Wireless

What this chapter covers

Wireless covers the radio side of a MikroTik router, from the theory of bands and channels to a working, protected link.

It starts with the 802.11 standards, the frequency bands, the data rates and the country rules. It then builds a simple link between an access point and a station, secures it, and finishes with the tools that show how the link is behaving.

The chapter refers to the RouterOS version 6 wireless menu. On version 7 the wireless package and its menu depend on the version and the hardware, so check the documentation for your device.

How the topics fit together

The four topics follow the order in which you plan and run a wireless link.

You first learn the concepts, because they decide which band, channel and power you can use. You then configure the two ends of a link with a matching network name and settings.

Security comes next, since an open link lets anyone join. Finally the monitoring tools close the loop. The snooper helps you pick a channel before you build the link, and the registration table tells you how well the link performs afterwards.

The ideas to carry between the pages are these:

• The country setting limits what the radio may use.
• The access point fixes the frequency, and the station searches for it.
• Both ends need matching SSID, band and security settings.
• The access list runs on the access point, and the connect list runs on the station.

How to use these pages

Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.

• What it is: the idea in plain words.
• How it works: the mechanism, with diagrams and console examples.
• What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorise.
• Common mistakes: the classic traps.
• Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.

Two wireless RouterOS devices are the best lab. Build the link, secure it, and then read the registration table on both ends.