Mastering MikroTik Router Traffic Management Techniques

If you're looking for a way to manage your bandwidth on MikroTik routers, then you need to know about PCQ (Per Connection Queuing). PCQ provides a way to share available bandwidth among users, while ensuring that no single user monopolizes the network. Here's what you need to know:

1. How PCQ Works

PCQ is a queuing discipline that allows you to prioritize traffic by using different classes. The classes can be defined based on IP addresses, MAC addresses, or other criteria. Each class is assigned a certain percentage of the available bandwidth, which is then shared among all of the users in that class.

When a user sends a packet, it is first classified based on the criteria that you have defined. The packet is then put into a queue for that class. When it is time to send a packet, the router selects a packet from the highest-priority queue that has data to send. If there are multiple packets in the queue, they are sent in the order in which they were received.

2. Configuring PCQ

To configure PCQ on your MikroTik router, you will need to follow these steps:

Open the Winbox utility on your computer and connect to the router.
Click on the Queue option in the left-hand pane.
Click on the Queues tab at the top of the screen.
Click on the + button to create a new queue.
Select PCQ from the Type drop-down menu.
Enter the name of the queue in the Name field.
Define the classes that you want to use.
Under the PCQ menu, set the max-limit parameter or the total bandwidth that can be used by all classes.
Under each class, define the same max-limit parameter as a percentage of the total bandwidth.

Once you have configured PCQ, the router will begin to prioritize traffic based on the rules that you have defined.

3. PCQ vs. Simple Queues

PCQ and Simple Queues are two different queuing disciplines that you can use to manage your bandwidth. The main difference between the two is that PCQ provides an equal share of the bandwidth to all users and prevents any one user from using too much bandwidth. Simple Queues, on the other hand, assign a fixed amount of bandwidth to each user, which can lead to one user monopolizing the network.

If you have a large number of users on your network, PCQ is the better option. If you have a smaller number of users and want to assign a fixed amount of bandwidth to each one, then Simple Queues may be the better choice.

4. Benefits of PCQ

PCQ provides several benefits for network administrators, including:

Equal distribution of bandwidth among users
Prevention of bandwidth monopolization by a single user
Ability to prioritize certain types of traffic, such as voip or online gaming
Increased network efficiency

5. Conclusion

If you have a MikroTik router and want to manage your bandwidth, then PCQ is the way to go. It provides an effective way to share available bandwidth among users, while preventing any one user from monopolizing the network. Follow the steps outlined above to configure PCQ on your router and enjoy the benefits of this powerful queuing discipline.