routeros-netinstall
Install and manage RouterOS devices with netinstall
MikroTik RouterOS device flashing requires understanding BOOTP, TFTP, package management, and scripting. This skill provides complete netinstall-cli reference documentation with automation patterns for single-device and multi-device installations.
Download the skill ZIP
Upload in Claude
Go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill
Toggle on and start using
Test it
Using "routeros-netinstall". Install RouterOS 7.22 with container and WiFi packages on an ARM64 device via eth0.
Expected outcome:
- Run: sudo netinstall-cli -r -b -i eth0 routeros-7.22-arm64.npk container-7.22-arm64.npk wifi-qcom-7.22-arm64.npk
- Ensure the device is in etherboot mode (hold reset button while powering on until it appears in netinstall).
- The system package (routeros-*.npk) must be listed first in the command.
Using "routeros-netinstall". How do I enter etherboot mode using the RouterOS CLI?
Expected outcome:
- Run this command in RouterOS CLI: /system/routerboard/settings/set boot-device=try-ethernet-once-then-nand
- Then reboot the device. It will attempt ethernet boot once before falling back to NAND.
- After netinstall completes, the boot device setting returns to normal.
Security Audit
SafeThis skill is a documentation-only SKILL.md file (252 lines) describing MikroTik RouterOS netinstall-cli usage. The static analyzer flagged 124 patterns, but all are false positives from misinterpreting markdown formatting. Backtick-enclosed text (e.g., `netinstall-cli`) is markdown inline code formatting, not Ruby/shell execution. Sudo references, shell command substitution examples, and network URLs appear in documented code examples and reference links. The file contains no executable code, no secrets, and no malicious patterns. Safe for publication.
Quality Score
What You Can Build
Network administrator deploying RouterOS at scale
Use netinstall automation patterns to flash multiple RouterOS devices simultaneously in a lab or production environment. Reference the multi-device install service loop with -m -o flags for efficient batch provisioning.
DevOps engineer building RouterOS CI/CD pipelines
Integrate netinstall-cli into containerized build pipelines for automated RouterOS testing. Reference the containerized netinstall pattern with VETH networking and environment variable configuration.
Technician recovering bricked RouterOS devices
Follow etherboot entry procedures and single-device install steps to recover devices that failed firmware updates or have corrupted configurations. Use the configure script pattern for customized defaults.
Try These Prompts
I need to install RouterOS 7.22 on an ARM64 MikroTik device. Build the netinstall-cli command with reinstall defaults and discard branding package on interface eth0.
Write a modescript that enables advanced mode with container and zerotier support, then show the netinstall-cli command to apply it on first boot.
I have an ARM64 Linux server and need to run netinstall-cli. Explain the QEMU user-mode setup and show how to auto-detect the correct QEMU binary for transparent execution.
Set up netinstall-cli as a RouterOS container that automatically installs RouterOS on devices connecting to the LAN. Configure the container with VETH networking, arm64 architecture, stable channel, and container plus wifi packages.
Best Practices
- Always list the system package (routeros-VER-ARCH.npk) first in the netinstall-cli package list to ensure correct installation order.
- Use a dedicated network interface or switch with no other DHCP sources to avoid BOOTP conflicts during etherboot device discovery.
- Apply DNS retry logic (5 attempts with 2-second delays) when running netinstall in containers at boot time, as DNS may not be immediately available.
Avoid
- Do not combine -r (reinstall with defaults) and -e (reinstall with empty config) flags. They are mutually exclusive and produce undefined behavior.
- Avoid using USB Ethernet adapters directly between host and device. Link flaps from USB adapters can prevent device detection. Use a switch as an intermediary.
- Do not run netinstall-cli on networks with active DHCP servers without isolation. BOOTP uses the same ports as DHCP and will cause address conflicts.