Install MikroTik RouterOS on PC

MikroTik is a popular and mostly used router because of having a lot of networking functionalities and cheap price. MikroTik router can be found both Router Board and MikroTik OS. If you buy a MikroTik Routerboard (like MikroTik Routerboard 450G, MikroTik Routerboard 1100 AH), you will find a machine where MikroTik OS is prebuilt but the machine contains limited processing resources such as limited RAM and limited processor core. So, your network could be slow if you use a MikroTik Routerboard for maintaining a large network (Note: Sometimes it is better to use Routerboard like CCR1016-12G because it is specially designed for working at layer 3 and processing many millions of packets per second). On the other hand, if you install MikroTik OS on a PC or on a Server, you will get a faster processor with sufficient RAM. So, it will be easy and faster for maintaining a large network with this MikroTik PC router (Note: PC or Server processors are specially designed for working at layer 7 and working with application. So, it will be better avoiding low configuration PC or Server). As MikroTik PC router is a better solution for a larger network, this article is designed to show you the necessary steps to install MikroTik OS on a PC or a Server.

MikroTikRouterOS CLI
MikroTikRouterOS CLI

Requirements

It should have at least two network cards to turn a PC or Server into a MikroTik Router. One card will be used as LAN connection and another card will be used as WAN connection. It is also better to use more than one core and sufficient memory for processing millions of network packets. You must remember that IDE HDD is required for installing RouterOS.

MikroTik PC Router Installation

MikroTik OS can be installed on a virtual machine or on a physical machine. If you interested to install MikroTik OS on a virtual machine, download VMware Workstation to create a virtual machine and then follow my video tutorial about Setup MikroTik OS on VMware Virtual Machine. If you interested to install MikroTik OS on a physical machine, download MikroTik OS ISO and burn the ISO in a blank CD or DVD or in a USB flash drive and then follow my below steps to install MikroTik OS ISP on your physical machine.

  • Boot your PC or Server from your bootable media such as CD or DVD ROM. If everything is OK, MikroTik OS will be started to install and format the disk. If you use a large disk, it will take more time to format. So, be patient to wait. After formatting the disk, it will ask you for selecting packages those will be installed.
  • To install all packages, press ‘a or press ‘M’ for minimal installation and then press ‘i for starting installation.
  • It will now ask you whether it will keep old configuration or not. Press ‘n‘, because it will be better to delete old configuration in your disk. It will now show a warning message. Press ‘y for continue installation. All selected packages will be installed and then it will ask you to hit ‘Enter key to reboot the system. Hit ‘Enter key now.
  • After rebooting, it will ask you to provide login credential. MikroTik default username is ‘admin and password is blank. So, type ‘admin for MikroTik login and password left blank and then hit ‘Enter key.
  • MikroTik CLI will appear now. It will also show a Software ID in the login screen. Write down this Software ID because it will be required when you want to purchase a license from MikroTik site.

Your MikroTik PC Router is ready now. You can type MikroTik command in CLI to configure MikroTik Router or you can use Winbox software to configure MikroTik Router.

You should follow the above steps carefully to install MikroTik OS on your PC. If you face any problem to do above steps, please follow my below video tutorial about Setup MikroTik OS on VMware Virtual Machine (MikroTik PC Router).

How to install MikroTik OS in a Physical Machine to make a MikroTik PC Router has been discussed in this article. A video is also uploaded to reduce your any confusion. However, if you face any problem to install MikroTik OS ISO on your physical machine, feel free to discuss in comment or contact with me form Contact page. I will try my best to stay with you.

Why not a Cup of COFFEE if the solution?

install-mikrotik-os-on-pc

ABU SAYEED

I am a system administrator and like to share knowledge that I am learning from my daily experience. I usually work on MikroTik, Redhat/CentOS Linux, Windows Server, physical server and storage, virtual technology and other system related topics. Follow Me: Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

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34 comments

  • Avatar for Usman Usman

    Hi Sayeed,

    Hope you’re fine. I saw your video and it’s quite informative. I’m working as Network administrator at a company. And here we’ve provided the facility of open internet to specific group of users. For this purpose we only enter password to specifice users by ourselves but unfortunately password is getting cracked or something and user are getting very low speed. I’ve applied MAC filtering on each AP but that’s quite hectic job to do because here almost 25 Aps are deployed at different locations.

    I want to know about MikroTik that whether it can apply MAC filtering on all the network, having almost 120 users, if I install it on any PC at my office. I just want to manage all the MACs list from one interface, instead of 25. Please guide me for this if there is some way.
    Awaiting for your kind response,

    Kind Regards,
    Usman

  • Avatar for Pascal Pascal

    I had an error while trying to launch the vmare after the installation. can you send me your email to forward to you graphics of the error information i received while trying to power on the Vmware as Guest.

  • Avatar for Duncan Mbeta Duncan Mbeta

    Wow this is awesome and I like it and enjoyed the steps above,am ready to use mikrotik os

  • Avatar for Ritesh Sharma Ritesh Sharma

    I want to setup webserver for routerOS, exactly what i am looking for is, want to create and delete user for hotspot in our hotel, but instead of using local system i want to use webserver, can you help me on this ?

    • It will be a project work. Usually this type of application is not available. But if you want, I can build such type of application but it will be costly. If you wish, please contact with me on skype: sezan10

  • Avatar for Judy Judy

    what version of mikrotik should I use in 15 computers with 4Mbps ISP?

  • Avatar for maxikov maxikov

    hello guys,

    i`m having uncommon problem, i am installing mikrotik os on physical machine.

    i burned iso image on dvd – i booted it on my first desktop – it runs and redirect me to install packages normally ,

    but when im using it on another desktop – same dvd rom and image –
    it is showing linux installation freezing and not proceeding the installation .

    any info that you have that could help would be appreciated.

  • Avatar for Jeewan Rimal Jeewan Rimal

    Thank you very much Sayeed !

    I am also not experience in Mikrotik router, I have used Sophos, fortigate etc but not Mikrotik.. Now i have responsibility to configure and administrator and Mikrotik.. Hope i will get help from your writing .

  • Avatar for Bneson Bneson

    Hi
    Thank you so much for you informative blog.

    would you kindly assist me we a breakdown of mikrotik equipment ie from router and step by step setup of a server and best cpe which would serve 1000 people.

    Thanks

  • Avatar for astalavista astalavista

    Hi Sayeed Bro, hope you are doing well.
    Is there a way to get the GUI version of MikroTik CCR 1036 image for PC?

    Thank you

  • Avatar for Ramesh kc Ramesh kc

    Winbox doesn’t detect neighbour if i set network adapter setting to bridge mode of the RouterOs but it detects NAT. Why is it so

  • Avatar for alex belarma alex belarma

    hi i ahave a problem with mikrotik rb-3011 configure to dual wan with two public ips from my isp. if i follow your video tut. it only one line connected but i cant configured it as load balance. do you have video tut for this?

  • Avatar for Bonito Bonito

    What if your computer does not have two networking cards can you use an ethernet adapter connected to the usb port?

  • Avatar for Md. Kalim ullah Chowdhury Md. Kalim ullah Chowdhury

    If i setup the router os in
    core i3/8GB/500GB/10G lan
    Can i mentain my local isp containing 1500 ppoe user with 2GB bandwidth smoothly as the router board without any interrupt??

  • Hello I realised that I cant update the Router OS version because it requires a product key. Do you have any ideas on how to crack it or go about it when using this Mikrotik PC OS?

  • Avatar for Fakrul Fakrul

    Thanks for your video , I follow your tutorial step by step by after installation Mikrotik software it showing “press enter for reboot” when I press enter – it showing installation page again and want installation . several time we tried but problem same

  • Avatar for M Noman M Noman

    aoa
    I install mikrotik 5.20 on a physical machine so i face a problem on it . but i have a mini pc and it has no cd-rom drive
    i have a bootable mirotik 5.20 usb drive. but the error is {CD-Rom drive not found Press Enter To restart}

    • From bios, choose boot from usb drive.

      • Avatar for Ronver Systems Ronver Systems

        incorrect, the problem here is that the MikroTik installer, at this moment, hangs on finding a CD-DVD reader. It is a hard hang in the installer (and is in the MikroTik bug fix list atm)

        Burn the image to a CD/DVD or use the CHR image on a USB stick (not the ISO image)

  • Avatar for Andres Garcia Andres Garcia

    Buen dia

    Abu Sayeed

    Quisiera hacerle una pregunta, quiero instalar microtick en un equipo que no tienen puerto IDE lo puedo hacer en un equipo que tenga puerto SATA?.

  • Avatar for Andres Garcia Andres Garcia

    Good day

    Abu sayeed

    I would like to ask a question, I want to install microtick on a computer that does not have an IDE port, can I do it on a computer that has a SATA port?

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