Router

What is router-level setup?

Instead of installing HAPP on each device, you can set up SideLinQ at the router level. Then every device connected to your WiFi (phones, laptops, tablets, TVs, etc.) automatically uses SideLinQ without installing anything.

This is useful if:

• You have many devices at home
• You want to protect smart devices (Alexa, smart TV, etc.)
• You want a single point of control
• You don’t want to install apps on every device

Requirements

1. Router with custom firmware — Stock firmware (from your ISP) usually doesn’t support this
2. Custom firmware that supports VLESS/Xray/Sing-box
3. SSH access to your router (to configure it manually)
4. Basic networking knowledge (IP addresses, DNS, routing)

Supported router firmware

• OpenWrt (most common) — with Xray or Sing-box installed
• Keenetic — newer models with Xray support
• Padavan — modified firmware for older routers
• DD-WRT — with additional packages
• Openwrt-based: Merlin, OpenWrt-NG, Immortal WRT

If your router isn’t listed, it might still work. Check the custom firmware community.

Prerequisites

1. Unlock your router for custom firmware

This varies by brand:

• TP-Link — Look for OpenWrt community builds (depends on model)
• ASUS — Use Asuswrt-Merlin or OpenWrt
• Xiaomi — OpenWrt community builds available
• Keenetic — Check their official OpenWrt support
• Other — Search “[your router model] OpenWrt” or “[your brand] custom firmware”

This is the hardest step. If you’re not comfortable flashing firmware, use the phone/computer installation instead.

2. Install Xray or Sing-box on your router

Once you have OpenWrt (or compatible firmware):

• Install via package manager: opkg install xray or opkg install sing-box
• Or download pre-built binary and manually copy it

3. Get your config key from SideLinQ

Open @SideLinQ_bot on Telegram and press “Connect” to get your key.

Basic setup flow

1. SSH into your router (usually ssh [email protected] or similar)
2. Create config directory: mkdir -p /etc/xray/ (for Xray)
3. Convert the HAPP key to Xray format — The key from the bot is designed for HAPP. For routers, you might need a slightly different format. Contact support to get the right format.
4. Save config file to /etc/xray/config.json
5. Configure DNS — Point to Cloudflare or similar (usually 1.1.1.1)
6. Configure routing — Make sure all devices route through Xray
7. Start Xray — systemctl start xray or manual start
8. Test from a device — Open a browser, check your IP

Getting the right config format

The key from the bot is for HAPP. For router setup, we can convert it:

1. Contact support: @SideLinQ_bot → “Support”
2. Tell them: “I want to set up on OpenWrt with Xray”
3. They’ll provide a config in the right format
4. Paste that into your router

Advanced: Manual router setup

If you’re comfortable with SSH and config files:

# SSH into router
ssh [email protected]

# Create Xray config directory
mkdir -p /etc/xray

# Copy your config file (you'll need to create this)
nano /etc/xray/config.json
# Paste the config provided by support

# Enable Xray at startup
systemctl enable xray

# Start Xray
systemctl start xray

# Verify it's running
systemctl status xray

For DNS configuration, you might also need to:

# Redirect DNS queries to work with SideLinQ
# Modify /etc/dnsmasq.conf or /etc/config/dnsmasq

Testing router-level connection

1. From any device on your WiFi:

   • Open a browser
   • Go to whatismyipaddress.com
   • You should see a different country’s IP
   • Your WiFi network is now protected

2. All devices use it automatically:

   • Phones (no HAPP needed)
   • Laptops (no HAPP needed)
   • Smart devices (automatic)
   • No per-device setup required

Troubleshooting router setup

Can’t SSH into the router

• Wrong IP? Try 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.254
• Check router’s IP in your device’s network settings
• Are you on the same WiFi network?
• Has SSH been enabled? Check router admin panel

Xray starts but doesn’t connect

1. Check the config syntax (valid JSON?)
2. Verify the config key is correct and not expired
3. Check Xray logs: journalctl -u xray -n 50
4. Try a different server location in the config

Some devices work, others don’t

This is usually a routing or DNS issue:

1. Make sure DNS is configured correctly in Xray config
2. Check if devices are using WiFi (not hardwired differently)
3. Restart the router and Xray

Router is running but websites are slow

Same causes as HAPP:

1. Your internet baseline might be slow
2. Try a different server location (if your config supports it)
3. The router might not have enough CPU power — what’s your router model?

Devices still show their real IP

Routing isn’t working correctly:

1. Check that Xray is actually running: systemctl status xray
2. Verify config DNS settings
3. Check firewall rules in the router (might be blocking)
4. Restart Xray: systemctl restart xray

Need router-specific help?

Router setup is complex and varies by hardware. For detailed help:

1. Telegram community: @SideLinQ_chat
2. Direct support: @SideLinQ_bot → “Support”

Provide:

• Your router model and brand
• Current firmware (e.g., “OpenWrt 23.05”)
• How far you got before it broke
• Any error messages

Note: Router setup is advanced. If you’re new to networking, consider just using HAPP on your phone/computer instead — it’s much simpler and covers most devices.