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I have just bought a MikroTik RouterBoard RB951Ui-2HnD router and would like to try it as balance-loader, if that is possible.

Until now I have just used some desktop computers with Zentyal running on Ubuntu Linux Server v14.
Starting from suggestions on this forum, I am planning to test pfSense (for desktop computers too), but, in order to compare, I would like to review some solution that could be installed on a embedded device, like this RouterBoard.

I have seen these options for this MikroTik RouterBoard:

  • The out-of-the-box embedded MikroTik OS.
  • OpenWRT.

Coming from the Linux world, I am rather used to it, and developing network scripts with tools like ntop or bwm-ng. This is why I believe OpenWRT would be best for me, but the performance of balance-loading is important too.
I have read about load balancing (MultiWan) for OpenWRT and the project seems to be serious and configurable enough.

So, my questions are:

  • Will balance load on this specific router work better using the MikroTik OS instead of OpenWRT?
  • Is there any crucial advantage or issue on any of these solutions?
  • Is there any other solution for load balancing on my RouterBoard device that worths the effort to consider and I have not discovered?
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  • Think carefully about load balancing before implementing it. You can actually reduce performance due to out of order packet delivery, especially if there is difference in speed between the paths, or the paths go to different places. Balancing by flow is preferred rather than by packet,. for this reason. – Ron Maupin Dec 11 '15 at 23:38

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A possible solution is Gargoyle, a well featured OpenWRT enhancement, including Monitor Bandwith, Set Quotas and Throttles, Block Forbidden Websites or Wireless Bridging.

Anyway, there are no Mikrotik devices in the official supported devices list, but, as long as it is based on OpenWRT, you could give it a try.
Extracted from this last link:

If your router is supported by OpenWRT then it is likely that Gargoyle will also run well

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