Introduction · Topic 2 of 8
First Time Access with WinBox, WebFig and Quick Set
Learn how to reach a new MikroTik router with WinBox, MAC-WinBox and WebFig, what Quick Set does, and what the default configuration contains.
- 5 min
- WinBox is a Windows application, and WebFig runs in a browser.
- MAC-WinBox connects by MAC address at Layer 2, so no IP address is needed.
- MAC-WinBox needs the PC and the router on the same broadcast domain.
What it is
A new router can be reached in several ways, and each one suits a different situation.
WinBox is a graphical tool for Windows that connects to a router. WebFig is the same kind of interface inside a web browser. Quick Set is a single page that sets up the common features in one place.
A router that has just come out of the box also has a default configuration, which lets you log in without any cabling tricks.
How it works
You pick a tool, connect to the router, and then start from the default configuration.
WinBox and MAC-WinBox
WinBox can connect by IP address or by MAC address. A connection by IP address needs a working IP path between the PC and the router.
A connection by MAC address is called MAC-WinBox. It works at Layer 2, so the PC and router must be on the same broadcast domain, but no IP address is needed on either side.
This makes MAC-WinBox the tool to use when a router has no address, or when a wrong address has locked you out. WinBox lists neighbours it discovers, and you can choose to connect to the IP address or to the MAC address of an entry.
MAC-WinBox is a convenience for recovery and first setup, so restrict it once the router is in production.
WebFig and Quick Set
WebFig runs in a browser and needs no extra software. It uses the HTTP service of the router, so that service must be enabled and reachable. The services page of this chapter explains how services are controlled.
Quick Set is a simplified page that appears in WinBox and in WebFig. It lets you pick a mode, such as a home access point, and fill in the Internet, local network and wireless settings in one place. Quick Set then writes ordinary RouterOS configuration, so you can look at the result in the normal menus.
Default configuration
Most RouterBOARD devices ship with a default configuration. The exact content depends on the model, so check the printed label or the wiki for your device.
A typical home router default has these ideas in common:
- One port is the WAN port, which is meant to face the Internet.
- The other ports are LAN ports, usually bridged together.
- The LAN has a private address, and a DHCP server hands out addresses to clients.
- The WAN has a DHCP client and a masquerade rule for outgoing traffic.
- A basic firewall protects the router.
Many models answer on a well known LAN address, so a PC set to obtain an address automatically can reach the router at once. Check the model documentation for the address and for the default user. In a typical default the user is admin and the password is empty, but newer models may print a unique password on a label.
When you connect, the router may offer to keep the default configuration or to remove it. Keep it if you want the quick start. Remove it if you plan to build your own design from a clean state.
Reaching a router with no address
If you cannot reach the router by IP address, use MAC-WinBox from a PC on the same segment. You can also connect a cable to a LAN port that is covered by the default configuration, and let DHCP give the PC an address.
/ip address print
/ip dhcp-server print
/system default-configuration printThe first two commands show what the router has applied. The last prints the default script of the device, which tells you what the factory configuration did.
What to remember for the exam
Six facts cover this topic.
- WinBox is a Windows application, and WebFig runs in a browser.
- MAC-WinBox connects by MAC address at Layer 2, so no IP address is needed.
- MAC-WinBox needs the PC and the router on the same broadcast domain.
- Quick Set configures the common features from one page.
- The default configuration depends on the model, and usually has a WAN port, bridged LAN ports and a DHCP server.
- A new router can offer to keep or remove the default configuration at first login.
If you are locked out after an address change, MAC-WinBox from the same segment usually gets you back in.
Common mistakes
These four mistakes cost time on a new router.
Trying MAC-WinBox across a router. A MAC address connection does not cross a Layer 3 hop, so the PC must be on the same segment.
Assuming every model has the same default. The default configuration and address differ per model, so read the label or the wiki.
Forgetting that WebFig needs the web service. If the HTTP service is disabled or blocked, the browser cannot connect.
Editing Quick Set output without checking it. Quick Set creates normal configuration, so later manual changes can conflict with what it wrote.
Check yourself
Work through these three questions.
When is MAC-WinBox useful?
It connects at Layer 2 by MAC address, so it works when the router has no usable IP address. The PC must be on the same broadcast domain as the router.
What does Quick Set do?
It sets up the common features, such as Internet access, the local network and wireless, from a single page. It writes ordinary RouterOS configuration.
What does a typical default configuration contain?
It usually has a WAN port, bridged LAN ports, a DHCP server on the LAN and a basic firewall. The exact content depends on the model.
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