NordVPN Lite for OpenWrt just got a lot easier to install

What’s new in NordVPN Lite

From the day NordVPN Lite for OpenWrt launched, community feedback has been a major focus for us. What users wanted was clear: installation should be simpler, more router hardware should be supported, and the command line should not be a requirement for everyday use. We listened, and we got to work. And now we are shipping an update designed around all three.

Official package repository

NordVPN Lite is now distributed through a dedicated package repository for both OpenWrt 24.10 (opkg) and OpenWrt 25.12 (apk). Previously, installation required manually downloading the correct .ipk file from the NordVPN downloads page and installing it locally. 

Now with the package repository in place, installation and future updates work the same way as any other OpenWrt package. You no longer need to track package versions or download files manually. Just add the repository once, then use your package manager to install or upgrade.

Your existing configuration file /etc/nordvpnlite/config.json and authentication token are not affected by switching to repository-based installation.

New supported architectures

NordVPN Lite currently supports seven router architectures. Four are newly added with this update:

• aarch64_cortex-a72
• aarch64_cortex-a76
• arm_cortex-a9_vfpv3-d16
• mips_24kc

If you are unsure whether your router is compatible, check the full list below to find out.

LuCI web interface

NordVPN Lite now includes a LuCI panel, so you can configure the VPN client from the OpenWrt web interface without using the command line. The LuCI package is installed automatically alongside NordVPN Lite when you install from the feed. But in order for the LuCI panel to establish a connection, you will need to configure it with your authentication token.

1. 1.When in LuCI, go to “Services.”
2. 2.Click on “NordVPN Lite.”
3. 3.Enter your authentication token.
4. 4.Optionally, enter a two-letter country code (for example, US, DE, or GB) to connect to a server in a specific country. Leave this field empty to connect to a recommended server automatically.
5. 5.Click “Save.”

NordVPN Lite starts automatically after installation and the daemon (a background process that runs continuously without user interaction) picks up your configuration on its next start and connects automatically. If you need to manually start, stop, or restart the client, you can do so from “System” then “Startup.”

How to install NordVPN Lite

To install NordVPN Lite on OpenWrt, you will need to add a signing key, then register the package repository, and then install the package — in that order. But how you get through this sequence branches off because you can do it a few different ways. It mostly comes down to the OpenWrt version you are running and if you prefer using the terminal or the LuCI web interface to manage your router. Scroll down to the section that matches your setup and take it from there.

Installing on OpenWrt 25.12 via the command-line interface

Connect to your router via SSH (a protocol that lets you access and control your router remotely from your computer’s terminal) and run the following commands.

1. 1.Add NordVPN’s signing key, which your router uses to verify the authenticity of the package before installing it:
   wget -O /etc/apk/keys/nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub
2. 2.Register the NordVPN package feed by entering the following command:
   echo "https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/25.12/$(cat /etc/apk/arch)/packages.adb" >> /etc/apk/repositories.d/nordvpn.list
3. 3.Update your package list and install NordVPN Lite by running these two commands one at a time:
   apk update
   apk add nordvpnlite
4. 4.When a new version of NordVPN Lite becomes available, enter the following into your terminal one at a time:
   apk update
   apk upgrade nordvpnlite

Installing on OpenWrt 25.12 via LuCI web interface

Open the LuCI web interface in your browser by navigating to your router’s IP address (typically 192.168.1.1) and then move on to the installation process below.

1. 1.Download the signing key to your computer first. Open your computer’s terminal and run:
   curl -o nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub
2. 2.In LuCI, navigate to “System,” then “Administration,” then “Repo public keys,” and upload the nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub file under “Repository public keys.”
   
   
   Note:

   The file must be named exactly “nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub” before uploading.

3. 3.Add the NordVPN package feed. Under “Configuration,” find the “APK repositories” section and add the following line, replacing <arch> with your router’s architecture:
   https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/25.12/<arch>/packages.adb
4. 4.Click “Save” when done.
   
   
   Note:

   Note: To find your router’s apk architecture, go to “System,” then “Software,” then “Configure apk in LuCI.” The apk architecture is embedded in the repository URLs — for example, in (https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/25.12.4/packages/mips_24kc/base/). Look for the architecture labeled mips_24kc. You can also find your router’s apk architecture by running cat /etc/apk/arch over SSH.

5. 5.Install NordVPN Lite. Open “Software” under “System,” click “Update lists,” search for nordvpnlite, and click “Install.”

Installing on OpenWrt 24.10 via the command-line interface

Open an SSH connection to your router, then perform the following:

1. 1.Add NordVPN’s signing key. Run these three commands one after another:
   wget -O /tmp/nordvpn-feed.pub https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/nordvpnlite-feed.pub opkg-key add /tmp/nordvpn-feed.pub rm /tmp/nordvpn-feed.pub
2. 2.Add the NordVPN package feed:
   echo "src/gz nordvpn https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/24.10/$(opkg print-architecture | awk 'NR==3{print $2}')" >> /etc/opkg/customfeeds.conf
3. 3.You are now ready to install NordVPN Lite. Run these two commands one at a time:
   opkg update
   opkg install nordvpnlite
4. 4.To update NordVPN Lite when a new version is released, enter the following one by one:
   opkg update
   opkg upgrade nordvpnlite

Installing on OpenWrt 24.10 via LuCI web interface

Log in to your router’s LuCI web interface and follow along.

1. 1.Download the signing key to your computer. The file must be saved with the exact name: 70b3d2681841a6a4 — LuCI will not rename it automatically. Open your computer’s terminal and run:
   curl -o 70b3d2681841a6a4 https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/nordvpnlite-feed.pub
2. 2.Upload the key to LuCI. Go to “System,” then “Administration,” then “Repo public keys,” and drag and drop the 70b3d2681841a6a4 file.
3. 3.Add the NordVPN package feed by opening “System,” then “Software,” then “Configure opkg...,” and finally “Custom feeds (customfeeds.conf)”, then entering the following line (replacing <arch> with your router’s architecture):
   src/gz nordvpn https://downloads.nordcdn.com/nordvpnlite/feeds/24.10/<arch>
4. 4.When finished, click “Save.”
   
   
   Note:

   To find your router’s opkg architecture, go to “System,” then “Software,” then “Configure opkg in LuCI.” You can also do it by running

   opkg print-architecture | awk 'NR==3{print $2}'

    over SSH.

5. 5.Install NordVPN Lite by opening “System,” then navigating to “Software,” then clicking “Update lists” and searching for nordvpnlite, and finally clicking “Install.”

Troubleshooting

If you encountered a signature check type of error during installation, follow the fix corresponding to your OpenWrt version below.

Signature check failed (OpenWrt 24.10)

The “Signature check failed” error usually means the signing key was saved with the wrong filename. To verify, run the following command in your terminal:

You should see 70b3d2681841a6a4 in the output. If it shows key_<numbers> instead, rename it by running these two commands one after another.

Signature check failed (OpenWrt 25.12)

For OpenWrt 25.12, this error typically points to a missing signing key rather than a filename issue. So you should start by checking whether the key is in the correct location. Enter the following in your terminal:

You should see nordvpnlite-apk.rsa.pub in the output. If it is missing, re-add it by running:

So, ready to make the switch?

For anyone who put off setting up NordVPN Lite because of the installation process, where you had to manually download .ipk files in order to install or update the client — that reason is gone. NordVPN has made it possible to install and update NordVPN Lite through your router’s package manager using the new package feed, which now makes NordVPN Lite for OpenWrt much more user-friendly. So if you are an existing user, switch over to the official feed and enjoy a friendlier setup experience with one-command updates from here on out. And if you are new to NordVPN Lite, just use this article as your roadmap to get started.