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Version: current

CHR: VirtualBox Installation

CHR VirtualBox Installation Video​

  1. Download VirtualBox
    Install the latest version of VirtualBox from the official website.

  2. Download CHR disk image
    Download and extract the latest Long-Term, Stable, or Testing version of the Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) VDI image from the MikroTik download page.

Step 1: Create a New Virtual Machine​

  • Launch VirtualBox.
  • Click New to create a new virtual machine.

Name and Operating System​

  • Name: Enter a VM name (e.g., MikroTik_CHR)
  • Type: Linux
  • Version: Other Linux (64-bit)

Step 2: Configure Memory Size​

  • Allocate at least 256 MB RAM (RouterOS 7.15.1+ recommendation)
  • Assign the desired number of CPUs

Step 3: Add a Virtual Hard Disk​

  • Select Use an Existing Virtual Hard Disk File
  • Choose the downloaded .vdi image

Click Finish to create the VM.

Step 4: Configure Virtual Machine Settings​

Select the VM → click Settings

System​

  • Disable Floppy and Optical from boot order

Processor​

  • Set the desired number of CPUs

Network​

  • Adapter 1:
    • Enable network adapter
    • Attach to Bridged Adapter or NAT (depending on your setup)

Step 5: Start the Virtual Machine​

  • Click Start to boot the VM

  • Login credentials:
    • Username: admin
    • Password: (empty, set immediately after first login)

Congratulations​

You have successfully installed MikroTik CHR on VirtualBox.

You can now proceed with initial RouterOS configuration using the console, WinBox, or WebFig.

Supported Network and Disk Interfaces​

Network Adapters​

  • E1000
  • RTL8139

Disk Controllers​

  • IDE

Warning: Avoid using the E1000 network adapter unless no better synthetic or paravirtualized option is available. Paravirtualized adapters generally provide better performance on supported hypervisors.