Summary
In RouterOS v7, most of the features are combined in one routeros (system) package.
Installing the corresponding package can enable specific features (like container, dude).
Packages are provided only by MikroTik, and no 3rd parties are allowed to make them.
Acquiring packages
Packages can be downloaded from the MikroTik download page.
RouterOS packages
Starting from RouterOS 7.13, the routeros (system) package and one of the wireless packages are needed for the basic operation of a simple home router.
802.11ax WiFi APs require radio drivers, which are provided by the wifi-qcom package or (for RouterOS version before 7.13) the wifiwave2 package.
Previous generation WiFi APs require a wireless package.
Other packages are optional and not required for a home router. Install them only if you are sure of their purpose.
For an example, E50UG - hEX refresh uses ARM packages.
System packages
| Package | Description |
|---|---|
| routeros-arm (arm) | system package for arm devices |
| routeros-arm (arm64) | system package for arm64 devices |
| routeros-mipsbe (mipsbe) | system package for mipsbe devices |
| routeros-mmips (mmips) | system package for mmips devices |
| routeros-smips (smips) | system package for smips devices |
| routeros-tile (tile) | system package for tile devices |
| routeros-ppc (ppc) | system package for ppc devices |
| routeros (x86, CHR) | system package for x86 installations and CHR environment |
Extra packages
To install extra packages, download the necessary package from the MikroTik download page, selecting the RouterOS v6 section based on your device's architecture found in the System/Resources menu. Extract the archive and upload the required package to your router using any convenient method, and proceed to reboot the router.
Certain packages, such as Container, require physical access to the router for installation.
| Package (supported architecture) | Description |
|---|---|
| calea (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | Data gathering tool for specific use due to "Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act" in the USA |
| container (arm, arm64, x86, CHR) | Container implementation of Linux containers, allows users to run containerized environments within RouterOS |
| dude (arm, arm64, mmips, tile, x86, CHR) | Dude tool that allows monitoring of network environment |
| extra-nic (arm64) | arm64 CPU architecture, Network Interface Card(NIC) support, recommended for UEFI installation on non MikroTik boards |
| gps (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | Global Positioning System devices support |
| iot (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | Enables: |
| lora (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | Dummy package for Lora support. LoRa package is not obligatory anymore and is left only for compatibility reasons. LoRa functionality is moved into iot package. |
| lte (mipsbe) | Required package only for SXT LTE (RBSXTLTE3-7), which contains drivers for the built-in LTE interface. |
| rose-storage (arm, arm64, tile, x86, CHR) | Additional enterprise data center functionality in RouterOS, support disk monitoring, improved formatting, RAIDs, rsync, iSCSI , NVMe over TCP, NFS, and improved SMB |
| tr069-client (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, smips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | TR069 Client package |
| ups (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | APC ups management interface |
| user-manager (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | MikroTik User Manager server for controlling Hotspot and other service users. |
| wifiwave2 (arm, arm64, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | For 7.12 and older versions: WifiWave2 package for managing compatible 802.11ax and 802.11ac wave 2 wireless interfaces and WifiWave2 CAPsMAN for central WifiWave2 device management. Mandatory for 802.11ax devices. |
| wifi-qcom (arm, arm64) | Mandatory driver package for 802.11ax interfaces. Introduced in 7.13. Wifi CAPsMAN support comes with the system package. |
| wifi-qcom-ac (arm) | Optional Wifi driver package for compatible 802.11ac interfaces. Introduced in 7.13. |
| wireless (arm, arm64, mipsbe, mmips, tile, ppc, x86, CHR) | Utilities and drivers for managing WiFi (up to 802.11ac) and 60GHz wireless interfaces. The wireless package conflicts with wifi-qcom and wifi-qcom-ac packages - they cannot be active at the same time. |
| zerotier (arm, arm64) | Enables ZeroTier functionality |
Working with packages
Menu: /system package
Commands executed in this menu will take place only on restart of the router. Until then, the user can freely schedule or revert set actions.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| disable | schedule the package to be disabled after the next reboot. No features provided by the package will be accessible |
| downgrade | will prompt for the reboot. During the reboot process will try to downgrade the RouterOS to the oldest version possible by checking the packages that are uploaded to the router. |
| enable | schedule package to be enabled after the next reboot |
| uninstall | schedule package to be removed from the router. That will take place during the reboot. |
| unschedule | remove scheduled task for the package. |
| outputs information about the packages, like: version, package state, planned state changes, etc. | |
| update | manages the "check-for-updates" channel and performs RouterOS upgrades |
Menu: /system/check-installation
The "Check installation" function ensures the integrity of the RouterOS system by verifying the readability and correct placement of files. Its primary purpose is to confirm the health and status of your NAND/Flash storage.
Menu: /system/package/update install ignore-missing command allows upgrading only the RouterOS main package, while omitting packages that are either missing or not uploaded during a manual upgrade process.
Examples
The upgrade process is described here.
List of available packages.
zerotier package is disabled and dude package is scheduled for uninstall.
/system package print Flags: X - DISABLED Columns: NAME, VERSION, SCHEDULED # NAME VERSION SCHEDULED 0 dude 7.9 scheduled for uninstall 1 X zerotier 7.9 2 routeros 7.9
Uninstall package
/system package uninstall dude; /system reboot; Reboot, yes? [y/N]:
Disable package
/system package disable zerotier; /system reboot; Reboot, yes? [y/N]:
Downgrade
/system package downgrade; /system reboot; Reboot, yes? [y/N]:
Cancel uninstall or disable action
/system package unschedule zerotier; /system package unschedule dude;