Things covered inwards this how to:
- Connecting Two Mikrotik RouterBoard SXT-5D devices together inwards Bridge Mode
- Upgrading your SXT’s to the Latest Version of RouterOS
- Doing a Bandwidth Test Between 2 RouterBoard SXT-5D’s
If you're relatively novel to the Mikrotik Blue Planet my recommendation would hold upward to setup the SXT’s therefore that they’re both powered on as well as plugged into the same switch every bit shown inwards the photograph below.
By default all RouterBoard products come upward configured alongside the IP address of the ethernet port laid to 192.168.88.1
Connecting for the First Time
There are several ways to larn connected to the RouterBoard to start configuring it.
The initiative off as well as simplest way is to connect using Winbox through the MacAddress connect feature. If you lot don’t accept Winbox on your auto you lot tin download WinBox from here.
With everything plugged into the same switch...open Winbox.
Admin should hold upward inwards the Username champaign as well as the Password champaign should hold upward blank.
Click the Elipsis push adjacent to the “Connect To:" field. You should encounter both SXT’s inwards the dropdown list.
Before I continue, it’s worth mentioning you lot could add together some other IP address to your network adapter on the estimator you're working on (e.g. 192.168.88.10). You could as well as therefore pose 192.168.88.1 inwards the “Connect to:” champaign as well as you lot would larn connected. The argue I recommend the to a higher house way is because it’s non just necessary as well as you’re likely going to hold upward changing the addresses on the SXT’s to fit your network anyway.
Click on the MAC address of the initiative off SXT listed (It’s of import you lot click the MAC address - if you lot click the IP address....you won’t larn connected unless you're on the same network.)
Once you lot login, you’ll encounter a “RouterOS Default Configuration” screen. Click OK.
With the novel WinBox window open....go dorsum as well as opened upward the WinBox app in 1 trial to a greater extent than as well as connect to the other SXT - if you're non certain which is which, expect at the MAC address at the acme of WinBox that’s already open.
Now that you’re WinBox’d into both SXT’s the fun begins!
Getting organized alongside System Identities
The initiative off configuration modify you’ll desire to brand is to laid the “System Identities” therefore you lot don’t larn confused every bit to which radio you're working on. In the photograph to a higher house I accept an SXT on the left as well as 1 on the right.
- Click on the System push on the left as well as therefore Identity
- Changed the yell to something useful - In my instance we’ll practice SXT Left as well as SXT Right.
- Make the modify to both radios.
Upgrading RouterOS
At the acme of the WinBox concealment you’ll encounter the electrical flow version for RouterOS that’s beingness used. To larn the best surgical physical care for (and to fit the instructions below) you lot genuinely desire the latest version. As of this writing that version is 5.1 as well as you lot tin download it past times visiting Mikrotik’s Download page or past times clicking here.
Once the file has downloaded, opened upward folder the file was downloaded to, correct click on it as well as Select Copy.
Then practice the next to each SXT:
- Click the Files push on the left
- Click the Clipboard icon at the acme of the FileList window
The file volition start to upload. If it doesn’t...go dorsum to where the file download, correct click as well as Copy the file to the organization clipboard.
Once it’s done....Click the System push as well as therefore Reboot.
You should listen a double beep inwards less than a minute. The double beep lets you lot know the board is are ready to go.
NOTE: Be certain non to disconnect the ability piece the boards are upgrading !
Upgrading the Firmware
Log dorsum into both SXTs using WinBox as well as therefore practice the next to upgrade the organization firmware.
- Click the New Terminal push on the left.
- (Tip: If you lot desire to encounter what version you’re currently using type system routerboard print)
- Type system routerboard upgrade
- Enter Y to confirm you lot desire to upgrade.
- After upgrading reboot past times using the buttons on the left (System > Reboot) or past times typing sys reboot as well as therefore Y to reboot.
Making the Wireless Connection
Now that your SXT’s accept the latest as well as greatest OS as well as firmware its fourth dimension to connect them wirelessly.
With a WinBox window opened upward for each device:
- Click the Wireless push on the acme left
- You’ll honour interface “wlan1” is greyed out or dimmed - this way it’s currently disabled.
- Right Click on the “wlan1” interface as well as click Enable in the drib downwards carte or click the Blue cheque push on the carte bar. You should encounter the the interface modify to enabled.
We’re going to brand the left SXT our “AccessPoint” as well as the correct SXT our “client”.
Note at that topographic point are a duo settings that you lot may desire to modify to something dissimilar in 1 trial you’ve got everything setup. For instance you lot may desire to modify the SSID to “MyAwesomeBackhaul”....it’s non necessary to larn things connected therefore if this is your initiative off time....don’t modify anything unless I get upward it (you could boink your link as well as hold upward frustrated as well as throw your java loving cup as well as that wouldn’t hold upward cool).
Do the next on the SXT you’ve decided to hold upward the Access Point. In our instance it’s the Left SXT:
AccessPoint Configuration
- Double click on Wlan1.
- Click the Wireless tab at the top
- Click the Mode dropdown carte as well as modify it to “Bridge”
- Click the Band dropdown carte as well as modify it to “5Ghz-only-N”
- Click the Wireless Protocol dropdown as well as modify it to “NV2”
- Click the HT tab at the top
- Select all iv HT chain options
- Press the Apply push on the acme right.
Client Configuration
You should already accept WinBox opened upward as well as connected to the customer or “Right SXT”. (If you lot jumped ahead....the pic at the showtime shows an SXT on the left as well as 1 on the right.)
Now, without making whatever configuration changes, you lot should hold upward able to encounter the AP when doing a scan. Lets larn ahead an practice that as well as purpose the connect push therefore that we’re certain the SSID’s match.
- Double click on Wlan1
- Click the Scan push on the right.
- The AP should demo up, if it doesn’t something isn’t right....Assuming it does, click on the SSID shown inwards the listing as well as click the Connect Button as well as therefore Close
By using the Scan as well as Connect method above, you’ve laid the SSID on the customer side to fit the AP exactly. There are all the same several things to hold upward changed earlier they genuinely connect though.
You should hold upward dorsum at the wireless tab:
- Click the Mode dropdown carte as well as modify it to “Station Bridge”
- Click the Band dropdown carte as well as modify it to “5Ghz-only-N”
- Click the Wireless Protocol dropdown as well as modify it to “Any"
- Click the HT tab at the top
- Select all iv HT chain options
Press the Apply push on the acme right.
You should encounter a “R” adjacent to the wlan Interface inwards the Wireless Tables window now. This way the customer is registered as well as connected!
If you’re non getting a registration betwixt the 2 devices or you're having problem alongside whatever of the to a higher house steps...head over to the forum as well as post service your inquiry - We’re at that topographic point to help!
Setting upward the Bridge
To setup the SXT to span network traffic practice the next to each SXT:
- Click the Bridge push on the left
- Click the Plus push on the carte bar
- Click the STP tab at the top
- Change the “Protocol Mode:” to RSTP
- Click OK
Back at the Bridge window:
- Click the Ports tab at the top
- Click the Plus push on the carte bar
- What defaults inwards the “New Bridge Port” window is what you lot want, therefore click OK. This adds Ether1 to the bridge
- Click the Plus push on the carte bar again.
- Click the “Interface” drib downwards carte as well as conduct Wlan1
- Click Ok
Note: As presently every bit you lot complete adding the final span your going to larn disconnected from 1 of the SXTs. To larn reconnected you’ll need to unplug it from the network switch. They’re all the same connected wirelessly - Just opened upward WinBox as well as purpose the MAC address tool to connect.
Bandwidth Test Between Two Mikrotik SXT-5Ds
I’m non going to embrace connecting networks betwixt 2 SXTs - may hold upward inwards some other post service - instead, we’ll brand a few changes that volition allow us to practice a quick bandwidth test. These changes should larn you lot on your way to connecting through the devices every bit good
First Change the IP address on our customer span (right SXT) to something else also 192.168.88.1.
- Click the IP push on the left as well as therefore Addresses
- Double click on the default address - 192.168.88.1
- Change it to 192.168.88.2 (make certain to move out the /24 inwards there)
- Click OK
You should directly hold upward able to practice a bandwidth test.
- WinBox Into the Access Point SXT (Still using the MAC Address Tool)
- Click the Tools push on the left as well as therefore Bandwidth Test
- Change the “Test To:” champaign to the address of the customer - 192.168.88.2
- Click the “User” champaign as well as larn inwards admin for the username
- Click the Start button
Now if you lot were to bear witness TCP traffic at this indicate - The results wouldn't hold upward every bit impressive. This is because you’re relying on the SXT’s to both physical care for as well as create traffic. This causes a striking to the processor that slows everything down.
Testing through an SXT to a RouterBoard 800 is a dissimilar story. Note that you lot would likely encounter more...but the SXT entirely has a 100MB ethernet port.
Getting the most out of your SXT
Now if you lot genuinely desire to force the SXT’s to larn the maximum throughput at that topographic point are a few things to change.
If you lot haven’t already, you lot mightiness larn every bit much separation every bit possible from 1 SXT to another. In all of the tests below - the SXTs are well-nigh xxx feet (10 meters) from each other. This volition assistance their performance.
The initiative off matter we’re going to modify is the TX power. With the radios all the same therefore unopen together the signals volition to hold upward too high as well as you’re non going to larn the best results.
Do the next to both SXTs:
- Double click on the Wlan1 inwards the Wireless Tables
- Click the Advance Mode push at the bottom correct (If you’re already inwards advance way - you’ll encounter a Simple Mode push instead - don’t click it but larn to the adjacent step.)
- Click the TX Power tab
- Click the TX Power Mode listing as well as conduct All rates fixed
- Now hither is where it gets tricky....if the radios are but a few feet away as well as therefore you lot shouldn’t accept whatever problems setting the TX Power to 0. The destination hither is to lower the TX ability until you lot larn the signals to hold upward somewhere betwixt -45 as well as -60 dB on both sides.
IMPORTANT: Make certain that you lot modify the TX Power settings dorsum to defaults earlier you lot unplug your SXT’s as well as endeavour to deploy them inwards the field. Otherwise...you’ll hold upward sad.
Now for the additional changes to max everything out. There are a few changes hither that accept the potential to growth latency, AMPDU Priorities beingness 1 of them. I’m non suggesting that you lot move out these settings inwards the existent world...I’m but showing what is possible.
If you lot accept whatever questions well-nigh these settings, again, hop over to the forum as well as inquire away!
Make the next changes on both sides *beginning alongside the customer first*.
- Double click on the Wlan1 interface inwards the Wireless Tables
- Click the Advance Mode push at the bottom correct (If you’re already inwards advance way - you’ll encounter a Simple Mode push instead - don’t click it but larn to the adjacent step.)
- Click the HT tab
- Set “HT Guard Interval” to long
- Click the “HT Extension Channel” listing as well as conduct Above Control
- Select all vii Options nether “HT AMPDU Priorities”
With the novel settings our UDP Bandwidth bear witness looks similar this.
And testing Both ways
