MikroTik Winbox Tutorial

MikroTik's "Winbox" software comes included with the company's standard and wireless routers. Everything the router can do, "Winbox" can do, and vice versa. In fact, "Winbox" is designed to make the configuration of and access to the router simpler, by providing users with a graphic interface for controlling router functions. MikroTik explains that router manuals don't include a section about "Winbox" because its functions are identical to the router's; but the company does provide some tips on use of the program.

Instructions

1

Open a browser window and enter your router's IP address in the location bar. This changes from system to system, but the base IP address should be written in your router manual. It's often 192.168.0.0 or 19.2.168.0.1, so enter an address like "http://routeraddress/winbox/winbox.exe" and then click "Save file" when prompted. If you haven't configured the router, you can type "http://router_address" specifically into your browser. On the page that appears, click "Winbox" to download the program.

2

Double-click "winbox.exe" to open the "WinBox Loader." Type in the IP address of the router in the "Connect to" window, then enter your user name and password (or that administrator's, if established). If you don't know the IP address, you can click the ellipsis beside the "Connect to" box to browse the network for all IP address. Check for the router by searching for IP addresses with the identity "MikroTik." Click "Connect" to access the router.

3

Study the main window to understand the functions of the program and the router. If the options available to you look daunting, ask for a network administrator to help. Otherwise, begin configuring the router and network as you desire, using the wide variety of options from the left pane menu (interfaces, wireless, bridge, PPP, IP, ports, queues, drivers, system, files, log, SNMP, users, radius, tools, new terminal, telnet, password, certificate and routing) to define your network. You'll notice that this interface is a bit more complicated than your home wireless router's might be--this router is designed for specificity.

4

Click any of the options in the left pane to open a smaller window with sub options in the larger right pane. Advance controls now lie at your fingertips, and how you configure them is up to you. For a few hints and tricks, visit MikroTik's Wiki site (see Resources).