Software Alternatives & Reviews

Cisco IOS VS MikroTik RouterOS

Compare Cisco IOS VS MikroTik RouterOS and see what are their differences

Cisco IOS logo Cisco IOS

Cisco IOS is a family of software used on most Cisco Systems routers and current Cisco network...

MikroTik RouterOS logo MikroTik RouterOS

The main product of MikroTik is a Linux-based operating system known as MikroTik RouterOS.
  • Cisco IOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-08
  • MikroTik RouterOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-25

Cisco IOS videos

NET 100 Review of the Cisco IOS Modes of Operation

MikroTik RouterOS videos

MikroTik RouterOS security review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cisco IOS and MikroTik RouterOS)
Linux
16 16%
84% 84
Operating Systems
9 9%
91% 91
Perimeter Security And Firewalls
Transportation
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Cisco IOS and MikroTik RouterOS

Cisco IOS Reviews

We have no reviews of Cisco IOS yet.
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MikroTik RouterOS Reviews

  1. many bugs that block connections

    since 2 years they didn't fix bugs that block the router from the internet


The Best Open Source Router OS Software for Large or Small Networks
MikroTik RouterOS is an open-source router OS software that is designed to provide a powerful, customizable, and secure networking experience. It is based on the Linux kernel and offers a range of features and capabilities that make it a popular choice among network enthusiasts, developers, and IT professionals. The open-source nature of MikroTik RouterOS means that users...
11 Best pfsense Alternatives To Secure Your Network
Before acquiring licensed software, MikroTik enables you to test the MikroTik RouterOS technology. This is referred to as Trial Mode by MikroTik, and it allows you to try the whole MikroTik RouterOS features and functionality set for up to 24 hours.
10 Best pfSense Alternatives and Similar Firewalls
RouterOS has a stateful firewall, which conducts stateful inspection and maintains track of the state of network connections traversing it. It also includes Source and Destination Network Address Translation, NAT assistance for common applications, and UPnP compatibility.
5 Router OS Turns Old PC Into High Performance Router And Enterprise Network Switch
RouterOS is the operating system of RouterBOARD. It can also be installed on a PC and will turn it into a router with all the necessary features – routing, firewall, bandwidth management, wireless access point, backhaul link, hotspot gateway, VPN server and more.
A Feast of Linux-Based Routers
Though the code is not open and it is more of a commercial offering, RouterOS from MikroTik is Linux-based. It installs onto and turns regular PCs into a enterprise-level router. It gives you all the necessary features, including routing, firewall, bandwidth management, wireless access point, backhaul link, hotspot gateway, VPN server, and more.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MikroTik RouterOS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 23 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cisco IOS mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Cisco IOS yet. Tracking of Cisco IOS recommendations started around Mar 2021.

MikroTik RouterOS mentions (23)

  • Ubiquiti showing other users' consoles
    Anyone using Mikrotik these days? Been Mikro-curious for awhile and always see them thrown around as a Unifi alternative. Yet to hear of any firsthand implementations though. [0] https://mikrotik.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Free - Self-hosted - WebRTC - alternative to Zoom, Teams, Google Meet - Real time video calls, chat, screen sharing, file sharing, collaborative whiteboard, dashboard, rooms scheduler and more!
    I keep reading it as the networking hardware company Mikrotik. Source: about 1 year ago
  • hap ax2 or ax3
    The "Buy" link at the top of mikrotik.com - this is how most hardware vendors with a distribution network have their site set up. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Germany ups reliance on Huawei for 5G despite security fears
    Or Mikrotik from Latvia, for switching/routing: Https://mikrotik.com/. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Management VLAN vs Native.
    There is way to get default to do whatewer you want (including preseted VLAN on some port): Get some config, which you'd like to use as default Login to mikrotik.com Use branding section to get packet, which can be installed on any RoS to change default config and some other things. Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cisco IOS and MikroTik RouterOS, you can also consider the following products

FRRouting - FRRouting (FRR) is an IP routing protocol suite for Linux and Unix platforms which

pfSense - pfSense is a free and open source firewall and router that also features unified threat management, load balancing, multi WAN, and more

VyOS - VyOS in an open source Linux-based operating system sold and distributed by Sentrium corporations. It is geared toward IT specialists and network administrators for the purpose of securing network and company data... read more.

OpenWrt - OpenWrt is an open-source firmware based on Linux for wireless routers

Quagga - Quagga is a network routing software suite providing implementations of Open Shortest Path First...

OPNsense - OPNsense® you next open source firewall. Free Download. High-end Security Made Easy™. Offers Intrusion Prevention, Captive Portal, Traffic Shaping and more.