This tutorial guides through the process of installing the Simplelink VPN, utilizing the Clash VPN daemon on an AsusWRT-based router device. This setup enables the router to proxy all connections transparently, simplifying configuration in home environments by eliminating the need to individually install and configure Clash and Simplelink on each device, along with their updates.
The configuration requires a one-time setup on the router, where the daemon will periodically update the Simplelink configuration. This tutorial necessitates a modern Asus router compatible with the Asus Merlin Koolshare modified firmware. Given the limited compatibility, it is advisable to purchase a router from the model list recommended on the AsusWRT Merlin website: https://www.asuswrt-merlin.net/
Upon acquiring an Asus router, it initially comes with the stock Asus firmware. The initial step involves flashing the router with Merlin firmware, facilitating the subsequent installation of Koolshare-enabled firmware.
To begin, visit https://sourceforge.net/projects/asuswrt-merlin/files/, select the purchased router model, navigate to the “release” folder, and download the latest firmware version.
Next, proceed to update the router’s firmware with the downloaded file. This process should take a few minutes, typically without losing any configurations or data.
With the Merlin firmware installed, the next step involves downloading the Koolshare “revised firmware” compatible with the router model. This can be done by visiting https://www.koolcenter.com/fw and entering the router model:
Click on “查看合集” to download the appropriate firmware file.
Following the download, update the router’s firmware by uploading the file in the corresponding section, similar to the previous firmware update process.
Before installing MerlinClash, it is necessary to enable two specific settings:
Enable JFFS by navigating to Administration > System, enabling “Enable JFFS partition”, “Format JFFS partition at next boot”, and “Enable JFFS custom scripts and configs”. Confirm by clicking “Apply” and reboot the router.
Next, update the Koolshare shop by clicking on the highlighted link:
Followed by clicking the update button, as shown in the screenshot:
Upon successful update, the log window should resemble the following:
To obtain the MerlinClash software, visit the Telegram channel https://t.me/merlinclashcat and locate the most recent post linking to MerlinClash binaries for different architectures.
Select the appropriate architecture for the router model:
ARM v8 HND版本 — For AC86U/GT5300/AX68U/AX86U/AX88U/AX92U/AX1100/RAX80, etc.
ARM v7 AX32版本 — For AX3000/AX6600/AX82/AX56/AX56Uv2/AX58U/AX89X/RAX50, etc.
ARM v7 384/6版本 — For routers with Koolshare version 384/386 such as AC68U/AC88U/RT5300, etc.
ARM v7 380版本 — For ARM v7 routers with Koolshare version 380
After downloading, rename the file to merlinclash.tar.gz and install it in the Koolshare software center, using the following reference:
If the installation is successful, the logs window should display similarly to this:
To configure the installed Clash software, click on the highlighted button on the Koolshare software center homepage:
Switch to the second tab:
Scroll down to the “Clash-Yaml” textbox, enter the Clash Subscription URL from the Simplelink dashboard, and click the black button next to the textbox.
Finally, switch back to the first tab, activate the top blue switch, scroll down, and click the “Save&Launch” button.