MikroTik RouterOS supports various types of Ethernet interfaces - ranging from 10Mbps to 10Gbps Ethernet over copper twisted pair, 1Gbps and 10Gbps SFP/SFP+ interfaces and 40Gbps QSFP interface. Certain RouterBoard devices are equipped with a combo interface that simultaneously contains two interface types (e.g. 1Gbps Ethernet over twisted pair and SFP interface) allowing to select the most suitable option or creating a physical link failover. Through RouterOS, it is possible to control different Ethernet related properties like link speed, auto-negotiation, duplex mode, etc, monitor a transceiver diagnostic information and see a wide range of Ethernet related statistics.
Advertised speed and duplex modes for Ethernet interfaces over twisted pair, only applies when auto-negotiation is enabled. Advertising higher speeds than the actual interface supported speed will have no effect, multiple options are allowed.
local-proxy-arp - the router performs proxy ARP to/from only this interface, e.g. for traffic that comes in and goes out of the same interface
proxy-arp - the interface will use the ARP proxy feature
reply-only - the interface will only reply to requests originated from matching IP address/MAC address combinations which are entered as static entries in the ARP table. No dynamic entries will be automatically stored in the ARP table. Therefore for communications to be successful, a valid static entry must already exist.
auto-negotiation (yes | no; Default: yes)
When enabled, the interface "advertises" its maximum capabilities to achieve the best connection possible.
Note1: Auto-negotiation should not be disabled on one end only, otherwise Ethernet Interfaces may not work properly.
Note2: Gigabit Ethernet and NBASE-T Ethernet links cannot work with auto-negotiation disabled.
Sets max rx/tx bandwidth in kbps that will be handled by an interface. TX limit is supported on all Atheros switch-chip ports. RX limit is supported only on Atheros8327/QCA8337 switch-chip ports.
cable-setting (default | short | standard; Default: default)
Changes the cable length setting (only applicable to NS DP83815/6 cards)
combo-mode (auto | copper | sfp; Default: auto)
When auto mode is selected, the port that was first connected will establish the link. In case this link fails, the other port will try to establish a new link. If both ports are connected at the same time (e.g. after reboot), the priority will be the SFP/SFP+ port. When sfp mode is selected, the interface will only work through SFP/SFP+ cage. When copper mode is selected, the interface will only work through RJ45 Ethernet port.
comment (string; Default: )
Descriptive name of an item
disable-running-check (yes | no; Default: yes)
Disable running check. If this value is set to 'no', the router automatically detects whether the NIC is connected with a device in the network or not. Default value is 'yes' because older NICs do not support it. (only applicable to x86)
tx-flow-control (on | off | auto; Default: off)
When set to on, the port will generate pause frames to the upstream device to temporarily stop the packet transmission. Pause frames are only generated when some routers output interface is congested and packets cannot be transmitted anymore. auto is the same as on except when auto-negotiation=yes flow control status is resolved by taking into account what other end advertises.
rx-flow-control (on | off | auto; Default: off)
When set to on, the port will process received pause frames and suspend transmission if required. auto is the same as on except when auto-negotiation=yes flow control status is resolved by taking into account what other end advertises.
full-duplex (yes | no; Default: yes)
Defines whether the transmission of data appears in two directions simultaneously, only applies when auto-negotiation is disabled.
Outdated property, more details about this property can be found in the Master-port page.
mdix-enable (yes | no; Default: yes)
Whether the MDI/X auto cross over cable correction feature is enabled for the port (Hardware specific, e.g. ether1 on RB500 can be set to yes/no. Fixed to 'yes' on other hardware.)
mtu (integer [0..65536]; Default: 1500)
Layer3 Maximum transmission unit
name (string; Default: )
Name of an interface
orig-mac-address (read-only: MAC; Default: )
Original Media Access Control number of an interface.
Shows detected problems with cable pairs. Read More >>
Monitor
To print out a current link rate, duplex mode, and other Ethernet related properties or to see detailed diagnostics information for transceivers, use /interface ethernet monitor command. The provided information can differ for different interface types (e.g. Ethernet over twisted pair or SFP interface) or for different transceivers (e.g. SFP and QSFP).
Cable test can detect problems or measure the approximate cable length if the cable is unplugged on the other end and there is therefore, "no-link".
RouterOS will show:
which cable pair is damaged
the distance to the problem
how exactly the cable is broken - short-circuited or open-circuited
This also works if the other end is simply unplugged - in that case, the total cable length will be shown.
In the above example, the cable is not shorted but “open” at 4 meters distance, all cable pairs equally faulty at the same distance from the switch chip.
Currently cable-test is implemented on the following devices:
CCR series devices
CRS1xx series devices
CRS2xx series devices
OmniTIK series devices
RB450G series devices
RB951 series devices
RB2011 series devices
RB4011 series devices
RB750Gr2
RB750UPr2
RB751U-2HnD
RB850Gx2
RB931-2nD
RB941-2nD
RB952Ui-5ac2nD
RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT
RB1100AHx2
RB1100x4
RBD52G-5HacD2HnD
RBcAPGi-5acD2nD
RBmAP2n
RBmAP2nD
RBwsAP-5Hac2nD
RB3011UiAS-RM
RBMetal 2SHPn
RBDynaDishG-5HacD
RBLDFG-5acD
RBLHGG-5acD
Note: Currently cable-test is not supported on Combo ports.
Stats
Using /interface ethernet print stats command, it is possible to see a wide range of Ethernet related statistics. The list of statistics can differ between RouterBoard devices due to different Ethernet drivers. The list below contains all available counters across all RouterBoard devices.
Property
Description
driver-rx-byte (integer)
Total count of received bytes on device CPU
driver-rx-packet (integer)
Total count of received packets on device CPU
driver-tx-byte (integer)
Total count of transmitted bytes by device CPU
driver-tx-packet (integer)
Total count of transmitted packets by device CPU
rx-64 (integer)
Total count of received 64 byte frames
rx-65-127 (integer)
Total count of received 65 to 127 byte frames
rx-128-255 (integer)
Total count of received 128 to 255 byte frames
rx-256-511 (integer)
Total count of received 256 to 511 byte frames
rx-512-1023 (integer)
Total count of received 512 to 1023 byte frames
rx-1024-1518 (integer)
Total count of received 1024 to 1518 byte frames
rx-1519-max (integer)
Total count of received frames larger than 1519 bytes
rx-align-error (integer)
Total count of received align error events - packets where bits are not aligned along octet boundaries
rx-broadcast (integer)
Total count of received broadcast frames
rx-bytes (integer)
Total count of received bytes
rx-carrier-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with carrier sense error
rx-code-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with code error
rx-control (integer)
Total count of received control frames
rx-error-events (integer)
Total count of received frames with active error event
rx-fcs-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with incorrect checksum
rx-fragment (integer)
Total count of received fragmented frames (not related to IP fragmentation)
rx-ip-header-checksum-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with IP header checksum error
rx-jabber (integer)
Total count of received jabbed packets - packet that is transmitted longer than the maximum packet length
rx-length-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with frame length error
rx-multicast (integer)
Total count of received multicast frames
rx-overflow (integer)
Total count of received overflowed frames, can be caused when device resources are insufficient to receive a certain frame
rx-pause (integer)
Total count of received pause frames
rx-runt (integer)
Total count of received packets shorter than the minimum 64 bytes, usually caused by packet collision
rx-tcp-checksum-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with TCP header checksum error
rx-too-long (integer)
Total count of received packets that were larger than the maximum supported packet size by the network device, see the max-l2mtu property
rx-too-short (integer)
Total count of received packets shorter than the minimum 64 bytes
rx-udp-checksum-error (integer)
Total count of received frames with UDP header checksum error
rx-unicast (integer)
Total count of received unicast frames
rx-unknown-op (integer)
Total count of received frames with unknown Ethernet protocol
tx-64 (integer)
Total count of transmitted 64 byte frames
tx-65-127 (integer)
Total count of transmitted 65 to 127 byte frames
tx-128-255 (integer)
Total count of transmitted 128 to 255 byte frames
tx-256-511 (integer)
Total count of transmitted 256 to 511 byte frames
tx-512-1023 (integer)
Total count of transmitted 512 to 1023 byte frames
tx-1024-1518 (integer)
Total count of transmitted 1024 to 1518 byte frames
tx-1519-max (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames larger than 1519 bytes
tx-align-error (integer)
Total count of transmitted align error events - packets where bits are not aligned along octet boundaries
tx-broadcast (integer)
Total count of transmitted broadcast frames
tx-bytes (integer)
Total count of transmitted bytes
tx-collision (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that made collisions
tx-control (integer)
Total count of transmitted control frames
tx-deferred (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that were delayed on its first transmit attempt due to already busy medium
tx-drop (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that were dropped due to already full output queue
tx-excessive-collision (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that made collisions and never got successfully transmitted
tx-excessive-deferred (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that were repeatedly delayed due to already busy medium and never got successfully transmitted
tx-fcs-error (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames with incorrect checksum
tx-fragment (integer)
Total count of transmitted fragmented frames (not related to IP fragmentation)
tx-carrier-sense-error (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames with carrier sense error
tx-late-collision (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that made collision after being already halfway transmitted
tx-multicast (integer)
Total count of transmitted multicast frames
tx-multiple-collision (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that made more than one collision and subsequently transmitted successfully
tx-overflow (integer)
Total count of transmitted overflowed frames
tx-pause (integer)
Total count of transmitted pause frames
tx-all-queue-drop-byte (integer)
Total count of transmitted bytes dropped by all output queues
tx-all-queue-drop-packet (integer)
Total count of transmitted packets dropped by all output queues
tx-queueX-byte (integer)
Total count of transmitted bytes on a certain queue, the X should be replaced with a queue number
tx-queueX-packet (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames on a certain queue, the X should be replaced with a queue number
tx-runt (integer)
Total count of transmitted packets shorter than the minimum 64 bytes, usually caused by packet collision
tx-rx-64 (integer)
Total count of transmitted and received 64 byte frames
tx-rx-64-127 (integer)
Total count of transmitted and received 64 to 127 byte frames
tx-rx-128-255 (integer)
Total count of transmitted and received 128 to 255 byte frames
tx-rx-256-511 (integer)
Total count of transmitted and received 256 to 511 byte frames
tx-rx-512-1023 (integer)
Total count of transmitted and received 512 to 1023 byte frames
tx-rx-1024-max (integer)
Total count of transmitted and received frames larger than 1519 bytes
tx-single-collision (integer)
Total count of transmitted frames that made only a single collision and subsequently transmitted successfully
tx-too-long (integer)
Total count of transmitted packets that were larger than the maximum packet size
tx-underrun (integer)
Total count of transmitted underrun packets
tx-unicast (integer)
Total count of transmitted unicast frames
For example, output of Ethernet stats on hAP ac2 device:
