Beginner’s Guide: Monitoring and Diagnosing Interfaces on MikroTik Print

Hello again! It’s Emmanuel Corels from Emmanuel Corels Creatives. Today we’re shifting gears from configuration to observation—learning how to monitor and diagnose the status and performance of your MikroTik interfaces. Whether you’re troubleshooting connectivity issues or just curious about how traffic flows through your network, this guide will introduce you to the essential tools and techniques for everyday monitoring.

Why Monitor Your Interfaces?

Regularly checking your interfaces helps you:

• Detect Issues Early: Identify link failures, high traffic loads, or misconfigurations before they become major problems.
• Understand Traffic Flow: See which interfaces are most active and how data moves through your network.
• Troubleshoot Problems: Use diagnostic tools to pinpoint where connectivity is breaking down.

Exploring Interface Status in WinBox

1. Interface List:

   • Open WinBox and click on Interfaces.
   • Here you’ll see a list of all your physical and virtual interfaces with status indicators.
   • Look for “R” (running) or “!R” (disabled) and note the current throughput values.

2. Detailed Info:

   • Double-click any interface (e.g., ether1 or wlan1) to view detailed statistics such as RX/TX bytes, errors, and collisions.
   • Use these statistics to gauge performance and spot unusual activity.

Using Torch for Real-Time Traffic Monitoring

Torch is a built-in tool in MikroTik that shows real-time traffic on an interface.

1. Launch Torch:

   • In WinBox, navigate to Tools → Torch.
   • Select the interface you want to monitor from the drop-down menu.

2. View Traffic Details:

   • Torch displays information such as source and destination IPs, protocols, ports, and bandwidth usage.
   • This tool is great for identifying heavy users or detecting unusual traffic patterns.

3. Filtering Traffic:

   • You can set filters (e.g., by protocol or port) to narrow down what you’re looking at.
   • This helps when troubleshooting a specific service or suspecting a misbehaving device.

Capturing Packets with the Packet Sniffer

For deeper analysis, the Packet Sniffer lets you capture and analyze traffic. This is useful if Torch doesn’t give you enough detail.

1. Access Packet Sniffer:

   • Go to Tools → Packet Sniffer in WinBox.

2. Set Up a Capture:

   • Choose the interface you want to capture traffic from.
   • Set filters if needed (for example, capture only TCP traffic or traffic to a specific IP).
   • Click Start to begin capturing packets.

3. Analyzing Captured Data:

   • Once captured, you can save the file and open it in an external tool like Wireshark.
   • Look for anomalies like repeated retransmissions, unusual protocols, or potential security issues.

Checking Logs for Interface-Related Events

Your router’s Log provides a history of events that can help diagnose issues.

1. Viewing Logs in WinBox:

   • Navigate to Log to see a chronological list of events.
   • Look for messages related to interfaces (e.g., “link down”, “interface disabled”, or error messages).

2. CLI Log Access:

   • Use the command:

     /log print
     

     This prints recent log entries that can be filtered or searched for keywords like “ether” or “wlan”.

Practical Tips for Everyday Monitoring

• Regular Checks: Make it a habit to review your interface statistics daily or weekly.
• Baseline Performance: Note what “normal” looks like for your network, so you can spot when something is off.
• Document Changes: Keep a log of any configuration changes; if an issue arises, you can correlate it with recent adjustments.
• Use Multiple Tools: Combine Torch, Packet Sniffer, and Log reviews for a comprehensive understanding of your network’s health.

Final Thoughts

Monitoring and diagnosing your MikroTik interfaces is an essential part of keeping your network running smoothly. With tools like the Interface List, Torch, and Packet Sniffer at your fingertips, you’ll be well-equipped to troubleshoot issues and optimize performance.

Keep exploring these tools, and don’t hesitate to experiment in a lab environment to see how changes affect your network traffic. If you run into questions or need a hand interpreting the data, I’m here to help. Happy monitoring!

Explained with clarity by
Emmanuel Corels – Admin, Emmanuel Corels Creatives