Upgrading and Downgrading the Operating System, Package Management

RouterBOARDs come from MikroTik preloaded with RouterOS. MikroTik recommends that
you upgrade your board to the latest version of RouterOS before beginning any configuration.
The operating system is in constant development and new features or bug fixes are frequently
available, sometimes even monthly. The decision to do an upgrade on a production system on
the other hand should be based on some basic logical reasoning such as:

1. Is there a feature I want to add to my device that the new OS will provide?
2. Is there a security vulnerability this version solves?
3. Is there a bug fix this version provides?
4. Do I need to upgrade to provide support for some new hardware?

All of these are valid reasons to upgrade your device. As a friend of mine says, “Every
problem is the result of a previous solution.” and I think that holds true for upgrades. Another
one I am sure you have heard is “if it isn't broken don’t fix it”. I think you get the point here, if
the criteria expressed above doesn’t apply, leave your router alone. It is doing its job and
doesn’t need your help, however, if you need to do an upgrade, read on.

Upgrading the Operating System

1. First, you must download the upgrade package from MikroTik. After web browsing
to the MikroTik site, locate the download section and select the platform you want to
upgrade. See page 36 if you have any questions about which file to download.

2. Download the .npk package to your desktop. Typically the package you want is the
stable version, “combined package”. This single file contains the same features that are
installed by default on the device.

3. Once the package is downloaded (typically around 12 megs), launch WinBox and
access through the device’s IP address, not through the MAC address. As stated before,
the Layer 3 method is the best for all normal router management.

4. Inside WinBox, click the Files button. This will open the Files List showing all the
visible files stored on the router.


5. Next, drag the package from your desktop to the files window. This can be a bit
tedious, depending on how the files are sorted in the files window. Dropping the file
inside a folder will prevent the upgrade from taking place so use care to get it at the top
of the list. One trick here is to click the Backup button in the Files List. This will
produce and save a backup file, which sorts to the top of the list and allows you a little
space in which to drop the upgrade package. The npk file doesn’t have to be the top file
in the list, but make sure it isn’t in a folder.

6. Dropping the file in the area identified by the red arrow will produce the desired
result:

7. Once the file has completely uploaded, issue a reboot command by clicking System
and Reboot.
Note: Pulling the power at this point will not upgrade the router; you must enter a
graceful reboot using the reboot command due to the process RouterOS uses to update
the device.
After