Solution

Ensure that access is not blocked to the device. Preferable steps for Netinstall to work:

  1. Directly connect the Ethernet port of the device to the PC.
  2. Both devices are on the same subnet.
  3. Disable the Windows/Linux firewall.
  4. Disable any antivirus programs.
  5. Make sure you press the reset button correctly to bring the device to the Netinstall state.


  1. Disable all other interfaces on the PC leaving only the one connected to the device;
  2. Run netinstall.exe as administrator;
  3. Make sure the connection in Windows is set to Private;
  4. A fixed IP address;
  5. Win7 set compatibility mode for netinstall.exe to XPSP3;
  6. Try different Ethernet cables;
  7. Set parameter: System > Routerboard > Settings >Boot Device "try-ethernet-once-then-nand;
  8. Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
  9. Having the device connected through a switch to the computer, in rare cases, can help to bypass hardware incompatibility. Netinstall uses bootp packets, which use the same port numbers as DHCP packets. If you're using a switch between your PC and the device to be Netinstalled, ensure that the ports in the bridge are not blocked by other network devices. If you have dhcp-snooping enabled, make sure to enable "trusted" on the bridge ports facing the Netinstall PC.


Issue: After clicking the Install button, the status shows "ready" without performing the reinstallation process.

Solution: Restart the Netinstall application, if not helping restart your PC.


Issue: After pressing the reset button on the device and powering it on, the device is not showing up on Netinstall.

Solution: Press the reset button right after delivering power to the device. In this case, the backup bootloader will not be forced - in case it's damaged.

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