API
(Application Programming Interface)
GLC webinar, 29 December 2016
Achmad Mardiansyah
achmad@[Link]
GLC Networks, Indonesia
[Link]
Agenda
● Introduction
● API intro
● Mikrotik API
● Demo
● Q&A
2
[Link]
What is GLC?
● Garda Lintas Cakrawala ([Link])
● An Indonesian company
● Located in Bandung
● Areas: Training, IT Consulting
● Mikrotik Certified Training Partner
● Mikrotik Certified Consultant
● Mikrotik distributor
3
[Link]
About GLC webinar?
● First webinar: january 1, 2010 (title:
tahun baru bersama solaris - new
year with solaris OS)
● As a sharing event with various
topics: linux, networking, wireless,
database, programming, etc
● Regular schedule: every 2 weeks
● Irregular schedule: as needed
● Checking schedule:
[Link]
hedule
● You are invited to be a presenter
○ No need to be an expert
○ This is a forum for sharing: knowledge,
experiences, information
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[Link]
Trainer Introduction
● Name: Achmad Mardiansyah
● Base: bandung, Indonesia
● Linux user since 1999
● Mikrotik user since 2007
● Certified Trainer (MTCNA/RE/WE/UME/INE/TCE)
● Mikrotik Certified Consultant
● Work: Telco engineer, Sysadmin, PHP programmer,
and Lecturer
● Personal website: [Link]
● More info:
[Link]
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[Link]
Please introduce yourself
● Your name
● Your company/university?
● Your networking experience?
● Your mikrotik experience?
● Your expectation from this course?
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[Link]
What is Mikrotik?
● Name of a company
● A brand
● A program (e.g. mikrotik academy)
● Headquarter: Riga, Latvia
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[Link]
What are mikrotik products?
● Router OS
○ The OS. Specialized for networking
○ Website: [Link]/download
● RouterBoard
○ The hardware
○ RouterOS installed
○ Website: [Link]
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[Link]
What Router OS can do?
● Go to [Link]
○ Download: what_is_routeros.pdf
○ Download: product catalog
○ Download: newsletter
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[Link]
What are Mikrotik training & certifications?
Certificate validity is 3 years
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[Link]
API intro
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What is API?
● API: Application Programming Interface
● a set of subroutine definitions, protocols, and tools for building application
software.
● defined methods of communication between various software components
● API implementation are varied:
○ web-based system - using HTTP (popular)
○ operating system based - e.g. when developing daemon (apache, nginx)
○ Hardware based - e.g. when accessing microcontroller
○ etc..
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[Link]
Why use API?
● For machine to machine communication (e.g. exchange rate, provisioning,
single sign on, etc)
● For automation (e.g. facebook login, twitter login, etc)
● To develop advanced services (uber, gojek, etc. they use google map API)
● For security. Limitation of access rights
● Many other reasons...
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[Link]
Mikrotik API
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[Link]
Mikrotik API
● Available since version 3
● Running on TCP port 8728 (http), or TCP
port 8729 (https)
● API service is disabled by default
● API is intended for machines, not human
Without API
With API
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Why use Mikrotik API?
● Security: define more fine-grained security, indirect access to the devices
● Provisioning: add/delete/update user
● Monitoring
● Customised access for user
● Develop a new service (fb login, single-sign-on, etc)
● Communicate with external application (e.g. billing system, monitoring,
self-service application)
● API is more rigid and consistent (suitable for machines). Unlike ssh (ssh is for
human interface)
● etc...
Accessing
mikrotik API
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[Link]
How to access mikrotik API?
● You need to understand programming language. E.g. PHP
● You need to provide a middle server that connects to mikrotik devices
● Make sure no firewall is blocking the mikrotik API
● API service need to be activated
● Make sure the user has api privileges
● Tips: only allow specific IP address that can access mikrotik API
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DEMO
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Using Mikrotik API
In this example we will use:
● PHP programming language
● Mikrotik PHP class by BenMenking
([Link]
● A webserver that can access mikrotik devices
Accessing
mikrotik API
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[Link]
Example script (setup initial connection)
require('routeros_api.[Link]'); //include api class
define('MIKROTIK_IP', '[Link]'); //mikrotikIP address
define('MIKROTIK_USERNAME', 'admin'); //mikrotik username
define('MIKROTIK_PASSWORD', 'secret'); //mikrotik password
$API = new routeros_api(); //create a new instance
$API->debug = true; //activate debug
$API->connect(MIKROTIK_IP, MIKROTIK_USERNAME,
MIKROTIK_PASSWORD); // connect to mikrotik device
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[Link]
add hotspot user using API (prepare user)
$user = array(1 => array('name' => 'user1', 'password' => 'pass1'),
2 => array('name' => 'user2', 'password' => 'pass2'),
3 => array('name' => 'user3', 'password' => 'pass3'),
4 => array('name' => 'user4', 'password' => 'pass4'),
5 => array('name' => 'user5', 'password' => 'pass5'),
);
foreach($user as $tmp) {
$username="=name=";
$username.=$tmp['name'];
$pass="=password=";
$pass.=$tmp['password'];
$server="=server=";
$server.=SERVER;$profile="=profile=";
$profile.=PROFILE;
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[Link]
add hotspot user using API (add user)
$API->write('/ip/hotspot/user/add',false); //execute add command
$API->write($username, false); //insert username
$API->write($pass, false); // insert password
$API->write($server, false); //insert server
$API->write($profile); //insert profile name
$ARRAY = $API->read(); // this is for debug
echo "<pre>";
print_r($ARRAY);
echo "</pre>";
}
$API->disconnect(); //disconnect API
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[Link]
Interested?
Just come to our
training...
Special price for webinar
attendees...
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[Link]
End of slides
● Thank you for your attention
● Please submit your feedback: [Link]
● Like our facebook page: “GLC networks”
● Stay tune with our schedule
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