onionvps

Operating system

OpenWrt on KVM VPS, not a container

24.10 · 23.05Min 128 MBRecommended 1 GBOpenWrt Project
Short answer

OpenWrt in the cloud gives you a fully featured router — VPN concentrator, firewall, traffic shaper — administered through LuCI, running on 128 MB of RAM. It is a neat way to terminate site-to-site tunnels centrally without managing a Linux firewall by hand.

Strengths

  • Web-managed routing and firewalling
  • Tiny footprint
  • Excellent VPN package selection

Trade-offs

  • Not a general-purpose server
  • Limited package ecosystem

Best suited to

Cloud routerVPN concentratorSite-to-site tunnel hub

OpenWrt on a KVM virtual server

OpenWrt on a KVM virtual server gives you a router that behaves exactly like a physical appliance. True KVM virtualisation lets OpenWrt load its own kernel, so the full feature set works as intended. Container-based VPS hosts share the host kernel and can break OpenWrt's networking model. A buyer should know OpenWrt is not a general-purpose server; it is a routing and firewall platform. It requires 128 MB to boot and runs comfortably at 1 GB. Plan for it as a dedicated network appliance, not a machine for running arbitrary services.

People use it as a cloud router, terminating site-to-site tunnels and acting as a VPN concentrator. Its excellent VPN package selection makes it ideal for routing all traffic through WireGuard or OpenVPN. Web-managed LuCI simplifies firewall and traffic shaping rules. But its limited package ecosystem means you won't run a full LAMP stack; stick to routing and tunnelling.

How much machine OpenWrt actually needs

Start at 1 GB of RAM for a comfortable operating system footprint; 128 MB is the boot minimum but leaves little for routing tables. Disk for the OS plus a few packages stays under 1 GB. Buy enough disk for your use case—snapshots and backups add overhead. Choose the 1 GB plan and add extra resources as needed.

Plans that suit OpenWrt

Skiff

Skiff 1

$ 4 /month
vCPU
1 × shared
RAM
1 GB
Storage
20 GB NVMe SSD
Transfer
2 TB
IPv4 / IPv6
1 / /64 routed
Configure
Skiff

Skiff 2

$ 7 /month
vCPU
1 × shared
RAM
2 GB
Storage
40 GB NVMe SSD
Transfer
3 TB
IPv4 / IPv6
1 / /64 routed
Configure
Skiff

Skiff 4

$ 12 /month
vCPU
2 × shared
RAM
4 GB
Storage
60 GB NVMe SSD
Transfer
4 TB
IPv4 / IPv6
1 / /64 routed
Configure

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM does OpenWrt need?

OpenWrt boots in 128 MB and is comfortable with 1 GB. Add whatever your application needs on top of that — the operating system baseline is a floor, not a budget.

Can I run OpenWrt on a VPS?

Yes, on true KVM virtualisation, which is what every OnionVPS instance runs. It is available as a ready template and can also be installed from your own ISO.

How long is OpenWrt supported?

~2 years per release

Can I use OpenWrt with the custom kernel feature?

Yes. Full root access includes custom kernels, and OpenWrt 24.10 or 23.05 can be installed from the built-in images. The KVM virtualisation ensures the kernel loads exactly as designed. You can also compile a custom OpenWrt image and upload it via the control panel or API.

How do I manage OpenWrt through the VNC console?

The out-of-band VNC console is included at every tier. Use it to access the router CLI if the network configuration blocks SSH or LuCI. It provides direct keyboard and screen access, letting you recover from firewall mistakes or misconfigured interfaces without opening a support ticket.