Netbird on GL.iNet Slate 7

Routers
1

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone has managed to get Netbird running on GL.iNet travel routers.
Specifically I am using GL.iNet Slate 7 which is running firmware 4.8.1 and I have installed Netbird version 0.59

Slate 7 Firmware Version: 4.8.1
OpenWRT Version: OpenWrt 23.05-SNAPSHOT
Netbird Version: 0.59.12 (netbird_0.59.12-1_aarch64_cortex-a53_neon-vfpv4.ipk)

The install of Netbird itself worked great and the Slate 7 has been successfully adopted into my Netbird overlay network, however I am only able to connect to it via the Local network. It seems that I am blocked from connecting from any other Netbird device as if the OpenWRT FW is blocking access ?

Alsowhen I define an Exit Node on my Netbird network, when I SSH to the Slate 7 directly, then run,

curl ipinfo.io

I can see that the defaulte route has been applied and my Internet traffic is redirected through the Netbird Exit node, however all devices connected to my Slate 7 WLAN are then blocked from accessing the internet. It is as if the Slate 7 is blocking Packet forwarding with the Netbird virtual network.

Note: I have configured a Network in my Netbird network for the local network of the Slate 7, 192.168.5.0/24.

Any ideas would be welcome if anyone has managed to get Netbird functioning on any of the travel routers such as Beryl AX or Slate 7.

Thanks

Ciaran

2

Hello,

I assume you have installed netbird in GL router and login your account with the key, and added an exit node in network route 0.0.0.0/0 in the netbird console, and advertise to the group including to the GL router Slate7.

Please add this rule in Luci -> Network -> Firewall to allow netbird to forward to br-lan and wan zone:

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#My WAN port actual network is Shenzhen
root@GL-BE3600:~# curl ipinfo.io --interface sta1
{
  "ip": "61.141.xxx.xxx",
  "city": "Shenzhen",
  "region": "Guangdong",
  "country": "CN",
  "loc": "22.5455,114.0683",
  "org": "AS4134 CHINANET-BACKBONE",
  "postal": "518000",
  "timezone": "Asia/Shanghai",
  "readme": "https://ipinfo.io/missingauth"

#My exit node from netbird network is Hongkong
root@GL-BE3600:~# curl ipinfo.io
{
  "ip": "183.1xx.xxx.xxx",
  "hostname": "1831xxxxxxxx.ctinets.com",
  "city": "Sha Tin",
  "region": "Sha Tin",
  "country": "HK",
  "loc": "22.3833,114.1833",
  "org": "AS9269 Hong Kong Broadband Network Ltd.",
  "postal": "999077",
  "timezone": "Asia/Hong_Kong",
  "readme": "https://ipinfo.io/missingauth"

# Create a namespace virtual client in br-lan. 
# The netbird exit node is being used and ping is normal.
root@GL-BE3600:~# netns_client.sh -c br-lan 1
Entering existing namespace client_br-lan_1
Entering namespace client_br-lan_1 shell. Type 'exit' to leave.


BusyBox v1.36.1 (2025-08-19 14:33:15 UTC) built-in shell (ash)

[ns:client_br-lan_1] # ping www.google.com
PING www.google.com (31.13.88.169): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 31.13.88.169: seq=0 ttl=63 time=3291.206 ms
64 bytes from 31.13.88.169: seq=1 ttl=63 time=3075.171 ms
^C
--- www.google.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 2 packets received, 60% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 3075.171/3183.188/3291.206 ms
[ns:client_br-lan_1] # curl ipinfo.io
{
  "ip": "183.1xx.xxx.xxx",
  "hostname": "1831xxxxxxxx.ctinets.com",
  "city": "Sha Tin",
  "region": "Sha Tin",
  "country": "HK",
  "loc": "22.3833,114.1833",
  "org": "AS9269 Hong Kong Broadband Network Ltd.",
  "postal": "999077",
  "timezone": "Asia/Hong_Kong",
  "readme": "https://ipinfo.io/missingauth"
}[ns:client_br-lan_1] #


# Slate7 Wireless Client, PC, work properly
C:\Users\itwuh>curl ipinfo.io --interface 192.168.38.108
{
  "ip": "183.1xx.xxx.xxx",
  "hostname": "1831xxxxxxxx.ctinets.com",
  "city": "Sha Tin",
  "region": "Sha Tin",
  "country": "HK",
  "loc": "22.3833,114.1833",
  "org": "AS9269 Hong Kong Broadband Network Ltd.",
  "postal": "999077",
  "timezone": "Asia/Hong_Kong",
  "readme": "https://ipinfo.io/missingauth"
}
C:\Users\itwuh>
4

Hi Bruce,

Thats perfect its now up and running as expected. I can access all netbird nodes and also traffic from the Slate 7 is being forwarded via the netbird exit node when i have it enabled.

I had already added a Network in my Netbird account for the Local network of the Slate, but I had not added the additional firewall rule via the Luci interface as you mentioned. Once I added these everything works perfectly.

So in summary in total, my steps to get netbird running were the following,

  1. Purchase GL.iNet Slate 7 router

  2. Configure it in standard way, defining local network for the Slate 7, running it in Router mode.

  3. Install Netbird via SSH using this binary netbird_0.59.12-1_aarch64_cortex-a53_neon-vfpv4.ipk

  4. Approve the Slate 7 Node in my netbird.io network and set Session expiry to false.

  5. Add a new Network in the netbird.io interface representing the LAN network defined in the Slate 7, adding the Slate 7 Peer as the Routing Peer for the network and enabling Masqerade.

  6. Access the Luci Advanced interface,

    i) Access menu Network > Firewall , then add a new Firewall zone called netbird and setting Input, Output and Forward to Accept. Enabling masqerade, then allow forwarding to and from the netbird zone from the lan firewall zone.

    ii) Access menu Network > Interfaces , then create a new Interface called netbird and assign the wt0 device to the interface and add the Interface to the netbird firewall zone.

I was then able to connect to the Slate 7 Peer over my Netbird network. Additionally, if I enable an Exit Node on my netbird network all the devices on the Slate 7 LAN are then able to route their internet traffic via the designated Exit node.

Many thanks for the hint Bruce.

Ciaran

1 Like
5

Hello,

Thanks for the update and for the great and clear summary of your running steps!

I believe it will be of better help to other users using NetBird Exit Node. Thank you again for your contributions to the community!