How to Set Up an OpenWrt Router in Proxmox With a VPN

TL;DR

Set up an OpenWrt router in Proxmox by creating an isolated Linux bridge, building an unprivileged container from a root filesystem image, assigning two network interfaces, and enabling the host tunnel interface. The container can run with about 8 Megs of RAM, while Private Internet Access is the VPN service used. Read on for the exact network, container, and tunnel configuration described.

Transcript

hey guys what's going on it's Don here from novas Spirit Tech and welcome back to the channel and today we are going to be installing a router inside our proxmox and running it through a VPN so let's get started now if you guys are looking for a VPN service I do use Pia in this video which is private internet access and I've vouched for them for a ... Read More

Key Insights

• 👤 Creating a router within Proxmox enhances flexibility and usability through virtualization, catering to users with limited hardware resources.
• 😫 Following systematic installation procedures ensures a functional environment, from setting network adapters to configuring DHCP for connected devices.
• 🐕‍🦺 The integration of VPN services into a containerized router setup can significantly improve security and privacy for connected virtual machines and applications.
• 👻 OpenWRT's lightweight footprint allows for efficient resource management, consuming minimal RAM and storage, making it suitable for smaller systems.
• 🤐 Port forwarding essential applications hosted on the router enables users to streamline access through a single external IP, simplifying connectivity management.
• 🫥 The process emphasizes command line proficiency, showcasing the need for familiarity with technical configurations for a successful installation.
• 💗 The tutorial reflects a growing trend toward virtualized network solutions, addressing modern needs for security, scalability, and resource management.

Questions & Answers

Q: How do you set up an OpenWrt router inside Proxmox?

First, create a second Linux bridge and leave its settings blank so it is not associated with anything outside the router. Then download the OpenWrt root filesystem image, create an unprivileged container with the PCT tool, add two network interfaces, and configure tunnel access.

Q: Why does the OpenWrt container need a second network adapter?

The second adapter creates a self-contained network that is not associated with anything outside the router. If the Proxmox machine has two Ethernet ports, that adapter could instead be assigned to the second port to serve as the LAN, but that configuration is not covered.

Q: Why is OpenWrt built manually as a Proxmox container?

Proxmox does not provide a container option that simply downloads an OpenWrt template. The available VM approach uses more resources, so the tutorial builds a smaller container from a root filesystem image through the command line.

Q: Where does the OpenWrt image for Proxmox come from?

The image is obtained from images.linuxcontainers.org. The tutorial selects OpenWrt, the AMD64 defaults image, and the latest compile, then copies the root filesystem link and downloads it with wget.

Q: How is the OpenWrt container created with the Proxmox PCT tool?

The tutorial uses PCT create with the downloaded root filesystem image and configures the container as unprivileged with an unmanaged OS type. It assigns the hostname OpenWrt, adds two network interfaces, and installs the container on local-lvm storage.

Q: How much RAM and disk space does the OpenWrt container need?

The speaker says the router could run on about 8 Megs of RAM and does not need more than 100 Megs. The default 512 setting can remain, while even 4 gigs of root disk space may be more than necessary.

Q: How are the OpenWrt container network interfaces connected in Proxmox?

After creating the container, each added network interface must be associated with a bridge. The tutorial edits the interfaces so the first connects to the first bridge and the second connects to the second bridge, after which the configuration errors stop.

Q: How is tunnel interface access enabled for the OpenWrt container?

The host container configuration file is edited under the Proxmox LXC configuration directory. Device permission and mount-entry settings are added so the container can use the tunnel interface from the host, after which OpenWrt can be started.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Definition: The setup runs OpenWrt as a self-contained router container inside Proxmox and routes it through a VPN.

• Who: Don from Novaspirit Tech demonstrates the OpenWrt router installation.

• Tool: Private Internet Access, also called PIA, is the VPN service used in the tutorial.

• Number: The speaker says he has used Private Internet Access for almost 9 years.

• Number: The OpenWrt container can run on about 8 Megs of RAM.

• Number: The container does not need more than 100 Megs of resources according to the speaker.

• Number: A 4 gigs root disk may be more capacity than the OpenWrt container needs.

• Tool: The PCT tool creates the unprivileged OpenWrt container from the downloaded root filesystem image.

• Tool: A second Linux bridge isolates the container network from anything outside the router.

• Compare: A full VM uses more resources than the container approach used for OpenWrt.

• Tool: Host LXC configuration settings allow the container to use the tunnel interface.