MikroTik Router Configuration Network Segmentation And VLANs

Mikrotik routers are some of the most popular routers used in the networking industry. They are easy to use, reliable, and affordable. In this article, we will take a look at the configuration of Mikrotik routers and how VLANs can be set up. We will provide detailed steps to help you easily configure your Mikrotik router.

VLANs, or Virtual Local Area Networks, are used to segregate traffic on a network. They are commonly used in enterprise environments to separate different types of traffic, such as VoIP traffic or guest traffic. Setting up VLANs on a Mikrotik router is an easy process, and can be done through the Mikrotik RouterOS software.

Step 1: Access the Router

The first step to configuring a Mikrotik router is to access its management interface. This can be done by opening a web browser and navigating to the IP address of the router. By default, the IP address of a Mikrotik router is 192.168.88.1. Once you have accessed the management interface, you will need to log in with your username and password. If you have not yet set a username and password for the router, the default username is "admin" and the default password is blank.

Step 2: Create VLAN Interfaces

Once you have logged in to the Mikrotik router's management interface, you will need to create VLAN interfaces. This can be done by navigating to the "Interfaces" tab in the left-hand menu, and then clicking "Add New". From the interface type drop-down menu, select "VLAN". In the "Name" field, enter a name for the VLAN, such as "Guest" or "VoIP". In the "VLAN ID" field, enter a number for the VLAN ID. This number can be any number between 1 and 4096, but it should be unique for each VLAN you create.

Step 3: Assign VLAN Interfaces to Ports

After you have created VLAN interfaces, you will need to assign them to ports on the Mikrotik router. This can be done by navigating to the "Interfaces" tab in the left-hand menu, and then clicking on the port you want to assign a VLAN interface to. In the "Master Port" drop-down menu, select the VLAN interface you want to assign to the port. You can assign multiple VLAN interfaces to a single port, or assign a single VLAN interface to multiple ports.

Step 4: Configure VLAN Switching

After you have created VLAN interfaces and assigned them to ports, you will need to configure VLAN switching. This can be done by navigating to the "Switch" tab in the left-hand menu, and then clicking "Add New". From the "Type" drop-down menu, select "VLAN". In the "VLAN ID" field, enter the VLAN ID for the VLAN you want to configure. In the "Ports" field, select the ports you want to include in the VLAN. You can select multiple ports by holding down the "Ctrl" key while clicking on each port.

Step 5: Configure Firewall Rules

After you have configured VLAN switching, you will need to configure firewall rules to control traffic between VLANs. This can be done by navigating to the "IP" tab in the left-hand menu, and then clicking "Firewall". From the "Filter Rules" tab, click "Add New". In the "Chain" drop-down menu, select "Forward". In the "Action" drop-down menu, select "Accept". In the "Src. Address" field, enter the IP address range for the VLAN you want to allow traffic from. In the "Dst. Address" field, enter the IP address range for the VLAN you want to allow traffic to.

Step 6: Configure DHCP Server

After you have configured firewall rules, you will need to configure a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to devices on each VLAN. This can be done by navigating to the "IP" tab in the left-hand menu, and then clicking "DHCP Server". From the "Leases" tab, you can view and manage the IP address leases handed out by the DHCP server. From the "Networks" tab, you can configure settings such as the DNS server, default gateway, and IP address range for each VLAN.

Step 7: Test Configuration

After you have configured VLANs, assigned them to ports, and configured firewall rules and a DHCP server, you may want to test your configuration to ensure that it is working as expected. You can do this by connecting devices to each VLAN and testing connectivity between them. You can also use tools such as ping or traceroute to test connectivity between different devices on the network.

In conclusion, setting up VLANs on a Mikrotik router is a straightforward process that can be done through the Mikrotik RouterOS management interface. By following these steps, you can easily create VLAN interfaces, assign them to ports, configure VLAN switching, set up firewall rules, and configure a DHCP server. With these configuration steps in place, you can easily segregate traffic on your network and ensure that different types of traffic are handled appropriately.