git:20260329.f64b9fc to git:20260416.e882ae1

---

name: routeros-netinstall

description: "MikroTik netinstall-cli for automated RouterOS device flashing. Use when: automating netinstall, writing scripts that invoke netinstall-cli, building netinstall tooling, understanding etherboot/BOOTP/TFTP protocols, working with RouterOS package files (.npk), using modescript or configure script, or when the user mentions netinstall, etherboot, or device flashing."

---

# RouterOS Netinstall

## What Netinstall Is

Netinstall is MikroTik's tool for installing and reinstalling RouterOS on hardware devices over a direct Ethernet connection. It uses BOOTP (port 68) and TFTP (port 69) to discover devices in "etherboot" mode and transfer packages to them.

**Two variants:**

- **Netinstall for Windows** — GUI application

- **`netinstall-cli`** — Linux command-line tool (x86 ELF binary only)

Both re-format the device's system drive. The license key and RouterBOOT settings are preserved.

## netinstall-cli Command Syntax

```

netinstall-cli [-r] [-e] [-b] [-m [-o]] [-f] [-v] [-c]

[-k <keyfile>] [-s <userscript>] [-sm <modescript>]

[--mac <mac>] {-i <interface> | -a <client-ip>} [PACKAGES...]

```

### Flags

| Flag | Meaning |

|---|---|

| `-r` | Reinstall with default configuration (mutually exclusive with `-e`) |

| `-e` | Reinstall with empty configuration (no defaults applied) |

| `-b` | Discard branding package from device |

| `-m` | Enable multiple device reinstallation (loop). Device will be reinstalled each time it sends BOOTP |

| `-m -o` | Multiple reinstall, but each MAC only once per run |

| `-f` | Ignore storage size constraints |

| `-v` | Verbose output |

| `-c` | Allow concurrent netinstall instances on same host |

| `-k <keyfile>` | Install a license key (.KEY file) |

| `-s <userscript>` | Configure script — custom default config that replaces RouterOS-supplied default. Persists across upgrades until re-netinstalled |

| `-sm <modescript>` | Mode script — one-time first-boot script (7.22+). Runs before configure script. Auto-removed after execution. If it changes device-mode, device reboots immediately |

| `--mac <mac>` | Only serve this specific MAC address |

| `-i <interface>` | Listen on this network interface |

| `-a <client-ip>` | Assign this IP to the device (uses BOOTP server auto-detect for interface) |

### Critical Rules

1. **System package must be listed first** — `routeros-VER-ARCH.npk` must be the first package in the list

2. **Requires root/sudo** — uses privileged BOOTP (port 68) and TFTP (port 69)

3. **Multi-arch support** — provide packages for multiple architectures; netinstall auto-detects the device's architecture and selects matching packages

4. **x86 binary only** — `netinstall-cli` is an i386 Linux ELF; requires QEMU user-mode emulation on ARM/ARM64 hosts

5. **No `-r` and no `-e` = keep old config** — downloads config DB from device, reformats, re-uploads config (does NOT preserve files like Dude/UserManager databases)

### Interface vs Client-IP Mode

| Mode | Flag | How it works |

|---|---|---|

| Interface | `-i <iface>` | Listens on the specified interface, auto-detects server IP |

| Client-IP | `-a <ip>` | Assigns the specified IP to the booting device; netinstall auto-selects the interface |

In containers on RouterOS 7.21+, the VETH interface name matches the configured VETH name (e.g., `veth-netinstall`), so use `-i veth-netinstall`.

## Etherboot Mode

Devices must be in "etherboot" mode for netinstall to discover them. Methods to enter etherboot:

| Method | How |

|---|---|

| Reset button | Power off, hold reset, power on, hold until device appears in netinstall |

| Serial console | Press `Ctrl+E` during boot |

| RouterOS CLI | `/system/routerboard/settings/set boot-device=try-ethernet-once-then-nand` then reboot |

| Protected bootloader | Reset button behavior changes — must remember settings used |

**Etherboot uses BOOTP** (same ports as DHCP). On networks with DHCP servers, conflicts can occur. Best practice: use a dedicated interface/switch with no other DHCP sources.

## Configure Script vs Mode Script

| Feature | Configure Script (`-s`) | Mode Script (`-sm`) |

|---|---|---|

| When it runs | After default config is applied (on reboot) | First boot, before configure/default scripts |

| Persistence | Kept across upgrades and resets until re-netinstalled | One-time — auto-deleted after execution |

| Min version | Any RouterOS 7.x | RouterOS and netinstall-cli both >= 7.22 |

| Timeout | 120 seconds | 120 seconds |

| Use case | Custom default config replacement | Device-mode setup, protected-routerboot |

| File format | Regular `.rsc` with RouterOS CLI commands | Regular `.rsc` with RouterOS CLI commands |

| Device-mode | If script changes device-mode, reboots immediately | Same |

**Configure script variables (7.10beta8+):**

- `$defconfPassword` — factory-set admin password (read-only)

- `$defconfWifiPassword` — factory-set WiFi password (read-only)

### Mode Script for Device-Mode

The primary use case for `-sm` is enabling device-mode features on first boot without requiring manual power-cycle confirmation:

```routeros

# Enable advanced mode + container support

/system/device-mode update mode=advanced container=yes

# Enable advanced mode + container + zerotier

/system/device-mode update mode=advanced container=yes zerotier=yes

```

When the mode script changes device-mode, the device **automatically reboots** to apply the change. This replaces what would otherwise require a physical power-cycle/reset-button press.

## Package Files (.npk)

### URL Pattern

See the `routeros-fundamentals` skill ([version-parsing reference](../routeros-fundamentals/references/version-parsing.md)) for download URLs, version channels, and pre-release host selection.

```

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/{version}/routeros-{version}-{arch}.npk

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/{version}/all_packages-{arch}-{version}.zip

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/{version}/netinstall-{version}.tar.gz

```

**x86 exception:** x86 packages omit the architecture suffix entirely: `routeros-7.22.npk`, `container-7.22.npk` (not `routeros-7.22-x86.npk`). The `all_packages` zip does use `x86`: `all_packages-x86-7.22.zip`.

Note: Starting sometime around 7.18+, `netinstall-cli` is distributed as a `.tar.gz` containing the `netinstall-cli` binary.

### Architecture Names in Packages

| Architecture | Package suffix | Example |

|---|---|---|

| ARM | `-arm` | `routeros-7.22-arm.npk` |

| ARM64 | `-arm64` | `routeros-7.22-arm64.npk` |

| MIPS big-endian | `-mipsbe` | `routeros-7.22-mipsbe.npk` |

| MIPS multi-core | `-mmips` | `routeros-7.22-mmips.npk` |

| MIPS single-core | `-smips` | `routeros-7.22-smips.npk` |

| PowerPC | `-ppc` | `routeros-7.22-ppc.npk` |

| Tilera | `-tile` | `routeros-7.22-tile.npk` |

| x86 | *(none)* | `routeros-7.22.npk` |

### All-Packages ZIP

The `all_packages-{arch}-{version}.zip` contains all optional packages for a given architecture. Extract to get individual `.npk` files. The system package (routeros-*.npk) is also included.

## Version Resolution

Current version per channel is available as plain text — see the `routeros-fundamentals` skill ([version-parsing reference](../routeros-fundamentals/references/version-parsing.md)) for full details on channels, URL patterns, download host selection (stable vs pre-release), and version comparison logic.

**DNS retry pattern:** When running in a container at boot time, DNS may not be ready. Retry logic (5 attempts, 2s delay) is recommended for any version resolution at startup:

```makefile

# GNU make function with retry (from tikoci/netinstall Makefile)

channel_ver = $(firstword $(shell for _i in 1 2 3 4 5; do \

_v=$$(wget -q -O - https://upgrade.mikrotik.com/routeros/NEWESTa7.$(1)) && \

[ -n "$$_v" ] && echo "$$_v" && break; sleep 2; done))

```

## Running on Non-x86 Hosts

`netinstall-cli` is an x86 (i386) Linux ELF binary. On non-x86 hosts:

| Host | Solution |

|---|---|

## Network Requirements

- **Privileged ports:** BOOTP uses ports 67/68, TFTP uses port 69 — requires root/sudo

- **Direct L2 connection:** Device must be on the same Layer 2 segment as the netinstall host

- **Static IP recommended:** Configure a static IP on the host interface (e.g., 192.168.88.2/24)

- **Client IP must be unique:** The `-a` IP address must not conflict with any other device on the network

- **Link flaps:** Some USB Ethernet adapters cause link flaps that prevent device detection. Use a switch between adapter and device as workaround

- **DHCP snooping:** If using a managed switch with DHCP snooping, mark the netinstall-facing port as "trusted"

## Automation Patterns

### Single Device Install

```sh

sudo netinstall-cli -r -b -i eth0 \

routeros-7.22-arm64.npk \

container-7.22-arm64.npk \

wifi-qcom-7.22-arm64.npk

```

### Multi-Device Install (Service Loop)

```sh

# Install every device that boots, each MAC once per run

sudo netinstall-cli -r -b -m -o -i eth0 \

routeros-7.22-arm64.npk \

container-7.22-arm64.npk

```

### With Mode Script (7.22+)

```sh

# Write modescript

cat > modescript.rsc << 'EOF'

/system/device-mode update mode=advanced container=yes

EOF

sudo netinstall-cli -r -b -sm modescript.rsc -i eth0 \

routeros-7.22-arm64.npk \

container-7.22-arm64.npk

```

### Containerized Netinstall on RouterOS

Run netinstall-cli inside a RouterOS container with VETH networking for "self-provisioning" — the router runs a container that can netinstall other devices on the same LAN.

Key environment variables (passed via `/container/envs`):

```routeros

/container envs add key=ARCH list=NETINSTALL value=arm64

/container envs add key=PKGS list=NETINSTALL value="container wifi-qcom"

/container envs add key=CHANNEL list=NETINSTALL value=stable

/container envs add key=OPTS list=NETINSTALL value="-b -r"

/container envs add key=IFACE list=NETINSTALL value=veth-netinstall

```

See the `routeros-container` skill for container setup details.

## Additional Resources

**Related skills:**

- For RouterOS CLI/REST basics: see the `routeros-fundamentals` skill

- For device-mode configuration: see the `routeros-container` skill (device-mode section)

**MCP tools:**

- For RouterOS documentation lookups: use the `rosetta` MCP server tools (`routeros_search`, `routeros_get_page`)

**External docs:**

- MikroTik official docs: https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/spaces/ROS/pages/24805390/Netinstall