Simple Queues in MikroTik: Per-User Bandwidth Limiting

Basic Bandwidth Limiting with Simple Queues

If you have multiple users on your network and want to make sure no single user consumes all the bandwidth, Simple Queues are your first tool in RouterOS. They are easy to configure and effective for basic bandwidth management.

What is a Queue?

A queue is a mechanism that controls how much data can flow through at a given time. By adding a queue for a specific IP address or subnet, you can set maximum upload and download speeds for that target.

Creating a Simple Queue

The basic syntax is:

/queue simple add name=limit-pc1 target=192.168.1.10/32 max-limit=5M/10M

This creates a queue named limit-pc1 that limits:

• Upload (target to internet): 5 Mbps
• Download (internet to target): 10 Mbps

The format for max-limit is upload/download.

Limiting an Entire Subnet

To limit all devices in a subnet:

/queue simple add name=limit-guest-wifi target=192.168.10.0/24 max-limit=20M/50M

All devices in the 192.168.10.0/24 range share a total of 20 Mbps up and 50 Mbps down.

Viewing Queues

/queue simple print

To see live statistics:

/queue simple print stats

This shows bytes and packets passed through each queue, and whether any traffic is being dropped.

Burst Limits

Burst allows a user to temporarily exceed the max-limit for a short time. This makes browsing feel faster because small page loads complete quickly before the limit kicks in.

/queue simple add name=limit-user1 target=192.168.1.20/32 max-limit=5M/10M burst-limit=10M/20M burst-threshold=3M/6M burst-time=8/8

How burst works:

• burst-limit: Maximum speed allowed during burst (10M up / 20M down).
• burst-threshold: Average speed below which burst is allowed (3M up / 6M down).
• burst-time: How many seconds the router averages traffic to decide if burst is available (8 seconds).

If the average traffic over 8 seconds stays below burst-threshold, the router allows burst-limit speed. Once average traffic exceeds burst-threshold, it drops back to max-limit.

Priority Settings

When multiple queues compete for bandwidth, priority determines which gets served first:

/queue simple add name=voip-traffic target=192.168.1.30/32 max-limit=2M/2M priority=1/1
/queue simple add name=bulk-download target=192.168.1.31/32 max-limit=10M/20M priority=8/8

Priority 1 is highest, 8 is lowest. VoIP traffic will always be served before bulk downloads.

Limiting by MAC Address (via ARP)

Simple queues target IP addresses, not MAC addresses directly. However, you can use static ARP entries to ensure a specific MAC always gets the same IP, then queue that IP.

Common Use Cases

Home Network

Limit streaming device so it does not starve others:

/queue simple add name=smart-tv target=192.168.1.50/32 max-limit=15M/30M comment="Smart TV limit"

Small Business

Give each department a slice of bandwidth:

/queue simple add name=accounts target=192.168.1.0/25 max-limit=20M/50M
/queue simple add name=warehouse target=192.168.1.128/25 max-limit=10M/20M

Guest WiFi

Ensure guest users get limited access:

/queue simple add name=guests target=192.168.100.0/24 max-limit=5M/10M comment="Guest WiFi"

Disabling a Queue Temporarily

/queue simple disable limit-pc1

Re-enable:

/queue simple enable limit-pc1

Removing a Queue

/queue simple remove limit-pc1

Important Notes

• Simple Queues match traffic after NAT. For typical home/office setups, target the LAN IP addresses.
• Queue order matters: RouterOS processes queues top-to-bottom. More specific rules (single host /32) should come before broader rules (subnets).
• Simple Queues add processing overhead. For large networks with hundreds of queues, consider using Queue Trees instead.

Summary

• Create queues with /queue simple add target=... max-limit=...
• Use upload/download format for max-limit.
• Add burst settings for better user experience.
• Use priority levels to prefer important traffic.
• View stats with /queue simple print stats.
• Disable with /queue simple disable name.