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ginovilla
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Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:17 am

It would be very helpfull to have a web Browser on Winbox, that way I can manage lots of my equipment on private Ip from remote connections without vpn'ing ...


Gino
 
cmit
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Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:25 am

Oh please - let's keep RouterOS a _ROUTER_OS!

If you need HTTP access, you could always (as easiest solution) create an SSH tunnel giving you the same (or better) functionality...

Best regards,
Christian Meis
 
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normis
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Fri Jan 13, 2006 10:41 am

well actually winbox kind of does have a webbrowser built in - the manual button.
 
ginovilla
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Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:34 pm

well actually winbox kind of does have a webbrowser built in - the manual button.
Yeah, i noticed that ... can you add just a address bar ?
 
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normis
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Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:36 pm

but you run the winbox on a windows computer. and that has it's own browser already.
 
jdmarti1
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Browser

Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:37 am

Actually this is a great idea. I, and many others have CPE that have web interfaces along with SSH functions. Some CPE, like Senao use only a web interface. Since there is already a browser in the program, if we could just change the URL and put in the private IP of the radio - they could be accessable remotely. Something I cannot do on a windows PC from outside of the network.
 
andreacoppini
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Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:32 am

If you need HTTP access, you could always (as easiest solution) create an SSH tunnel giving you the same (or better) functionality...
Can you create an SSH VPN tunnel to an MT box?
ie. Windows 2000/XP Laptop <> [SSH] <> MT <> LAN. - I want to access LAN from the laptop.
 
ginovilla
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Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:07 am

but you run the winbox on a windows computer. and that has it's own browser already.
The point is that we assing all our infrastructure equipment private ip's (192.168.xxx.xxx), thus if im outside my network I cant acces this gear without a VPN into my network.

Sometimes we need to do some quick change on the network and it woulb be a great tool to be able to do it from any pc with intener access.

I could be In the Tonga islands.... just download windox and voila! instat web interface to my internal network!
 
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Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:03 pm

We use RealVNC to open a XP box with both public and private addresses bound. All private devices (web-based or not) are managed in this manner. VNC is a small and free download and also works via pda phones and other slower connections. I don't see Mikrotik entering the browser war arena. We would need bigger DOMs to store the MMFlash plugins...!


2 cents,
Mike
 
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jp
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Mon Jan 16, 2006 4:28 am

I can use the pptp server in MT to get into one of my many MT from anywhere on the internet. Then my notebook would have a private fixed IP for accessing internal network servers and devices.

pptp + proxy arp is handy on MTs also for fixing default gateways or incorrectly programmed devices on remote networks where "being there" is necessary.
 
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Mon Apr 22, 2019 5:58 am

well actually winbox kind of does have a webbrowser built in - the manual button.
Yeah, i noticed that ... can you add just a address bar ?
Totally agree... it will give a lot of functionality, i need that feature so badly.
 
joegoldman
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Mon Apr 22, 2019 9:43 am

Or you can have port forwards - with firewall rule to stop certain IP's, or just enable the NAT while you are working on it etc etc.

I go a step further and have port-knock on my devices that puts my current WAN IP in an address-ilst that is allowed to access NAT rules to access wireless gear behind the Mikrotik, works a treat. Then I can just browse through.
 
esol
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Wed Dec 04, 2019 2:00 pm

well actually winbox kind of does have a webbrowser built in - the manual button.
Yeah, i noticed that ... can you add just a address bar ?
Totally agree... it will give a lot of functionality, i need that feature so badly.
well actually winbox kind of does have a webbrowser built in - the manual button.
Yeah, i noticed that ... can you add just a address bar ?
Totally agree... it will give a lot of functionality, i need that feature so badly.
well actually winbox kind of does have a webbrowser built in - the manual button.
Yeah, i noticed that ... can you add just a address bar ?
Totally agree... it will give a lot of functionality, i need that feature so badly.

c'mon guys, adding an URL bar to the basic built-in web browser currently limited to browse the manual would just take a very little effort...
Nobody is asking a full featured browser with javascript or flash player to surf YouPorn, just allow to use the existing engine as is for basic operations!
And many users have already shown good reasons to get that feature!
Maybe it is already possible to get external URLs from terminal in any way... going to inspect now,
Developer team, please provide your official answer about!!
Thanks

UPDATE:

No way to set the URL from CLI, but I've found a workaround by creating a desktop shortcut of the web page you wanna access using any browser, then drag it over the WinBox "manual" window... it works!

Adding a simple editable URL field next to the "TOC" button would definitely not be a problem, however, the point is that this "pseudo-browser" unfortunately is not built-in on RouterOS (that would be the only good reason for being useful) but it's merely the embedded Internet Explorer of the underlying Win OS (right-clicking on the window you get the typical IE contextual menu); this means that's external from the Mikrotik box and his routing stream.

So, IMHO, running it for ANY purpose (including manual...) is definitely a nonsense!
In order to avoid further confusion and misunderstandings, the most clever job that developers might do, is totally remove this useless feature;
clicking on "manual" should simply show it on the PC default browser, I can’t figure out any benefit to run it inside WinBox.
 
hyunDrax
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Sat May 14, 2022 8:32 am

Too bad., Manual features removed on latest Winbox
 
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bpwl
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Sat May 14, 2022 3:10 pm

Just use the webproxy on RouterOS, to have a local bridgehead on remote sites. (No caching setup needed, just the http webproxy feature)
Connect to the first node (e.g. the one that is setting up the VPN tunnel to the management point, even from behind multiple NAT and firewall)
In the local (PC) browser, set that node manually as proxy server.
You can now browse that whole network as a local network via the proxy server. (Using the IP addresses of the remote LAN)
SSH/Telnet tool on the webproxy-enabled-router, is there for local initiated Telnet and SSH sessions (tool used through Winbox)
RoMon will allow to have localised WinBox access to RouterOS devices if the next RoMon hop is in the same L2 network. Multiple L2 level transitions for RoMon is automatic

http, telnet, SSH, Winbox(RoMon) ... to all devics, just as if you are local.
 
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anav
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Sat May 14, 2022 4:15 pm

Just use the webproxy on RouterOS, to have a local bridgehead on remote sites. (No caching setup needed, just the http webproxy feature)
Connect to the first node (e.g. the one that is setting up the VPN tunnel to the management point, even from behind multiple NAT and firewall)
In the local (PC) browser, set that node manually as proxy server.
You can now browse that whole network as a local network via the proxy server. (Using the IP addresses of the remote LAN)
SSH/Telnet tool on the webproxy-enabled-router, is there for local initiated Telnet and SSH sessions (tool used through Winbox)
RoMon will allow to have localised WinBox access to RouterOS devices if the next RoMon hop is in the same L2 network. Multiple L2 level transitions for RoMon is automatic

http, telnet, SSH, Winbox(RoMon) ... to all devics, just as if you are local.
bpwl can you add a few diagrams to your idea, I am not sure what you are doing, nor why you are doing it but it sound intriguiging.
Are you saying, come in on a secure protocol such as wireguard to the router and then do something funky???
 
msatter
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Sat May 14, 2022 4:45 pm

Never used that option. Then, to me browsing webpages inside Winbox looks not very safe.

It would be nice if the help pages could be exported to PDF/Word as whole and not only one page. That would be nice for if you are on location without access to the internet.
 
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bpwl
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Sat May 14, 2022 6:49 pm

@anav. Yes I like to share. But it is somewhat specific to my style of working.

Basic concept is managing remote networks from home (very far away). The network monitor device, lets call it the MA (monitoring agent) is connected via its WAN to the network that has to be monitored. The MA sees the network as its WAN side (with NAT and FW), it may also have other WAN internet connection through other networks for out-of-band mgmt and/or failover. The MA sits as deep as possible in the monitored network, because this gives it the greatest visibility on that network. (usual firewall settings). That MA is therefore not reachable from outside, that would be a major risk, anyway it is using load balancing on its own also, and public mobile and satellite networks give no incoming access.

That MA is setting up a tunnel to an internet reachable VPN hub. From that hub, or from a device tunneling to that hub, the management tasks can be done.

e.g. MA is a hEX with DUDE, the VPN hub is hAP Lite @ home, the mAP Lite is used for access when traveling.

Normally the IP address plan is well defined. And routes can be set up from the mobile mAP Lite and VPN hub to the correct MA. (for all the to be accessed remote networks). No tricks are needed. The routes are needed in one direction only, as masquerade is used in all management connections (mAP to hub, hub to MA, MA to remote network). All packets in the remote network are seen as coming from the MA with a proper local IP address. Everything works, no funky tricks to be used.

But sometimes the routes are not well defined. The IP ranges overlap or the access is needed to an adjacent network, with no IP routed access. Or there is a new subnet, in overlap or just as temporary subnet (typical 192.168.88.0/24 after a MT device reset). So the mAP-hub-MA route will not work. The MA is reachable, but the destination subnet is normally not through that route. We need multiple steps to get there.

Telnet en SSH is no problem with MT, as the Telnet/SSH tool runs on the MA.
The browser is different :if you click it as tool in the DUDE network map, a PC local browser will start. Idem dito for WinBox. On the PC, not on the MA.
The path from the PC to the destination is broken. The path from the PC to the MA is OK, as is the path from the MA to the destination (or can be made to be). So using the PC as source address is needed, with the remote networks destination IP address. That is one of the functions of the Webproxy: Browse on behalf of the PC. PC source address with that (unreachable) remote destination address will work with the browser-proxy set to MA.
WinBox is a similar story, but a different technique. Using the MA as RoMon server will give WinBox access to all RoMon reachable ROS devices.

As illustration: An old and outdated diagram with mAP, redundant hAP(hub) and hEX(MA) . Wifi Romarins today is 60+ MT devices, and is just one of the sites.
(hex-mAP SSTP usually does not work, as the host wifi network does not do the needed port forwarding, the path then automatically is through one of the hAP(hub))
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Last edited by bpwl on Sat May 14, 2022 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
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bpwl
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Sat May 14, 2022 11:44 pm

It would be nice if the help pages could be exported to PDF/Word as whole and not only one page.
+1
 
kevinds
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Re:

Mon May 16, 2022 1:27 am


The point is that we assing all our infrastructure equipment private ip's (192.168.xxx.xxx), thus if im outside my network I cant acces this gear without a VPN into my network.

Sometimes we need to do some quick change on the network and it woulb be a great tool to be able to do it from any pc with intener access.

I could be In the Tonga islands.... just download windox and voila! instat web interface to my internal network!
SSH clients have port-forwarding built in, can do this using remote port dynamic and then set your local browser to use the port for SOCKS.
 
kevinds
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Re: Feature Request : Browser on Winbox

Mon May 16, 2022 1:31 am

It would be very helpfull to have a web Browser on Winbox, that way I can manage lots of my equipment on private Ip from remote connections without vpn'ing ...


Gino
You shouldn't have the Winbox port open to the web in the first place...

There are many other ways to accomplish what you are trying to do, Winbox is NOT the correct tool for this job.

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