Thomas
Votes: 0Posted On: Aug 08, 2018 04:59:31
MikroTik RouterOS is an easy to use yet highly powerful interface that gives the power to Network Admins to deploy network capabilities and functions at ease. With the help of MikroTik RouterOS, you can turn a normal standard personal computer into a powerful network router.
MikroTik RouterOS is a Linux based operating system that are specially designed for thinrouters. The terms refer to the amount of software and the size of the operating system that is running on our desktop computers.
Hardware specifications required before you proceed with installation
- CPU and motherboard - advanced 4th generation (core frequency 100MHz or more), 5th generation (Intel Pentium, Cyrix 6X86, AMD K5 or comparable) or newer uniprocessor Intel IA-32 (i386) compatible (multiple processors are not supported)
- RAM - minimum 64 MiB, maximum 1 GiB; 64 MiB or more recommended
- Hard Drive/Flash - standard ATA interface controller and drive with minimum of 64 Mb space
NOTE: SCSI and USB controllers and drives are not supported; RAID controllers that require additional drivers are not supported
The following steps will guide you on how to download and install MikroTik RouterOS
Step 1. Download the basic installation file from the following location https://www.mikrotik.com/download
You can use one of the following methods to download the installation file on one of the media and load it on the desired system
- ISO image - You can burn a cd with the required files and use it for booting up the dedicated PC and installing the MikroTik RouterOS. This is the easiest way to perform the installation.
- Netinstall - You can also perform the installation over a LAN. You just need a bootable device (floppy or CD) to boot the device supported by some network interface cards, that allows truly networked installation.
- MikroTik Disk Maker - if you want to create 3.5" installation floppies.
Note: The installation from CD or network requires Full (paid) License. If you intend to obtain the Free Demo License, you should use the floppy installation media.
Step 2. Installing the Mikrotik RouterOS
Make sure that your system has the required hardware specifications before you perform installation. Use the media you created for installation and use it to boot up the machine. You should see instructions on the console screen and must follow the same.
Once the installation is performed, remove the installation media and hit "Enter" to reboot the system.
Note: Please remember that the Hard drive will be formatted before the installation is performed.
Warning: Do not use MS-DOS format command or other disk format utilities to reinstall your MikroTik router! This will cause the Software-ID to change, so you will need to buy another license in order to get MikroTik RouterOS running.
Step 3. Getting the Software ID
Once the installation is completed and the machine is now a router, it can function with all the features for 24 hours. One has to renew the license in this time frame to keep the functionalities running.
You need to know the softwareID to license the software. To get the software ID from system console you can run the following command
/system license print
(note that you must first log in the router using default use 'admin' and just hit enter without password.
Step 4. Obtaining a license
Before you go for the license, make sure that you have performed step 3.
To obtain a license you must have an account on the Mikrotik Site. If you do not have an account, you may create one from https://mikrotik.com/client/ and click on "Register". Once you create an account, you can now choose the appropriate license level that meets your need.
Step 5. Activating the license key
• If you have chosen to receive license key over email, then you should receive a file which you can upload on router through FTP
• You can also open the file and copy paste the content of the file into system console
• If the router has Internet connection, you can obtain the license directly from within it.
