MikroTik RB760iGS hEX S — 5-Port Gigabit Router + SFP | Dual-Core 880MHz
SKU: RB760iGS | Brand: MikroTik | Series: hEX S | OS: RouterOS v7
What Is the MikroTik RB760iGS hEX S? The Router That Outthinks Its Price Tag
There’s a moment every serious network engineer, ISP technician, or home lab enthusiast reaches — the moment when a consumer-grade router simply can’t keep up. VPN tunnels that crawl. Firewall rules that choke bandwidth. No VLAN support. No real visibility into your traffic. No control.
The MikroTik RB760iGS hEX S is built precisely for that moment.
This compact, fanless, desktop router packs a dual-core 880MHz ARM CPU, 256MB of RAM, five full Gigabit Ethernet ports, and a dedicated SFP fiber port into a palm-sized enclosure that consumes as little as 4 watts. It runs the full, uncompromised MikroTik RouterOS — the same operating system powering ISP backbone infrastructure worldwide — giving you enterprise-grade routing, firewall, VPN, and traffic management capabilities without the enterprise-grade price tag.
Whether you’re building a high-availability home network, managing a small ISP edge router, deploying a secure branch office gateway, or establishing a fiber-fed uplink from a wireless tower, the hEX S delivers with confidence and consistency.
Key Features & Technical Specifications
Core Hardware at a Glance
- CPU: ARM Cortex-A7 Dual-Core @ 880MHz — purpose-built for routing workloads
- RAM: 256MB DDR3 — handles complex routing tables and NAT at full throughput
- Flash Storage: 16MB — stores RouterOS firmware and configuration
- Ethernet Ports: 5 x 10/100/1000 Mbps (RJ45) — all full Gigabit
- SFP Port: 1 x 1G SFP — fiber or direct-attach copper uplink
- USB Port: 1 x USB 2.0 — for 3G/4G LTE dongle failover or storage
- PoE Output: Port 5 supports passive PoE output (up to 500mA) — power a downstream AP or device
- Operating System: RouterOS v7 (License Level 4)
- Switching Chip: QCA8337 — full hardware-offloaded switching
- Power Input: Passive PoE (12–57V DC) or power jack (12V DC)
- Power Consumption: 4W typical, 13W max (with PoE output active)
- Operating Temperature: -40°C to +70°C — industrial-grade thermal tolerance
- Dimensions: 113 x 89 x 28 mm
- Weight: 176g
- Form Factor: Desktop / Wall-mountable / DIN-rail mountable (with accessory)
RouterOS Feature Set (License Level 4)
- Full firewall with stateful packet inspection, connection tracking, and RAW rules
- Hardware-accelerated NAT — route gigabit WAN traffic without CPU saturation
- VPN support: IPsec (IKEv1/IKEv2), OpenVPN, WireGuard, L2TP, PPTP, SSTP, EoIP
- Dynamic routing: OSPF, BGP, RIP, MPLS
- VLAN (802.1Q) with full bridge VLAN filtering
- QoS & traffic shaping: HTB, HFSC, PCQ queues with per-user bandwidth control
- Bandwidth limiting via Simple Queues or Queue Trees — per IP, per subnet
- Hotspot Gateway — captive portal for guest Wi-Fi authentication
- DHCP Server & Relay with static leases and option sets
- DNS resolver with DoH (DNS over HTTPS) support
- Layer 7 protocol detection — identify and control applications by payload
- Netflow/IPFIX export — feed traffic data into monitoring platforms
- SNMP for third-party network management integration
- API access for automation and scripting
- The Dude compatible for network topology mapping
Why the hEX S Outperforms Consumer Routers in Every Meaningful Way
Processing Power That Never Blinks
Your ISP delivers a 500Mbps or even 1Gbps connection. Your consumer router’s single-core CPU? It hits a wall. NAT translation, firewall rule evaluation, and VPN encryption all consume CPU cycles — and when those run out, your expensive internet plan becomes a slow-motion disappointment.
The RB760iGS changes that equation fundamentally:
- Dual-core 880MHz ARM CPU distributes routing and processing load across two physical cores
- Hardware-accelerated switching via the QCA8337 chip means inter-VLAN and LAN-to-LAN traffic is handled in silicon, not software
- Hardware NAT offloading in RouterOS v7 enables true gigabit NAT throughput — your WAN-to-LAN traffic hits wire speed
- Full IPsec hardware acceleration delivers VPN tunnel throughput far beyond what consumer devices manage
The result: a router that keeps every port at full gigabit speed, runs dozens of firewall rules, and still has CPU headroom to spare.
The SFP Port — Fiber Uplink That Opens New Possibilities
Connect to the World at the Speed of Light
The dedicated SFP port on the hEX S is more than a bonus feature — it’s a strategic connectivity tool that separates serious network deployments from hobbyist setups.
- Connect directly to a fiber ONT or OLT — ideal for FTTH (Fiber to the Home) or FTTB deployments
- Link to upstream ISP infrastructure over long-distance single-mode or multimode fiber
- Replace copper uplinks to eliminate EMI interference in industrial or high-RF environments
- Supports all standard 1G SFP transceivers — MikroTik native and third-party compatible
- Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cable support for short-range, high-density data center connections
For WISPs, ISPs, and multi-building campus deployments, the SFP uplink makes the hEX S a natural edge device at the point where fiber meets your LAN.
Built-In PoE Output — Power Your Access Points Directly
One Less Power Adapter. One Cleaner Deployment.
Port 5 of the RB760iGS supports passive PoE output — a feature that eliminates the need for a separate power injector when deploying a MikroTik wireless access point or other passive PoE-compatible device.
- Delivers up to 500mA of passive PoE power directly from the router
- Perfectly matched for powering MikroTik mAP, wAP, or cAP series access points
- Eliminates a power injector from the equation — reducing cost, cable clutter, and points of failure
- Supported at voltages from 12V–57V depending on input power source
- Particularly valuable in remote or outdoor deployments where outlet placement is constrained
This seemingly small feature has outsized practical value — one cable runs data and power to your AP, and your deployment stays clean.
RouterOS v7 — Enterprise Routing in Your Hands
The Operating System That Runs the Internet’s Edge
RouterOS is not firmware. It is a full-featured network operating system trusted by tens of thousands of ISPs, enterprises, and network professionals worldwide. On the hEX S, you get License Level 4 — the complete routing and switching feature set, with no subscription fee and no feature paywalls.
VPN Capabilities That Actually Work at Scale
- WireGuard — MikroTik was among the first router vendors to natively support WireGuard, delivering fast, modern VPN with minimal CPU overhead
- IPsec IKEv2 — industry-standard encrypted tunnels compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and enterprise firewalls
- OpenVPN — battle-tested SSL-based VPN for maximum compatibility
- L2TP/IPsec — for legacy client support and mobile device connectivity
- SSTP — for Windows-native VPN without third-party clients
Run a site-to-site VPN between office branches. Build a road warrior remote access server for your team. Establish a kill-switch VPN policy that blocks all traffic if the tunnel drops. RouterOS makes all of this scriptable, automatable, and reliable.
Firewall Built for Real Threats
The hEX S firewall is not a checkbox — it is a stateful packet inspection engine capable of:
- Connection tracking — track TCP state, block invalid connections, permit established sessions
- Address lists — dynamically add attackers to blocklists via scripted triggers
- RAW firewall rules — drop packets before connection tracking for zero-overhead DDoS mitigation
- Layer 7 pattern matching — identify BitTorrent, social media, streaming apps, and more by payload signature
- Port knocking sequences — obscure management ports from internet scanners
- Brute-force protection — rate-limit failed SSH and Winbox login attempts automatically
Who Is the MikroTik RB760iGS hEX S Designed For?
The Professional’s First Choice — And the Enthusiast’s Obsession
- ISPs & WISPs — Deploy as a customer edge router (CPE) or tower site gateway with full bandwidth management and BGP support
- Small & Medium Businesses — Run site-to-site VPNs, VLAN segmentation, QoS, and firewall policies without costly licensing
- Home Lab Engineers — Build real-world routing labs with BGP, OSPF, MPLS, and multi-WAN failover
- Remote & Branch Offices — Reliable gateway with VPN back to HQ, failover via USB LTE dongle, and PoE output for a local AP
- Network Security Professionals — Use deep firewall inspection, traffic analysis, and Netflow export for security monitoring
- Fiber Network Deployments — SFP port makes it a natural router at the fiber termination point in FTTH or campus builds
- IoT & Smart Building Deployments — VLAN isolation for devices, DHCP reservations, L7 filtering, and hotspot captive portal
USB Port — Your LTE Failover Insurance Policy
Never Let a WAN Outage Stop Your Business
The USB 2.0 port on the hEX S supports 3G/4G LTE USB modems — transforming your primary internet router into a dual-WAN failover device with zero additional hardware.
- RouterOS NetWatch and scripting can automatically detect WAN failure and switch traffic to LTE within seconds
- Compatible with major LTE modem brands including Huawei, ZTE, and others
- Combine with recursive routing or IP SLA-style monitoring for sophisticated failover policies
- Alternatively, use as USB storage for RouterOS backup exports, scripts, or log archiving
In a business environment, this single USB port can be the difference between a minor inconvenience and hours of downtime.
Management — Multiple Paths, One Powerful Platform
Access the Way You Want
MikroTik understands that different engineers prefer different workflows. The hEX S accommodates all of them:
- Winbox — the native Windows GUI application with full visual management of all RouterOS features
- WebFig — browser-based management, no software required, accessible from any OS
- SSH / CLI — full command-line access with tab completion and scripting support
- RouterOS API — programmatic control for automation, monitoring, and integration with tools like Ansible, Python, and Terraform
- SNMP (v1, v2c, v3) — integrate with Zabbix, PRTG, LibreNMS, and other NMS platforms
- The Dude — MikroTik’s free network monitoring tool auto-discovers hEX S devices and maps your topology
Configuration backup and restore is a single CLI command. Zero-touch provisioning is achievable via RouterOS scripting and fetch commands from a remote config server.
Energy Efficiency — Industrial Performance, Minimal Footprint
4 Watts. Full Gigabit Routing. Zero Fan Noise.
- Typical consumption: 4W — this router draws less power than an LED light bulb
- Maximum consumption: 13W — only when actively powering a device via PoE output on Port 5
- Completely fanless — silent operation for offices, living spaces, and noise-sensitive environments
- Passive PoE input means it can be powered directly from a PoE switch port — no power socket needed
- -40°C to +70°C operating range — deploy in outdoor enclosures, industrial cabinets, or rooftop installations without temperature concerns
This makes the RB760iGS one of the most power-efficient full-featured routers available at any price point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the RB760iGS achieve gigabit throughput with NAT enabled?
Yes — RouterOS v7’s hardware NAT offloading combined with the QCA8337 switching chip enables near-wire-speed gigabit NAT throughput, making it suitable as a gateway for 1Gbps ISP connections.
What VPN throughput can I expect?
IPsec throughput with hardware acceleration reaches approximately 200–350Mbps depending on the cipher suite. WireGuard throughput is typically 100–200Mbps on the dual-core CPU. For unencrypted routing (OSPF, BGP), the hEX S handles full gigabit with ease.
Does the hEX S support dual WAN / load balancing?
Yes. RouterOS supports PCC (Per Connection Classifier) load balancing across multiple WAN connections and recursive routing-based failover — including automatic failover to an LTE dongle on the USB port.
Is the PoE output on Port 5 active PoE (802.3af/at) or passive PoE?
The PoE output is passive only — it does not negotiate power delivery via 802.3af/at. It is compatible with MikroTik passive PoE devices (like wAP, mAP, cAP series) and other passive PoE equipment rated for the voltage you’re supplying.
Does RouterOS Level 4 include all features I need?
RouterOS Level 4 includes everything most professional deployments require: full firewall, VPN (all protocols), OSPF, BGP, VLAN, QoS, Hotspot, and scripting. The only features absent at Level 4 vs Level 6 are: unlimited RADIUS users and EoIP tunnels (capped at 200). For the vast majority of deployments, Level 4 is complete.
Can the hEX S be rack-mounted?
The hEX S is designed for desktop or wall mounting. It can be DIN-rail mounted with the optional MikroTik DIN rail mount accessory (sold separately).
What SFP modules are compatible?
Any standard 1G SFP transceiver. MikroTik-native modules (S-85DLC05D for multimode, S-31DLC20D for single-mode) are verified compatible. Most Cisco-compatible third-party SFPs also work without issue.
In the Box — What’s Included
- 1 x MikroTik RB760iGS hEX S Router
- 1 x 12V DC Power Adapter
- 1 x Quick Start Guide
Note: SFP transceivers and LTE USB dongles are sold separately.
MikroTik Reliability — 28 Years of Network Engineering Excellence
MikroTik has been designing and manufacturing routing hardware since 1996. Their equipment powers ISP infrastructure, wireless backbones, enterprise edges, and government networks across more than 100 countries. The hEX S carries this legacy forward — engineered in Latvia, battle-tested globally, and trusted by hundreds of thousands of network professionals.
The RouterOS ecosystem comes with a lifetime license — no annual subscription, no cloud dependency, no feature paywalls. Every firmware update is free, delivered directly to the device, and backward-compatible with your existing configuration.
Final Verdict — The Smartest Networking Decision at This Price
No consumer router gives you BGP. No consumer router gives you WireGuard with policy-based routing. No consumer router gives you a stateful firewall with connection tracking, Layer 7 inspection, dynamic address lists, and SNMP export — all at the same time, on a device that runs silently on 4 watts.
The MikroTik RB760iGS hEX S does all of this — and more — out of the box. It is the entry point to professional networking: the router that network engineers recommend to each other, the device that ISPs deploy in the thousands, and the platform that home lab builders grow with for years.
Stop settling for routers that limit what your network can do. Choose the MikroTik hEX S — and take full control of your infrastructure today.
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