/export compact file=my-compact-config When you want to quickly see only the custom settings on a router, or when you need a smaller script for slow management links. 2. verbose – The Nuclear Option While compact hides details, verbose includes everything —even default settings and initialization commands. This is rarely needed for daily work but is invaluable for debugging why a specific default value was overridden.
/ppp secret add name=user password="..." service=pppoe This happens because you forgot show-sensitive . The restored router will have an empty password for that user. Always use show-sensitive when exporting for a migration; otherwise, keep it hidden for security. Exported scripts are generated in the correct order (interfaces first, then IP addresses, then firewall). However, if you manually edit the script, you might break dependencies. Example: adding a firewall rule that references a non-existent address list. Test edited scripts in a lab or virtual CHR first. Step-by-Step: Migrating a Configuration to New Hardware Let's walk through a real-world scenario: migrating a production router to brand-new MikroTik hardware. mikrotik export configuration
/export This command dumps the entire configuration (excluding default or hardware-specific settings) to the terminal screen. For a router with a complex configuration, this can be thousands of lines long. To make it useful, you typically want to save it to a file. To export the entire configuration to a text file stored on the router’s filesystem: This is rarely needed for daily work but
Note: Replace the email settings and file naming as needed. Even experienced engineers can trip up when using mikrotik export configuration . Here are the most common issues: 1. The "MAC Server" Trap When you export a configuration from a router that had MAC Telnet or WinBox discovery enabled, the exported script will include commands like /tool mac-server set allowed-interface-list=none . On a different router with different interface names, this might lock you out. Always review exported interfaces before applying to new hardware. 2. Interface Name Dependencies If you export an entire config from Router A (which has ether1 , ether2 ) and import it to Router B (which uses sfp1 , ether3 ), the script will fail. Solution: Export only generic parts (firewall, routes) or use a find-replace tool on the .rsc file before importing. 3. Hidden Passwords You go to restore a router, and you see: Always use show-sensitive when exporting for a migration;