast, and its size is only 25 MB. Probably, some cross-platform toolkit, but with native performance.

I only mentioned that as my nightmare, not a confirmed fact.

edit: typo

Until it will be placed in download section, there are no facts .

Until it will be placed in download section, there are no facts .

Agreed. But all good fiction involves hope and fear...

Since I believe MT tacitly follows these forums, it pretty clear that a packaged HTML5-based UI (e.g. Electron) may not be that popular of an approach (i.e. "a nightmare")

So we're left with...

Mikrotik have my full confidence. I think L2 mac discovery is so essential for this tool, It would be virtually useless without this ability....
We must hope

At this point, I’d be really happy with a MacOS native version of Netinstall.

At this point, I’d be really happy with a MacOS native version of Netinstall.

to MacOS Netinstall

Now that be useful! On this, wine doesn't work with netinstall on Mac AFAIK. I can attest that Mac + VMWare Fusion + "bridged Ethernet" + Ubuntu + Linux Netinstall does work, but boy a native netinstall be whole lot like simpler.

Even if it was a only a MacOS command line app, like Linux (but compiled for MacOS). Since we're hoping, perhaps installable via a `brew` cask.

hi, any update ?

We do have plans for true multi platform Winbox. Finally. Let this be a teaser for 2022 No ETA and no promises though.

any update ?

mac ?
linux ?

As a dedicated user of Mac and Linux (or should I say a dedicated avoider of Windows and its apps?) I have surprised myself with my contentment with Winbox under Wine. I am not offering any points for the interface, just stability and functionality. In reality it is the latter factors which must be preserved; interface and native loading are separate questions, however desirable.

I quickly ceased using the current iOS app and have not yet given Webfig any workout, being very new to Mikrotik after all. I plan to try Webfig. Viewing occasional videos hints that it may have better screen layouts than Winbox, past the menus.

any update for 2024 ?

yes

Awesome!

yes

Really looking forward to it !

yes

What is it?

We probably won't get it faster by nagging and the dev team hardly looks at the forums either. Personally, I'd rather wait for a somewhat stable app. For example, BFD seemed to take forever, but the latest drop has been very stable and running without a single error for our OSPF/BGP setups for a very long time now.

@normis thanks for the yes.

This is a tangent, but an arm64 windows build would also be nice considering the new push for copilot+ arm64 windows machines. Even an arm64 windows build on parallels would be a nice update. I have thousands of mikrotik routers and I have winbox open 24x7 on multiple machines. I'm primarily macos these days (for arm64 battery awesomeness) and I find that parallels+winbox64 is the current best solution. Yes winbox works on wine and there are a few pre-wine-ifyied options out there but there's always some frustration with those when running with so many instances.

x86-64 on the pre-prism x86-64 emulator on windows arm kinda sucks, chews up battery, so an arm64 build even running in parallels would be a big step up. wine based implementations are also pretty rough in this regard. fine for occasional use but not so great for full time use.

winbox is great, can't wait for native options. I know it was said it would be cross platform so I also hope that includes a native linux tool too.

This is my primary application that keeps me running windows for desktop use.

I think the first beta is coming soon. Yes, it will be for most major desktop platforms. It's working great right now, and we could release it, but then it would be similar to old winbox feature wise. We are still working on some features that were not possible before, you know, since first impressions matter, we did not want to release something that is less functional or unstable. Don't expect any drastic changes though, the workflow is very similar.

Features like "Winbox template store" where community or mikrotik can share configurations that can be simply reused by others. I am dreaming big

Feel free to release the beta now, other features are honestly not important as stability. Wine is a semi-functional thing that drains the cpu, renders the font badly, etc.
I've tried pure wine, crossover version and there is always some problem, tested on M1.

no problems with crossover on M1 whatsoever ...
Winbox and Dude are running great

WinBox can be run on M3 via CrossOver (24.04 - latest for today), but after some time, it just stop to react to any clicks. You have to close it, or even CrossOver, and start again, which is very inconvenient.
Maybe some special CrossOver setting?

But in general, it is better than nothing.

WinBox can be run on M3 via CrossOver (24.04 - latest for today), but after some time, it just stop to react to any clicks. You have to close it, or even CrossOver, and start again, which is very inconvenient.
Maybe some special CrossOver setting?

But in general, it is better than nothing.

does this happen when winbox is in full-screen mode or also in windowed mode?
the same happens to me on macOS only if WB is in full-screen

does this happen when winbox is in full-screen mode or also in windowed mode?

No, just a maximized window. But I do remember it happens also in a smaller one - just a custom size.

As I recall Winbox freezing happened to me few times in the past (custom window size), but it's no longer happening recently, not sure if this is resolved due to newer Winbox versions or crossover versions. And usually Winbox is not running for a long time.

In case anyone on this thread did not see the WinBox4 beta announcement...
WinBox 4 is here "

So there is now a native MacOS WinBox. Still no native MacOS netinstall-cli or btest.exe however...

I feel you on that! I’ve had a similar experience trying to run software on emulators, and it can be such a hassle when things don’t work right. I’ve been using CrossOver too, and while it gets the job done, having a native MacOS NetInstall would definitely simplify things. It’s just frustrating when you know it could be smoother. Here’s hoping Mikrotik hears us out and makes it happen!

I purposefully hung back with v4 as I was using cask to run my Winbox. A recent update broke neighbour discovery but am happy to say v4 is working well for me.