NordVPN Router - Docker Container

Docker container designed to allow LAN devices to be routed through via an active NordVPN tunnel. This container acts as a gateway with DNS resolution via NordVPN. A NordVPN tunnel is established on container start-up based on specified environment variables. Uses OpenVPN to establish the NordVPN tunnel.

Based on the implementation from - https://github.com/azinchen/nordvpn⁠ - Thanks!

Can also be used to route other Docker containers through the NordVPN tunnel. See - https://github.com/azinchen/nordvpn for instructions.

Status

How do I use this image?

Supported architectures

The image supports multiple architectures such as amd64, x86, arm/v6, arm/v7 and arm64.

Setup up the required Docker network

Setup a macvlan network in Docker which is bound to your ethernet or wlan device. A macvlan network allows the container to be bound to the LAN.

sudo docker network create -d macvlan -o parent=[eth_device] --subnet 192.168.180.0/24 --gateway 192.168.180.1 --ip-range 192.168.180.10/31 nvpn_router_macvlan

--subnet is the LAN subnet.
--gateway is the LAN gateway.
--ip-range is an IP range within the LAN subnet that any containers connected to this network will use. This IP range needs to be outside of any existing DHCP ranges on the LAN.

Starting the container using Docker Compose

version: "3"
services:
  vpn:
    image: jiriteach/nvpn-router:latest
    container_name: nvpn-router
    cap_add:
      - net_admin
    devices:
      - /dev/net/tun
    networks:
      nvpn_router_macvlan:
        ipv4_address: 192.168.180.10 
    #ports:
    #  - 8080:80
    environment:
      - USER=
      - PASS=
      - COUNTRY=United States
      - GROUP=Standard VPN servers
      - RANDOM_TOP=10
      - RECREATE_VPN_CRON=5 */3 * * *
      - NETWORK=192.168.180.0/24
      - OPENVPN_OPTS=--mute-replay-warnings
      - TZ=Pacific/Auckland      
    restart: unless-stopped

networks:
  nvpn_router_macvlan:
    external: true

ipv4_address is a static ip address within --ip-range specified when creating the Docker network for the container to use.

USER= is NordVPN service credential username for manual setups. PASS= is NordVPN service credential password for manual setup. These can be found on this page - https://my.nordaccount.com/dashboard/nordvpn/manual-configuration/.

NETWORK is the LAN subnet where devices will be connecting from to the container.

Checking the container is working as expected

Once the container is started, several checks can be run to ensure its working as expected -

From the container check for connectivity - ping 1.1.1.1.
From the container check for DNS resolution - nslookup google.com. Response should be from one of NordVPN's DNS servers - https://support.nordvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/19587726859793-What-are-the-addresses-of-my-NordVPN-DNS-servers.
From the container check that traffic is being routed via the country specified - curl -L ipinfo.io

Setup LAN devices to route through the container

LAN devices can now be easily setup to route through the container. Set the default gw and dns of the device to point to the IP address of the container then run the same checks as above. The device should be routing through the container. Depedendant on LAN setup - the existing LAN DHCP could be setup to automatically provide the default gw and dns of the container.

Additional configuration

Filtering NordVPN servers

The container selects the NordVPN server randomly unless specific within the environment variables. The list of recommended servers can be filtered by setting COUNTRY, GROUP and/or TECHNOLOGY environment variables.

Reconnect by cron

The container selects the NordVPN server and its configuration during startup and maintains a connection until stop. Selected server might be changed using cron via RECREATE_VPN_CRON environment variable.

As specifid above - the VPN connection will be reconnected in the 5th minute every 3 hours.

Reconnect

By the fault the container will try to reconnect to the same server when disconnected, in order to reconnect to another recommended server automatically add env variable:

 - OPENVPN_OPTS=--pull-filter ignore "ping-restart" --ping-exit 180

Reference - complete environment variables

COUNTRY - Use servers from countries in the list. Several countries can be selected using semicolon. Country can be defined by Country name, Code or ID.
GROUP - Use servers from specific group. Only one group can be selected. Group can be defined by Name, Identifier or ID.
TECHNOLOGY - User servers with specific technology supported. Only one technololgy can be selected. Technology can be defined by Name, Identifier or ID. NOTE: Only OpenVPN servers are supported by this container.
RANDOM_TOP - Place n servers from filtered list in random order. Useful with RECREATE_VPN_CRON.
RECREATE_VPN_CRON - Set period of selecting new server in format for crontab file. Disabled by default.
CHECK_CONNECTION_CRON - Set period of checking Internet connection in format for crontab file. Disabled by default.
CHECK_CONNECTION_URL - Use list of URI for checking Internet connection.
CHECK_CONNECTION_ATTEMPTS - Set number of attemps of checking. Default value is 5.
CHECK_CONNECTION_ATTEMPT_INTERVAL - Set sleep timeouts between failed attepms. Default value is 10.
USER - NordVPN service credential username for manual setups.
PASS - NordVPN service credential password for manual setups.
WHITELIST - List of domains that are going to be accessible outside vpn.
NETWORK - CIDR network (192.168.1.0/24), add a route to allows replies once the VPN is up. Several networks can be added to route using semicolon.
NETWORK6 - CIDR IPv6 network (fe00:d34d:b33f::/64), add a route to allows replies once the VPN is up. Several networks can be added to route using semicolon.
OPENVPN_OPTS - Used to pass extra parameters to openvpn.
DEBUG - info, trace or trace+. Set to 'trace' for troubleshooting, 'trace+' will log your User and Pass.