CHR: Installing on Vultr

CHR: Installing on Vultr

This guide provides detailed instructions for installing Cloud Hosted Router (CHR) on Vultr. Vultr is a cloud hosting provider with data centers worldwide, offering high-performance cloud compute instances suitable for running RouterOS as a virtual router.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the installation, ensure you have:

• A Vultr account with access to the customer portal
• Sufficient account credits to deploy a cloud compute instance
• Basic familiarity with Linux command-line operations
• SSH client for connecting to the CHR after installation

Overview

Installing CHR on Vultr requires a two-step process:

1. Deploy a server in rescue mode using SystemRescue
2. Write the CHR image directly to the disk

This approach bypasses the need for traditional hypervisor installation, as you write the RouterOS disk image directly to Vultr’s cloud compute storage.

Vultr requires RouterOS version 7.2.3 Stable or later for CHR installation. Earlier versions are not supported.

Step 1: Deploy a Server in Rescue Mode

Deploy Cloud Compute Instance

1. Navigate to the Vultr deployment page
2. Select Cloud Compute as the server type
3. Choose your desired location from Vultr’s data center locations

Tip

Use Vultr’s network looking glass to test throughput and latency to different locations before deploying.

Configure Server Settings

Setting	Recommendation
Server Location	Choose nearest to your users for best latency
Server Image	Select ISO Library tab, then choose SystemRescue x64
Server Size	Ensure sufficient bandwidth allowance for your needs
Hostname	Set a descriptive hostname
Label	Optional label for identification

SystemRescue is a bootable Linux ISO that provides a minimal Linux environment needed to write the CHR image to disk.

Deploy and Wait

Click Deploy Now and wait for the server to finish deploying. The server will boot into SystemRescue mode, providing you with a Linux environment to write the CHR image.

Step 2: Write the CHR Image to the Disk

Obtain CHR Download URL

1. Navigate to the MikroTik download page
2. Locate the Cloud Hosted Router section
3. Select the Stable channel
4. Right-click the RAW disk image (floppy disk icon) to copy the download URL

Do NOT download the image to your local computer. You need to download it directly to the Vultr server via the web console.

The URL will look similar to:

https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/7.17.5/chr-7.17.5.img.zip

Connect to Web Console

1. Navigate to your server’s page in the Vultr customer portal
2. Click View Console to access the web console
3. The SystemRescue environment will be displayed

Download and Write CHR Image

In the web console, execute the following commands:

# Navigate to tmp directory
cd /tmp

# Download the CHR image (substitute your version)
wget https://download.mikrotik.com/routeros/7.17.5/chr-7.17.5.img.zip

# Unzip the downloaded file
unzip chr-7.17.5.img.zip

# Write the CHR image to the disk
dd if=chr-7.17.5.img of=/dev/vda

The dd command takes a couple of minutes to complete. Do not interrupt this process. The if parameter is the source image file, and of is the target disk device (typically /dev/vda on Vultr).

Verify the write operation completed successfully. You should see output showing bytes written.

Step 3: Connect to MikroTik CHR

Remove ISO and Reboot

1. Navigate to your server’s settings page in Vultr portal
2. Click Custom ISO menu
3. Click Remove ISO to eject the SystemRescue media
4. The server will automatically reboot into CHR

Initial Login

1. Open the web console again
2. At the login prompt, enter:
   • Username: admin
   • Password: (none - press Enter)

RouterOS 7.x
MikroTik login: admin
Password:

Set Admin Password

For security, you must set a strong admin password:

# Set a new password
password
Old Password:
New Password: *************
Confirm Password: *************

Verify Installation

# Check system information
/system resource print

# View license status
/system license print

# Check interfaces
/interface print

Connect via SSH

After setting the password, you can connect via SSH from your local terminal:

ssh admin@<your-server-ip>

Replace <your-server-ip> with your Vultr server’s IP address.

Initial Configuration

Basic Setup Commands

After logging in, perform basic configuration:

# Set hostname
/system identity set name="CHR-Vultr"

/ip address add address=192.168.1.1/24 interface=ether1

# Configure default gateway
/ip route add gateway=192.168.1.254

# Set DNS servers
/ip dns set servers=8.8.8.8,8.8.4.4

Enable Remote Access

# Enable WinBox
/ip service enable winbox

# Enable SSH
/ip service enable ssh

# Enable API
/ip service enable api

# View enabled services
/ip service print

Vultr-Specific Configuration

Configure with Vultr VPC

Vultr provides Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) functionality. Refer to Vultr’s documentation on configuring a Mikrotik CHR router with VPC for detailed networking setup.

Vultr Firewall

Configure Vultr’s firewall groups to control traffic to your CHR:

1. Navigate to Firewalls in Vultr portal
2. Create a firewall group
3. Add rules for management access (SSH, WinBox)
4. Apply the firewall group to your instance

Bandwidth Considerations

Vultr charges for bandwidth over the included allocation. Monitor your usage through the Vultr portal and plan accordingly.

Securing Your CHR

After installation, follow MikroTik’s security guidelines:

1. Change default password - Already completed above
2. Update RouterOS - Check for and install latest updates
3. Configure firewall - Restrict management access
4. Disable unused services - Turn off services not needed
5. Use strong authentication - Consider SSH keys for SSH access

See Securing your router for comprehensive security guidance.

Licensing

CHR uses a different licensing model than physical RouterOS devices. After installation:

# Check current license level
/system license print

# For free version (1Mbps limit), no action needed
# For trial or paid license, use:
/system license renew
account=your-mikrotik-username
password=your-password

For details on CHR licensing, see CHR License Levels.

Troubleshooting

Cannot Access After Reboot

Issue: Server doesn’t boot into CHR after removing ISO

Solutions:

• Verify ISO was properly removed in Vultr portal
• Check web console for boot messages
• Ensure the dd command completed successfully

Network Not Working

Issue: CHR has no network connectivity

Solutions:

• Verify IP address configuration: /ip address print
• Check default route: /ip route print
• Verify Vultr firewall rules allow traffic
• Ensure VPC settings are correct

Slow Performance

Issue: Poor throughput through CHR

Solutions:

• Select a larger Vultr compute instance
• Ensure you’re using the free license (1Mbps limit on free tier)
• Check Vultr network limitations
• Monitor CPU usage: /system resource print

SSH Connection Refused

Issue: Cannot SSH to CHR

Solutions:

• Verify SSH service is enabled: /ip service print
• Check firewall rules: /ip firewall filter print
• Ensure password was set successfully
• Try web console as fallback

Related Topics

• Cloud Hosted Router, CHR
• CHR Licensing
• RouterOS License Keys
• Securing your router
• Getting Started with RouterOS
• Vultr Documentation