2 different Mikrotik routers with same Zerotier MAC address

I have 2 RB1100 tik routers that I want to access in the same zerotier network. With a new network on the Zerotier central, I would copy the network ID and add a zerotier interface on router 1. Rouer node ID shows up on Central and gets accepted online. When I add a new zerotier interface on the 2nd router, no new node comes up on the list and it just gets an OK status on Mikrotik but there is no node on central. Upon checking, both interfaces on Router 1 and Router 2 have the same MAC address.This explains why central sees registers only the first router and never the second.

Both zerotier interfaces was created from the menu of the Mikrotik routers (7.1.3)

My simple workaround was to create another Zerotier instance on Router 2 (zt2) and create the new interface with the same Zerotier Network. Apparently it created a new / different MAC address so a new node pops upon central.
Conclusion: Mikrotik creates / generates a MAC address for a new zerotier interface based on the instance (zt1. zt2…) and zerotier network ID. So an interface created on the same instance (ex.zt1) with the same network ID gets the same MAC address.
Correct me if Im worng…

Cheers

1 Like

Are you somehow duplicating the node Identity across these 2 Mikrotik boxes? MAC addresses on ZeroTier networks are derived from the node ID. The only way I’m aware of to get duplicate MAC addresses on a network are if 2 machines are trying to use the same ZeroTier node ID.

Zt-grant,

Trying to get 2 tik routers (from different locations) in 1 ZT network. Apparently what you said regarding MAC aff creation seems to be the case. So not more than 1 tik on the sme instance and on the same ZT network can exist, a simple workaroud would be to create another instance (ex. ZT2 on the 2nd router) then join the network from that instance

Did you restore backup from one routerboard to the other? A backup file restores the MACs, this catches people out [including me].

This is only possible if you did backup/restore, otherwise each router gets a random node ID thus a random mac. I’m using a lot of mikrotiks on the same zt network.

p.s. really curious how you got zt on rb1100 since this package is available only on arm :wink:

Routerboard RB1100AHx4 is ARM.

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.