RouterOS

People who use hardware devices from the RouterBoard company will require a way to initialize them or just transform their PCs into router devices.

RouterOS represents the operating system of the MikroTik RouterBoard hardware devices and it will allow users to also install it separately on their systems and turn them into fully functional routers.

People will then be able to access several features that will enable them router administration, such as routing, firewall, bandwidth management, wireless access points and much more. It will allow them to use their PCs as hotspot gateway/VPN servers or for backhaul linking.

Based on the Linux 3.3.5 kernel, RouterOS is a standalone operating system that supports numerous configuration methods: local access with monitor and keyboard, serial console with terminal applications, Telnet or secure SSH access over networks.

Its command line interface will allow one to perform the configuration by employing scripting capabilities. It also provides a dedicated configuration tool, “Winbox”, which is a powerful Web-based application and an API programming interface which can be used for creating custom control applications.

RouterOS supports numerous protocols, some of which include: for IPv4: RIPv1/RIPv2, OSFPv2 and BGPv4 and for IPv6: RIPng, OSFPv3 and BGP. It also supports Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VFR), policy-based routing, interface based routing and ECMP routing.