MikroTik CRS226-24G-2S+ (IN=Desktop RM=Rackmount)

[mervincm]

It appears that we lost the post that discussed this bargain model switch, so I thought I should write up something to get it started. I think it's quite a good product for the right usage.

MikroTik Product page(s)
RouterBoard.com : CRS226-24G-2S+IN and
RouterBoard.com : CRS226-24G-2S+RM
Block Diagram http://i.mt.lv/routerboard/files/CRS226-140404140432.pdf
Manual:CRS features - MikroTik Wiki
Manual:CRS examples - MikroTik Wiki
Manual RouterOS - MikroTik Wiki

-Super price, less that 300 US$
-24 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
-2 of SFP+ cages (10 Gigabit) one of which is also compatible with SFP (1 Gigabit)
-Fanless, low power consumption (MAX 21W)
-LCD display
-Web, command line, and even windows GUI-tool managable.
-Power source can be via a passive PoE connected to port 1.

-MikroTik SFP+ DAC Cable 1m (30 US$) RouterBoard.com : SFP+ 1m direct attach cable
-MikroTik SFP+ 850nm MM transceivers (60 US$) RouterBoard.com : S+85DLC03D

on the other hand
-NOT for the faint of heart, or for someone expecting Cisco level of documentation and bug support.
-Missing some fairly basic features, such as LACP 802.3ad channel bonding in hardware.
-Wall wart style power supply
-To be honest, using this device, I always get the feel it's about 90% ready for production.

 

[Entz]

I have the CRS226-24G-2S+RM model, worth noting that it is also fanless (even though the chassis has spots for them).

Great little switch for the money, but I do agree the lack of LACP 802.3ad is a bummer (Layer3+4 balance-xor or balance-rr works great though!) . From what I recall this is more of a software issue then a hardware one? As you say perhaps just not ready for production...

One other tiny con (more of a pet peeve) for the RM model is that it uses a wall-wart plug vs a standard plug. Eats up PDU room.

 

[Patrick]

I have two of the IN models now in the lab but am using mostly as dumb switches.

Stuff I like:

• WebGUI is better than pfsense. Makes life really easy to do quick management tasks.
• Low power
• Inexpensive
• Silent
• Small LCD was somewhat useful if you say, forget the IP address of the management interface. Not great but I still think it is a plus.

On the LACP bit - with Windows based servers there is somewhat less of a need.

 

[Hank C]

how is the performance of these?

 

[mervincm]

One other tiny con (more of a pet peeve) for the RM model is that it uses a wall-wart plug vs a standard plug. Eats up PDU room.

The IN model shares the same wall wart PSU.

Related, this switch is power-able via a passive PoE connected to port 1. So if you have say a 50$ 5 port Mikrotik RB260GSP passive PoE switch powering up some AP's etc., you can also use it to provide power to this 24port model.

 

[MiniKnight]

how is the performance of these?

Raw switching performance is not too bad if you are using as a fairly dumb traffic mover. Hammering the CPU with doing many L3 features is going to overload the 400MHz processor.

 

[mervincm]

Performance in the hardware plane is excellent. Using jperf I measured over 9 gigabit/sec (9.5-9.7 I recall) between the two SFP+ cages with Mikrotik's SFP+'s This was with essentially no tuning or even jumbo frames. When you add in some CPU dependent features, it is certainly less impressive. While testing alternatives to the desired hardware (802.3ad LACP) option, the CPU limited the bandwidth to about 40MB/sec, instead of the 210 MB/sec per sec I hoped for from the two bonded 1gig ports.

As long as you keep your intensive features to the switch hardware level, it's impressive, just as every switch should be.

 

[Entz]

Yeah it seems that the CPU is connected to the switch via a 1Gbit link so using the CPU for anything intensive will kill your bandwidth.

RM guts (same as desktop?)

 

[bds1904]

but I do agree the lack of LACP 802.3ad is a bummer

CRS226 switch chip supports 802.3ad just fine, but the software hasn't enabled it yet AFAIK.

I know on the CRS125 this works:

/interface ethernet switch trunk
add member-ports=ether01,ether02,ether03,ether04 name=trunk1

Worth a try on the 226

 

[Entz]

Thanks I will give that a try. Creating just the trunks was causing my server logs to get filled with:
[ 78.339421] bonding: bond0: An illegal loopback occurred on adapter (em1).
[ 78.339421] Check the configuration to verify that all adapters are connected to 802.3ad compliant switch ports

 

[mervincm]

CRS226 switch chip supports 802.3ad just fine, but the software hasn't enabled it yet AFAIK.

I know on the CRS125 this works:

/interface ethernet switch trunk
add member-ports=ether01,ether02,ether03,ether04 name=trunk1

Worth a try on the 226

I tried it and no luck. Mikrotik support confirmed to me that it does not work on either the CRS226 or the CRS125.

Yet it works for you.... I am confused .....

 

[kroem]

Will this box handle 1Gbps, or close to, NAT? I use a pfSense-box today with a Intel 3220.

 

[Entz]

I tried it and no luck. Mikrotik support confirmed to me that it does not work on either the CRS226 or the CRS125.
.

Yeah it doesn't seem to be working for me either (ignore my previous error that was PEBKAC). Keep getting link errors (or it was using only 1 link and not working for failover). Switching the master port didn't seem to help either (15-none, 16 to 15 etc).

6.19 was just released not sure if it will help though.

 

[bds1904]

Yeah it doesn't seem to be working for me either (ignore my previous error that was PEBKAC). Keep getting link errors (or it was using only 1 link and not working for failover). Switching the master port didn't seem to help either (15-none, 16 to 15 etc).

6.19 was just released not sure if it will help though.

Careful upgrading to 6.19. Be sure to backup config, upgrade & restore config. Upgrading to 6.19 broke the config on my x86 box, SXT Lite5's and 4x 951-2n's.

 

[mervincm]

Careful upgrading to 6.19. Be sure to backup config, upgrade & restore config. Upgrading to 6.19 broke the config on my x86 box, SXT Lite5's and 4x 951-2n's.

This is what I mean by 90% ready. Mikrotik does not seem to have the capacity to do as much testing as I am used to on network gear. They seem to release a version a month of their Router OS, and it's often quickly followed by another that fixes update issues.

 

[mervincm]

Here is the qoute from MikroTik Support on the current state of 802.3ad LACP support. It seems to "partially" support it.

"CRS125 and CRS226, but it does support only 802.3ad static link aggregation. Currently CRS switches do not send LACP messages which are required for dynamic configuration."

 

[Entz]

Good info. That would explain what I was seeing then.

 

[Entz]

Careful upgrading to 6.19. Be sure to backup config, upgrade & restore config. Upgrading to 6.19 broke the config on my x86 box, SXT Lite5's and 4x 951-2n's.

Thanks for the heads up. I had upgraded the switch before I seen the message (not much in the way of config on there) but my routers would be a PITA to rebuild.

 

[VR Bitman]

How do you put the CRS226 in "switch only" mode? Or do you just not configure routing?

 

[kroem]

Anyone tried it with anything but the MIkrotik cables?