Running GhostMesh on a home router (Beta)
GhostMesh's Router Beta targets ARM boards running a conventional Linux userland — the same installer as the Linux Beta client, sized for router-class hardware. It is not a native firmware package for consumer router platforms.
Quick answer
GhostMesh's router build runs on ARM hardware with a standard Linux userland (plain ip, /dev/net/tun) — think a small ARM board acting as your gateway, not vendor firmware. There is no OpenWrt ipk/UCI/procd package, and no native Keenetic or MikroTik RouterOS integration, so it will not show up inside those platforms' own network configuration UI.
What "router support" means right now
This is the detail most searches for router VPN setup miss: GhostMesh's Router Beta is the same ARM64/ARMv7 installer as the Linux Beta client, targeting hardware that exposes a conventional Linux environment with plain `ip` and `/dev/net/tun`.
Before you start
TUN mode on a router redirects the device that is administering it, which is why the safety checks below matter more here than on a desktop.
Checklist
- ✓Confirm your hardware exposes a standard Linux userland, not just a vendor firmware shell.
- ✓Keep a second way to reach the router the first time you enable TUN — a console cable, a direct LAN connection, or a second independent session.
- ✓Download the ARM64 or ARMv7 archive matching your board from the Linux/Router download page and verify its SHA256.
- ✓Decide between proxy mode (default, nothing to roll back) and TUN mode (whole-network coverage, guarded by an auto-rollback watchdog).
Installing on router-class ARM hardware
The installer is identical to the Linux Beta client: extract the archive for your target, run install.sh as root, and answer the setup prompts (server / SNI / UUID / REALITY key, then Proxy vs TUN).
- Proxy mode is the installer's default because it has nothing to roll back if something goes wrong.
- TUN mode redirects the router's default route and DNS — the auto-rollback watchdog reverts that specific change if no upstream becomes reachable within the confirm timeout.
- To update later, download the newer archive and re-run install.sh — it detects the existing install and keeps your server config untouched.
FAQ
Does GhostMesh work with Keenetic, OpenWrt, or MikroTik directly?
Not as a native firmware package today. There is no OpenWrt ipk/UCI/procd package, and no native RouterOS integration for Keenetic or MikroTik. The Router Beta targets ARM boards with a standard Linux userland instead — it will not appear in those platforms' own configuration UI.
Is it safe to enable TUN mode on a router I only reach remotely?
Two independent watchdogs guard the change: the client itself reverts routes/DNS if no upstream becomes reachable within the confirm timeout, and a separate shell-level watchdog keeps working even if the client process is killed outright — including if TUN mode is what cut off your session. Still, keep a second access path the first time.
Has this been tested across every router chipset?
No. It is a Beta and has not been validated across every ARM router SoC/kernel combination. Test carefully and keep a fallback path to the device.