asuswrt-merlin-nordvpn-wg-updater

Keep your WireGuard VPN client up to date with the NordVPN recommended server on an ASUS router running Asuswrt-Merlin firmware.

What?

A simple user script that can be used to keep a WireGuard NordVPN client up to date. This work has been adapted from sfiorini/NordVPN-Wireguard (a script to obtain WireGuard config for NordVPN servers). It runs periodically on your router, queries NordVPN API for the recommended server, and modifies the client settings accordingly.

How?

The script queries NordVPN API for recommended server and updates nvram and wg settings corresponding to an instance of a client on the router.

The script intentionally only updates enabled clients, so if you disable a client, it will not update it to the recommended server.

Limitations / Requirements

For simplicity, setting up the script requires that you already have a WireGuard NordVPN client set up on the router.

The installation script requires a minimum Asuswrt-Merlin version 388.

At the moment, setting a specific country, city or server group is not supported (it might come later) -- the script just sets the client to connect to the default recommended server, which is likely going to be the server for your real location.

Tested On

RT-AX86U Pro with Asuswrt-Merlin version 3004.388.6_2

Setup

TL;DR

For those proficient in Asuswrt-Merlin management, just setup an instance of NordVPN WireGuard client, and use the install.sh script on the router.

Detailed Instructions

1. Use sfiorini/NordVPN-Wireguard script, or a similar one, to obtain the initial WireGuard config file on your PC. Then upload it to the router via its web interface and enable the client. Note down the instance number of the WireGuard VPN client; you'll need it during script installation later on.

   

   If you already have a client set up and want to test the script, I recommend setting up a separate client instance.

2. In the router web interface, enable JFFS on the Administration / System page

   

3. Enable SSH access

   

4. Open SSH session to the router from your PC (replace "router-login-name" with the one configured on Administration -> System -> Router Login Name of router's web UI):

   ssh router-login-name@192.168.50.1

5. Download and run the installation script

   wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Caleb9/asuswrt-merlin-nordvpn-wg-updater/main/install.sh
   
   sh install.sh

   The script will ask you for the client instance from step 1, that will be set to recommended server.

6. You can disable SSH access to the router via the web interface again if you don't use it for anything.

7. Enjoy an NordVPN client connecting to the recommended server on your router :).

Uninstall

Download and run the uninstallation script in SSH session

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Caleb9/asuswrt-merlin-nordvpn-wg-updater/main/uninstall.sh

sh uninstall.sh

rm uninstall.sh

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What? Still here?! Well, I hope you'll find this work useful :). Feel free to raise issues or report a working setup in Discussions.