Tools
setup_wan_failover
Set Up Multi-WAN Failover · Risk: dangerous
Builds ACTIVE-PASSIVE multi-WAN failover by adding health-checked default routes with ascending distances (primary=1, each backup +1). RouterOS uses the lowest-distance reachable route; check-gateway withdraws a route when its gateway stops answering, so traffic fails over to the next WAN — and fails back automatically when the primary recovers. DEFAULTS TO A DRY RUN (apply=false) so you can review before changing default routing (which can cut your own access); set apply=true to execute. Does NOT remove existing 0.0.0.0/0 routes — clear conflicting ones first with the route tools. For load balancing instead of failover use setup_wan_loadbalance. Returns the plan or the resulting default routes.
| Parameter | Required | Definition |
|---|---|---|
primary_gateway | Yes | Primary WAN gateway IP (or interface name) {"type":"string"} |
backup_gateways | Yes | One or more backup WAN gateways, in failover order {"minItems":1,"type":"array","items":{"type":"string"}} |
check | Yes | Gateway health-check method {"default":"ping","type":"string","enum":["ping","arp"]} |
comment_prefix | Yes | {"default":"wan-failover","type":"string"} |
apply | Yes | false = preview only (default); true = execute {"default":false,"type":"boolean"} |
setup_wan_loadbalance
Set Up Multi-WAN Load Balancing (ECMP) · Risk: dangerous
Builds ECMP (equal-cost multi-path) load balancing across multiple WANs by adding ONE default route whose gateway lists every WAN — RouterOS then spreads connections across the links (per-connection, so a single flow stays on one WAN). check-gateway drops a dead link from the set. DEFAULTS TO A DRY RUN (apply=false); set apply=true to execute. Does NOT remove existing 0.0.0.0/0 routes — clear conflicting ones first. ECMP is simple but balances by connection-hash, not by bandwidth; for sticky per-source balancing (PCC) use the firewall mangle + routing-table tools. For failover instead of balancing use setup_wan_failover. Returns the plan or the resulting default route.
| Parameter | Required | Definition |
|---|---|---|
gateways | Yes | Two or more WAN gateways to balance across {"minItems":2,"type":"array","items":{"type":"string"}} |
check | Yes | Gateway health-check method {"default":"ping","type":"string","enum":["ping","arp"]} |
comment | Yes | {"default":"wan-ecmp","type":"string"} |
apply | Yes | false = preview only (default); true = execute {"default":false,"type":"boolean"} |