On supported OpenWrt or iStoreOS, install the two matching packages, then open Network > VilaNet in LuCI and sign in with your VilaVPN account. Do not import a subscription. Back up first, and check the package manager and CPU architecture before you download.
If this router is not already on supported OpenWrt, read OpenWrt or Merlin before you flash. A router change can take the whole LAN offline.
1. Back up and read the architecture
- In LuCI, open System > Backup / Flash Firmware, create a configuration backup, and store it off the router.
- Write down the model, OpenWrt version, CPU architecture, and whether the router uses
opkgorapk. - You need the root password, LuCI and SSH admin access, an active VilaVPN account, and a way to reach LuCI or SSH from the LAN.
From SSH:
cat /etc/openwrt_release
command -v opkg || command -v apk
opkg print-architecture 2>/dev/null || apk --print-arch
If several architectures are listed, use the specific one with the highest priority. Ignore all and noarch. Do not guess from the marketing name.
2. Pick the two packages
| Router | Download | Install with |
|---|---|---|
| iStoreOS | The .run installer from the current release | iStore > Manual Install |
OpenWrt 24.x with opkg | The core IPK for your architecture, and the LuCI IPK marked all | opkg install |
OpenWrt 25.x with apk | The core APK for your architecture, and the LuCI APK marked noarch | apk add |
Core builds exist for x86_64, aarch64_cortex-a53, aarch64_generic, arm_cortex-a7_neon-vfpv4, mipsel_24kc and arm_arm926ej-s. Download the current files from the releases page and keep those file names. If GitHub is slow, use the architecture and mirror pickers on openwrt.vilavpn.com. The old vilanet-test-*.tar.gz manual-copy installer is retired.
OpenWrt 25 packages are local files, not repository packages, so the install command uses --allow-untrusted. Check the SHA-256 on the release page before you copy them. macOS: shasum -a 256. Linux or the router: sha256sum. If a value differs, do not install.
3. Install
iStoreOS: open the iStoreOS web interface, go to iStore > Manual Install, upload the .run file, read the result before you leave the page, then open Network > VilaNet.
OpenWrt 24.x: copy both IPK files to /tmp. On a fresh router, update the package lists first, or opkg cannot find the kernel modules VilaNet needs.
opkg update
opkg install /tmp/<core-package>.ipk /tmp/<luci-package>.ipk
/etc/init.d/vilanet enable
OpenWrt 25.x: copy both APK files to /tmp, then install. The installer deletes the LuCI file from /tmp. Copy it again before you run the command a second time.
apk add --allow-untrusted --force-non-repository \
/tmp/<core-package>.apk /tmp/<luci-package>.apk
/etc/init.d/vilanet enable
4. Sign in and connect
- Refresh LuCI after installation.
- Open Network > VilaNet.
- On Overview, enter the email address and password for your VilaVPN account.
- Select Login. Sign-in uses the account. Do not import or activate a subscription link.
- Under Quick Actions on the same page, leave Server on Auto - All Servers for the first connection, or choose one server. The Servers tab also has Connect beside each server.
- Select Connect.
How to tell it worked
Check the router first:
vilanet status --json
/etc/init.d/vilanet status
logread | grep vilanet
On a LAN device, open an ordinary HTTPS site. On Network > VilaNet > Overview, VPN Service must still show running and Connection must still show connected. A connected label alone is not enough.
Still not working?
If the VilaNet menu is missing, hard-refresh LuCI, run /etc/init.d/rpcd restart over SSH, reopen Network > VilaNet, and confirm both packages are installed.
If VilaNet starts and then stops, save that command output before you reinstall. Support needs the model, OpenWrt version, package manager and redacted output. Do not send a password or raw subscription data.
If the router says connected but the LAN has no internet, read LAN devices have no internet. Before you change routing mode, read the three routing modes and Recovery and rollback. Illustrated steps are on openwrt.vilavpn.com and the install page.