I guess everybody now are facing problems related to hardware availability.
12-18 months ago we were struggling with the Disc Lite ac - lead times up to 6 months, then things appeared to improve a tad, but now we have the worst situation I've seen throughout my 15 years as a Mikrotik user. Especially on switches estimated stock dates are months ahead, some of them as far as august...

Ultimately, this might cause projects to be cancelled or postponed for half a year due to lack of hardware.
Of course I can be accused of not maintaining a big enough stock myself, but how can you estimate the number of each product you should keep on the shelves, given this volatile situation?
OTOH, if everybody ordered twice as much as needed, that would also vacuum clean warehouses all over Europe....which it probably already did?
I'm sure that the revenue for Mikrotik is also suffering from this, as their customers' are.

Apologize if I missed it, but so far I have not seen any official statement from Mikrotik about the situation.
If I understand it right this is all about Chinese microchip shortage, but what are the prospects? China's vague position vs Putin's war crimes in Ukraine does not make things brighter either.
For instance, some car manufacturers are now moving production from the far east to europe to reduce the risk.

-Is this situation something that we will have to live with permanently in the future?
-Alternatively, when does MT expect the situation to be back to normal?
-Is MT planning to move parts of the production to Europe to reduce dependency on China?

I would highly appreciate if Mikrotik officials could comment on this!

Exactly. Market situation is critical. Where is outdoor 4G/LTE devices? I live next door to one of the Mikrotik factories and I'm informed that they are making new SXT and sending them out. Where are they? You are making devices today. We need to buy these devices today.

Can't buy LHGGLTE6 anywhere in South Africa at the moment, not to mention other lack of variety/supply at major suppliers such as scoop. Have to select hardware based on what's in stock. better supply chain management will be integral to achieving more efficient and higher sales output volumes

For context, some of the clients we work for that use Cisco and Juniper have an average of more than 1-year lead time for most equipment and some are even getting close to a 2-year lead time.

So the fact that we can still buy MikroTik inventory at all is pretty amazing compared to the rest of the networking industry.

For context, some of the clients we work for that use Cisco and Juniper have an average of more than 1-year lead time for most equipment and some are even getting close to a 2-year lead time.

So the fact that we can still buy MikroTik inventory at all is pretty amazing compared to the rest of the networking industry.

In fact we can't...or maybe barely... and either way that is a poor comfort, for mee at least.
Try to get hold of a Mikrotik PoE switch these days...
The problem that I try to address is that this just happens without notice and nobody knows, all we hear is rumors that it is about chips from China...
We can cope with a lot of situations if we get information and prospects of improvement, so what is this all about?
Factory workers at home with Covid? Factories burned down? Bankrupcy in the industry? Silicon shortage? Transport challenges? Politics?
Is this an evidence of the western hemisphere's all too large dependency on China?
And what is done to improve the situation, except for waiting?
What we don't want is having to move away from Mikrotik as preferred brand (if there are other brands to move to...) , and I don't think Mikrotik wants that either.

And what is done to improve the situation, except for waiting?
What we don't want is having to move away from Mikrotik as preferred brand (if there are other brands to move to...) , and I don't think Mikrotik wants that either.

I don't think so either, but I also think that there is very little MT can do about it. When giants like Cisco and Juniper suffer, little guys like MT are absolutely powerless.

Haven't seen any message from HP either.
I'm waiting already for some months for some stupid printers ... if it happens there, it'll happen everywhere.

In fact we can't...or maybe barely... and either way that is a poor comfort, for mee at least.
Try to get hold of a Mikrotik PoE switch these days...
The problem that I try to address is that this just happens without notice and nobody knows, all we hear is rumors that it is about chips from China...
We can cope with a lot of situations if we get information and prospects of improvement, so what is this all about?
Factory workers at home with Covid? Factories burned down? Bankrupcy in the industry? Silicon shortage? Transport challenges? Politics?
Is this an evidence of the western hemisphere's all too large dependency on China?
And what is done to improve the situation, except for waiting?
What we don't want is having to move away from Mikrotik as preferred brand (if there are other brands to move to...) , and I don't think Mikrotik wants that either.

I advise you to study the matter a bit better, e.g. read some general articles about it on the tech news sites etc.
It is not a problem specific to MikroTik, and most manufacturers provide no detail information, probably that would be strategically bad for them.
Sure it is a consequence of neoliberal globalization, but that cannot be blamed on MikroTik. And those that it can be blamed on suddenly are not home or don't remember.
Good luck in finding another preferred brand. It is the same for everyone.

mbovenka, holvoetn, pe1chl:

For sure, misunderstanding other people's positions and intentions is easy....

Just to clarify:
-Yes I have read quite a bit about it already
-No, I don't blame Mikrotik for the problem
-No, I dont think this is specific to Mikrotik, I am struggling with availability of a lot of brands of computers, peripherials, printers, monitors...
-No, believe me or not, I don't think Mikrotik has the power to control the Chinese semiconductor industry
-No, I have no wish, nor have I made any descision, to move to other brands.

All I am asking is for Mikrotik to address their customers with a statement and shed some light on the situation.
How can that possibly be interpreted as blaming them, accusing them for not changing the whole industry, ditching them as a supplyer, or merely be taken as a sign of sheer ignorance?
If Mikrotik was "just another manufacturer of bottom of the barrel gear" I would not bother to address this, the reason I do is that they make great stuff and that I care.

Nobody expect Cisco and HP to step down and communicate with their customers, they are far too big.
Mikrotik is different, they are human beings that we use to shake hands with at the MUMs, and whom we can discuss things with.

How can that possibly be interpreted as blaming them, accusing them for not changing the whole industry, ditching them as a supplyer, or merely be taken as a sign of sheer ignorance?
If Mikrotik was "just another manufacturer of bottom of the barrel gear" I would not bother to address this, the reason I do is that they make great stuff and that I care.

Nobody expect Cisco and HP to step down and communicate with their customers, they are far too big.
Mikrotik is different, they are human beings that we use to shake hands with at the MUMs, and whom we can discuss things with.

As you say: the big boys don't, why would the smaller ones do it ? For what purpose ? To put the spotlights on themselves and take the heat ?
Bad marketing... I completely understand why they do NOT mention anything.

It's not that they can ship devices with missing parts like some car manufacturers decided to do (yes, I'm talking about Tesla, Audi, Ford, ...).

Sitting on lead times of 24 months for some chassis switches mate.
Everything is affected.

As you say: the big boys don't, why would the smaller ones do it ? For what purpose ? To put the spotlights on themselves and take the heat ?
Bad marketing... I completely understand why they do NOT mention anything.

Ok, to me transparency vs customers is a good thing.
But of course I respect your right to disagree.

Ok, to me transparency vs customers is a good thing.
But of course I respect your right to disagree.

You misunderstood me there, I think.
I also think transparency is a good thing but I understand why they decide not to communicate. That's something else.

It's like chosing between cholera and the plague.
They always loose whatever they do. So they apparently selected the lesser evil here. And I understand that (which does not mean I have to agree with that choice).
It's their business. So it's their decision.

China has everyone [mfgs & vendors] by the short hairs ... geopolitics is causing a very significant realignment so until that is sorted out China will use all of its commercial weapons' to gain the upper hand. Since EVERYONE in this game relied on the very cheap labour that China offered and delivered the consequences is very obvious. The Supply chain is in a mess and will take time to sort out.

China has everyone [mfgs & vendors] by the short hairs ... geopolitics is causing a very significant realignment so until that is sorted out China will use all of its commercial weapons' to gain the upper hand. Since EVERYONE in this game relied on the very cheap labour that China offered and delivered the consequences is very obvious. The Supply chain is in a mess and will take time to sort out.

Scary prospects indeed...
In the long run, the question is whether the western hemisphere can continue to rely that heavily on China if they are continuing along their current path.
So far, from China's side we haven't seen anything but vague statements regarding butcher Putins genocide in Ucraine, and indeed they have quite a bit to answer for in terms of democratic rights, human rights, HSE and so on...

So it's their decision.

Damn straight.

I advise you to study the matter a bit better, e.g. read some general articles about it on the tech news sites etc.

Zero value added, thanks for that.

I've been following three specific products, CRS328-24P-4S+RM,CSS610-8G-2S+IN and RB5009UG+S+IN since January. Expected shipping date keep slipping since then, from March all the way to July. I understand there is a shortage, but how can they not have ANY RB5009UG routers to sell between Feb and July? ZERO! I reapeat ZERO TO SELL? CSS610, same story won't ship until June. It's a completely valid question to ask since other products are clearly being made, even if in smaller quantities.

I needed to buy a home router, I couldn't get RB5009UG so I bought MikroTik CCR2004-16G-2S+ instead, since CCR2004 is much more easily available...

I understand there is a shortage, but how can they not have ANY RB5009UG routers to sell between Feb and July? ZERO!

The same way Cisco, Juniper, Aruba, Arista, Extreme, etc, etc don't have any boxes to sell for 1 to 2 years.

It's not complicated - certain components are in short supply. If they have the components to make a particular model, then they make and ship it. If they don't have all the components to go on the board, then they wait until those are projected to be in hand. We've been dealing with this in IT globally for over a year now, it's not new.

The fact that MIkroTik is shipping *anything* that does routing and switching puts them ahead of most every other network vendor on the planet.

There's also a war on Lativa's doorstep. MikroTik donated hundreds of thousands of euros worth of equipment to help restore connectivity in Ukraine and surrounding refugee camps. If they got all the 5009s that were in stock until July, i'm 110% ok with that.

Have a bit of empathy while you shout about getting your "home" router. Jus sayin...

Have a bit of empathy while you shout about getting your "home" router. Jus sayin...

Wow, I get called out for a lack of empathy towards victims of war because I am asking why are the shipping dates of network equipment keep slipping. Internet turn of even here...

You are overly dramatic, just saying.

The fact that MIkroTik is shipping *anything* that does routing and switching puts them ahead of most every other network vendor on the planet.

There's also a war on Lativa's doorstep. MikroTik donated hundreds of thousands of euros worth of equipment to help restore connectivity in Ukraine and surrounding refugee camps. If they got all the 5009s that were in stock until July, i'm 110% ok with that.

Have a bit of empathy while you shout about getting your "home" router. Jus sayin...

Thank you for information about MT's contribution in Ukraine's struggle against her neighbor from hell, I believe this is new information for most of us, and of course I don't protest to this.
In fact this move could be used to the positive for Mikrotik if the world got to know!

That said, this thread is about the overall supply situation of Mikrotik hardware specifically, and that situation does not improve by considerations regarding other brands being even more delayed. Businesses (like mine) won't rest assured with lead times of 6 months only because Cisco has 12 months...

Also no point in ridiculing the previous poster for his home use and compare that to hitherto unknown information about Mikrotik in Ukraine...everybody is frustrated from his/her perspective due to lack of availability.

I do not see any "ridiculing" on what @IPANetEngineer has wrote

I do not see any "ridiculing" on what @IPANetEngineer has wrote

Well, as I read it he is criticising mk47 because he is trying to get hold of a home router and kind of calls for empathy and guilt because that conflicts with MT donating gear to Ucraine..
I believe everybody supports MTs act here, but how was anyone supposed to know of that secret before now?

Well, as I read it he is criticising mk47 because he is trying to get hold of a home router and kind of calls for empathy and guilt because that conflicts with MT donating gear to Ucraine..
I believe everybody supports MTs act here, but how was anyone supposed to know of that secret before now?

Shortages, zero communication, slippery delivery dates are nothing new, and did not started with current situation in Ukraine and supposed "donations"... This is what I'm experiencing with Mikrotik for the last 3 years...
About the supposed "secret": as long as it remains secret it does not officially exist. So I don't see what I should "support" or not, nor why anyone should be "empathic by default"...

"Clients can understand a situation, not silence."

Well, why would MikroTik have to communicate with us, the users, about their delivery times?
It appears they do communicate with their customers, the distributors, about this. The distributors often have expected delivery times on their websites.
That should be enough, as times about delivery of products to distributors are not so useful for us as users (we do not know about inventory at distributors and elsewhere in the chain).

Well, why would MikroTik have to communicate with us, the users, about their delivery times?

Because MT can create good PR. And it is not even about delivery times, it is about general lack of items. I don't see what would be so negative about acknowledging the situation and even providing an explanation, even if high level one. MT don't have to do that of course, nobody here is demanding that "MT must explain itself".

But is completely reasonable from OP to ask a question like he did here: "Is anybody aware of MT saying anything about the shortages".
I personally find it perplexing that certain items are not at all available even to attempt to buy. Shortage is one thing, at least some items are available. But is seems that certain item are not available at all.

We ask because somebody here might know more, forums is about sharing knowledge after all. And those who respond with "Well nothing is available in today's world" are wasting everybody's time and creating aggro. We are well aware there is a shortage of IT equip, it doesn't mean that we not allowed to talk about it.

Well, why would MikroTik have to communicate with us, the users, about their delivery times?

Because MT can create good PR.

But it is much more likely to create bad PR! When MikroTik write here "we have only 1000 chips of type X in stock and the next delivery will be in november", what do you think the reaction would be? "hey thank you for that info!"? I don't think so...

Things are about to get even worse on the supply chain side btw
https://www.wired.com/story/supply-chain-crisis-data/

Because MT can create good PR.

But it is much more likely to create bad PR! When MikroTik write here "we have only 1000 chips of type X in stock and the next delivery will be in november", what do you think the reaction would be? "hey thank you for that info!"? I don't think so...

Nobody expext them to disclose the exact number of a certain piece of chip...that is not what this is all about...
I know that MT like all other vendors are "innocent", and I am also aware that technically I am not their customer, my distributor is.
But to me, information creates confidence, and I assume that information given to distributors could also be shared with retailers and their customers.
Most customers would accept it (they don't really have a choice) if they get information that "vendor x is short of component y, but the situation is excpected to improve from month xx and we hope to be on track by Qx/20xx"
I know that people here disagree, but to me that is way better than just a constant sliding delivery date and general statements about "chinese chip shortage"
Frankly, I cannot see how that would be bad PR...either way, who will drop a brand due to that when their competitors are even worse off? After all it would be a sign that the vendor cares about their customer mass.

I think saying nothing is the worst option of them all, suggests they don't care. And they very likely don't care about little me, or even all of us enthusiasts and consumers, and maybe they keep their imporant enterprise customers fully informed (it would be good to hear from somebody in enterprise who knows something). But surely a good PR person can spin this in a way to make them look better than they are looking right now. And it can't cost that much to put something out...

I believe everybody supports MTs act here, but how was anyone supposed to know of that secret before now?

MikroTik has been posting about this for weeks on their social media channels.

https://twitter.com/mikrotik_com/status ... 3wvtED_xSA

MikroTik has been posting about this for weeks on their social media channels.
https://twitter.com/mikrotik_com/status ... 3wvtED_xSA

Since when is Twitter their official channel of information?

Since when is Twitter their official channel of information?

Has been for years, check the website (same info is posted on FB as well)

What's this social media you talk about ?
Don't use it, never will.

MikroTik has been posting about this for weeks on their social media channels.
https://twitter.com/mikrotik_com/status ... 3wvtED_xSA

Since when is Twitter their official channel of information?

This forum is as official channel of information as twitter or facebook. It's been said many times that this is user forum.

Has anyone considered the terms which distributors have to agree to with MikroTik?
This includes keeping certain bits of information out of the public domain whilst allowing these distributors to provide estimates or lead times to customers.
If every company had to become completely transparent about their manufacturing supply chain, it opens them up to being strangled by every single element on cost, volume and time.
Furthermore, it lets competitors know what they can do to hurt their business as usual. Wait patiently like all of us and use your noggin'.

What's this social media you talk about ?
Don't use it, never will.

I don't mean to be rude, but if you're not keeping up with major suppliers' social media while simultaneously complaining about not hearing of updates...that's kind of on you. You don't need to "use" social media (i.e be sucked into the world of countless hours scrolling through posts, arguing with people online, etc) in an everyday sense but, if you're unwilling to download an app or sign into a site just like you did on this forum and at a minimum follow the companies you want to see updates from...do you expect sympathy from anyone?

We live in a world of technology, we are speaking about technology *in* this forum, but people refuse to log in to a social media (technology) platform to get updates?

Contrary to what you may think there are other means of communication gathering then 'social media'.

Besides, I'm not sure where this negativity comes from ? I don't have a problem nor was I complaining ?
I was merely commenting on the fact that everyone is pointing to social media. That's all.

Everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion. Equally so everyone is entitled to consult the communication channels he/she thinks are sufficient for his/her needs.