Once you have legally acquired your image files, you must upload and format them correctly so EVE-NG can recognize them. EVE-NG relies on strict folder and file-naming conventions. Step 1: Connect to EVE-NG via SSH and SFTP
This is the most critical step. EVE-NG will not recognize or boot your images until the permissions are corrected and the database is updated. Open your terminal or connect via . Run the EVE-NG permission fixer command: /opt/unetlab/wrappers/unl_wrapper -a fixpermissions Use code with caution. Popular EVE-NG Images & How to Name Them
This guide explains exactly how to download, organize, and import every type of image into EVE-NG (Community & Professional).
If you have legal access to a support portal, you can use scripts to batch download multiple images. Download All Eve-ng Images
Double-check that you selected the exact hardware template when dragging the node into your topology canvas.
, as they are not officially endorsed by EVE-NG or the vendors. How to load images - - EVE-NG
Check folder naming. QEMU folders must be lowercase and match the device template exactly. Run fixpermissions again. Once you have legally acquired your image files,
Once you have downloaded the .qcow2 files, follow these steps to add them to your EVE-NG installation. 1. Upload Images to EVE-NG
Before gathering your files, it is vital to understand the primary types of images supported by the EVE-NG Platform :
| Repository | Content | Access | |------------|---------|--------| | | Conversion scripts, not binaries | Free | | OSBoxes | Pre-built Linux/BSD QEMU images | Free | | Flowgrammable | Open-source switch images | Free | | VirtualBox Images (convert to QEMU) | Windows, BSD, Solaris | Free/Evaluation | EVE-NG will not recognize or boot your images
Start with the 20 essential images listed above. Master the manual process of converting and uploading. Once you understand the mechanics, automate the rest using community scripts for trial editions. Respect the licenses – use trials for learning and purchase support contracts for production.
An advanced EVE-NG lab might include:
| Type | Extension | Use Case | |------|-----------|----------| | | .image | Older Cisco IOS (routers, switches like 3725, 7200) | | QEMU | .qcow2 | Modern devices: CSR1000v, XRv, vMX, vSRX, Windows, Linux, Firewalls (ASAv, vFW) |
Cisco Cisco Modeling Labs (CML) images (IOSv, IOSvL2, NX-OSv), Palo Alto PAN-OS, Fortinet FortiGate, Arista vEOS, Juniper vSRX, and Ubuntu Linux. 2. IOL/IOU (IOS on Linux / IOS on Unix)
Then use wget in parallel: