MikroTik PPPoE server setup

Last updated: 2 October 2026

PPPoE gives every customer a username, a password and a session you can see and limit. This guide builds a working PPPoE server on a MikroTik router in five steps.

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. A pool of addresses for customers

/ip pool add name=pppoe-pool ranges=10.10.10.2-10.10.10.254

2. A profile per speed plan

/ppp profile add name=5M local-address=10.10.10.1 remote-address=pppoe-pool rate-limit=2M/5M dns-server=1.1.1.1,8.8.8.8 only-one=yes

rate-limit=2M/5M is 2 Mbps upload and 5 Mbps download. only-one=yes stops one account being used in two places.

3. The server on the customer-facing interface

/interface pppoe-server server add service-name=isp interface=ether2 default-profile=5M one-session-per-host=yes disabled=no

Do not put an IP address or a DHCP server on that interface; customers only get an address through PPPoE.

4. A user

/ppp secret add name=customer1 password=StrongPass1 service=pppoe profile=5M

5. Internet for the customers

/ip firewall nat add chain=srcnat src-address=10.10.10.0/24 out-interface=ether1 action=masquerade

Check

/ppp active print
/log print where topics~"pppoe"

On the customer's router, set the WAN to PPPoE with the same username and password (see PPPoE client setup).

Common problems

Client cannot find the server: the server is on the wrong interface, or a switch in between blocks it.
Connects but no internet: the NAT rule or DNS in the profile is missing.
Some sites do not load: add an MSS rule (shown in the client guide).

Where RadiusNest fits

Secrets on the router have no end date and no billing. With RadiusNest the same PPPoE server asks the cloud at each login: the customer gets the speed of their package, is cut off when it ends and is renewed in one click. See PPPoE billing with automatic expiry.

Start the free trial See pricing

Questions and answers

Can I run PPPoE and hotspot on the same router?

Yes, on different interfaces. Many small ISPs use PPPoE for homes and hotspot for public Wi-Fi from one router.

How many PPPoE users can a MikroTik handle?

It depends on the model and on the speeds and queues in use. Watch processor load under real traffic as you add customers.

How do I give one customer a fixed IP?

Set remote-address on that customer's secret to the address you want instead of leaving it to the pool.

Related guides

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