🛡️ Must-Do OpenWrt Security Settings You’ll Regret Missing!

D: So you’ve installed OpenWrt on your router—congrats! 🎉 But before you celebrate, there’s one crucial step left: securing your network. OpenWrt is powerful, but its default settings aren’t always secure. Hackers love unsecured routers for attacks, snooping, or even hijacking your connection. 😱

Don’t worry! This guide covers essential OpenWrt security settings to lock down your network like a pro.

🔐 1. Change the Default Password (ASAP!)

Why? OpenWrt’s default password (admin) is public knowledge. Leaving it unchanged is like leaving your front door wide open.

How?

1. Log in to LuCI (web interface).
2. Go to System → Administration.
3. Set a strong password (use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols).
4. Save & apply.

💡 Pro Tip: Use a password manager (like Bitwarden or KeePass) to store complex passwords securely.

🔒 2. Disable Remote SSH & Web Access

Why? If you don’t need remote admin access, disable it to prevent external attacks.

How?

• For SSH:
  • Go to System → Administration → SSH Access.
  • Set Interface to LAN (not WAN).
• For Web Interface (LuCI):
  • Go to System → Administration → Web Interface.
  • Set Listen Interfaces to LAN.

🚨 Warning: If you must allow remote access, use VPN + firewall rules instead of exposing SSH/LuCI directly.

🛡️ 3. Enable Firewall & Block Unwanted Traffic

OpenWrt’s firewall (fw3) is powerful but needs tweaking.

Essential Rules:
✅ Block WAN ping replies (prevents network scanning).
✅ Drop invalid packets (stops malformed traffic).
✅ Restrict UPnP (can be exploited by malware).

How?

1. Go to Network → Firewall.
2. Under General Settings, enable:
   • Drop invalid packets
   • Block ICMP ping on WAN
3. Under Port Forwards, disable UPnP unless absolutely needed.

🔄 4. Keep OpenWrt Updated

Why? Updates patch security flaws. An outdated router = easy target.

How?

1. Check for updates:

   opkg update && opkg list-upgradable

2. Upgrade packages:

   opkg upgrade <package-name>

3. Or use LuCI:
   • System → Software → Update lists → Upgrade all.

📅 Set auto-updates (optional but recommended for security patches).

🚫 5. Disable Unused Services (Reduce Attack Surface)

Many default services (like Telnet, old SMB versions) are security risks.

Services to Disable:
❌ Telnet (use SSH instead).
❌ HTTP (non-HTTPS LuCI access).
❌ Old SMB/CIFS (if not used for NAS).

How?

• Go to System → Startup.
• Disable unnecessary services.

🔑 6. Use Strong Wi-Fi Encryption (WPA3 or WPA2 AES)

Avoid:
❌ WEP (broken encryption).
❌ WPA-TKIP (vulnerable).

Best Choice:
✅ WPA3 (if supported).
✅ WPA2 + AES (fallback).

How?

1. Go to Network → Wireless.
2. Edit your Wi-Fi network.
3. Set Encryption to WPA3-SAE or WPA2-PSK (AES).

🌐 7. Enable DNS Encryption (DoT/DoH)

Why? ISP snooping & DNS hijacking are real threats.

Best Options:
🔒 DNS-over-TLS (DoT) – Encrypts DNS queries.
🔒 DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) – Harder to block.

How?

1. Install https-dns-proxy (for DoH):

   opkg install https-dns-proxy

2. Configure in Network → DHCP and DNS → Advanced.

🏁 Final Checklist

Before you go, ensure:
✔ Changed default password.
✔ Disabled remote SSH/LuCI.
✔ Firewall rules active.
✔ Updated OpenWrt.
✔ Disabled unused services.
✔ Strong Wi-Fi encryption.
✔ DNS encryption enabled.

🔐 Your OpenWrt is now locked down! No more sleepless nights worrying about hackers. 🚀

Need more? Check OpenWrt’s official security docs. Stay safe! 🛡️