I have just begined to use Mikrotik but the first contact is very hard because the new board no have a IP assigned the olny connection possible is on MAC, but every time i connect with the routerboard (R532 or R133c) i have imediatly a disconnection with a message in the subject.

I have tryed in any way with the last version of winbox and using different PC but nothing i start to belive that the MAC connection of Microtik is a Fake and dont work at all.

Any suggest? Possible i need setup an IP by the com interface ? there is no way to use MAC connection? is really it a fake?

Someone please help me!

but every time i connect with the routerboard (R532 or R133c) i have imediatly a disconnection with a message in the subject.

1. Disable ALL ports except the one that is connecting to the router
2. Insure the port you are using to connect has an IP on it (your computer, I mean)
3. You may have to disable the firewall on the pc
4. If you use a VPN client (Cisco especially), you may have to disable that
5. Use the neighbor viewer or serial (with NULL MODEM) and configure the router by CLI if you can't get it to work.

I have tryed in any way with the last version of winbox and using different PC but nothing i start to belive that the MAC connection of Microtik is a Fake and dont work at all.

Fake? Must be a language thing...It works for thousands of users...can't be fake.

1. Disable ALL ports except the one that is connecting to the router

How i can disable this ports ? I need a firewall ? What is the port to enable?


2. Insure the port you are using to connect has an IP on it (your computer, I mean)
Of course i have an IP (192.168.0.100 / 255.255.255.0)

3. You may have to disable the firewall on the pc
I have all the firewall disabled

4. If you use a VPN client (Cisco especially), you may have to disable that
I dont use It

5. Use the neighbor viewer or serial (with NULL MODEM) and configure the router by CLI if you can't get it to work.
At the end maybe i need use the com cable if someone dont have a good idea.

maybe isnt a fake but is so instable to be close it!!!

I cant belive nobody have the same trouble, i have heard a techician in a Wisp who told me that the mac connection dont work and need setup an IP.

I hope really now that someone show me the right way!!

There should be only one interface enabled on the host PC that runs WinBox and must be on the same network.

I don't know "fake" either...

There is only one lan interface enabled, but the result is still the same!!!

The LAN interfache chip is a broadcom but i have tryed with a Nvidia too but same result!

Anyway much peoples told me that with new board without IP is IMPOSSIBLE conect to a MAC, now may be interesting hear the opinion of Mikrotik about it.

If someone dont tell otherwise and prove it. The MAC connection in new boards DONT WORK.

If someone dont tell otherwise and prove it. The MAC connection in new boards DONT WORK.

How new? I just connected to a 133C, 153 and a 532A following a fresh "/system reset". Good enough "proof"? Try using the neighbor viewer as I suggested...you are capable of adding an IP address in CLI, right? Otherwise, it just sounds like whining.

"/ip address add address=10.10.10.10/24 interface=ether1"

Adjust as needed, then connect winbox to 10.10.10.10

very very useful link:
http://www.mikrotik.com/testdocs/ros/2.9/

almost forgot - one more link, very useful too:
http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/MikroTik_RouterOS

very very useful link:
http://www.mikrotik.com/testdocs/ros/2.9/

almost forgot - one more link, very useful too:
http://wiki.mikrotik.com/wiki/MikroTik_RouterOS

Thank you, janisk....I stopped short of "RTFM".

if you do not know what you can do, you will not be able to configure routers using RouterOS

and you have to know how networking works to configure it correctly

wiki has a lot of useful configuration examples and manual to understand what exactly you are doing. without that knowledge you wont understand why you need routerOS at all, and will sarch for different tools to do simple things

now to the main problem:

MAC winbox DOES work, but on windows machine you have to disable all the interfaces that are on, otherwise you will loose connection, also, uncheck use of secure connection when trying to login.

first thing - set up IP address (reachable from machine you are using) and connect to that IP as soon as possible as layer 2 communication is not safe and connection will be dropped, it is just a matter of time when.

Another case that I have seen this..

If the "public" interface is set for DHCP, and it can't reach a DHCP server, then this same behavure can been seen..

But if this is a new config and you have turned off all unneeded interfaces, (disabled DHCP client on router untill ready) you would not see this issue...

(I have only seen this on the routerboards, not the I386 versions) (I dont run any I386 with DHCP clients)...

I first saw this when setting up for a demonstration at a users meeting (sysadmins)... Took me a few to figure out the cause, then it was easy for fix, but made me fel REAL stupid for a few...


Craig

Standard procedures to do a Winbox MAC connection is so easy as soon as you know how to set a static IP in your windows/linux machine. If you don't have that knowledge, you won't be able to connect and what's more, you sure you don't need a RouterOS machine at all.

If you are using a Routerboard board, you must use the Ethernet port that is POE-capable, MAC Winbox won't work on the others (or at least, hasn't worked to me). Or generally, you must use Ether1 port. If you don't know which is, try on all ports.

0. Power On RouterOS machine. Let it load, first boot takes a bit more.

1. If youy are using a laptop or a computer with a wireless connection, turn it off. Disconnect from Acces Point, turn off laptop switch, or disable interface, whatever you want, there are thousands of options there.

2. Select a ethernet interface in your computer (if you have more than one) and connect it using a ethernet cable to the routerOS machine.

3. Set a IP/subnet mask to the selected interface. You know how to do it . IP address doesn't matter at all at this moment, but should be in the same range that RouterOS Machine will be, to save some time after initial config.

4. Disable or disconnect cable from the unused ethernet adapters (if you have more than one).

5. Open winbox, I suposse yu have it (http://www.mikrotik.com/download/winbox.exe if not).

6. Make sure there's no IP/MAC written in the address field, I had problems discovering MACs when there are addresses in there.

7. Click the [...] button and wait for your RouterOS MAC appear. Click on it.

8. Enter username and password in their respective fields. By default, username is: admin and there is no password, leave it blank.

9. Click [Connect] and wait for login process to finish.

10. Do a basic configuration to your RouterOS machine. Set the desired IPs and click [Exit] on windows. Make sure to remember the assigned IP address.

11. Configure your computer IP address to the same range that RouterOS, if you didn't set in the same range before.

12. Enter RouterOS machine IP address in Winbox Address field, and continue configuration process.

That's all folks!

Hello

one of my guys had this problem the other day when connecting to a mac address

It would connect to MAC, load plugins then disconnect.

He was on windows vista with no firewall, only one nic, static IP etc.

He connected to an IP address of the router and it was fine.

This was on 4 routers.

The tech before him (with another laptop) had no problems

I would suggest to the OP to try a differet PC, perhaps with XP, he has a vaild problem (from what I read)

as i am linux user and have at least one configured RB at hand at all times, i connect to new board from another router using i have never encountered any problems using that.

if you have a lot of disconnects, check if you have secure mode set - unset it, that makes mac-winbox a lot stable

i think the problem might be a combination between xp and laptop. 3 laptops in office has unstable mac connection with xp, but ok with linux and desktop pc with xp ok connection.

I have always considered the MAC connection a temporary TOOL to use to connect to the router long enough to set an IP address on an interface. I have noticed that most of my disconnect problems when first configuring a router happen when I am connected via SWITCH. I don't think I have had any problems when directly connected to the router. I have definately noticed that I always have a problem on my bench with the 10/100 Unicom 8 port switch in the mix. I can usually get connected long enough to setup the DHCP client on the router. I then disconnect and reconnect to the assigned IP address to complete my configuration.

Watch the lights on you network switch when you use the mac address connection. The resulting light show gives me the feeling that this is something that should not be allowed to continue for to long. The first time I noticed it was in a dimly lit server room and the reflection from 200 lights flashing actually scared me before I connected it with what I was doing.

It's not fake. Get off that one and trust us.

MAC Telnet uses broadcasts on all interfaces to 255.255.255.255 - why do you think it's making your lights flash so much? Your flooding your network with MAC broadcasts causing every port, every nic, every everything to listen to it. If you have a clear broadcast path between you and the mikrotik it should work fine. Also check to see that you didn't turn off mac-telnet server on Mikrotik, that will also stop it : )

some times helps - disable secure connection for winbox if you are going to connect to mac address

wait for dhcp to time out and uncheck secure mode

Hi.

I have a similar problem.

When i use winbox from my new computer with MS XP to a MikroTik server inside my local 192.168.1.1 network a just can connect one second and then i got an error "Router has disconnected"

When I connect to one of our other routers outside my local network but inside our wireles network built as a 10.xxx.xxx.xxx network i have no problem at all.

When i use an older pC with Win 2000 there is no problem at all.

I have disconnected the firewall on XP.

The real funny thing is, that i have a laptop with XP too and with this PC there is no problem.

I hope somebody can give me a hint.

Ok...

Get this one for an update...

The behavior seems to be just like a routerboard durring netinstall (or some PCs)..

I usualy see it if DHCP client is enabled on ANY interface.

When a client tries to connect via winbox, the screen shows for about 1/2 sec then "router disconnects.."

OK we all agree on the symptom, but not nessisaraly the cause... I get it..

OK how about a cheap / easy solution !!!

Most of us use a laptop to confiure / troubleshoot our RouterOS devices (I think...)

I have found that whan a device is exibiting the above behavure (OO NetInstall dies (bad network error)) that using a bumb box of rocks network adapter ALLWAYS works !!

I ALLWAYS carry an Intel "EtherExpress PRO/100 Mobile Adapter" with me in my laptop case..

It allways seems to work... I is just plane slow and not too brite, and just connects and stays conected...

I would suggest we all go to our local scrapper / ebay and dig one or two up.. they just seem to connect when you have to..

And NO I am NOT trying to sell any... I have only one and you will have to pry it out of my dead hands to get it from me... this thing has saved me @$$ more than once !!


Hope this helps!!

Craig

--- Things that make you go Hmmmmmm !!! ---

OK,

Here's my story...

8 brand new RB 411's

I have read this entire thread, I've read the manual.
I've been using RouterOS & Winbox sucessfully for a long time,
at the CLI, and with winbox.

I set a static IP on the WinXP PC ( in fact, three different ones)
I have disabled the firewall.

I start Winbox (2.2.13)
I set login as "admin"
No password.
I DO NOT set "Secure Mode".
then click (...)
Winbox finds & reports: (for one of the
00:0C:42:29:24:5C 0.0.0.0 MikroTik 3.10

I click on the mac address, then connect.
It connects, and winbox is useable for 6 seconds..

After 6 seconds :
"Router has been disconnected"

This is the same on 8 different brand new RB411's.
I've tried with a desktop, and two different laptops.
NO switch, just a cable.

Any ideas ??


Yakco

Do your rb411's have IP addresses at all? I assume not since your example shows 00:0C:42:29:24:5C 0.0.0.0 MikroTik 3.10
I have noticed that winbox by mac address is a lot more stable if there is an IP address on router.

You can either use another mikrotik router and mac-telnet to the new one or download the Neighbor viewer for Windows http://www.mikrotik.com/download/neighbour.zip and do it from your winXP machine.

I normally just plug the new routerboard into the network and mac-telnet from the mikrotik router we use as the office firewall. Some of the vendors I buy routerboards from add an IP address with a startup script before shipping the routers to me, this helps a lot.

Thanks !
I was unaware of the neighbour viewer, with mac telnet.
This solves the problem of using Winbox to a router that has no ip, and will not stay connected by mac.

Yakco

Hi there,

Yes, the MAC telnet is only possible way. Winbox still goes down after few seconds in MAC connection

The problem are probably that you dont have MTU 1500 on your computer. If you have installed a Cisco vpn client it is changing your MTU to 1300

I just had an RB450 returned for this reason. Customer says she tried all methods, was on v.3.10

I tried it myself and sure enough I was getting disconnected right after the main WinBox window opens and I try to open one of the windows (Interfaces for example). I connected through another RB as Janis mentioned, this was OK enough to give it an IP.

Once I had an IP, I tried connecting via MAC again, same problem.
I tried upgrading the OS to 3.17, same problem.
I tried upgrading the RB firmware, same problem.
I tried another system reset, same problem.
I tried all 5 Ethernet ports, same problem.

NB: Used a fixed PC with a single Intel NIC. No firewall or VPN client. I have configured hundreds of RBs using MAC with this same PC and never had any problem.

I think it is a bug in the recent versions of ROS, and even then it only appears sometimes, maybe MAC address related?

UPDATE: Tried connecting to the same router via MAC from a laptop with an Intel PRO1000 NIC, also no Firewall. This time it WORKED.

Will be sending SUPOUT to support.

I just bought a RB133 with MT 3.14 and i face the same problem as all previous posters.
I tried the various possible solution but still no sucess

Any solution found???


Thanks

I just bought a RB133 with MT 3.14 and i face the same problem as all previous posters.
I tried the various possible solution but still no sucess

Any solution found???


Thanks

Try using a different PC/laptop. Sometimes even with exactly the same hardware/software, it might work on one PC and get disconnected on another.

Having said that, as is stated in previous posts, MAC WinBox is not designed to be stable, it's designed to give you a quick and easy connection so you can specify an IP. Once you specify an IP you should immediately switch to IP connectivity.

Hi,
I might be experiencing similar issues.

I have one laptop which connects to the radio via Winbox... already configured, wireless connected.... everything running...
I can see the interfaces and must of the configurations...... but the wireless frequency and Security profile are not there... even if the radio still running ok... (another laptop can see everything ok!)
and all the realtime status... like Wireless tables - registration... or interface - status... are not there too.... and a couple of seconds later... the router disconnects!!!

The NIC is one of those PCMCIA - D-Link DFE-690TXDE Cardbus, running XP.

Can anyone help me?
Cheers

Dear all,
I was really desperate, some time ago I configured some routerBoards without problems, now I was not able to do a single thing, I was too slow - "router disconnected" in 2 seconds !!

As somebody above already mentioned, this helped :

download http://www.mikrotik.com/download/neighbour.zip
neigbour viewer -> mac telnet -> your routerBoard
Login:admin
Password:<empty>
[enter]
/ip address add address=192.168.1.3/24 interface=ether1 [enter]
quit [enter]

...and now you can easily connect to new IP.
Just pay attetntion to have your PC in the same range.

some NICs in windows have problems with Mac Winbox connection, so always use IP for connecting unless there is no other way

first thing - set up IP address (reachable from machine you are using) and connect to that IP as soon as possible as layer 2 communication is not safe and connection will be dropped, it is just a matter of time when.

Thank you. It solved my probloem