Yes, renaming interfaces on a MikroTik device after you have configured static routes using the default interface names can cause problems.

In RouterOS, MikroTik's system, static routes can be configured to use a specific interface name such as the next hop or gateway.

If the interface name is changed after the static route is established, the route will no longer be able to find the specified next hop because the interface name in the route configuration is not automatically updated to reflect the new interface name.

Impact on Route Configuration

When you change the name of an interface that is used in configuring a static route:

• Invalid Routes: The static route referencing the previous interface name will become invalid because the system cannot resolve the specified next hop. This means that traffic destined for that route may be discarded or not routed correctly.
• Manual Intervention Necessary: You will need to manually update the static route configuration to use the new interface name. This involves editing each affected static route and changing the next hop name to the new interface name.

Best Agricultural Practices

To avoid these types of problems, it is advisable to follow some best practices:

• Advance Planning: Try to plan and name your interfaces according to a consistent and final naming convention before configuring static routes and other system parameters. This reduces the need to change interface names later.
• Settings Update: If an interface name needs to be changed, be sure to review and update all configurations that reference that name, including static routes, firewall rules, queues, and any other configuration that specifies the interface name as part of its parameters.
• Using IP Addresses Instead of Interface Names: When possible, consider configuring static routes using IP addresses for the next hop instead of interface names. This can add flexibility to your network configuration and avoid some problems related to changing interface names.

Conclusion

While MikroTik's RouterOS is very flexible and allows for a wide range of network configurations, it is important to be aware of how configuration changes, such as renaming interfaces, can affect other parts of the network configuration.

Maintaining clear documentation of network configuration and following best practices can help minimize problems and simplify network management.