Upgrade path from 6.40.5

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hi,

following rule 47 of Leroy Jethro Gibbs ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ I am far behind with my router updates.
Can I just click packages - update to come to the latest release or do I need to follow some in between updates?

I remember that I saw a warning on a version just after 6.40.5 regarding an update but I can’t find it any more. That was also a reason not to keep up with the updates.

Can somebody advise me on this please?

Mario

2

I would:

  • Make a full export (/export file=anynameyoulike *))
  • Reset device
  • Upgrade to latest version
  • Import the export file

*) Do not forget to copy the export to a computer

3

Download and use the long term version of firmware not the latest one. The long term version actually tends to be the one that is ‘more’ stable.
This is currently 6.47.9
The rest of the advice was spot on!!

Edit: the advice below to use defaults to start and then adjust is better.

4

I'd do it differently:

  1. Make a full export (/export file=anynameyoulike *))
  2. Upgrade to latest long-term version
  3. Reset device to factory defaults
  4. Add needed config and use exported config from step #1 as a reminder. Recent versions of ROS have much better defaults than older ones (specially firewall) and it would be pitty to ruin that by importing some old config with who-know-which-potholes. So try to understand the new defaults and twist custom config so that it fits.

You can merge steps #2 and #3 to single one: netinstall device (make sure you follow the steps from documentation, the whole process is quite fragile).