Summary
RouterOS features are separated in "packages", which are files with .npk extension. Most of the features are combined in one routeros package, but some features are separate. Installing the corresponding NPK package can enable specific features (like container, dude). Packages are provided only by MikroTik, and no 3rd parties are allowed to make them. You can download extra packages separately from our download page, or, since v7.18, it is possible to add extra packages directly from your router.
Minimum requirements
RouterOS requires only the system package to operate at bare minimum, but for most devices normal operation and features are available when you install the "routeros" bundle package.
In case of wireless devices, several wireless packages are available, depending on the hardware you are using:
- Starting from RouterOS 7.13, the routeros (system) package and one of the following 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 (for RouterOS version before 7.13 it was called the wifiwave2 package).
- Previous generation WiFi APs require a wireless package.
More information about which wireless package to use is available in the Wireless manual.
Other packages are optional and not required for a home router. Install them only if you are sure of their purpose.
Installing packages
Manual download
To manually download and install extra packages, download the necessary package from the MikroTik download page, selecting the RouterOS 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.
Download directly from the router
Since 7.18 it is possible to download/install extra packages directly from the router, using the System Packages section.
- After executing the Check For Updates command, available packages will be listed in the Packages list, but they will show up as disabled. The available package list comes from the MikroTik download server. Those packages are available, but not yet in your router (as indicated by the flags X (Disabled) and A (available).
- To download an extra package, first, select package and click Enable
- To make the router download the package, click Apply Changes and the device will ask for a reboot
This feature is also shown in our v7.18 announcement video.
| Package list | After loading the list with "Check for updates" | Enabling a package | Clicking "Apply Changes" |
|---|---|---|---|
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Verification of install
To make sure package is installed successfully, check the "Log" section after the device is rebooted. If the package is installed successfully, you will see a message about it. If there have been conflicts or some requirement is not met, this will be explained, so you can take further steps to rectify that.
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
| 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: |
| iot-bt-extra (arm, arm64) | A package for ARM, ARM64 devices which enables the use of USB Bluetooth adapters (must support LE 4.0+). note: Not all adapters were tested. We can not guarantee beforehand that a specific adapter will work. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| apply-changes | apply scheduled changes and reboot device |
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.
Auto install
It is also possible to automatically install packages after uploading them to the router with FTP or SFTP. The package file must be named with the extension *.auto.npk. Once the file will be uploaded, router will automatically go into reboot in order to install the package.
".auto.npk" in the filename is mandatory for a package to be automatically installed.
Examples
Listing packages
zerotier package is disabled, but installed; iot package is available on the server, but has not been downloaded to the router and enabled; 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 3 XA iot 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;