AX Router with Wireguard Easy Setup

[Portolan]

Greetings to all. I am looking to buy a new ASUS AX router. I use a Torguard VPN that is loaded on my computer as a client. It uses Wireguard and is terrific. I would like to load my VPN on a new ASUS wifi6 router that has loading of Wireguard on the interface/gui as a specific option. It is my belief that some AsusWrt interfaces now have this as a specific option in the AX line of routers. I have searched and cannot find a list of such routers from which to select. Thanks so very much for any advice/counsel. Phil

 

[L&LD]

Welcome to the forums @Portolan.

No such devices/lists exist yet.

Look for RMerlin-supported routers and use the Better Search option at the top of the page to find those implementations, for now.

About | Asuswrt-Merlin

 

[RMerlin]

It is my belief that some AsusWrt interfaces now have this as a specific option in the AX line of routers.

Not at this time. Asus's Wireguard support is still in beta, and not available in a release firmware.

 

[Portolan]

Thanks so much for your kind and quick reply. Just yesterday I flashed the RMerlin interface onto my ASUS AC86U router that had my Torguard VPN already loaded on it via ASUSWRT. I rebooted my router and found that the Merlin software was now in place. Then I realized that for some reason in the installation of Merlin, I lost my dedicated VPN that was already loaded. It was still listed under VPN, but it wasn't working at all. I must confess that I panicked and reinstalled the ASUSWRT interface, rebooted the router and voila, my VPN was back working as before. I don't know why the VPN stopped working in the transition, but it left me a bit afraid of Merlin. I live with my internet almost 24/7. My VPN is very important. I was very relieved when it "came back" once I found and reinstalled ASUSWRT.

Are you suggesting that it is easier to install the Wireguard tunned version of my dedicated VPN on the RMerlin interface that on the ASUSWRT? Torguard helped me install the client on my office computer and the speed of my Starlink connection increased dramatically. I am looking for that same benefit loading Wireguard on my kitchen router which runs all the devices in the rest of the house. Thanks so very much and best wishes. Phil

 

[Portolan]

Not at this time. Asus's Wireguard support is still in beta, and not available in a release firmware.

Thanks so much for your reply to my post. First and foremost in my previous reply I was not intending to be negative about your interface at all. I panicked and reinstalled the original without really trying to figure out why the VPN stopped working after the installation of RMerlin. I live in the high desert of Mexico and am very dependent on my VPN for all my work. I do a number of Zoom and Teams conferences every month and was so pleased to have been able to get Starlink here at our ranch. Torguard was terrific in helping me put their client on my computer and setting it up via wireguard. My download went from 10 or less to 200. Wow, what a difference, especially for video conferencing. I would like to load the wireguard on my ASUS AC86U router and achieve the same speed improvement in the rest of the house.

As I have said, when after the change to RMerlin interface, my VPN didn't work, I switched back to the stock ASUSWRT. My panic was a reflection on my need for the VPN to work and of my lack of skill in the complicated world of routers. Best wishes to you and thanks for the help your interface has been to so many. Phil

 

[RMerlin]

The OpenVPN implementation in Asuswrt-Merlin is completely different from the stock firmware. You have to reconfigure it when moving from the stock firmware.

Are you suggesting that it is easier to install the Wireguard tunned version of my dedicated VPN on the RMerlin interface that on the ASUSWRT?

Right now it's not possible at all to use Wireguard on the stock firmware.

On Asuswrt-Merlin, you have to install it using a shell-based addon, it's not supported in the webui.

 

[Portolan]

Thanks so much. I guess I will simply have to wait to get the faster speeds in the rest of the house. Best, Phil

 

[Martineau]

Thanks so much. I guess I will simply have to wait to get the faster speeds in the rest of the house. Best, Phil

Should you change your mind.....

Quick-start instructions for the installation of the (non-GUI) shell-based addon wireguard_manager on ASUS routers running RMerlin firmware:

Enter the following commands (and answer the couple of setup questions as they appear)

amtm

i

wg

1

Now the wireguard_manager installation is complete, configure a 'client' Peer outbound WireGuard interface (default is ALL LAN devices).

Copy either an existing Torguard WireGuard profile (or generate a new one) to the router as say '/opt/etc/wireguard.d/Torguard.conf', then enter the following two wireguard_manager commands

e  = Exit Script [?]

E:Option ==> peer import Torguard.conf

e  = Exit Script [?]

E:Option ==> start wg11

This should now allow you to take advantage of the faster WireGuard VPN speeds on ALL of your devices in the rest of the house.

 

[capncybo]

Should you change your mind.....

Quick-start instructions for the installation of the (non-GUI) shell-based addon wireguard_manager on ASUS routers running RMerlin firmware:

Enter the following commands (and answer the couple of setup questions as they appear)

amtm

i

wg

1

Copy either an existing Torguard WireGuard profile (or generate a new one) to the router as say '/opt/etc/wireguard.d/Torguard.conf', then enter the following two wireguard_manager commands

e  = Exit Script [?]

E:Option ==> peer import Torguard.conf

e  = Exit Script [?]

E:Option ==> start wg11

This should now allow you to take advantage of the faster WireGuard VPN speeds on ALL of your devices in the rest of the house.

LOL gotta love-it when the authors spell it out for us.
I've never fully understood why some people are so uncomfortable re anything not GUI-based. I mean underneath/behind most every Graphical User Interface is typically a software code/syntax anyway. IMO the GUI often leads to people adjusting or tweaking things they misunderstand anyway.
Anyways that was very kind of you, keep up the excellent work.

 

[Tech9]

I've never fully understood why some people are so uncomfortable re anything not GUI-based.

Because Wireguard now requires specific model router, 3rd party firmware, 3rd party script, USB stick. The overall difficulty level for an average home user is high and the overall reliability level is down to the USB stick's reliability.

 

[capncybo]

Because Wireguard now requires specific model router, 3rd party firmware, 3rd party script, USB stick. The overall difficulty level for an average home user is high and the overall reliability level is down to the USB stick's reliability.

Valid points, I must admit I hadn't thought about the requirement of potentially unreliable flash media.
I mean I've been using an external SSD for a VERY long time & never experienced any corruption or failures. (I know, I'm asking for problems now) +
Your point about wireguard only being supported on certain models is also very true. I had forgotten.
thx

 

[jakeycrx]

@Martineau Is there any way I can get WG to run on my RT-AC68U? I get an incompatibility error:

***ERROR: Router RT-AC68U (v386.7_2) is not currently compatible with WireGuard®!

 

[charlie2alpha]

@Martineau Is there any way I can get WG to run on my RT-AC68U? I get an incompatibility error:

***ERROR: Router RT-AC68U (v386.7_2) is not currently compatible with WireGuard®!

Not gonna happen, this model runs a very old Linux kernel.