Give your MikroTik router personality and fun without affecting network performance — learn how a tiny RouterOS script can make your device play the iconic Simpsons theme using its built-in beeper. This lighthearted tip showcases the flexibility of MikroTik hardware and RouterOS scripting, turning routine device behavior into something memorable for tech teams and demos. Click Details below for the full article.
Owning and operating your own DNS infrastructure is essential for ISPs who want full control over performance, reliability, and customer experience instead of outsourcing a critical service to public resolvers like Cloudflare or Google. By deploying local, recursive DNS servers with robust caching and security policies, you eliminate blind spots during outages, accelerate lookups for end users, and empower your support teams with real-time visibility and troubleshooting capabilities. Click Details below for the full article.
TowerCoverage.com is a finely engineered, web-based RF propagation and mapping platform that empowers service providers to model and predict wireless and fiber coverage with high precision and confidence, eliminating guesswork and costly field surveys. Built on a robust, redundant MikroTik-powered infrastructure with active/active storage, dual routing cores, and extensive monitoring, the platform delivers accurate coverage maps, integrated lead generation, and real-world planning tools that save time and improve deployment decisions. Click Details below for the full article.
TowerCoverage offers ISPs a streamlined, highly cost-effective solution for FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) reporting by automating the generation of accurate coverage maps and simplifying the submission process, including optional “File On Behalf Of” (FOBO) services that handle formatting and upload directly to the FCC. With robust certification options and clear pricing tailored to multi-map needs, TowerCoverage helps reduce the time, complexity, and compliance burden of BDC filings so you can focus on growing your network. Click Details below for the full article.
MikroTik’s RouterOS VXLAN support delivers a scalable, flexible solution for ISPs looking to bridge the gap between traditional Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking by encapsulating Ethernet over routed infrastructure, enabling efficient point-to-multipoint connectivity without the complexity and limitations of fully meshed Layer 2 designs. With easy configuration, cost-effective hardware options, and compatibility with modern network architectures, VXLAN on RouterOS provides ISPs with a powerful tool for building resilient, high-performance networks. Click Details below for the full article.
Owning your own DNS infrastructure is a strategic advantage for ISPs, giving you full control over performance, visibility, and customer experience while eliminating reliance on public resolvers that can suffer outages or offer no support. By deploying local recursive DNS with robust caching and optional blocking, you gain faster resolution times, better security, and real-time insight into issues—ensuring your network stays resilient and responsive under all conditions. Click Details below for the full article.
VXLAN and VPLS both solve the same business problem for ISPs—delivering Layer 2 services across a routed network—but they do it in very different ways. If you are expanding a modern RouterOS 7 network, the choice you make directly impacts scalability, operational complexity, MTU planning, and long-term flexibility. Our latest article breaks down the practical advantages and tradeoffs of VXLAN versus VPLS, with an ISP-focused lens on performance, design patterns, and real-world deployment considerations.
If you are planning multi-site transport, customer VLAN delivery, or a next-generation “Layer 2.5” architecture, this comparison will help you select the right tool and avoid expensive redesigns later. Click Details for the full article.
Navigating the FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) process starts with obtaining access to the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric—the foundation of the FCC's broadband mapping initiative. In this guide, we explain who can access the Fabric, how the licensing and approval process works, and what ISPs and WISPs need to know to streamline BDC submissions, Fabric challenges, and broadband planning. Learn how TowerCoverage.com and Link Technologies can simplify the entire FCC reporting process with integrated mapping, engineering, and File On Behalf Of (FOBO) services.
MikroTik RouterOS 7 significantly enhances BGP capabilities, delivering improved scalability, resiliency, and policy control for modern ISP and enterprise networks. It introduces features like multipath routing, large BGP communities, and an overhauled filtering system, enabling more efficient traffic engineering and simplified configuration management. Support for MP-BGP, EVPN, route reflectors, and confederations allows for flexible, large-scale network design without excessive complexity. Overall, RouterOS 7 brings carrier-grade routing performance, faster convergence, and improved visibility at a cost-effective level.
Dennis Burgess, CTO of Link Technologies, emphasizes that effective network monitoring is foundational to ISP reliability and customer experience. He recommends deploying at least three core systems—a high-level overview tool (like The Dude), a deep monitoring platform (such as Zabbix), and external internet monitoring—to ensure visibility, rapid troubleshooting, and proactive alerting. A fourth system, BGP monitoring, becomes critical for networks with multiple upstreams to detect routing issues that may not trigger session failures. Together, these layered monitoring approaches improve uptime, reduce support load, and ensure a resilient, well-managed network.
