Netinstall MikroTik on Linux

Background

I have RB941-2nD-TC (hAP-Lite2) and it seem I misconfigured, so I need to reset configuration using netinstall technique.

Requirements

• RouterOS base on your router architecture (in my case is SMIPS).
• Netinstall (CLI Linux).
• Plug out router from powerline.

Download all requirements files from https://mikrotik.com/download, and select RouterOS version (in my case is RouterOS v6).

Setup

Files

Extract all files to single folder, so we can work with the files easily.

Disable Internet Interface

Disable all internet interface such as WiFi, and only leaving with Ethernet.

IP Static

Using ip command.

sudo ip addr add 192.168.88.2/24 dev <interface>; sudo ip link set dev <interface> up

Using ifconfig command.

sudo ifconfig <interface> 192.168.88.2/24 up

Where <interface> is your ethernet interface name, you can print list ethernet interface using netstat -i, something like eth* or enp0s* is your interface.

IP Gateway

Using route command.

sudo route add default gw 192.168.88.1 <interface>

Check IP

Using route command to check if we success to setup IP.

route -n

It will print something like this.

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask          Flags  Metric  Ref  Use  Iface
0.0.0.0         192.168.88.1    0.0.0.0          UG     0       0      0  enp0s25
192.168.88.0    0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0    U      0       0      0  enp0s25

Netinstall

Run netinstall with sudo.

sudo ./netinstall -r -a 192.168.88.1 <routeros>

• Plug ethernet cable from PC to router.
• Press reset button on router.
• Plug router to powerline.

Result

My netinstall result.

Known Issues

• ### Only Show PXE client

Disable all interface except ethernet.

• ### FAILED TO REPLY

Make sure you set IP gateway.

• ### Using server IP: 0.0.0.0

Make sure you plug out router from powerline before you run netinstall.

References

• https://blog.webiptek.com/2021/01/tutorial-netinstall-mikrotik-di-linux.html