MikroTik RouterOS Reference

Overview

MikroTik RouterOS has official documentation as the authoritative source. Always consult official docs before inferring behavior or suggesting third-party solutions.

Documentation Sources

Priority: RouterOS Manual > Wiki > Forum

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Configuring RouterOS features (VLAN, routing, firewall, etc.)
• Writing RouterOS scripts
• Connecting to RouterOS via SSH or API
• Troubleshooting RouterOS issues
• Questions about RouterOS CLI commands
• Setting up network protocols (OSPF, BGP, VLAN, etc.)

Do NOT use when:

• Question is about general networking concepts (not RouterOS-specific)
• User asks about other router brands (Cisco, Ubiquiti, etc.)

Connection Methods

1. SSH Connection

Official Documentation: https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/spaces/ROS/pages/132350014/SSH

Default Configuration:

• Protocol: SSH v2
• Port: TCP 22 (default, can be changed)
• Status: Enabled by default

Basic SSH Connection:

# Standard SSH
ssh admin@192.168.88.1

# With specific port
ssh -p 2222 admin@192.168.88.1

# Execute single command (ssh-exec)
ssh admin@192.168.88.1 "/interface print"

SSH Key Authentication:

# On RouterOS, import public key
/user ssh-keys import user=admin public-key-file=id_rsa.pub

# Connect from client
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa admin@192.168.88.1

Supported Key Types: RSA, Ed25519, Ed25519-sk (PEM, PKCS#8, or OpenSSH format)

2. API Connection

Official Documentation: https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/spaces/ROS/pages/47579160/API

Connection Details:

• Standard API: TCP 8728
• Secure API (API-SSL): TCP 8729
• Protocol: Sentence-based communication

Enable API Service:

/ip service
set api disabled=no
set api-ssl disabled=no certificate=auto

API Command Structure:

• Commands start with /, spaces replaced by /
• Attributes: =name=value
• Queries: ? prefix (for print commands)
• Sentences terminated by zero-length word

Python Connection (Official Protocol):

# Using official API protocol
import socket

# Connect to API
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.connect(('192.168.88.1', 8728))

# Login and execute commands
# (See official API documentation for full implementation)

Python Libraries (Third-party):

# Popular libraries
pip install librouteros
pip install routeros-api

Example with librouteros:

import librouteros

api = librouteros.connect(
    host='192.168.88.1',
    username='admin',
    password='password',
    port=8728  # or 8729 for SSL
)

# Execute commands
interfaces = api.path('/interface')
print(list(interfaces))

api.close()

3. WinBox / WebFig

GUI Access (not for automation):

• WinBox: Native Windows/Wine application
• WebFig: Web interface (HTTP/HTTPS)

CLI Syntax Rules

Official Reference: https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/spaces/ROS/pages/328059/RouterOS

1. Command Structure: /category/subcategory/action

   /interface ethernet print
   /ip address add address=192.168.1.1/24 interface=ether1

2. Parameters: parameter=value

   /ip firewall filter add chain=forward action=accept protocol=tcp dst-port=80

3. Comments: Lines starting with #

   # This is a comment
   /system identity set name=Router1

4. Scripts: Use : for variables, ; for line continuation

   :local myVar "value"
   :put $myVar

Common Use Cases

Quick Reference Table

Key Principles

1. Always reference official documentation - Don't infer behavior
2. Check RouterOS version - Features vary by version
3. Cite Manual URLs - Include specific documentation links
4. Verify CLI syntax - Use official command reference
5. Security first - Follow MikroTik security best practices

Red Flags - STOP and Check Official Docs

These thoughts mean you're about to violate the skill:

• "RouterOS probably works like Cisco..."
• "I remember from a forum post..."
• "Based on other routers, it should..."
• "A third-party tutorial suggested..."
• "It's similar to Linux, so..."

All of these mean: Stop. Check RouterOS Manual. If not documented, say so.

Common Mistakes

Answer Template

When answering RouterOS questions:

[Clear explanation based on official documentation]

**Configuration Example:**
```routeros
[Actual RouterOS CLI commands]

Official Reference:

• Manual: [relevant Manual URL]
• Additional: [Wiki URL if applicable]

Version Requirements:

• RouterOS version: [if applicable]

Notes:

• [Security considerations]
• [Performance considerations]
• [Caveats or limitations]

## Version-Specific Features

Always check and mention version requirements:
- **RouterOS 7.x**: New features, breaking changes from 6.x
- **RouterOS 6.x**: Stable, long-term support
- **SwOS**: For CRS switches only

**Find version**: `/system resource print`

## Security Best Practices

**From Official Docs**:
1. Change default admin password
2. Disable unused services (`/ip service`)
3. Use SSH keys instead of passwords
4. Restrict API access by IP (`/ip service set api address=trusted-ip`)
5. Enable firewall rules
6. Keep RouterOS updated

**Security Documentation**: https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/spaces/ROS/pages/8978504/User

## Real-World Impact

**Without this skill:**
- Agents mix forum posts with official docs
- Outdated or incorrect CLI syntax
- Third-party libraries suggested without official API reference
- No version awareness

**With this skill:**
- Authoritative answers from RouterOS Manual
- Correct CLI syntax and commands
- Official API documentation first, libraries as alternatives
- Version requirements clearly stated
- Security best practices included