Got myself a mAP because I need an ethernet port far from my router --> plan to use the mAP as bridge at that location, so need to configure it as wifi client & bridge.

Following the initial setup instructions, I connected the mAP to my laptop by UTP, and then attempted to access WebFig at 192.168.88.1. No response. Tried with different cables and different laptops even. Nothing. Tried through WinBox, both by IP and by mAP MAC address. No connection, no access. Checked if it made a difference if I assigned the laptop ethernet adapter a static ip address in the same subnet as the mAP. It doesn't. Checked ARP with the device connected. Only the laptop is shown, with an APIPA address.

I was able to access the mAP WebFig by connecting to the Mikrotik SSID it broadcasts by default (which is how I obtained the MAC). Was able to create a new admin account and delete the default admin. So the device itself is working. Even got it to connect to my home wifi. After which, of course, I lost connection, and since it's set to static IP, it didn't get an ip address from my router, and was no longer available to connect. I can't set it to DHCP first either, since that drops my connection to the Mikrotik SSID. In other words: I really do need the ethernet connection to configure it.

I've reset the mAP to defaults (multiple times even, after each failed config attempt). What else do I need to do to connect to the mAP by UTP? What am I missing?

If it's mAP (with two ethernet ports), then try the other one. If it's mAP Lite (with one ethernet port), then I think its default config is ethernet as WAN, i.e. it doesn't allow any connection from there. If you reset it and connect to wifi for first time, it should ask whether it should keep default config or not. If you select not, then it should revert it, you end up with blank config, and should be able to connect using WinBox to MAC address. Or you can get blank config using System->Reset Configuration and select No Default Configuration option.

Thanks, Sob. It is indeed a mAP Lite. Inconvenient then that Mikrotik incldues their default instructions with the device, that explicitly instruct to connect by ethernet for initial config. And when I contacted Mikrotik Support, and explained that it's a mAP Lite, and told them about the single port and not being able to connect over ethernet, they were basically clueless. The device is now entirely useless (doesn't bring up the Mikrotik SSID after reset any longer, can't reach it through Netinstall any more), so I'm sending it back for a refund.

Trick is/was ... connect over wifi after reset and add ether1 to the bridge. ETHER1 is then open for any further access.

Trick is/was ... connect over wifi after reset and add ether1 to the bridge. ETHER1 is then open for any further access.

You might also need to add eth1 to LAN.

Thanks all. This is no longer relevant to me (sending the mAP back for a refund), but will be useful documentation for others who run into the same issue.

You might also need to add eth1 to LAN.

Tricky one in RouterOS.

Ether1 connected to a port of the bridge is a slave interface. Only bridge handles traffic and interface-list membership matters.
Ether1 membership is irrelevant and ignored as many things are on slave interfaces.
E.G.: WinBox may not forbid to set it, but a DHCP client on a slave interface will not run.
DHCP server on the slave interface appears sometimes after Quickset. It runs, but is not the correct setup (ask @anav)

Since OP has returned his device, we can continue here...
Especially reset a mAP Lite lying here to verify the default config.

Bridge is default part of LAN, correct.
On mAP Lite interface ETH1 is however part of WAN hence the firewall will block traffic coming from there (most of it), even before it gets to bridge, correct ?
Adding Eth1 it to LAN works around that rule.

Or am I mistaking ?

Adding ether1 to the LAN list will certainly work as well.
It's only the sequence of the posts here that triggered my reaction. If ether1 is added to the bridge then there is "no need to add ether1 to the LAN list".
It is a cleanup to remove ether1 from the WAN list. Adding any bridge port interface to a list does nothing.

So changing ether1 from WAN to LAN is certainly OK.
As is adding a firewall rule for port 8291 input accept. As is disabling the firewall. As is resetting without config.

I go the way of adding ether1 to the bridge, because I'm lazy, and in most cases I am closest to the wanted config, and I am sometimes remote to the device.
Ether1 then is open for LAN and management, and includes the default IP address and the DHCP server service from the bridge.
I usually use the mAP Lite as (pseudobridge) repeater [all interfaces to the bridge] or wifi connected network station (home AP style) [all interfaces to the bridge except the WLAN station]

That's the way I helped someone to recover 5 new WAP ac that where ethernet connected, out of the box in a remote location.
He hit the wAP ac default WAN port setting. Told him to connect through a nearby MT AP as station, and via wifi add ether1 to the bridge.
His answer was, "great idea, but I did a reset without default configuration".
So everyone has his own preference or known workarounds and shortcuts. {ieder zijn meug}

It is disturbing that on single ethernet port devices default is setting it as WAN port. mAP Lite, wAP ac, cAP ac, ...

Different case:

(Or in the case of the hAP ac2 the most probably connected only PoE_in port is WAN)
(When somebody remotely pushed the reset button, I had to "break in" again, to restore the configuration as simple PoE powered and wire connected network AP.)
(Breaking in ... 1200km VPN ... using other MT at location ... And MAC access does not work by default over wifi ... have to use default IP ... TELNET tool is a bridgehead on the used location MT)

additional thoughts ...
as little as map-lite might be ... it lives a great prankster inside
.
mine ended up 'dead' after upgrading from 6.49.x -> 7.8 ...
no ethernet-connection, fast blinking capsman-led ... no wireless signs of life ... first thought: error while image-flashing ... but:
tried every described reset-approach ... allways ended up -> no ethernet-connection, fast blinking capsman-led ... no wireless signs of life
tried every permutation 10half, 10full, 100half, 100full with nego on & nego off connected to different devices on the other link-side* -> no ethernet-connection, fast blinking capsman-led ... no wireless signs of life
... the only thing that gave hope ... the device could be powered with (passive) poe ... ( but still .. no ethernet-link )
after reading all map-lite posts ... I gave it a last chance ... finally I got a link with static 10half-nego-off with a map2nd on the other link-end ...
.
found the device reseted to default capsman-mode ... which explains the radio-silence : |
... pretty shure I've released the reset-button before in every led-state while trying to reset the device ... seems it was always resulting in capsman-mode
.
after upgrading to 7.12.1 ... issue is gone ... link came up quickly with every link-partner-device
... soo ... not every map-lite-device looking dead, might be dead ...
.
*) maybe it's worth to wait a certain time (up to ~15s) till the link comes up ... before testing a different setting

FWIW there have been issues with default capsman config in version 7.8.
I remember it pretty well because I had 12 cAP AX coming with 7.8 off factory which I needed for capsman installation and there was no config !?
So I had to immediately bring them to 7.10 (at that time beta or RC, don't recall anymore) because I had to skip 7.9 because that one was not a pleasant Wifiwave2 experience !

prankster-style ... ... felt pretty much like broken conductor track on the board
but I wasn't ready to thrash the thing ... something ... like a hazy hunch