System Identity Configuration
System Identity Configuration
Section titled “System Identity Configuration”TL;DR (Quick Start)
Section titled “TL;DR (Quick Start)”For the impatient: set a unique name for your router.
/system identity set name=office-routerVerify with:
/system identity printOverview
Section titled “Overview”What this does: System Identity sets the unique hostname for your MikroTik device. This name appears in the command prompt, neighbor discovery, DHCP client requests, and helps identify devices when managing multiple routers.
When to use this:
- After initial setup to distinguish routers from each other
- Before deploying in production environments
- When managing multiple MikroTik devices on the same network
- Setting up device monitoring or inventory systems
Prerequisites:
- Access to RouterOS via Winbox, SSH, or WebFig
- Admin or write permissions
Configuration Steps
Section titled “Configuration Steps”Step 1: View Current Identity
Section titled “Step 1: View Current Identity”Check the current system identity.
/system identity printExpected output:
name: MikroTikThe default identity for all RouterOS devices is MikroTik.
Step 2: Set New Identity
Section titled “Step 2: Set New Identity”Change the system identity to a meaningful name.
/system identity set name=office-routerThe identity immediately appears in the command prompt:
[admin@office-router] >Naming tips:
- Use descriptive names:
hq-core-router,branch1-gw,warehouse-ap - Maximum 64 characters
- Avoid spaces (use hyphens or underscores)
- Include location or function for easy identification
Common Scenarios
Section titled “Common Scenarios”Scenario: Multiple Routers on Same Network
Section titled “Scenario: Multiple Routers on Same Network”When neighbor discovery shows multiple “MikroTik” devices, identification becomes difficult:
/ip neighbor printSet unique identities on each device to distinguish them:
# On router 1/system identity set name=floor1-switch
# On router 2/system identity set name=floor2-switchScenario: DHCP Client Hostname
Section titled “Scenario: DHCP Client Hostname”The system identity is used as the default hostname sent to DHCP servers. Some ISPs log this for identification:
/system identity set name=customer-router-123To send a different hostname without changing identity, configure it on the DHCP client:
/ip dhcp-client set [find interface=ether1] host-name=different-nameScenario: SNMP-Based Identity Change
Section titled “Scenario: SNMP-Based Identity Change”For bulk management via SNMP, you can set identity remotely:
snmpset -c public -v 1 192.168.88.1 1.3.6.1.2.1.1.5.0 s new-identityRequirements:
- SNMP enabled on the router
- Write community configured
- Network access to the device
Verification
Section titled “Verification”Check 1: Verify Identity is Set
Section titled “Check 1: Verify Identity is Set”/system identity printExpected: Shows your configured name.
Check 2: Verify Neighbor Discovery Shows Identity
Section titled “Check 2: Verify Neighbor Discovery Shows Identity”From another MikroTik on the same network:
/ip neighbor printExpected: Your router appears with its new identity name.
Check 3: Verify Command Prompt
Section titled “Check 3: Verify Command Prompt”Expected: The prompt shows [admin@your-identity] >.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”| Symptom | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Identity not showing in neighbor list | Neighbor discovery disabled | Enable: /ip neighbor discovery-settings set discover-interface-list=all |
| Identity truncated | Exceeds 64 character limit | Shorten the name to 64 characters or less |
| Can’t set identity via SNMP | SNMP write access not configured | Configure SNMP community with write permissions |
| Wrong hostname sent to ISP DHCP | DHCP client has custom host-name set | Check /ip dhcp-client print detail for host-name setting |
Common Mistakes
- Don’t use spaces in identity - While technically allowed in some contexts, spaces can cause issues with scripts and parsing
- Don’t forget to change from default - Multiple devices named “MikroTik” make troubleshooting difficult
- Don’t confuse with hostname option - DHCP client
host-nameproperty overrides identity for DHCP only
Related Topics
Section titled “Related Topics”Network Discovery
Section titled “Network Discovery”- IP Neighbors - neighbor discovery shows device identities
- RoMON - remote management displays identity
Network Services
Section titled “Network Services”- DHCP Client - hostname sent to DHCP servers
- SNMP - remote management including identity
- IP Cloud - DDNS uses identity for hostname
System
Section titled “System”- Logging - logs show system identity
- User Management - identity in login prompts
Reference
Section titled “Reference”Properties Reference
Section titled “Properties Reference”| Property | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
name | string (max 64 chars) | MikroTik | System identity/hostname |
Command Reference
Section titled “Command Reference”| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/system identity print | Display current identity |
/system identity set name=NAME | Set new identity |
/system identity export | Export identity configuration |