So at the moment we have standard configuration without network separation. In order to delimit our local network, let's create a segment (part) of the network for children. To do this, select winbox→ Bridge(1)→Bridge(2)→plus(3)→General(4)→ from the menu and add the name bridge-child in the name(5) field. Save changes - OK.

Let's prepare interfaces (ports) for inclusion in bridge-child. In our configuration, the fourth ether4 port and an additional children's wifi network will be configured for the child. This means that by connecting to the fourth port with a cable and / or to a children's network via WiFi, you will have children's access to the Internet through these interfaces.

Set up a security profile for the nursery WiFi networks. WinBox→Wireless(1)→Security Profiles(2)→plus(3)→General(4)→in the Name(5) field, enter child→in the WPA(6) and WPA2(6) fields, enter the future Wifi password for the children's network . Save the settings - OK.

Let's add new network wifi. WinBox→Wireless(1)→Interfaces(2)→plus(3)→Virtual AP(4)→Wireless(5)→enter the name of the children's WiFi network in the SSID(6) field→ select a security profile(7) for our network. Save the settings - OK.

Let's configure the ether4 interface. Winbox→Interfaces(1)→Interface(2)→double left click on ehter4(3) and enter interface settings→choose none in the Master Port(4) field. Apply settings - OK.

Next, we will include our interfaces in the prepared bridge-child. Winbox→Bridge(1)→Ports(2)→plus(3)→add ether4 (4) interface→ to Bridge(5) bridge-child. We will also do the same for the wlan2(6)(7) interface. Save all changes - OK.

Let's assign an internal address to the bridge-child interface. WinBox→IP(1)→address(2)→plus(3)→fill in the fields (4),(5),(6) according to the screenshot.

Now you need to assign a DHCP server to the children's network segment to automatically configure the IP parameters of network clients. To do this, Winbox→IP(1)→DHCP server(2)→DHCP(3)→DHCP Setup(4)→ select the bridge-child interface in the dhcp Server Interface(5) field.

After that, you must click the Next button and follow the DHCP server configuration wizard without changing anything. Once you reach the Select lease time window:

Here you need to change the default lease time to 3d 00:10:00 and finish configuring the DHCP server.

If you did everything right, by now you should have two network segments:

Children's network LAN-4; wifi. Addressing - 192.168.99.0/24 Adult network LAN-2, LAN-3; wifi. Addressing - 192.168.88.0/24

Now these two networks have no restrictions and are completely equal. In order to start setting up restrictive functions for the children's network, you must complete the preliminary settings of the router, namely:

• Set password and SSID (network name) to adult wifi network
• Set a password for the Admin user
• Update router to latest version.

If you find it difficult to do it yourself, you can find step by step instructions setting these parameters in

You can learn how to set up MikroTik at online course for this manufacturer's equipment. The course author is a certified MikroTik trainer. You can read more at the end of the article.

MikroTik hAP lite or RB941 (code on the manufacturer's website) is a small model of a Latvian company. This is one of the cheapest MikroTik devices, priced at around $25. The abbreviation hAP stands for home Access Point lite - home access point (simplified version).

For those who have encountered the equipment for the first time, there is a semi-automatic setting mode for Mikrotik hAP lite. The wireless router will automatically create an access point. New devices can be connected using the WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) function without too much headache.

If you are not satisfied with the basic setup scenario and you are far from new to setting up equipment, then you will be pleased with the wide possibilities of configuring the device.

Ports Mikrotik RB941

The device has only 4 Ethernet ports instead of 5, unlike the older brother MikroTik HAP AC. Work speed fast ethernet ports is 100 Mbps. The Ethernet LEDs are on the back of the router.

Nutrition Mikrotik hAP lite

This is the first device with a 5V DC power supply. Recommend pay attention to the fact that it is possible to use any standard 0.5-2A USB adapter, including adapters from many mobile phones or tablets. V emergency situations The router can be powered by a Power Bank battery. Here is your mobile hotspot! microUSB port in this device cannot be used for data transmission!

Wireless module of the RB941 device

• supports 2.4 GHz frequency band;
• possible data transfer protocols: 802.11 b, 802.11 g and 802.11 n;
• transmitting antenna power is up to 22 dBm;
• gain of two internal antennas up to 1.5dbi;
• the data reception / transmission speed is up to 300 Mbit / s due to the support of MIMO 2x2 technology.

Rich functionality Mikrotik RB941

This tiny device, with RouterOS on board, has absorbed most of the modern technologies for networking.

The centerpiece of the device is a 650MHz QCA9531-BL3A-R network processor paired with 32MB of RAM. These capabilities are enough to process requests from 2-3 people.

Huge functionality is provided by the RouterOS operating system with a 4-level license. Here is just a part of the functionality supported by the device:

• creation of VLANs and other modern network technologies,
• organization of encrypted VPN channels
• connection to Internet providers with using PPPoE, DHCP, Static IP,
• support for integration technology into a single wireless infrastructure thanks to technology from Mikrotik - CAPsMAN,
• control and restriction of network traffic,
• support for the operation of each port both in the “switching” mode and in the “routing” mode.

This is not a complete list of equipment features with RouterOS on board.

Level 4 license restrictions:

License Level	4
Price	$45
Support initial setup	15 days
Wireless AP support	there is
Support for Wireless Client and Bridge functions	there is
Support for RIP, OSPF, BGP protocols	there is
Number of EoIP tunnels created	no restrictions
Number of PPPoE tunnels created	200
Number of PPTP tunnels created	200
Number of L2TP tunnels created	200
Number of OVPN tunnels created	200
Number of created VLAN interfaces	no restrictions
Number of active HotSpot clients	200
RADIUS client support	there is
Support for Queues	no restrictions
Web proxy organization	there is
Maximum number of active User manager sessions	20
Maximum number of KVM guests	no restrictions

The best choice in the price category under $25

It's hard to believe that a $25 device can offer so many useful features like BGP! wifi router It is small in size but powerful enough to do the job well. The stability of work is another serious plus in the treasury of the router.

Disadvantages of the Mikrotik hAP lite RB941 device

Unfortunately, when the device was released to the market at such an attractive price, something had to be sacrificed.

1. No Power-over-Ethernet POE feature (how many home users know what this is?!)
2. Wireless Wi-Fi network without 5 GHz band. This is already more significant, the maximum theoretical performance of 600 Mbps for the 802.11 n standard cannot be achieved.
3. The WiFi adapter is not as powerful as I would like.

Periodically, we tell you about different routers. As a rule, these are TP-LINK or ASUS devices - market leaders. But with enviable regularity, people glorifying MikroTik appear in the comments. At the same time, they are praised for a reason, but for their functionality and stability. Today, using the example of MikroTik hAP lite (RB941-2nD-TC), we will try to check whether this is actually the case.

MikroTik hAP lite is one of the manufacturer's most affordable routers. It comes in a very simple recycled cardboard box. It contains a schematic representation of the device, as well as basic information on initial setup(IP address of the router, admin panel login, url address for instructions on updating the firmware).

Inside is the router itself, the power supply and a miniature brochure.

Design

RB941-2nD-TC looks very simple and cute in its own way. The case is made of glossy plastic, it consists of only two parts in white and blue and is very light, you might even think that the frame itself without “stuffing” was in the hands.

As part of the manufacturer's line, this is a design with frills, the device is also intended for home use, although compared to all mass routers, I would like to call hAP lite a “box”.

The manufacturer has provided only a vertical installation, this is clearly hinted at by the shape of the case. There are large ventilation holes on the front and bottom sides.

All elements and connectors are on the back. These are four network ports with activity indicators, two status diodes, one multifunction key (used for WPS connection, resetting, switching to proprietary CAP mode, and also for restoring firmware over the network), as well as a microUSB port. The latter is not used to connect drives or printers, but for power.

The box contains a 5V and 0.7 A power supply, which means that the RB941-2nD-TC can work from almost any source - from charging your smartphone, PC or power bank. Such versatility can be useful, for example, in the event of a power outage - if the provider's equipment has a UPS, then the router will be able to work for several hours from a small power bank (the declared power consumption level is up to 3 W) and at that time you will have Internet.

Software, functionality

The router is based on the Qualcomm Atheros QCA9533 processor, operating at a frequency of 650 MHz. Volume random access memory- 32 MB, permanent - 16 MB. All network ports are 100 megabits.

Two antennas with a gain of 1.5 dBi are hidden inside the case, they provide connection speeds up to 300 Mbps according to the 802.11 b / g / n standard. Transmitter power - up to 158 mW (22 dBm).

The router is running Router OS with a Level 4 license - this feature rather affects the corporate functions of the device, which are of little interest to the home user. To configure the router, you can use the WebFig web interface, the Winbox utility, the console and remote access. Consider (superficially) the first option.

The usual "admin panel" is available at 192.168.88.1. At first glance, the interface is similar to that offered by devices of conditionally competing brands - on the left is a list of items, on the right are parameters. The interface is only available on English language.

For initial setup, you need to use the first Quick Set tab. It allows you to select the type of connection to the provider, the mode of operation of the device, basic setup Wi-Fi (set password and network name, select frequency and country). There is also a simple map of the wireless client network.

All other items are intended for fine and thoughtful configuration of the router. I note that if in the "admin panel" of some TP-LINK or ASUS you can figure it out on the basis of general knowledge, the names of specific items, and so on, then such a "number" will not work here. Simple user-friendly guest room settings WiFi networks or parental controls WebFig does not, although there is a similar and much wider functionality. To figure out what's what, it's worth looking intoofficial documentation or use one ofstep by step instructions .

Despite the complexity of the configuration, the system allows you to do a lot of interesting things, for example, set up a simultaneous connection to two providers, limit the access speed for clients connected to a specific network port, the router can work in bridge or repeater mode, VPN connections are supported, and much, much more other. The only thing is that you will need fundamental knowledge of how networks work and an understanding of the logic for setting up the necessary functions.

Testing and operation

Since the router only has 100 megabit network ports, I used home connection to the Internet at a speed of 100 Mbps. Both with a cable connection and via Wi-Fi, the access speed corresponded to the declared one.

For several days of use, I had no complaints about the stability of the router, it normally “holds” the home load when, for example, you download torrents on one computer, watch online Full HD videos on the other and surf on your smartphone in parallel. Despite the built-in antennas, the router can provide normal coverage in a one- or small two-room apartment. I liked the quick response to changing settings, the built-in firmware update functions without the need to separately select the firmware file, the ability to overclock the processor.

More detailed results of the speed characteristics of the router are given by the manufacturer himself:

Site score

Pros: Simple design, incredible functionality (if you're fumbling), microUSB powered, price

Minuses: Complexity of setup for ordinary users

Conclusion: MikroTik hAP lite RB941-2nD-TC is a great router to give to your girlfriend - if you reinstall Windows once a month, then you can administer MikroTik almost every day. Speaking seriously, from the point of view of hardware, hAP ​​lite is similar to other routers for 600 hryvnias, but the main thing here is software that will allow you to configure it as finely as even flagship consumer routers do not allow. This device is for those who not only understand how each byte of information “walks”, but also want to have full control over them. If you (suddenly) like to figure out how something works for a long time, and then enjoy and be proud of the work done - hAP lite is also suitable, because it is a great toy constructor (or tool) for inquisitive minds and crazy hands, as well as those who want to become a system administrator. Well, if you are a simple user for whom the router is a utilitarian box that distributes the Internet and requires a reboot once a month, it’s better to continue rebooting the existing router.

Video broadcasting technologies over the Internet have become an integral part of our daily lives. You will not surprise anyone with the presence of a Smart TV-enabled TV in the house. Youtube streams videos in Full HD resolution. Movies in high definition can be watched online. Video quality is growing every year. But a better picture requires high speed data transfer and powerful hardware stuffing of the router. Cheap routers cannot handle large data streams because they do not provide the necessary performance. Here you need a router with a powerful processor, gigabit network ports and support for the modern AC wireless standard.

MikroTik hAP ac, which is produced in Latvia, claims to be such a router.

Specifications MikroTik hAP ac

• Frequency wifi work: 2.4 and 5 GHz
• Wi-Fi speed: 300 Mbps - N standard, 866.7 Mbps - AC standard
• Wireless standards: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
• Processor: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9558 720 MHz
• RAM: 128 MB
• Interfaces:
  • 5 x Ethernet 1 Gbps
  • 1 x SFP
  • 1 x USB 2.0
• Operating temperature: -30°C to +70°C
• Dimensions: 114 x 137 x 29 mm
• Weight: 232 grams

Packaging and equipment

MikroTik hAP ac comes in a modest carton box.

Inside the box is a router and a power supply.

Patch cord and setup instructions are not included. On the reverse side only short instruction connection in English. For users who first encountered the equipment of this manufacturer, the lack of instructions can be a problem. Therefore, I recommend that you first read on the simplified configuration of MikroTik routers.

Appearance

The design of MikroTik hAP ac is simple - a white plastic rectangle with ventilation holes for heat dissipation. Matte plastic is not easily soiled, so fingerprints are not visible on it.

At the top are indicators for Wi-Fi, network ports 1-5, optical SFP port and PWR power.

The router has 3 built-in 2.5dBi antennas for 2.4GHz frequency and 3 built-in 2dBi antennas for 5GHz frequency.

The front panel has a power connector, an SFP port for connecting optics, and five gigabit network ports.

MikroTik hAP ac can be remotely powered by network cable using Passive PoE technology through the first network port. The fifth port allows you to power another device using Passive PoE technology, such as an access point installed outdoors.

On the right side, there is a RESET button and a full-sized USB port 2.0 for connecting external drives and modems. See the list of compatible 3G/4G modems. Printer connections are not supported. The router determines external drives with ext3 and fat32 file system. The NTFS file system is not supported.

There is nothing on the left side.

There are no connectors on the back either.

At the bottom of the case there are cross-shaped holes for mounting the router on the wall and silicone legs.

The power supply has an output voltage of 24V and a current of 1.2A. The router supports DC voltage from 11 to 57V, so it can be powered by a battery. On the fifth network port, 24V is supplied to power another device. If you use POE power supplies with a different voltage, for example, 48V, then the voltage on the fifth port will be 48V.

For fans of upgrading routers, there is good news. Inside the case there are two antennas (one at 2.4 GHz and one at 5 GHz), which can be turned off, and instead of them, connect other antennas through an adapter.

On the board, you can see the uFL connectors fixed with silicone, where the antennas are connected.

Here is an example of upgrading antennas. The router case was replaced with RF Elements StationBox InSpot.

Got a ceiling access point for the office.

Setting

MikroTik routers are configured via the Web interface, a special Winbox program, or the command line via SSH or Telnet for advanced system administrators.

To configure via the Web interface, just go to the standard IP address 192.168.88.1, the admin user without a password. This is what the web interface looks like.

I like the setup through the Winbox program more. She herself determines the device, and allows you to connect to it via IP or MAC address. Unfortunately this program works only under Windows, so MacOS and Linux users will have to configure through the Web interface, or install the Wine emulator for Windows startup programs.

For ordinary users, the QuickSet menu has a simplified router setup. All configuration is done in one window, which is very convenient. The rest of the menu items are for advanced settings that require some knowledge of how computer networks work.

Router Features

The MikroTik hAP ac router is controlled by the Linux-based RouterOS operating system.

In fact, the MikroTik router is a computer in a compact package with unlimited customization options.

In the past, to get a router with these features, you had to take a computer and install Linux or FreeBSD on it. Then install the necessary software packages, configure by editing configuration files. It took a very long time.

Manufacturer MikroTik has greatly simplified life system administrators, offering functional routers for which everything works out of the box and is easily configured through GUI or console. Unlike computers, MikroTik routers have a compact body, do not hum or collect dust.

MikroTik routers allow you to flexibly set the speed limit for different clients, block employees from accessing social networks during business hours, limit torrent downloads, set up a VPN server to connect to the office of remote branches or employees, organize HotSpot with ads in a cafe, turn the Internet on and off for children on a schedule, set up a connection to two providers and much more.

When using MikroTik hAP ac as a home router, all this functionality is unlikely to be needed. You just get a reliable and high-speed Wi-Fi router from the "set it and forget it" category. But for offices, cafes, hotels - MikroTik is just an ideal router that will solve all the necessary tasks for little money.

For a large apartment or a private house, the ability to organize WiFi roaming. This is when several MikroTik Wi-Fi points are installed in the house and on the street, and you go with a smartphone and automatically switch between points without breaking the connection. In this case, you do not need to additionally buy a hardware controller, the MikroTik hAP ac router will act as its role. Read more about MikroTik roaming in this article.

Work speed

Unfortunately, I do not have a gigabit internet connection to determine the maximum download speed from the internet. Therefore, I will give the results of a test made on not the fast laptop specialist from MikroTik under the nickname Normis. On his laptop, Speedtest showed a download speed of 585 Mbps.

The hAP ac router has three Wi-Fi channels on each frequency, i.e. MIMO 3x3:3 technology is supported.

Thanks to a fast processor and support for the high-speed standard 802.11ac, the MikroTik hAP ac router will cope well with the transfer of large amounts of data from the Internet. Local network computers will be able to exchange data with each other at a speed of almost 1 Gb / s and quickly transfer large files.

Quality of Wi-Fi coverage

The MikroTik hAP ac radio module has a powerful transmitter (max 800 mW) and a sensitive receiver (max -100 dBm). By default, the power is low and, if necessary, increases in the settings.

Let's check how the Wi-Fi router will work through 3 brick walls 17 cm thick each. The maximum internet speed is 20 Mbps. We measure signal levels on the iPad3 using WiFi programs explorer. A good level is -60...-65 dBi. Bad level -80...-95 dBi.

At default settings at 2.4GHz, the signal level was -62dBi (good level). Download speed 20Mbps and ping 17ms. Given the three walls, this is an excellent result.

At 5GHz, the signal level was worse and amounted to -73dBi (average level), but this did not significantly affect the speed and ping. Download speed 20Mbps and ping 20ms.

Ordinary routers can hardly break through 3 walls. The hAP ac router showed a good signal level and good speed even at standard settings without increasing power.

Results

Wi-Fi router MikroTik hAP ac is suitable for those who have high-speed Internet, like to watch online high-definition video, play online games via Wi-Fi or transfer large files over the network.

He can provide good wifi coverage in an apartment or a private house. If necessary, you can expand your wireless coverage by purchasing additional WiFi hotspots MikroTik, and organize a seamless Wi-Fi network.

The price of hAP ac is similar to similar performance routers from Asus, ZyXEL and Linksys, but the functionality is much wider. Opportunities operating system MikroTik are irreplaceable for office, cafe or small hotel.

Pros:

• support for two Wi-Fi bands
• high speed
• good Wi-Fi coverage
• SFP port for optical connection
• simplified QuickSet setup
• huge functionality
• setting up two or more providers
• remote power supply via network cable using Passive POE technology
• the ability to power another device via Passive POE
• WiFi roaming

Minuses:

• no setup instructions included
• for advanced configuration, you need to have knowledge about the operation of computer networks
• does not support connecting printers to the USB port
• do not support USB drives with NTFS file system

Mikrotik routers have long been devices for professionals, but with the growth of RouterOS functionality, the web configurator has also developed, becoming more user-friendly.

In Ukraine and Russia, among advanced users, Mikrotik became famous thanks to the line of RB750 and RB951 routers. Against the backdrop of fluctuations in foreign currency (in Russia, the exchange rate increased by 2 times, in Ukraine - by 3 times), Mikrotik routers became even stronger in the market of low-cost devices, both for home and small (medium) office.

If you want to learn how to configure MikroTik, we suggest going through. More information can be found at the end of this publication.

For 700 UAH. in Ukraine now you can buy a router entry level, an average router will cost 1200-1500 UAH, not to mention top-end solutions, the price of which exceeds several thousand hryvnias.

For 1500 UAH. now you can buy RB-951 Ui-2HnD (although before the crisis its price tag was at the level of 700 UAH), which can give odds to any Asus/D-Link/ TP-Link/Linksys/ Zyxel/Netgear/Tenda/Netis router, etc. .d. in this price range.

However, not every user can and is ready to pay such an amount for a home SOHO router (Small Office, Home Office). And here Mikrotik has something to offer!

The new name is purely a marketing ploy to attract an ordinary home user, because the purchase price tag for the novelty starts at $21.95 (about UAH 550 at the current exchange rate). Of course, for such a price they will not sell it to you, in retail you should expect a novelty from 700 UAH. and higher.

It would seem that what can be expected from a device for $ 22? After all, for that kind of money you can only buy ... TL-WR741ND, Asus RT-N12, TL-WR841ND, Keenetic Start or TL-WR743 ND - that's all. You can’t buy anything else for this money, from the popular products sold.

At the moment, a pre-order (Pre-Order) is being carried out and it is very difficult to get hAP lite at retail for a sane price. We managed to get one copy for review and testing, we express our deep gratitude to the VS COM company for this.

Delivery set Mikrotik hAP lite

Delivery is carried out in a standard package for Mikrotik - a box of thick brownish cardboard, without advertising, without color pictures. Everything that is on the box is the manufacturer's logo and name, the name of the line, a sticker with the model name (MAC addresses, serial number).

Also on the back of the box, a short Quick Setup (Quick Guide) of 4 steps is printed:

• connect the Internet to port 1;
• connect a PC to port 2-5 (typo! We only have 4 ports);
• on the PC, set the receipt of settings in automatic mode;
• enjoy using.

The box itself is small in size - 185 x 120 x 55 mm. By comparison, the box from the RB951Ui-2 hnD measures 195 x 140 x 55mm.

Inside the box is the router itself, a power supply and a leaflet with brief information about the device, its characteristics and how to enter the web configurator.

There are no patch cords, bolts for fastening, advertising products, software disks, manuals - there is none of this, as in other Mikrotik products. In principle, this is for the best, most users do not need it, with the exception of, perhaps, a patch cord. But the price tag on such packaging and equipment is significantly reduced.

After all, you are buying a router, not waste paper for it. You can easily find everything you need on the Internet.

What can Mikrotik hAP lite offer us?

NOTE! We apologize in advance for the quality of the photos. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to take photos in greenhouse studio conditions. If you have an "extra" Softbox (Lightbox) with the "correct" lighting - we will not refuse such a gift!

In short, at first glance, hAP ​​lite is a simplified RB951-2n - and this is not entirely true.

The body of the device continues the tradition of RB951 / RB750. If we compare the dimensions with the RB951 Ui-2HnD, hAP ​​lite is simply 5 cm shorter (9 cm versus 14 for the older model), otherwise the width and height are identical (115 x 30 mm).

The device is very compact, in size it is smaller than competitors' home routers.

The front panel contains all communication ports, indicators, power socket and reset button. There is nothing on the other panels of the device. With the exception of right panel- it has a plug for USB, which is not here (but more on that later).

Regarding the RESET jumper, there are 4 possible uses:

• pressing up to 2 sec. activates WDS;
• pressing 5 sec. (before flickering) - reset to factory settings;
• pressing 10 sec. – transfer to CAPs;
• pressing 15 sec. (indicators turn off) - RouterOS installation via Netinstall. For example, in the case incorrect installation, reinstallation, configuration, or when the administrator password is lost.

The bottom panel contains a sticker with the model name, MAC addresses, serial number. The legs are elastic, anti-slip.

In addition to ventilation holes, back cover There are also 2 cross holes for wall mounting. This solution allows you to hang the device vertically in 4 variations, while most competitors, at best, provide L-shaped holes, which only allow 2 variations.

It's time to see the insides of hAP lite

The heart of the device is a powerful processor QCA9531 (Small MIPS, Taiwanese production) with an operating frequency of 650 MHz. The amount of RAM is 32 MB DDR400 (SAMSUNG K4H561638N-LCCC chip).

Software and settings are stored on a 16 MB Winbond 25Q128 FVSG (128 Mbit SPI FLASH, 8-SOIC, 104 MHz) chip.

As you can see from the photo, the board has a miniature size, there are no electrolytic capacitors in principle (hello competitors!), And the processor itself at a frequency of 650 MHz does not even have a heatsink - it simply does not need it.

There is nothing on the reverse side of the board, although the flux residues after soldering could be washed off. However, it is not critical, Keenetic Lite has a similar situation. Fortunately, the flux is acid-free, non-conductive, so this is more of an aesthetic remark.

The device is equipped with a total of 4 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet Auto-MDI/X ports: one WAN port and 3 LAN ports. The ports are of high quality, with a metal screen, so it is possible to use a shielded twisted pair (STP - Shielded twisted pair).

Power is connected via a microUSB socket from a 5V power supply. You can use the charger from any new mobile phone as a power source for this router if something happens to your own PSU.

The radio module is built into the QCA9531-BL3A and, of course, without 5 GHz support, it operates only at a frequency of 2.4 GHz according to the 802.11 b / g / n standard, the transmitter power is 158 mW (22 dBm). MIMO 2x2 is implemented, so the device uses 2 antennas, both internal PIF at 1.5 dBi. At the output of the radio module, for each of the channels, there is protection against static electricity (ESD) up to 10 kV.

Unfortunately, MMCX UFL is not soldered on the board, so you can immediately forget about a pigtail with RP-SMA and an external antenna. The first versions had a service connector, presumably Hirose MS-156, for which there is an MS-156C-LP-068 pigtail (by the way, the latter has only 30 physical connections and disconnections). In retail deliveries, as in our copy, this connector is no longer soldered.

Soldering will also have to be abandoned due to the very small dimensions of the tracks, unless at a soldering station under a magnifying glass, which, of course, will lead to a loss of warranty.

The channel speed (theoretical physical limit) over Wi-Fi is up to 300 Mbps - the real speed will be about 110 Mbps.

The power of the transmitter should not be scary, it is enough even for a 3-4 room apartment or a small office, the main thing is less concrete and load-bearing walls :)

From indicators - standard set: One LED for each port, 1 LED indicates power (PWR), 1 custom LED ("ACT") indicates WiFi activity.

Overall, not bad. And what do you think controls this iron? RouterOS with Level 4 license!

What does it mean? This means that inside we have a full stuffing of VLAN, NAT, DNS, DHCP, Port Forwarding, PPP client / server, UPnP, WebProxy, SNMP, FTP, MESH, BGP, MPLS, intelligent shaper, traffic prioritization (advanced custom QoS) and much more! There is support for CAPsMAN.

However, Small MIPS imposes limitations. RouterOS for hAP lite is still a somewhat stripped-down version.

In this case, you, as before, will be able to reassign any port - do you want 2 WAN? Or just 3? RouterOS will fulfill your every whim!

How else does hAP lite differ from older brothers?

Have you noticed how food is served? Do not connect a powerful power supply to such a connector. And he doesn’t need it, because the router does not have the PoE function - the power consumption of our baby is only 3 watts. For example, the older brother RB951Ui-2HnD can not only receive power over PoE, but also supply it to another device via the 5th port.

There are much fewer ports, and even without gigabit support.

Unfortunately, the router does not have USB support. On the case itself, of course, there is a plug for USB, but it is only for those cases if in the future you buy another RouterBOARD board and insert it into the case from hAP lite. Based on the name “hAP lite”, it is possible that more advanced versions of “hAP Pro”, “hAP Plus” or “hAP Turbo” with USB, Gigabit, PoE, 5 GHz, etc. will appear.

Mikrotik has always been distinguished by universal cases. Even the RB951 Ui-2hnD has plugs for RP SMA, but external antennas cannot be screwed there without “surgical” intervention.

So… what am I talking about? For 22 c.u. you get many times more than any other router in this price category will give you - the rest is not important. If you are looking for flaws, they are not there, and if you find them, there is always a more advanced one for you. the lineup for more price.

Before you start testing

By default, the device address is 192.168.88.1, the login is admin, the password is empty. Nothing new for those who have dealt with Mikrotik before.

On the box itself, the manufacturer warns us that. That before using the device, it is worth updating its RouterOS to the latest version. So let's do it!

Since our copy was with RouterOS 6.25 out of the box, we will update it to 6.27 (the last one, at the time of the publication of the review).

In connection with all of the above, I still recommend choosing the “WISP AP” mode. True, in this case, the UPnP option, which is responsible for automatic tuning ports (for example, for a torrent client). To activate it, go to "IP - UPnP" and activate the "Enabled" option. In the "Interfaces" submenu, set "bridge-local" as "internal" and "ether1-gateway" (or pope/pptp-out1 if you have VPN internet) as "external".

What is in RouterOS on Mikrotik hAP lite?

This question interests many. In this connection, below is a list of sections and subsections of the WebFig v6.27 menu.

• Quick Set
• CAPsMAN
• Wireless
• Interfaces (support for VRRP, Bridge, EoIP, IP Tunnel, VLAN, Bonding, Mesh, VPLS, Traffic Eng Interface, Virtual Ethernet, GRE Tunnel, PPTP Server/Client, PPPoE Server/Client, L2TP Server/Client, OVPN Server/Client, SSPT Server/Client, VirtualAP, WDS, Nstreme Dual)
• Bridge
• switch
• IP (ARP, Accounting, Addresses, Cloud, DHCP Client, DHCP Relay, DHCP Server, DNS, Firewall, Hotspot, IPsec, Neighbors, Packing, Pool, Routes, SNMP, Services, Settings, Socks, TFTP, Traffic Flow, UPnP, web proxy)
• Routing (BFD, BGP, Filters, MME, OSPF, Prefix Lists, RIP)
• System (Auto Upgrade, Certificates, Clock, Console, Drivers, Health, History, Identity, LEDs, License, Logging, Packages, Password, Ports, Reboot, Reset Configuration, Resources, Routerboard, SNTP Client, Scheduler, Scripts, Shutdown, Special Login, Users, Watchdog)
• Queues
• Files
• Radius
• Tools (BTest Server, Bandwidth Test, Email, Flood Ping, Graphing, IP Scan, MAC Server, Netwatch, Packet Sniffer, Ping, Ping Speed, Profile, SMS, Telnet, Torch, Traceroute, Traffic Generator, Traffic Monitor)
• New Terminal

hAP lite testing

Since the router is positioned as a home router, we will test it “at home”.

The first WAN port is connected to one of the RB951Ui-2 HnD ports, which distributes the Internet. The devices have been configured so that there are no IP conflicts. The rest of the free hAP lite ports were connected to a PC and 2 other low-load clients, including the RIPE Atlas v3 probe (/167-zond-ripe-atlas-v3.html).

The provider's tariff plan is 80 Mbps, direct connection.

How to load the router? Of course, at the same time torrents + online video + online music. About everything in more detail. The YouTube client is running on the smartphone, the video is open in FullHD. 4 downloads are launched on the PC, in addition there are 2 active tabs in the browser - the first with online music, the second with YouTube videos in 4K format.

Why is this needed? For many home routers, with such a load, online video and audio will slow down due to the torrent client. A typical situation, you are downloading a torrent, and your brother or sister's online video starts to slow down.

Mikrotik hAP lite did an excellent job with this test: video and audio from VK worked flawlessly on a PC, while video was played on a smartphone via Wi-Fi (up to 5 Mbps). All the remaining available speed was given to the torrent client. The total speed rested on tariff plan Internet provider - 80 Mbps. At the same time, the router processed an average of 12,500 packets per second.

A little later, we closed the video on the smartphone, the video on the PC continued to play. The speed in the torrent client reached 9.5 MB / s and ... rested on the disk subsystem (disk cache overload).

At this point, on the WAN port, Mikrotik showed a speed of 91.2 Mbps for receiving and 3.9 Mbps for sending, in total over 13,800 packets / s. Of course, it was possible to turn off online video on a PC, then the number of packets would exceed 15 thousand per second, however, even without this, it is clear that hAP lite will cope with such a stream.

In general, I would like to point out Good work QoS out of the box, for multi-device home use, traffic prioritization is very important. And not every “home” router will cope well with this task. If you want to customize the prioritization for yourself - the manuals will help you, hAP ​​lite can do it!

Alternatively, see the shaper test from