Tools and Resources for Labs:
- MikroTik RouterOS: The software used in all MikroTik devices, accessible via Winbox, WebFig, or SSH.
- MikroTik Virtual Router (VIRL): A way to simulate MikroTik networks using virtual environments.
- RouterOS Documentation: Extensive official documentation available on the MikroTik website.
- Packet Tracer/Other Simulators: Some labs can be practiced using tools like GNS3, but they won’t cover all RouterOS-specific features.
1. MTCNA (MikroTik Certified Network Associate)
- The MikroTik Certified Network Associate (MTCNA) certification is designed to provide a foundational understanding of networking concepts and MikroTik router configuration. It includes several practical labs to ensure you gain hands-on experience with MikroTik hardware and RouterOS.
- LABS:
- Basic Router Configuration: Learn how to connect to and configure a MikroTik router (IP settings, interfaces).
- IP Addressing/Subnetting: Assign static IP addresses and understand subnetting.
- Routing Configuration: Configure static routes and dynamic routing protocols (RIP, OSPF).
- Firewall Configuration: Set up firewall rules and NAT (Network Address Translation).
- NAT: Configure Source and Destination NAT, including Internet access via masquerading.
- DHCP: Set up a DHCP server for automatic IP assignment and static leases.
- VLANs: Create and configure VLANs for network segmentation.
- Wireless Networking: Set up wireless access points and security settings.
- VPN Configuration: Configure PPTP/L2TP VPN tunnels for secure remote access.
- Bandwidth Management: Implement traffic shaping, QoS, and bandwidth limiting.
- Monitoring & Troubleshooting: Use tools like Ping, Traceroute, and Netwatch to monitor and troubleshoot networks.
- Backup & Recovery: Backup and restore configurations to ensure data integrity.
2. MTCRE (MikroTik Certified Routing Engineer)
- The MikroTik Certified Routing Engineer (MTCRE) certification is aimed at individuals who want to deepen their knowledge of advanced routing concepts and MikroTik RouterOS features. The MTCRE focuses on complex routing protocols, dynamic routing, and network design principles.
- LABS:
- Advanced IP Routing: Manipulate routing tables and advanced routing configurations.
- OSPF: Configure and troubleshoot OSPF routing protocol, including area types and authentication.
- BGP: Set up BGP for internal and external routing with policy-based routing.
- Route Redistribution: Redistribute routes between different protocols like OSPF and BGP.
- Static Routing: Configure multiple static routes, backup routes, and failover scenarios.
- VRRP: Implement Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) for router redundancy.
- IPSec VPNs: Set up secure site-to-site IPsec VPN tunnels.
- MPLS: Learn and configure MPLS for label switching and MPLS VPNs.
- Routing Filters/Policies: Implement routing filters and policy-based routing.
- ECMP: Configure Equal Cost Multi-Path routing for load balancing.
- IP Address Management: Manage IP addresses efficiently with routing protocols.
- Network Design/Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot and design scalable, efficient routing networks.
- High Availability: Implement redundancy and failover solutions for high availability.
- The MikroTik Certified Wireless Engineer (MTCWE) certification is focused on advanced wireless networking concepts, configuration, and troubleshooting using MikroTik devices. The labs are designed to provide hands-on experience with MikroTik’s wireless features, including radio frequency (RF) management, wireless protocols, and site surveys.
- LABS:
- Basic Wireless Configuration: Set up wireless interfaces, access points, and clients.
- Wireless Frequency & Channel Planning: Configure radio frequency, channels, and frequencies for optimal performance.
- Wireless Security: Implement WPA, WPA2, WPA3, and other security features for wireless networks.
- Wireless Site Survey: Perform site surveys to assess signal strength, coverage, and optimize AP placement.
- Advanced Wireless Features: Configure MIMO, beamforming, and other advanced settings.
- Wireless Bridging: Set up point-to-point and point-to-multipoint wireless bridges.
- Roaming & Load Balancing: Enable seamless roaming and distribute load across APs for efficient client management.
- Wireless Routing & IP Management: Configure wireless routing, DHCP, and static IP addressing for clients.
- Wireless Mesh Networks: Set up and manage mesh networks for extended coverage.
- Interference & Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot wireless issues and manage interference.
- Wireless Performance Optimization: Optimize throughput, signal quality, and minimize latency.
- Hotspot Setup & User Management: Set up wireless hotspots with authentication and billing.
4. MTCSE (MikroTik Certified Security Engineer) Labs
- The MikroTik Certified Security Engineer (MTCSE) certification focuses on network security, hardening MikroTik routers, and protecting networks from various types of attacks. The labs cover a wide range of security topics, from basic firewall rules to advanced VPN setups and threat mitigation techniques.
- LABS:
- Firewall Basics: Set up basic firewall rules for filtering traffic.
- NAT Security: Securely configure NAT for hiding internal network details.
- Advanced Firewall: Implement complex firewall rules (e.g., address lists, time-based filtering).
- VPN Configuration: Set up IPSec and L2TP/IPSec VPNs for secure remote access and site-to-site connections.
- Access Control: Configure RADIUS for centralized user authentication and access control.
- Intrusion Detection: Implement IDS/IPS for detecting and preventing attacks.
- Traffic Monitoring/Logging: Use MikroTik’s tools to monitor and log suspicious network activity.
- DoS Protection: Set up defenses against Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed DoS (DDoS) attacks.
- RouterOS Hardening: Secure RouterOS by disabling unused services and setting strong passwords.
- VPN for Remote Users: Configure VPN access for secure remote connections (PPTP/L2TP).
- Advanced NAT/Firewall: Use Layer 7 filtering and Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) for enhanced security.
- Zero Trust Architecture: Implement a Zero Trust model for strict verification of all devices and users.
- Network Access Control (NAC): Configure policies to control network access based on device and user compliance.