Yes, in a static route configuration in MikroTik, it is possible to specify the interface over which traffic should be sent instead of the next hop IP address.
This can be useful in certain situations, especially when the exit interface is known but the next-hop IP address might not be fixed or when you want to simplify configuration.
Static Route Configuration per Interface
By configuring a static route using interface as an output parameter, the router is instructed to send traffic destined for certain destinations directly through a specific interface. This is generally done in situations where the network on the other side of the interface is a point-to-point network or when there is only one possible exit, eliminating the need to specify a next-hop IP.
Considerations
- Reliability: Using the interface directly can have disadvantages if the connection depends on the availability of a device at the other end that may change or not always be available. Not having a specific next-hop IP can complicate automatic reconfiguration if the network environment changes.
- Scalability: While this configuration may be simpler, it may not be the best in terms of scalability in larger or more dynamic networks, where next-hop addresses can be managed more efficiently through dynamic routing protocols.
- Specification in MikroTik RouterOS: To specify an interface in a static route in MikroTik RouterOS, the configuration option is used
interface
instead ofgateway
when adding a new static route using WinBox or the command line.
Configuration Example
Here is a basic example of how to configure a static route using an interface in MikroTik RouterOS:
/ip route add dst-address=192.168.1.0/24 interface=ether2
This command configures a static route for the network 192.168.1.0/24
via interface ether2
.
In summary, it is possible and sometimes convenient to use the interface instead of the next-hop IP address in static routes in MikroTik, although the network context must be considered to determine if this is best practice.
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