MikroTik PCQ: share a line equally between all users
Last updated: 2 October 2026
PCQ (per connection queue) splits one queue into a hidden sub-queue per user. With one rule, every user on the network gets an equal share of the line, however many are online, and nobody has to be added by hand.
Before you change a live router: take a backup (how) and turn on Safe Mode in Winbox, so a mistake that locks you out is undone by itself.
1. Two queue types
PCQ needs to know what "one user" is. For download, a user is a destination address; for upload, a source address.
/queue type add name=pcq-download kind=pcq pcq-classifier=dst-address pcq-rate=0
/queue type add name=pcq-upload kind=pcq pcq-classifier=src-address pcq-rate=0RouterOS also ships with ready types called pcq-download-default and pcq-upload-default. Making your own keeps the settings visible and yours to change.
2. One simple queue for the whole network
/queue simple add name=lan-shared target=192.168.88.0/24 max-limit=20M/50M queue=pcq-upload/pcq-downloadBoth settings are written upload/download. max-limit=20M/50M is the real speed of your line, set a little below what you actually get so the router, not your provider, is the narrowest point. queue=pcq-upload/pcq-download puts the upload type first and the download type second.
pcq-rate=0: split evenly
With pcq-rate=0 there is no fixed speed per user. The line is divided by the number of users who are busy at that moment:
| Users downloading | Each gets (50 Mbps line) |
|---|---|
| 1 | up to 50 Mbps |
| 2 | 25 Mbps |
| 5 | 10 Mbps |
| 25 | 2 Mbps |
A user who needs less than their share leaves the rest for the others. The max-limit on the simple queue is required here: without a total there is nothing to divide.
A fixed rate per user instead
/queue type set [find name=pcq-download] pcq-rate=5M
/queue type set [find name=pcq-upload] pcq-rate=2MNow each user is capped at 5 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up, even when the line is empty. When so many users are busy that 5 Mbps each no longer fits in the 50 Mbps total, PCQ falls back to sharing equally. This is the usual choice when every customer bought the same plan.
Check that it works
/queue simple print stats
/queue type printStart a large download on two devices at once and watch each in Torch: the rates should settle at about the same figure. If the queue counts no traffic or the speeds are unlimited, FastTrack is the first suspect; see queues not working.
Good to know
- Per address, not per person. A customer's router with ten devices behind it counts as one user, which is normally what you want.
- Order. A simple queue for one address placed above this queue takes that address out of the sharing. Use that for a device that needs its own limit.
- Different plans. PCQ gives everyone in the queue the same treatment. For plans of different speeds, make one queue type pair and one simple queue per plan and network, or use per-customer limits as in bandwidth limit per user.
- Two lines. With load balancing, set the total to the sum of both lines.
Where RadiusNest fits
PCQ treats every address alike, which suits an office or a free guest network. When customers pay for different packages, the speed has to follow the customer. With RadiusNest each hotspot or PPPoE login gets the speed of its own package from the router automatically. You can still keep a PCQ queue on the router for networks that have no logins.
Start the free trial See pricing
Questions and answers
What does pcq-rate=0 mean?
No fixed speed per user. The total in max-limit is divided equally between the users who are active at that moment.
Which classifier is for download?
dst-address. Download packets are addressed to the user, so each destination address is one user. Upload uses src-address.
Does PCQ need a rule for every user?
No. One simple queue covers the whole network and PCQ makes the per-user split by itself as users appear.