Route Traffic through Wireguard Tunnel on Mikrotik RouterOS

Route Traffic through Wireguard Tunnel on Mikrotik RouterOS

In this article, we will discuss the steps required to route traffic through a Wireguard tunnel on a Mikrotik router. Wireguard is a modern, fast, and secure VPN protocol that can be easily set up on Mikrotik routers. Before we dive into the configuration, let's briefly discuss some key concepts related to Wireguard and Mikrotik RouterOS.

What is Wireguard?

Wireguard is a simple, fast, and secure VPN protocol that uses state-of-the-art cryptography. It is designed to be easy to configure and use, making it an ideal choice for routers and other network devices. Wireguard is open-source and available for various platforms, including Linux, Windows, macOS, and Mikrotik RouterOS.

What is Mikrotik RouterOS?

Mikrotik RouterOS is a powerful and flexible router operating system developed by Mikrotik. It is available for various Mikrotik hardware devices and supports a wide range of networking features, including routing, firewall, VPN, and traffic management. Mikrotik RouterOS is known for its stability, performance, and ease of use.

Configuring Wireguard Tunnel on Mikrotik RouterOS

In this section, we will discuss the steps required to configure a Wireguard tunnel on a Mikrotik router. Before we start, ensure you have the following information:

• The public key of the Wireguard server
• The IP address of the Wireguard server
• The allowed IPs for the Wireguard tunnel

Step 1: Install Wireguard on Mikrotik RouterOS

Before we can configure the Wireguard tunnel, we need to install the Wireguard package on the Mikrotik router. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the Mikrotik router using Winbox or other management tools.
2. Go to the System > Packages menu.
3. Search for the Wireguard package and install it by clicking the "+" button.

Step 2: Create Wireguard Interface on Mikrotik RouterOS

After installing the Wireguard package, we need to create a Wireguard interface on the Mikrotik router. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the IP > Wireguard menu.
2. Click the "Add New" button to create a new Wireguard interface.
3. Enter a name for the interface and configure the following settings:
• Public Key: Generate a new public key for the Mikrotik router.
• Listen Port: Enter a valid port number for the Wireguard tunnel.
• Allowed IPs: Enter the allowed IPs for the Wireguard tunnel.
• Private Key: Generate a new private key for the Wireguard interface.
4. Click the "Apply" button to save the changes.

Step 3: Configure Wireguard Peer on Mikrotik RouterOS

After creating the Wireguard interface, we need to configure the Wireguard peer on the Mikrotik router. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the IP > Wireguard > Peers menu.
2. Click the "Add New" button to create a new Wireguard peer.
3. Configure the following settings:
• Public Key: Enter the public key of the Wireguard server.
• Endpoint: Enter the IP address and port number of the Wireguard server.
• Allowed IPs: Enter the allowed IPs for the Wireguard tunnel.
• PreShared Key: Enter a pre-shared key for the Wireguard tunnel.
4. Click the "Apply" button to save the changes.

Routing Traffic through Wireguard Tunnel on Mikrotik RouterOS

After configuring the Wireguard tunnel and peer, we need to route traffic through the Wireguard tunnel on the Mikrotik router. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the IP > Route menu.
2. Add a new route for the Wireguard tunnel by clicking the "Add New" button.
3. Configure the following settings:
• Destination Address: Enter the destination IP address for the Wireguard tunnel.
• Gateway: Select the Wireguard interface as the gateway.
• Distance: Enter a higher distance value than the default route to ensure traffic is routed through the Wireguard tunnel.
4. Click the "Apply" button to save the changes.

After configuring the route, traffic to the destination IP address will be routed through the Wireguard tunnel. You can verify the route using the ip route get command.

• Wireguard is a modern, fast, and secure VPN protocol that can be easily configured on Mikrotik routers.
• Mikrotik RouterOS is a powerful and flexible router operating system that supports a wide range of networking features, including Wireguard.
• To configure Wireguard tunnel on Mikrotik router, we need to install the Wireguard package, create a Wireguard interface, configure Wireguard peer, and route traffic through the Wireguard tunnel.

References

• Mikrotik Wireguard Manual
• Wireguard Official Website
• Mastering Mikrotik RouterOS 6