Mikrotik HAP AC lite - Must press reset to get it to boot into AREDN?

The only thing I can think of is are you switching Ethernet cable from the WAN port to a LAN port and then installing the recent firmware and do you have your laptop WiFi off? Your not giving us much to work with but I'll try. Windows is much easier platform for AREDN programming in my opinion and I have done many both ways!
Denis KD1HA 
 

I believe that it should not be necessary to press Reset during power up on a Mikrotik hAP if node already has AREDN.  If you are holding the Reset button and applying power, you are probably resetting the node.  It is not known to me what happens if you do powerup-with-Reset with AREDN, but what the hAP does with RouterOS can be found in MikroTik documentation at
Pages | Router OS | Getting Started | RouterBOOT | RouterBOARD Reset Button  and
Pages | Router OS | Getting Started | Reset Button
If you hold Reset longer than the configured reformat-hold-time, your node can be completely reset.  If you hold Reset during power up for about 13 seconds, the RouterBoard starts in Netinstall mode, looking for a Netinstall server. 
There is also a configurable button to have Protected Boot or not.  You have to log-in to RouterOS before you load AREDN to clear that (per AREDN First Install docs).

I fought with two hAP ac lites in January 2024 using Windows.  The trick was to use a different Dell PC, even thought both were running Win 11 Pro.

73,
Tim K5RA

 

The latest AREDN documentation (for the new User Interface) at the bottom of the chapter on Firstboot Node Setup says that holding Reset button for 15 secs with power on will reset the node to the firstboot state, meaning as if you had just loaded new firmware.
-Tim K5RA
 

Just to clarify:
1. You installed AREDN on the Mikrotik gear
2. Once you've installed AREDN, and cycled power to the device, it does not come back to the AREDN configuration.
3. The only way to get to the AREDN configuration, is to press and hold the reset button.

Am I correct? If so, I've had the same problem. 

I recommend providing it with a  TFTP server that will send it the appropriate  .elf file.
Next, continue with the install instructions.
I hope this helps,
Chuck