Why offices and hotels pick MikroTik
MikroTik is popular with ISPs, hotels and IT installers in India because one router can do jobs that would otherwise need several boxes: a guest WiFi login page (hotspot), bandwidth limits per user, two or more internet lines with load balancing and failover, VPN for remote staff or branches, and a proper firewall between guest, staff and CCTV networks.
Every MikroTik router runs RouterOS, and the RouterOS licence comes with the hardware, so there is no yearly subscription to keep it working. The trade-off is that RouterOS has a real learning curve. If nobody on your team knows it, budget for professional setup (see our MikroTik setup service) rather than leaving it half-configured.
The short answer: model by site
These are starting points, not hard limits. How many people a router handles depends far more on your internet speed and what the router is asked to do (hotspot, VPN, heavy firewall rules) than on a headline number.
| Your site | Model to look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shop, clinic or small office that wants WiFi from the router itself | hAP ax² | WiFi 6 (AX1800), five gigabit ports and PoE-out, in one desktop box |
| Small office on a fast fibre plan | hAP ax³ | WiFi 6 with a 2.5 Gbps port, RouterOS v7 |
| Café, PG or small hotel that already has (or will add) access points | hEX RB750Gr3 | Compact wired router with five gigabit ports; a very common hotspot router |
| Small hotel or office with a network rack | L009UiGS-RM | 1U rackmount, eight gigabit ports plus a 2.5G SFP, PoE-in and PoE-out |
| Larger hotel, multiple internet lines, gigabit fibre | RB5009UG+S+IN | Quad-core ARM64, seven gigabit ports, a 2.5G port and a 10G SFP+ |
| Simple WiFi 5 router for a small office or home | hAP ac² | Dual-band AC1200 WiFi and five gigabit ports |
See current prices on the product pages: hEX, hAP ax², hAP ax³, L009, RB5009 and hAP ac², or browse all routers.
Hotels: a wired router plus ceiling access points
A WiFi router in the reception cabin will not cover a hotel, however good it is. Walls, floors and bathrooms block the signal, and one radio cannot serve 50 phones properly. The setup that works is a wired router in the rack (hEX, L009 or RB5009), a PoE switch, and ceiling access points in the corridors or rooms.
The access points can be MikroTik (cAP ax, managed from the router), or UniFi, Omada or Grandstream access points managed by their own controller. The MikroTik router still runs the guest login page, the bandwidth plans and the internet lines. Our guide on choosing an access point covers that side.
Five things to check before you buy
- Internet lines: count them. Each line needs a port, and you need ports left over for the switch and anything wired directly.
- Port speed vs your plan: if your fibre plan is above 1 Gbps, only a 2.5G port (hAP ax³, RB5009) or an SFP/SFP+ port can use it fully.
- Desk or rack: the L009 and the RB5009 suit a network cabinet; the hEX and hAP models sit on a desk or shelf.
- PoE: the hAP ax² and L009 have PoE-out, handy for powering one access point or a small device without a separate injector. For several access points use a PoE switch.
- Who will configure it: RouterOS v7 is powerful, but a wrong firewall rule can lock everyone out. Plan the setup before the router arrives.
Guest WiFi login (hotspot) on MikroTik
RouterOS has a built-in hotspot: guests see a login page before they get internet, and you can limit speed and time per user. Hotels usually want more than the basic page, for example login by room number and surname, mobile OTP or printed vouchers, and usage logs kept for the required period. That is what our hotel WiFi hotspot service adds on top of the router.
If you are running two internet lines, read our dual WAN guide as well: load balancing on a hotspot needs a little care so that guest sessions stay on one line.
When not to buy MikroTik
If you want to set up the network yourself from a phone app and never touch it again, an all-in-one system such as UniFi (with a Cloud Gateway Ultra) or TP-Link Omada (with an ER605) is easier to live with. You give up some flexibility, but the dashboard is simpler and the access points, switches and gateway are all managed in one place.
For a home, a normal WiFi 6 or WiFi 7 router or a mesh system is usually the better buy. See WiFi 6 vs WiFi 7.
Questions
+Does the MikroTik hEX have WiFi?
No. The hEX RB750Gr3 is a wired router. Add access points (or a WiFi router in access point mode) for wireless coverage.
+Can a MikroTik router use two internet connections?
Yes. Any port can be set up as a WAN, and RouterOS can balance traffic across lines and fail over automatically when one goes down.
+Do MikroTik routers work with UniFi, Omada or Grandstream access points?
Yes. The router handles internet, hotspot and firewall; the access points are managed by their own controller or app. Many hotels run exactly this mix.
+Is there a yearly licence fee for RouterOS?
No. The RouterOS licence is included with MikroTik hardware.
+Can you configure it for us?
Yes. We set up MikroTik routers for hotspot, PPPoE, load balancing, VPN and firewall, on site or remotely. WhatsApp us your requirement.
Prices change often, so this guide does not quote them. Each product page shows the current price including GST. Specifications are from the manufacturers' listings; check the product page or datasheet before you order.