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Roshan-Sequeira - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Manager at Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Real User
Reliable and issue-free but is complex to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "I've never had any issues with the solution."
  • "The initial setup is a bit complex."

What is our primary use case?

It's used for my home internet router and wireless.

What is most valuable?

It's a reliable router.

I've never had any issues with the solution. It's been stable. 

What needs improvement?

I cannot speak of any missing features. 

The initial setup is a bit complex. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for the last five years or so. It's been a while. 

Buyer's Guide
MikroTik Routers and Switches
October 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is quite stable. It's reliable and its performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It may scale, however, I've only used it in a limited fashion, in my home. 

I do not have plans to increase usage. 

How are customer service and support?

I've never contacted technical support. I can't speak to how helpful or responsive they are. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've also used Cisco in the past.

Most of the switches I have used are consumer-grade switches, not business-grade.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is complex. It's not easy.  It took me a fair bit of tinkering and possibly well over a week to deploy.

What about the implementation team?

When I deployed it, I was a technical person at the time. I could do it by myself without assistance.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product comes with the hardware. The license is perpetual with the hardware. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which version we're on right now. 

If you understand networking, you should try it out - as long as you have time to work with it.

MikroTik, in terms of its features and functionality, is a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Director at Navyug Networks
Real User
Stable routers and switches with a useful GUI
Pros and Cons
  • "I like MikroTik's GUI. It's completely handy and easy to handle because of its GUI. Despite other brands like Cisco urging me to switch, I didn't because they don't have a GUI. This is the most comfortable thing in my project that anyone can use easily. It's effortless to maintain MikroTik routers because both screens make it very easy in GUI mode. You can easily interact with your hardware."
  • "It could be more scalable. Product awareness could also be better. There's a lack of awareness when it comes to MikroTik. People only know about Cisco and others, and they won't rely on MikroTik. This is primarily because of hardware limitations. While this product is good economically, it's unsuitable for high-end projects. In the next release, I want this product to be more compatible."

What is our primary use case?

We're currently using MikroTik Routers and Switches for around six gigabytes, and we're upgrading to about 13 or 14 gigs. It's unable to handle that much upload, and that's why we're upgrading it.

What is most valuable?

I like MikroTik's GUI. It's completely handy and easy to handle because of its GUI. Despite other brands like Cisco urging me to switch, I didn't because they don't have a GUI. This is the most comfortable thing in my project that anyone can use easily.

It's effortless to maintain MikroTik routers because both screens make it very easy in GUI mode. You can easily interact with your hardware.

What needs improvement?

It could be more scalable. Product awareness could also be better. There's a lack of awareness when it comes to MikroTik. People only know about Cisco and others, and they won't rely on MikroTik. This is primarily because of hardware limitations. While this product is good economically, it's unsuitable for high-end projects. In the next release, I want this product to be more compatible.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using MikroTik Routers and Switches for the last eight or nine years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a completely reliable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

MikroTik Routers and Switches aren't scalable. We have reached the scalability limit with MikroTik. Because MikroTik didn't design 40 gigs or 100 gig routers, it's not scalable. The last MikroTik model is only a ten-gig router. We have 32 or 33 MikroTik routers at the moment.

How are customer service and support?

MikroTik support is reliable, and I think that there is no issue with them. Their support is good. Time is a little, but they provide for their customers.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. The installation was very easy because you are remote, and a beginner can also set it up easily.

What about the implementation team?

I implemented this solution by myself with the help of my team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

In terms of the economic side, we're completely satisfied. The price is affordable for both SMEs and enterprises.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to new users if they deal with two or three gigs of traffic. Beyond that, it can't handle the load.

On a scale from one to ten, I would give MikroTik Routers and Switches an eight.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
MikroTik Routers and Switches
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about MikroTik Routers and Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Information Technology Supervisor at JLR Construction and Aggregates Inc.
Real User
Robust with lots of features and excellent pricing
Pros and Cons
  • "It has a lot of features. I haven't explored them all yet."
  • "The interface for management could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

I've mostly been using the solution for mostly routing and user management.

How has it helped my organization?

It has rapidly improved the network capabilities of the company since all features are readily available with no pay walls. It up to your imagination and skill to deploy the said features. You also have the option to test out any of the modules you see fit for your organization.

What is most valuable?

We like that the solution is full-featured. I have access to all the functions that I need for routing without the cost involved of having those - compared to a Cisco device or other devices like HP. With those, you need to license some of the features just to access them. MikroTik has access to all the features of routing so you can customize or be flexible in your deployment.

The solution is stable and the performance is good. 

It has a lot of features. I haven't explored them all yet.

What needs improvement?

There are some bugs in the newer modules. For example, when it comes to Routing, which is already a very old module, it is very stable. However, Hotspot is a fairly new module. They still need to work on things regarding that module. It's not as reliable. 

The interface for management could be improved. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for about ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We're very satisfied with the performance. It is stable. I could say if you are using only mostly the core functionality of the device that was built in it - primarily routing, firewall, and then the basic ones, it's very stable. However, for the newer modules, they still have some bugs to fix.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have 200 or more users on the product currently. They are in administrative and operations positions in all areas of the office.

The solution is very scalable. I would rate it a ten out of ten for scalability. 

How are customer service and support?

While technical support is available, I haven't tried it since the core functions are very stable. I haven't seen any major problems where I would need to call tech support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've also used Ubiquiti.

We did try TP-Link and Cisco previously. Those were the two types of routers that were in the office in production. The main reason we switched was due to the price, cost, and feature availability of the other options.

This product comes in at a very low price compared to buying a Cisco router. I also had a bad experience with Cisco routers.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is more complex than Ubiquiti since it's more full-featured. It's up to you how you want to do things. You have to face a slight learning curve. You have to have a background in networking or routing.

Currently, if I have to do a deployment for a simple office, it would be less than a day to have everything up and running.

For our organization, when I started using it, it took maybe a month or two to get used to the features before I migrated fully to the device.

I'm the one who is responsible for the network and therefore I handle any maintenance as well. 

What about the implementation team?

I set it up myself. I didn't have any help from third-party consultants or integrators. 

What was our ROI?

We have seen an ROI from MikroTik in that, for 12 years their equipment has been very robust. Even older versions I can still use now without any problems or stability issues.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

You just pay for licensing and you don't have to worry about add-ons or anything else. You don't pay yearly, you simply pay for the equipment. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm a customer and an end-user.

I've mostly upgraded the product to the latest version. I have a few more left that are still on the older version.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

MikroTik is very good, however, you need to know the fundamentals to use it. You have to have a solid foundation on the capabilities or concepts used in MikroTik for it to become very effective for your organization.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Orlando Silva - PeerSpot reviewer
CEO at Truenet
Reseller
Cost-effective, resilient, and the technical support is good
Pros and Cons
  • "This equipment is resilient and available at a good price."
  • "The Soft-GRE support needs to be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We have a website with online shopping, and the MikroTik products are part of our network infrastructure. We also resell these products, and our customers buy them for both wired routing and wireless access points.

What is most valuable?

This equipment is resilient and available at a good price.

The operating system on the router, RouterOS, is open-source.

What needs improvement?

The Soft-GRE support needs to be improved.

To use this product, people must have some network knowledge and a little bit of training on the MikroTik devices.

The payment conditions from the manufacture need to be improved. Nobody wants to pay immediately, especially for large companies like ISPs and big corporations.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with MikroTik Routers and Switches for 12 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In the past, we had heard complaints about stability. At this time, they are very stable.

How are customer service and technical support?

As we are a master distributor, we have direct access to the MikroTik support team.

The technical support team is good, and we haven't had any issues with them.

How was the initial setup?

This is not an easy product to install. You must have a little bit of training. For example, the IT people need to have a technician course.

What about the implementation team?

Our in-house team is responsible for deployment and maintenance. We have approximately 35 people on our team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price of these products is good, which is one of the things that we like the best. When you buy a license, it is for life and you don't need to buy another one every year.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, this is a good product but everything can improve a little bit. The product is not perfect.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor
PeerSpot user
Shareholder, Angel funder and coach at LucidView
Real User
Top 20
Useful for traffic shaping, firewalling, and categorization of internet access
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool's most valuable features are flexibility and configuration. It can be used in large setups."
  • "The solution is a complicated device."

What is our primary use case?

We use the product as a cybersecurity device. We use MikroTik Routers and Switches for a large client to provide them with services such as traffic shaping, firewalling, and categorization of internet access. This enables us to implement measures like blocking unwanted access

What is most valuable?

The tool's most valuable features are flexibility and configuration. It can be used in large setups. 

What needs improvement?

The solution is a complicated device. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the product for 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution's stability an eight out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

MikroTik Routers and Switches is flexible and works well for small networks with a few users or large-scale setups with up to half a million users. Its adaptability allows it to handle different complexities in network configurations. I rate its scalability an eight out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

The tool's technical support is limited, requiring users to handle most issues themselves. It comes with a learning curve for the technical team.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

I rate the product's deployment a three out of ten. It can be completed in five minutes. I have a range of setups, from relatively small to enterprise-level ones. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product is cheap compared to Cisco. 

What other advice do I have?

The solution is relatively cheap and scales well. However, products like ours come in to assist in expanding the capabilities, such as reporting and cybersecurity features like traffic shaping. These additional functionalities don't come naturally with the basic setup. The tool's logical management can be problematic, especially for enterprise networks, and that's where add-on products become necessary. I rate the overall solution a seven out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
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PeerSpot user
Chad Nel - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior System Administrator at YGtech
Real User
Works well, is easy to set up, and has a great user community
Pros and Cons
  • "The routing is nice and straightforward."
  • "f they can improve the OpenVPN, to make that a bit more straightforward, that would be ideal."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is primarily for routing and switching.

What is most valuable?

They work nice, and they're easy to set up, and everything.

The routing is nice and straightforward. I run all the MikroTiks and we connect to our office. Therefore, the routing is so easy and the firewall's easy to set up. The queues obviously throttle certain users if they're abusing it. 

Everything just works easy and fine. To block websites is easy. It just works fine for me.

The stability is great.

The product makes scaling very simple.

In terms of the initial setup, it's very straightforward. 

What needs improvement?

If they can improve the OpenVPN, to make that a bit more straightforward, that would be ideal. Obviously, it's got a built-in OpenVPN server that you can do. I've played around with it a bit, however, normally, if people want OpenVPN, they just use a virtual machine with Ubuntu, as it's just easier to set up. 

When you block a website, so what I normally have to do is create a script with the domain name in it. And then it auto-updates the IP list. If they can maybe implement something where you can block websites using this domain name rather than the IP address, that'll be great. You can also obviously block it via the certificate, however, the problem is, a lot of the websites use a generic certificate from, Certbot or something like that. And then you block that, and it blocks a whole other list of websites. If they can do something like that, it will be great as well. I know it's not so easy as everything's encrypted, however, that'll be a great thing to improve.

If they can implement something for the hotspot, where you can actually filter out, that would be ideal. With the hotspot, you've got your counters. If they can implement something that if you use local data, it doesn't go towards your hotspot. I've got a client and they've set up the hotspot. They use it so they don't use the internet. If they copy something from the server, it goes towards their quota. Now, if you copy a big file from the server, and it uses your quota, then you have to obviously first call them and say, "Listen here, I've copied this thing. Please increase my quota, or reset it," or whatever. That's the only struggle that I found. Other than that, I can't really think of anything else.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for the last three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's super stable. I've never had any issues. There were obviously a couple of years back, maybe a year or two back, where there was a vulnerability version 6.3 or 5.8 or something, where the people were able to just run a script, and then it would give them the MikroTik username and password. They could obviously just log in and deploy whatever viruses or grab whatever they needed. That's long since fixed. Other than that, I've never had any issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is super-easy to scale. 

How are customer service and support?

I've never had to deal with technical support.

If I do need information or whatever, I'm on the Reddit forums everywhere. The community is super helpful. For that reason, I've never had to contact support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've got a client that had a Palo Alto, however, the licensing fees were too expensive for them. Eventually, we just got them over on a MikroTik. 

Before I started using MikroTik, I was using open source firewalls such as pfSense and OPNsense, which also obviously worked 100%. The problem is it works out to be expensive due to the fact that if you're running that, you basically have to buy a whole computer. Whereas with the MikroTik, you buy the router and you've got everything, and that's it. I've never really looked at anything else other than that. For example, RB2011, you buy it for R3,000 or R4,000, and that's it. There are no licensing fees, there's nothing. That's what I like. I don't like products where there's obviously recurring cost. Obviously there are required antiviruses and stuff like that. However, that's not that expensive. The bigger firewalls, however, such as Palo Alto or FortiGate have all these licensing fees. The services are very nice, however, for my clients, it's not needed.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy. That said, for our junior techs, it's not that easy. I normally have to come in, do the firewall, stuff like that. For me, as a seasoned tech, it's pretty straightforward. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I've got quite a lot of experience with firewalls. However, I'm more likely to look at the open-source stuff like pfSense, OPNsense, and MikroTik. That type of stuff. I try and get protection for my clients as cheap as possible, rather than letting them pay R200,000 a year licensing fee they obviously can't afford. That's why I normally just use the MikroTik.

What other advice do I have?

We normally just buy the solution from the vendors, and then obviously we're just a reseller of IT companies.

I only use the routers. I've never used the switches or the APs. Usually, the switches we use, they're Ubiquiti. Same for the APs. And then obviously for the firewall, router, we use the MikroTik.

With most of my clients, including home users and companies, everything MikroTik. Obviously, the home users will use the RG750. For businesses, they'll use 2011, the bigger switches that have a bit more beef.

In terms of which version we're using, they auto-update. We're always on the latest stable version.

I'd rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
PeerSpot user
Bambang Andjar  Prasetyono - PeerSpot reviewer
Head Corporate Service at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 20
A simple and reliable solution that helps to manage connections
Pros and Cons
  • "The tool is simple and reliable. The most valuable function for us is filtering. We can manage which connections users can and cannot make. This is important as our office has about 2,200 employees using the Internet. It provides benefits because it's available and simple. Our IT staff is familiar with it, making it easy to operate and manage."
  • "The tool needs to add more tutorials and documentation for new functions."

What is our primary use case?

We use the tool for internal Wi-Fi and to manage our Internet connection from the provider.

What is most valuable?

The tool is simple and reliable. The most valuable function for us is filtering. We can manage which connections users can and cannot make. This is important as our office has about 2,200 employees using the Internet. It provides benefits because it's available and simple. Our IT staff is familiar with it, making it easy to operate and manage.

What needs improvement?

The tool needs to add more tutorials and documentation for new functions. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the product for 16 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate MikroTik Routers and Switches' stability as nine out of ten. 

How are customer service and support?

We support ourselves through YouTube. 

How was the initial setup?

MikroTik Routers and Switches' have simple deployment. 

What about the implementation team?

We did the deployment ourselves. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

MikroTik Routers and Switches' pricing is reasonable. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate MikroTik Routers and Switches a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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PeerSpot user
Operational Manager at Astrah Technologies
Real User
Top 20
Acts as an access controller for Wi-Fi
Pros and Cons
  • "We have use cases like providing power over ethernet, as an access controller for Wi-Fi, and normal networking."
  • "The product needs to include more power."

What is our primary use case?

We have use cases like providing power over ethernet, as an access controller for Wi-Fi, and normal networking. 

How has it helped my organization?

The tool is very stable and not expensive. Moreover, it is easy to use, especially with Windows applications.

What is most valuable?

 You can find many Youtube videos that can help with the configuration. The tool's VLAN setup, firewall, and the rules are simple. The hotspot feature is good as well. 

What needs improvement?

The product needs to include more power. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with the solution for ten years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool is stable since it does not crash. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is scalable and my company has 50 users for it. 

How was the initial setup?

The product's setup is straightforward. You have to setup the network diagrams first, then define the links, VLAN, and the ports where VLAN is setup. The final stage is deployment. Deployment does not take more than 15 minutes. However, there will be deployment issues if you don't use firewalls or define an interface. You just need an engineer to do the deployment. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate the product an eight out of ten. The product is robust and cheap compared to Cisco. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
PeerSpot user
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Download our free MikroTik Routers and Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2024
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Download our free MikroTik Routers and Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.