When choosing routing software, Cisco and Mikrotik are the preferred software users can get, but which one is best for you?
Despite the high cost, Cisco has become a well-known software brand in all walks of life due to its consistency and reliability. Recently, a relatively new software Mikrotik made waves in the router software world. It is slowly being widely used because it not only provides excellent router and firewall services, but also provides excellent customer service despite being much cheaper than most competitors, making it a direct competitor of Cisco on routing issues . Although Mikrotik and software are quite different in price and cost, they are similar in that they both provide very good customer service support. This is very advantageous for users who are inexperienced or are using it for the first time.
Differences between Mikrotik and Cisco
| Feature | Mikrotik | Cisco |
| Operating system | Mikrotik-RouterOS | Linux |
| Pricing | Free and paid versions | Paid |
| Support for network cards | Great | Good |
| Packet filtering | Advanced | Intermediate |
Mikrotik Vs Cisco- How do they compare?
Price
The financial investment in these two routers is mainly a one-time cost, except for the additional cost of supporting Cisco. Cisco has different versions of router software, depending on your country/region and required router hardware. It is more expensive than most competitors, but it provides users with value-for-money services in terms of good customer service support and guaranteed quality and software security.
Mikrotik has 6 different software packages with different license configurations. The one at the bottom of the list is free. The cost of the product is arranged in such a way that the price is directly proportional to the scope and extent of the additional router and firewall applications. This is very convenient because it allows users to evaluate different packaging and choose the custom packaging that best suits their requirements. In addition, Mikrotik’s developers and technicians always provide excellent product support via email and reliable service calls.
Generally speaking, Mikrotik’s pricing model and value are more attractive than Cisco because of its affordable price and high quality.
Packet filtering
Both Mikrotik and Cisco have good packet filtering capabilities. However, RouterOS for Mikrotik relies heavily on packet filtering, which requires developers to devote a lot of time and resources to its packet filtering function, making it more effective than the packet filtering provided by ordinary Cisco routers.
This means that Mikrotik has better packet filtering tools that make it more suitable for users whose needs are critical to packet filtering.
Switch
Power consumption-Mikrotik switches are notorious for their high power consumption, which makes them less desirable than Cisco switches with advanced technology.
Ethernet compatibility-Cisco switches are easy to disassemble and can be used by Ethernet users. On the other hand, Mikrotik switches pose a challenge to the use of Ethernet because they have neither dual power supplies nor switchability.
Cisco switches are undisputedly better than Mikrotik switches, more reliable, and more flexible to adapt to users’ resources.
Mikrotik Vs Cisco-Pros and Cons
Mikrotik
Pros
- It is affordable
- The solution offers very good support for multi-routing
- It has good customer care support
Cons
- The interface is not very user-intuitive, making it difficult to navigate for a new or inexperienced user
Cisco
Pros
- The routers are designed to make set up very easy
- The routers work very well with Cisco switches
- The routers support most routing protocols
Cons
- The cyber solution is expensive
Conclusion
With all the available information, both Mikrotik and Cisco are excellent router software and hardware solutions. If you want to provide services for large networks, or have a high focus on uptime and financial resources, then I would definitely recommend Cisco. However, if you have a small and easy to troubleshoot network and don’t care about uptime, Mikrotik is the router solution for you.
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