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Install on OpenWRT X86_64

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David Ansart edited this page Apr 6, 2026 · 39 revisions

Build vwifi for OpenWRT

  • On the cross-compiler

  • Install additional packages that may be required :

    sudo apt install --yes zstd unzip

  • Install necessary packages for libnl :

    sudo apt install --yes make bison flex

  • Install necessary packages for vwifi :

    sudo apt install --yes cmake pkg-config

  • Create the working folder ${HOME}/OpenWRT :

    mkdir ${HOME}/OpenWRT
cd ${HOME}/OpenWRT

OpenWRT

Download the SDK of OpenWRT

Download the Toolchain of OpenWRT

  • Download it :

    wget https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/25.12.2/targets/x86/64/openwrt-toolchain-25.12.2-x86-64_gcc-14.3.0_musl.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst

  • Uncompress and rename it to ${HOME}/OpenWRT/TOOLCHAIN :

    tar --zstd -xf openwrt-toolchain-25.12.2-x86-64_gcc-14.3.0_musl.Linux-x86_64.tar.zst
mv openwrt-toolchain-25.12.2-x86-64_gcc-14.3.0_musl.Linux-x86_64 TOOLCHAIN

  • Update PATH :

    PATH=$PATH:"${HOME}/OpenWRT/TOOLCHAIN/toolchain-x86_64_gcc-14.3.0_musl/bin"

export STAGING_DIR="/tmp"

LibNL

Download the code of libnl

  • The file is here : https://github.com/thom311/libnl

  • Download it :

    wget https://github.com/thom311/libnl/releases/download/libnl3_12_0/libnl-3.12.0.tar.gz

  • Uncompress and rename it to ${HOME}/OpenWRT/libnlsrc :

    tar xf libnl-3.12.0.tar.gz
mv libnl-3.12.0 libnlsrc

Compilation of libnl for OpenWRT

  • Go to the folder ${HOME}/OpenWRT/libnlsrc :

    cd ${HOME}/OpenWRT/libnlsrc

  • Build :

    ./configure --prefix=${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL --build=x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu  --host=x86_64-openwrt-linux-musl LDFLAGS="-static"
make

  • Link necessary files in ${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL :

    mkdir ${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL
ln -s ${HOME}/OpenWRT/libnlsrc/lib/.libs ${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL/lib
ln -s ${HOME}/OpenWRT/libnlsrc/include ${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL/include
ln -s ${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL/lib ${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL/include/libnl3

VWifi

Download the code of vwifi

  • Download it :

    cd ${HOME}/OpenWRT/
wget https://github.com/Raizo62/vwifi/archive/refs/heads/master.zip

  • Uncompress and rename it to ${HOME}/OpenWRT/vwifi :

    unzip master.zip
mv vwifi-master vwifi
cd vwifi

  • Build vwifi-client :

    mkdir build && cd build

export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=${HOME}/OpenWRT/libnlsrc
cmake .. \
      -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=x86_64-openwrt-linux-musl-g++ \
      -DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS="-L${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL/lib -lnl-genl-3 -lnl-3" \
      -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS="-I${HOME}/OpenWRT/LIBNL/include"

  • If you will not build vsock for OpenWRT, you can disable it in vwifi :

    cmake .. -DENABLE_VHOST=OFF

  • Build :

    make

  • Copy vwifi-client on OpenWRT, in the folder /usr/sbin/ :

    scp -O vwifi-client root@192.168.1.1:/usr/sbin/

On OpenWRT

Prerequisites

mac80211-hwsim

  • Install le package kmod-mac80211-hwsim :

    apk update
apk add kmod-mac80211-hwsim

  • Unload it and set the default number of radios to 0 :

    rmmod mac80211-hwsim
echo 'mac80211_hwsim radios=0' > /etc/modules.d/mac80211-hwsim

  • Delete the configurations generated by OpenWRT for the radios created by the install of kmod-mac80211-hwsim :

    uci delete wireless.radio0
uci delete wireless.default_radio0
uci delete wireless.radio1
uci delete wireless.default_radio1

  • Apply the changes :

    uci commit wireless

  • Reboot Openwrt :

    reboot

libstdcpp6

  • Package required because vwifi is C++ :

    apk update
apk add libstdcpp6

Run with command line

  • vwifi-client 172.16.0.1 --number 1 with 172.16.0.1 the IP of vwifi-server

Run like a service

  • Create the service file : /etc/init.d/vwifi-client :

    #!/bin/sh /etc/rc.common

USE_PROCD=1
START=99
STOP=10

start_service() {
      procd_open_instance

      procd_set_param command /usr/sbin/vwifi-client 172.16.0.1 --number 1 --mac '74:f8:f6:66'

      # Redirect output
      procd_set_param stdout 1
      procd_set_param stderr 1

      # Enable automatic restart if process crashes
      procd_set_param respawn

      procd_close_instance
}
    • Modify 172.16.0.1 to the IP of vwifi-server

  • Make /etc/init.d/vwifi-client executable :

    chmod +x /etc/init.d/vwifi-client

  • Configure to run the service when OpenWRT boots :

    service vwifi-client enable

  • Run the service :

    service vwifi-client start

Test Wifi from OpenWRT

  • Don't forget to install "wpa-supplicant" and "hostapd" :

    apk add hostapd
apk add wpa-supplicant

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