Improving Web Performance With MikroTik Router Proxy Caching And Acceleration

Enabling the Mikrotik RouterOS Web Proxy in Transparent Mode can greatly enhance your network's performance and security. This feature allows your network to cache frequently requested web pages, which can reduce latency and improve overall browsing speeds. In addition, the web proxy can be configured to serve as a content filter, blocking access to websites that may contain malicious content or otherwise violate your organization's internet usage policies.

How to Enable the Mikrotik RouterOS Web Proxy in Transparent Mode

Follow these steps to enable the Mikrotik RouterOS Web Proxy in Transparent Mode:

Log in to your Mikrotik RouterOS using the Winbox utility or another management tool of your choice.
Navigate to IP > Web Proxy.
Click on the "Settings" button.
In the "General" tab, uncheck the "Enabled" box. This will disable the web proxy.
Click on the "Access" tab.
Click on the "New" button to add a new access rule.
Under the "Dst. Address" column, select the network or IP address range to which you want to apply the web proxy.
Under the "Action" column, select "Redirect".
Under the "Redirect To" column, enter the IP address of the Mikrotik RouterOS interface on which the web proxy is installed. This will redirect all web requests to the web proxy.
Click on the "OK" button to save the access rule.
Go back to the "General" tab, and check the "Enabled" box to enable the web proxy.
Click on the "Apply" button to save your changes.

Configuring the Mikrotik RouterOS Web Proxy

Now that you have enabled the web proxy in transparent mode, you can configure its settings and options to suit your network's needs. Here are some of the features that you can configure:

Caching

The web proxy can cache frequently requested web pages, reducing the time it takes for clients to access them. To enable caching, click on the "Cache" tab in the Web Proxy settings menu.

You can configure the size of the cache, the maximum age of cached pages, and the types of content that should be cached. You can also specify whether the cache should be stored on a local disk or in RAM.

Content Filtering

The web proxy can be configured to act as a content filter, blocking access to websites that may contain malicious content or otherwise violate your organization's internet usage policies. To set up content filtering, click on the "Access" tab in the Web Proxy settings menu.

You can add access rules that block access to specific websites or categories of websites based on criteria such as URL, IP address, domain name, or content type. You can also use third-party blacklists to block access to known malicious websites.

Authentication

The web proxy can require users to authenticate before accessing the internet. To enable authentication, click on the "Access" tab in the Web Proxy settings menu.

You can choose from several authentication methods, including local user authentication, RADIUS, LDAP, and Active Directory. You can also configure access rules that require specific credentials for specific users or groups.

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HTTPS Filtering

The web proxy can filter HTTPS traffic, allowing you to scan for and block malicious content even on encrypted connections. To enable HTTPS filtering, click on the "SSL" tab in the Web Proxy settings menu.

You can set up a transparent proxy for HTTPS traffic, which will redirect encrypted connections to a local or external SSL proxy. You can also specify certificate authorities that the proxy should use for decrypting and inspecting HTTPS traffic.

Conclusion

Enabling the Mikrotik RouterOS Web Proxy in Transparent Mode can significantly improve your network's performance and security. By caching frequently requested web pages, filtering content, and requiring user authentication, you can enhance your organization's internet usage policies and protect it from malicious content. We hope this guide has been helpful in setting up your web proxy and configuring its settings and options.