MikroTik Remote Management: 7 Best Practices for ISPs
Don't get hacked. Follow these 7 battle-tested rules for managing ISP networks securely in the modern age.
The Modern ISP Security Checklist
Managing an ISP network requires paranoia. Here are the 7 rules we live by at Wantastic:
1. Disable Default Services
Turn off Telnet, FTP, and the API if you aren't using them.
/ip service disable telnet,ftp,api,www
2. Change the Default Admin
Create a NEW user with full permissions, verify it works, then delete the "admin" user. Brute force bots love "admin".
3. Use SSH Keys Only
Disable password login for SSH.
/ip ssh set always-allow-password-login=no
4. Isolate Management Traffic
Never allow management access (Winbox/SSH) on customer-facing interfaces. Use a dedicated Management VLAN or an Overlay Network like Wantastic.
5. Patch, Patch, Patch
RouterOS vulnerabilities are rare but critical. Use the "Long-term" channel for stability, but apply security patches immediately.
6. Centralized Logging
If a router is compromised, the first thing the attacker does is wipe the local logs. Stream your logs to a remote syslog server or Wantastic's Cloud Audit Log.
7. Stop Using Public IPs for Management
This is the golden rule. Do not put your management interface on the public internet. Use a standardized Overlay Network (Wantastic) to access devices. It keeps the management ports dark to the public internet while giving you instant access.