Mikrotik Export Configuration Review

Summary

What export produces

Common usages

Important caveats & risks

Best practices

  • Export with paths to target only required sections (e.g., /ip address, /ip firewall filter) rather than full export when sharing publicly.
  • Keep backups: use binary/config backup in addition to export for full state restore (note: binary backups are tied to device ID).
  • Test import on lab device with same RouterOS version before production restore.
  • Use comments: annotate exported files with purpose, date, author, and maintenance window recommendation.
  • Use secure storage and transfer: treat exports like credentials—encrypt at rest and in transit.

    • Commands & useful options

    Quick checklist before sharing an export

    Example safe-sharing workflow

    If you want, I can:

    # Most common commands
/export compact file=myconfig
/export show-sensitive file=full-backup
/import myconfig.rsc

    | Option | Description | Example |
|--------|-------------|---------|
| compact | Removes default values and comments for a cleaner output | /export compact file=clean-backup |
| terse | One-line per configuration item (minimal formatting) | /export terse |
| verbose | Includes all parameters, even defaults | /export verbose |
| show-sensitive | Exports passwords, keys, and secrets (use with extreme caution) | /export show-sensitive file=full-backup |
| from= | Export only specific sections (e.g., /interface, /ip firewall) | /export from=/ip/firewall |
    

    To export the entire configuration to a text file stored on the router’s filesystem:
    

    /export file=my-config

    

    This creates a file named my-config.rsc in the router’s root directory (/). You can then download this file via WinBox, FTP, or SCP for safekeeping.
    

    /ip dhcp-client
add comment=defconf dhcp-options=hostname,clientid disabled=no interface=ether1-WAN mikrotik export configuration
    

    /ip dhcp-server network
add address=192.168.88.0/24 comment=defconf dns-server=192.168.88.1 gateway=192.168.88.1
    

    /ip dns
set allow-remote-requests=yes
    

    The most basic form of the command is executed from the terminal:
    

    /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. Summary