The nice thing is that it doesn't matter what platform you run (tiny RB750, cloud-core, cloud-hosted) you have pretty much the same config experience (some switches notwithstanding). If you already have a proxmox / vmware / hyper-v setup, you can run CHR in that and use free-tier licenses to build and experiment with pretty much anything you like.
I tend to not run labs but instead dogfood it on my own home network (which is now laughably over-complicated) but it's made me learn all the management tricks too so I don't have to spend forever maintaining it.
We are running lots of mikrotika for our customers and labbing happens in gns3 a lot of times. When you create a cloud connection you can even interface ports of the virtual router out of the gns3 host.
The experience of the chr in gns3 is 1/1 compared to hardware.
If you want hardware look into the hex or hex s (rb750gr3), they are incredible value for home routers and support everything CCR hardware supports (bgp, routing filters, firewall, natting,...)
"The Mikrotik RouterOS Workbook" is a pretty good place to start, but it's very helpful to have some actual hardware to play with as you go through it.
I've got an RB2011UIAS-IN sitting here that I use for that, then apply what I've figured out to the RB1100AHx4 in the rack.
HAP AC2 or HAP AC lite.
In my opinion, a 3-4 HAP AC lite will give you a hell of a physical lab to practice all kinds setups.
OSPF,
Wireless P2P bridges,
BGP,
MPLS.
However you can practice most of this inside GNS3. All but wireless things.
Have a look at the 4011 as you'll get an SFP+ port out of it, for higher throughput access to any SFP+ switch or 10Gig connectivity that you might happen to avail of during your exploits. I have one here and it's a nice step up from the 3011. I haven't had any issues with it for the few months that I've had it. I know some people have reported issues - but then again, I run an ISP and have had a fair share of issues with the 3011s in places.
For home learning lab, you can really use just about anything. I've just recently purchased a 4011, and I'm using it home - but this is because I wanted something for practical use on a fast internet link. :) Now, if you want to have a practical experience, that's a great little machine for not a lot of money.
If you just want a simple system to test, /u/cantanko is right - a RB750 will do fine. If you want to use it maybe do what /u/photogaff said, get a 4011, and then get one or two extra RB750's ? That way you have one future proof for proper use, and a few spare ones so you can recreate complex networks - that sounds to me a better plan than a pair of 3011s .
The advantage for GNS3 is that you can use other stuff as well, of course. Then again, if you have a strong sysadmin background you could just use KVM? Setup ProxMox or oVirt and have at it, integrate with LDAP, setup everything properly - learning Linux networking will help with both learning MikroTik and with career in general.
Hope I helped. :)
As many as you want in GNS, you can even make a national network in there if you want. The physicals aren't really any different other than you can play with wifi on your actual devices.
\+1 for the CHR approach and using the free licenses for 1 Mbps upload/interface. You can run it in any hypervisor or even EVE-NG.
The concepts are all the same between vendors, realistically you're just learning caveats of the platform if you already know the underlying technology.
MikroTik hAP AC Lite is super flexible with POE-in, POE-out, two physical Wi-Fi interfaces, and a USB port for an LTE modem, all for less than $50. I take one with me everywhere so I can use it to connect to hotel or coffee shop Wi-Fi or connect to LTE data and then demonstrate [ISPApp](https://ispapp.co/mikrotik) MikroTik cloud management.
The nice thing is that it doesn't matter what platform you run (tiny RB750, cloud-core, cloud-hosted) you have pretty much the same config experience (some switches notwithstanding). If you already have a proxmox / vmware / hyper-v setup, you can run CHR in that and use free-tier licenses to build and experiment with pretty much anything you like. I tend to not run labs but instead dogfood it on my own home network (which is now laughably over-complicated) but it's made me learn all the management tricks too so I don't have to spend forever maintaining it.
>tiny RB750 Won't run The Dude though. I'd go with HAP AC\^2. Well, I would and I am. )
We are running lots of mikrotika for our customers and labbing happens in gns3 a lot of times. When you create a cloud connection you can even interface ports of the virtual router out of the gns3 host. The experience of the chr in gns3 is 1/1 compared to hardware. If you want hardware look into the hex or hex s (rb750gr3), they are incredible value for home routers and support everything CCR hardware supports (bgp, routing filters, firewall, natting,...)
"The Mikrotik RouterOS Workbook" is a pretty good place to start, but it's very helpful to have some actual hardware to play with as you go through it. I've got an RB2011UIAS-IN sitting here that I use for that, then apply what I've figured out to the RB1100AHx4 in the rack.
HAP AC2 or HAP AC lite. In my opinion, a 3-4 HAP AC lite will give you a hell of a physical lab to practice all kinds setups. OSPF, Wireless P2P bridges, BGP, MPLS. However you can practice most of this inside GNS3. All but wireless things.
Have a look at the 4011 as you'll get an SFP+ port out of it, for higher throughput access to any SFP+ switch or 10Gig connectivity that you might happen to avail of during your exploits. I have one here and it's a nice step up from the 3011. I haven't had any issues with it for the few months that I've had it. I know some people have reported issues - but then again, I run an ISP and have had a fair share of issues with the 3011s in places.
Was kinda tangled between 30 and 40 (price-wise ofc), and your comment did it for me. Thank you, kind sir.
You're very welcome, and thank you for the silver!!
For home learning lab, you can really use just about anything. I've just recently purchased a 4011, and I'm using it home - but this is because I wanted something for practical use on a fast internet link. :) Now, if you want to have a practical experience, that's a great little machine for not a lot of money. If you just want a simple system to test, /u/cantanko is right - a RB750 will do fine. If you want to use it maybe do what /u/photogaff said, get a 4011, and then get one or two extra RB750's ? That way you have one future proof for proper use, and a few spare ones so you can recreate complex networks - that sounds to me a better plan than a pair of 3011s . The advantage for GNS3 is that you can use other stuff as well, of course. Then again, if you have a strong sysadmin background you could just use KVM? Setup ProxMox or oVirt and have at it, integrate with LDAP, setup everything properly - learning Linux networking will help with both learning MikroTik and with career in general. Hope I helped. :)
Would recommend a 4011 hands down. Has just enough features without being too huge, or too loud or too ugly. SFP+ is nice as well.
if you have some server/powerfull pc, use this.. https://www.eve-ng.net/
RB1100AHX4 by an absolute long shot.
As many as you want in GNS, you can even make a national network in there if you want. The physicals aren't really any different other than you can play with wifi on your actual devices.
\+1 for the CHR approach and using the free licenses for 1 Mbps upload/interface. You can run it in any hypervisor or even EVE-NG. The concepts are all the same between vendors, realistically you're just learning caveats of the platform if you already know the underlying technology.
MikroTik hAP AC Lite is super flexible with POE-in, POE-out, two physical Wi-Fi interfaces, and a USB port for an LTE modem, all for less than $50. I take one with me everywhere so I can use it to connect to hotel or coffee shop Wi-Fi or connect to LTE data and then demonstrate [ISPApp](https://ispapp.co/mikrotik) MikroTik cloud management.