Using the “jump” action in MikroTik RouterOS firewall rules allows you to organize and optimize the processing of firewall rules in a more efficient and structured way.

“Jump” is useful for directing traffic to a custom chain based on specific criteria, without needing to repeat multiple filter conditions in multiple rules.

Not only does this make the firewall configuration cleaner and easier to manage, but it can also improve performance by reducing the number of evaluations the firewall needs to perform.

Here is a practical example of how “jump” could be used:

Practical Example: Traffic Segmentation by Type

Let's say you want to apply a specific set of firewall policies to different types of traffic, such as HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP, to improve the security of your network. Instead of creating multiple separate rules for each type of traffic in the main input chain, you can use the “jump” action to direct traffic to custom chains based on port or protocol.

1. Define Custom Strings: First, create custom chains in the firewall for each type of traffic you want to handle separately. For example, http-traffic, https-traffic, and ftp-traffic.
2. Jump Rules: Next, configure rules on the main input chain that use the “jump” action to direct traffic to the corresponding chain. For example:
   • A rule that redirects all traffic destined for port 80 (HTTP) to the chain http-traffic.
   • A rule that redirects all traffic destined for port 443 (HTTPS) to the chain https-traffic.
   • A rule that redirects all traffic destined for ports 20 and 21 (FTP) to the chain ftp-traffic.
3. Apply Specific Policies: In each of these custom chains, you can apply specific rules tailored to the type of traffic. For example, you could block certain types of HTTP requests, allow only certain ciphers for HTTPS, or log all FTP connection attempts for auditing.

Advantages of Using “Jump”

• Efficiency: Reduces the number of rules the system must evaluate for each packet, since traffic is pre-filtered by type.
• Organization: Makes it easier to manage and understand firewall policies, as rules are logically grouped by function.
• Flexibility: Allows you to adjust, update, or disable policies for specific types of traffic without affecting the rest of the firewall rules.

This modular and structured approach to firewall rule management makes “jump” a powerful tool in MikroTik RouterOS for network administrators looking to optimize the security and performance of their networks.