MikroTik Certifications Series (Article 1): Certification Track & MTCNA Foundation

Introduction

The official MikroTik certification framework is recognized worldwide by ISPs, telecom operators, and enterprise IT teams as a standard of practical networking competence.

The entry point for this career path is the MTCNA (MikroTik Certified Network Associate) certification, which establishes core competency in RouterOS, RouterBOARD hardware, TCP/IP networking, basic firewalling, and wireless administration.

1. The Official MikroTik Certification Track Structure

MikroTik organizes its engineering certifications into a modular pyramid:

  1. MTCNA (Associate): Prerequisite for all engineer-level courses.
  2. MTCRE (Routing Engineer): Advanced static and dynamic routing (OSPF, BGP, Multi-WAN).
  3. MTCTCE (Traffic Control Engineer): QoS, Packet Flow, HTB queue trees, and web proxying.
  4. MTCUME (User Management Engineer): PPP, PPPoE, RADIUS, User Manager, and Hotspots.
  5. MTCWE (Wireless Engineer): 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax wireless protocols, Nstreme, and NV2.
  6. MTCSE (Security Engineer): Hardening, IPSec, cryptography, and network security compliance.
  7. MTCIPv6E (IPv6 Engineer): IPv6 addressing, SLAAC, DHCPv6, and transition mechanisms.
  8. MTCINE (Inter-Networking Expert): Top-tier certification covering BGP, MPLS, VPLS, and TE.

2. Core Modules Covered in the MTCNA Curriculum

Module 1: Introduction to RouterOS & WinBox

  • First-time RouterBOARD connection via MAC/IP using WinBox.
  • RouterOS CLI navigation and Netinstall disaster recovery procedures.
  • License levels (Level 4, 5, 6) and RouterOS upgrade channels.

Module 2: IP Routing & DHCP Server Configuration

  • Setting up static IPv4 routes and default gateways.
  • Configuring DHCP Server pools, lease times, and static IP reservations.
# Adding basic static route
/ip route add dst-address=0.0.0.0/0 gateway=192.168.1.1 check-gateway=ping

Module 3: Basic Firewall Filter & NAT

  • State-aware firewall processing (established, related, invalid, new).
  • Source NAT (Masquerade) for Internet access and Destination NAT (Port Forwarding).
# Masquerade outbound traffic on WAN interface
/ip firewall nat add chain=srcnat out-interface=ether1 action=masquerade

Module 4: Simple Queues Bandwidth Management

  • Enforcing download and upload speed limits per client IP or IP subnet.

3. How to Prepare for the MTCNA Exam

  • Hands-on Labs: Practice configuring RouterOS inside GNS3, EVE-NG, or physical hEX/hap lite routers.
  • Official Training: Attend a certified MikroTik Training Center (TR-xxxxx) 3-day boot camp.
  • Exam Format: 25 to 30 randomized online questions (passing grade is 60%).

Conclusion

Earning the MTCNA certification is the essential first step toward becoming a recognized MikroTik network engineer capable of designing and maintaining enterprise network infrastructures.