MikroTik RouterOS Configuration Guide

This router is configured to:

• Act as a wireless access point for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.
• Bridge all LAN ports and wireless interfaces into a single network (bridgymcbridgeface).
• Provide DHCP services to devices on the local network (192.168.82.0/24).
• Route traffic to the internet via the WAN port (ether5).
• Use Quad9 (9.9.9.9) and Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) as DNS servers for privacy and performance.

2.4GHz Wireless (wlan1)

• SSID: Holiday Home MC
• Band: 2GHz (802.11g/n)
• Mode: AP Bridge (access point mode, bridging wireless clients to the LAN)
• Country: Ireland (complies with local regulations)
• Frequency: Auto (router selects the best channel)
• Station Roaming: Enabled (allows seamless handover between APs if available)
• WPS: Disabled (for security)

5GHz Wireless (wlan2)

• SSID: Holiday Home MC 5ghz
• Band: 5GHz (802.11n/ac)
• Channel Width: 20/40MHz (balances speed and interference resistance)
• Mode: AP Bridge
• Country: Ireland
• Frequency: Auto
• Station Roaming: Enabled
• WPS: Disabled

Why two SSIDs? Separate SSIDs for 2.4GHz and 5GHz allow users to choose the band that works best for their device and location. 5GHz offers faster speeds but shorter range, while 2.4GHz provides better coverage but may be slower due to interference.

Bridge

• Name: bridgymcbridgeface
• Purpose: Combines all LAN ports (ether1-4) and wireless interfaces (wlan1, wlan2) into a single network segment.
• IP Address: 192.168.82.1/24 (gateway for the local network)

WAN Port

• Interface: ether5 (labeled as WAN)
• DHCP Client: Enabled (automatically gets an IP from your ISP)

DHCP Server

• Address Pool: 192.168.82.2-192.168.82.250 (assigns IPs to devices on the LAN)
• Interface: bridgymcbridgeface
• Gateway: 192.168.82.1 (the router itself)
• DNS Servers: 9.9.9.9 (Quad9) and 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare)

Why these DNS servers? Quad9 and Cloudflare are privacy-focused, fast, and reliable alternatives to ISP-provided DNS.

DNS Settings

• Servers: 9.9.9.9, 1.1.1.1 (used by the router and provided to clients via DHCP)

NAT (Network Address Translation)

• Rule: Masquerade (hides all LAN devices behind the router's public IP)
• Chain: srcnat (source NAT)
• Out-Interface: ether5 (WAN port)

Why NAT? NAT allows all devices on your LAN to share a single public IP address for internet access, which is essential for home networks.

Time Zone

• Time Zone: Europe/Dublin (local time for Ireland)

Identity

• Name: CustomerName CustomerNumber (custom identifier for the router)

Notes

• Show at Login: Disabled (no notes displayed on login)

Wireless Security

• Authentication: WPA2-PSK (most secure option for home networks)
• Mode: Dynamic Keys (prevents eavesdropping)
• WPS: Disabled (WPS is vulnerable to brute-force attacks)

Why WPA2-PSK? WPA2-PSK is the current standard for Wi-Fi security. It encrypts traffic between devices and the router, preventing unauthorized access.

This configuration turns your MikroTik router into a dual-band wireless access point and router for a holiday home. It:

• Creates a unified network for wired and wireless devices.
• Provides internet access via the WAN port.
• Uses secure, privacy-focused DNS servers.
• Ensures wireless security with WPA2-PSK.
• Automatically assigns IP addresses to devices.

Ideal for: Small to medium-sized homes or holiday rentals where guests need reliable Wi-Fi access.