To monitor and determine which processes are consuming the processor on a MikroTik device, you can use the profiling tool built into RouterOS. This tool provides you with information about the CPU usage of the different system processes.

We explain how to access and use this functionality:

Using WinBox

If you're using WinBox, the process is pretty straightforward:

1. Connect to your MikroTik device using WinBox.
2. Open the tools list: In the left menu, navigate to “Tools” and then select “Profiles”.
3. In this window, you will be able to see a list of processes and the percentage of CPU each one is using. The profile tool also shows real-time CPU usage, allowing you to identify resource-intensive processes.

Using the Command Line Interface (CLI)

For users who prefer the command line or are accessing their MikroTik device via SSH or Telnet, you can follow these steps:

Access the terminal of your MikroTik device via your preferred method (SSH, Telnet, terminal in WinBox).

Run the profiling command: Write the command /tool profile and hit enter.

/tool profile 

This command will display a list of all active processes and the percentage of CPU each is using.

Interpreting the Results

The profiling tool will classify processes by their CPU usage, allowing you to quickly identify which processes are using the most resources. Some common processes you might encounter include:

• Firewall: Firewall rule processing.
• Management: General device management processes.
• Routing: Processing of packets and routes.
• bridging: Network bridging operations.
• wireless: Processes related to wireless functionality.

Additional Tips

• Continuous monitoring: If you need to monitor CPU usage over an extended period, you can use external monitoring tools that support SNMP or the MikroTik API to collect and analyze performance data.
• Updates: Make sure your MikroTik device is running the latest version of RouterOS to avoid known issues that may cause high CPU usage.
• Configuration Review: Sometimes unoptimized settings can cause high CPU usage. Reviewing your firewall rules, NAT configurations, and other policies can help reduce the load.

Monitoring CPU usage will allow you to optimize the performance of your MikroTik device, ensuring it is running efficiently and without unnecessary overload.