Exploring MikroTik RouterOS VLAN Configuration

If you're interested in learning about VLAN on MikroTik, you're in the right place! We'll be explaining everything you need to know about this topic in a way that's easy to understand, beginner-friendly, and packed with plenty of helpful tips and tricks.

VLANs are a part of computer networking that allow for organization and separation of different networks on the same physical infrastructure. Using VLANs can be very beneficial in many situations, including when you need to:

Improve security by separating sensitive data from other traffic on the same network
Improve network performance by separating different types of traffic, such as voice and data traffic, onto different networks
Simplify network management by breaking the network into smaller units, which are easier to manage and troubleshoot

What is MikroTik?

Now, you might be wondering what MikroTik is and how it fits into the picture. MikroTik is a Latvian company that provides hardware and software for internet connectivity in most parts of the world. Their products are cost-effective and high-quality, making it an excellent choice for small and larger enterprises alike.

VLANs on MikroTik

MikroTik offers various products and features that can help with VLAN management, including:

SwitchOS (SwOS): a powerful standalone switch operating system for network switches that supports VLANs
RouterOS: a powerful routing operating system for internet service providers and other organisations that provides features such as VPN, firewall, and VLANs

We'll be focusing on VLANs for RouterOS.

VLAN Configuration on MikroTik RouterOS

One thing to keep in mind is that you need to have a basic routing configuration before you can proceed with VLAN configuration. Make sure that your router has an IP address set up and that it can communicate with other devices on the network. Once you have done that, follow these steps:

1. Create VLAN interfaces

The first step is to create a VLAN interface so that the router knows which tag to assign to incoming traffic. To do this:

Go to the "Interfaces" menu in Winbox
Click "Add new"
Select "VLAN"
Enter a name for the VLAN interface
Enter the VLAN ID (tag) that you want to assign to the interface
Select the parent interface
Click "Apply" then "OK"

2. Assign an IP address to the VLAN interface

The next step is to assign an IP address to the VLAN interface so that it can communicate with other devices on the network. To do this:

Go to the "IP" menu in Winbox
Click "Addresses"
Click "Add new"
Select the VLAN interface from the list
Enter the IP address and subnet mask of the interface
Click "Apply" then "OK"

3. Set up VLAN tagging on switch ports

The final step is to configure VLAN tagging on the switch ports so that they know which VLAN the traffic belongs to. To do this:

Go to the "Switch" menu in Winbox
Click on the switch port that you want to configure
Enable VLAN filtering and select "tagged" or "untagged" for each VLAN that you want to allow on the port
Click "Apply" then "OK"

And that's it! You have successfully configured VLANs on your MikroTik router.

Conclusion

VLANs on MikroTik RouterOS can be very beneficial in many situations, especially if you want to improve security, network performance, or simplify network management. With the steps outlined above, you should be able to configure VLANs easily and effectively on your MikroTik router.

Remember, VLANs are just one part of computer networking, and there is always more to learn. However, with the help of this guide, you should be on the right track to mastering VLANs on MikroTik. Good luck!

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