I've been using LLMs to set up MikroTik networks for months with good results. MikroTik gear is reliable and inexpensive but has a reputation for complex configuration. Networking itself is inherently deep—think MPLS, OSPF, IGMP—and I'm an amateur who couldn't pass a certified routing exam without serious study.

LLMs act as chaotic force multipliers here. They know MikroTik configuration well but still hallucinate. I've given Claude code access to devices (with dangerous permissions) and compiled tips: use the REST/JSON API instead of SSH, dump configs before/after changes, use CAPsMAN for multi-AP WiFi, cross-check configs with multiple models (Antigravity, Codex, Opus, Fable), and maintain a recovery runbook.

Practical details: update all devices to the same RouterOS version, set NTP, name devices/ports descriptively, test after every change. When IP conflicts create overlapping 192.168.88.x networks, MAC-Telnet (L2 MAC-layer telnet) saves you—it works when IPs fail and LLMs can control it via CLI, unlike GUI WinBox. I built a Homebrew formula and small CLI wrapper for easier MAC-Telnet use. Have fun, and tell me if I'm wrong.