What tool does MikroTik use to manage bandwidth shaping directly from the router?

MikroTik utilizes queues as the primary tool for managing bandwidth shaping directly from the router. Queues allow network administrators to control the flow of traffic, prioritize certain types of data, and ensure that bandwidth is allocated effectively among different users or applications.

Using queues, you can define limits on the amount of data that can be transmitted or received, which is particularly useful in managing resources, preventing network congestion, and ensuring a fair distribution of bandwidth. By setting up simple queues for specific IP addresses or interfaces, or more complex queue trees for more fine-grained control, MikroTik provides robust options for traffic management.

While hotspots are used for user authentication and access control, firewalls primarily focus on security and regulating traffic based on security policies, and routing is concerned with determining how packets are directed through the network, it is the queue system that directly addresses bandwidth shaping. This makes queues the optimal choice for managing traffic flow and maintaining service quality within the router's capabilities.