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May 15 / Greg

Mikrotik RB2011LS-IN And SEXTANTG

RB2011LS-IN

  • 1 SFP slot
  • 600Mhz CPU
  • 5 Gig ports
  • 5 FastE ports
  • 6W power pull
  • 64MB RAM
  • This is the first routerboard that has fiber ports. These are going to make cool little POP routers or tower base routers. How interested are you guys in this RB? Who is dying to get one of these?

    SEXTANTG

  • 400Mhz CPU
  • 18dbi antenna
  • 5W power
  • 32MB RAM
  • 1 Gig port
  • Level 3 license
  • When you guys have some real world tests please send me some specs…something other than the test bench ;)

    May 14 / Greg

    Simulate WAN Delay, Loss and Bandwidth

    I recently had a question about how to simulate the delay presented by a point to point circuit so someone could test their application going from one facility to access a SQL DB in a backup colo. I did a quick google and ended up with several great options.

    Netem

    One option I found, but didn’t test is Netem. This is a command line linux app that allows you to introduce delay, loss, duplication and re-ordering.

    WANbridge

    I then found WANbridge. I did test this one and it worked a treat. It is a bootable ISO based on Knoppix. It boots up and immedately bridges all interfaces together. Through it’s simple menu system I was simulating delay in less than 2 minutes. I also successfully tested bandwidth constraints. It also offers the ability to simulate loss. It has a great quick start guide that will have you up and working in no time fast.
    Quick WANbridge video

    WANem

    Last I found WANem. This is similar to wanbridge in that it is built off of a bootable Knoppix ISO, but by default it is configured to route. I did find a quick CLI guide to setting it up for bridged, though.

    Bridge setup
    Edit /etc/network/interfaces and add the following lines:

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    auto br0
    iface br0 inet static
            address 192.168.0.20
            netmask 255.255.255.0
            gateway 192.168.0.1
            bridge_ports all
            bridge_fd 0
            bridge_stp off

    What you gain with WANem is features. First it has a web based GUI that will allow you to configure per interface configurations. This means that you can have different settings for incoming on one interface and outgoing on the other.

    Options include bandwidth, delay, packet loss, duplication, packet reordering, corruption, random disconnects. All of these options can also have IP source/destination matchers.

    Click image to enlarge.

    Basic Mode


    Click image to enlarge.

    Advanced Mode...this is where you want to be!

    May 13 / Greg

    MacGyver Cheese Whiz Handle

    My 3 year old wasn’t capable of actuating his can of processed cheese spread. What kind of parent would I be if he missed this piece of Americana?

    Bend it baby!


    Got bent.


    Kristi let me drill a hole in the silverware...it was the cheap stuff.


    Before


    After

    Here’s a video of the Cheese Whizzer in action:

    You guys jelly? I’ll make you one for $19.95 with free shipping. ;)

    May 10 / Greg

    Mikrotik Winbox DOS Exploit Protection

    I was just alerted to a winbox exploit that is affecting all MTK versions(Thanks Mike). Here are a few tips to protect yourself.

    Add firewall rules to allow access to winbox only from management network.

    You really should have your router locked down so management can only come from certain subnets anyway.

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    /ip firewall filter
    add action=drop chain=input comment=\
        "Block access to winbox from anyone not on coming from management." \
        disabled=no dst-port=8291 protocol=tcp src-address=!1.1.1.0/24

    Add Portknock to access winbox

    Portknock app and link here.

    Allow access only via VPN

    Link to my VPN videos here.

    Change default winbox port

    Go to IP Services and change the port from default. This isn’t a complete fix, but should help prevent port scanners from exploiting winbox.

    IP Services

    When you want to winbox just add a colon and the new port number.

    May 10 / Greg

    Round Table At The New Orleans MUM

    I just noticed that my good friend Justin Wilson will be doing a presentation about cookies at the MUM. I’m hoping for some oatmeal raisin or peanutbutter.

    I’m going to be doing a presentation about Multihomed BGP…far less enticing than cookies…I wonder if he is giving away samples!?!?!

    Since there will be several of us here and we obviously like to hear the sound of our own voices, perhaps we should put together some kind of round table discussion? I know we won’t be able to talk about new products coming out(we don’t know anymore than you do), but between us, we should have experience on just about any subject.

    I don’t think MTK would officially sanction this(Normands correct me if I’m wrong), though I don’t know why they wouldn’t(other than you will likely leave dumber than when you arrived), so we would most likely have to do this some place other than the MUM. I’m thinking that if you buy the guys beers they will happily answer questions…the only payment I want is for you to tell me that I’m awesome and I look way better without hair and that you want to be just like me and that you are legally changing your name to Greg due to the epicness of the name, etc.

    What say you guys?

    May 10 / Greg

    Mikrotik V5.16 Released

    What’s new in 5.16 (2012-May-09 17:23):

    *) webfig – fixed problem when new item addition to status page in design skin mode
    did not work;
    *) add pw-type option for BGP VPLS;
    *) fixed mac telnet – sometimes did not work if more than one mac level path
    to destination;
    *) user – fixed problem when adding new users from console it’s password was not set;
    *) reset packet mark when encapsulating/decapsulating from eoip,ipip,gre,eoipv6,ipipv6,gre6 tunnels

    Sounds like a good round of bug fixes.

    May 9 / Greg

    MUM Australia 2012 October 23-24


    I just noticed that the AU MUM is online, though there are no vendors listed yet. Other than Andrew “now I can dance” Cox, who of you are going? Does anyone from that side of the world even read this blog. Since you are in Australia on the opposite side of the world, does that mean all of this txet si sdrawkcab?