MikroTik

This document is a work in progress and should be considered a draft until this message disappears.

Welcome to the MikroTik Wiki page. Here you will find items specifically about using MikoTik devices and software as it relates to Ham Radio and/or AllStarLink/PTTLink.

General Information

Mikrotik Website: https://mikrotik.com/

MikroTik CHR on VPS

Instructions for installing the MikroTik Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) on a VPS provider.

Note: You will be overwriting the existing VPS server using this guide.

Preparation

• Spin up a VPS using a Debian based Linux distro
  • Choose one with at least one CPU and 512MB of memory. You can increase the CPU and memory as your needs/use dictates.
• Login to VPS

Installation

• Run the following to replace the Linux install on the VPS.

Note: Adjust the /dev/vda listed in the last line to match the actual drive used in the VPS.

• First make sure the packages information is up to date

  apt-get update

• Ensure unzip is installed

  apt-get install unzip

• Set $ADDRESS to the IP address the MikroTik CHR will use
• Set $GATEWAY to the IP address of the Gateway the MikroTik CHR will use

  set $ADDRESS="1.1.1.1"
  set $GATEWAY="2.2.2.2"

• Then copy and run the entire block of commands below into the terminal

  wget https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/6.48.3/chr-6.48.3.img.zip -O chr.img.zip && \
  gunzip -c chr.img.zip > chr.img && \ 
  mount -o loop,offset=33554944 chr.img /mnt && \ 
  ADDRESS=`ip addr show ens3 | grep global | cut -d' ' -f 6 | head -n 1` && \ 
  GATEWAY=`ip route list | grep default | cut -d' ' -f 3` && \ 
  echo "/ip address add address=$ADDRESS interface=[/interface ethernet find where name=ether1] /ip route add gateway=$GATEWAY " > /mnt/rw/autorun.scr && \ 
  umount /mnt && \ 
  echo u > /proc/sysrq-trigger && \ dd if=chr.img bs=1024 of=/dev/vda

• Once you successfully complete the above, power off (do not shut down) the VPS and then turn it back on to boot into MikroTik CHR.

• Login to the MikroTik CHR via the terminal using admin for the username with no password
• Change the default admin password with:

  /user set name=admin password=<new password>

Configuration

Set $ADDRESS and $GATEWAY first or replace them in the line below with the actual values.

  echo "/ip address add address=$ADDRESS interface=[/interface ethernet find where name=ether1] /ip route add gateway=$GATEWAY"

• If the above does not work on setting the IP address and gateway properly:
  • Set IP address with: /ip addres interface=ether1 add address=<ip address> netmask=<netmask>
  • Set Gateway IP address with: /ip route add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=<gateway IP>

Finishing Up

• Now login to the web page of your MikroTik CHR using http://<IP> or download Winbox from https://mikrotik.com/download to login and configure your MikroTik CHR.
• Read the documentation at https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ROS/Getting+started pay special attention to the First Time Configuration section

AMPRNet/44Net

You can use MikroTik devices as a way to connect to AMPRNet/44Net. Once connected, you can then setup your AllStarLink/PTTLink node with a 44Net IP address.

IPIP Tunnel

Explanation: https://www.ampr.org/ipip/

• Register for a an account on the AMPRNet portal https://www.ampr.org/portal/
• Once registered, request a 44Net address allocation using the AMPRNet portal and wait for approval
• Setup your MikroTik device to use the IPIP tunnel using version 3.2 of YO2LOJ's Mikrotik RIPv2 Gateway Setup Script (as of Jul 2021):
  • Make sure you read the instructions in the README at http://www.yo2loj.ro/hamprojects/ampr-gw-README.txt
  • For RouterOS 6.41 and newer: http://www.yo2loj.ro/hamprojects/ampr-gw-3.2.rsc
  • For RouterOS pre-6.41: http://www.yo2loj.ro/hamprojects/ampr-gw-3.1.rsc

Note: You can also download the above as a ZIP archive: http://www.yo2loj.ro/hamprojects/ampr-gw-3.2.zip

IPSEC

Sometimes you need to secure a link between a system and an MikroTik device.

• strongSwan to MikroTik - Information on connecting MikroTik to a system running the strongSwan IPSEC software

HamWAN

Website: https://hamwan.org

"HamWAN is a non-profit organization (501c3) developing best practices for high speed amateur radio data networks. HamWAN also runs the Puget Sound Data Ring, which is a real-world network implementation of the proposed designs."

MikroTik devices are used in HamWAN type networks. Once you are connected to HamWAN, you can then setup your AllStarLink/PTTLink devices on the network.

Certified Networks

• Puget Sound Data Ring - HamWAN reference network
• British Columbia Interior HamWAN - Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
• MemHamWAN - Memphis, Tennessee.
• NM HamWAN - Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Tampa Bay HamWAN - a Florida Simulcast Group project covering Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, Florida.

Mi6WAN

Website: https://w8cmn.net/mi6wan/

"The Mi6WAN network is our Internet Protocol (IP) Based network. Utilizing microwave, fiber and wireless connections we have built a High-Speed Point to Point and Point to Multipoint network using standards based protocols and RF gear. Our links are measured in MBPS not bps like traditional ax.25 based amateur radio based networks. We are currently allocated subnets from the AMPRNet 44/8 of 44.103/19 and 44.103.32/21. These subnets we have allocated down to our different sites for the needs of our network. We primarily transport data in support of our other projects as IP is becoming more and more the standard to transport audio/video/data."

For those located within the Central Michigan area, you can connect to a HamWAN like network and receive an AMPRNet/44Net IP address for use with your AllStarLink/PTTLink nodes.

Client configuration information can be found at https://w8cmn.net/mi6wan/mi6wan-client-config/

HamNET

Website: http://hamnetdb.net/

European ham microwave network