Building a Soft Router with iKuai OS: A Mini PC Setup Guide

Soft routing refers to using a desktop or server combined with software to create a routing solution, primarily relying on software configuration to achieve router functionality. In contrast, hard routing uses dedicated hardware, including processors, power supplies, and embedded software, to provide predefined router functions.

Recently, I finally converted my Zhanmei Mini PC, which had served me for nearly 5 years, into a soft router by installing iKuai OS (hereinafter referred to as iKuai), thus embarking on the journey of soft routing.

Preparation

Since the Zhanmei Mini PC has only one Gigabit network port, once this port is used for WAN dialing, there are no remaining ports to connect to the LAN, which is quite awkward. However, this is not unsolvable. Generally, there are two main solutions for single-port mini PCs:

• Solution 1: Single-arm Routing: iKuai supports enabling single-arm routing, allowing hosts within the LAN to connect even with a single port, provided you have a switch to forward data.
• Solution 2: USB to RJ45: This involves using a USB wired network card. Note that the network card speed should be 1000Mbps or higher and must support USB 3.0; otherwise, the speed will be insufficient.

I have not tried Solution 1, as online feedback suggests that single-arm routing stability is not very good and may cause strange issues. Therefore, I chose Solution 2, using a USB wired network card to indirectly achieve dual ports: one for WAN and one for LAN, with the LAN connected to a switch to solve the port shortage.

Soft Router System Selection

Currently, common soft router systems include iKuai, ROS, OpenWrt, and LEDE, each with its own features. Interested readers can search online for more information. After comparison, I chose iKuai, which is said to have excellent traffic control and an easy-to-use interface. I will continue to experience other soft router systems later.

Installing iKuai OS

• System Download: https://www.ikuai8.com/component/download
• Installation Tutorial: https://www.ikuai8.com/zhic/spjc/jcaz.html

Initially, I used Ventoy for installation, but the screen went black as soon as the installation interface appeared. After repeated attempts with no success, I am unsure if it was due to Ventoy not supporting iKuai OS or a motherboard issue. Later, I switched to UltraISO to burn the .iso file, and the installation was successful.

Installing iKuai OS is basically the same as installing other operating systems. For specific instructions, please refer to the help documents above.

Switch Selection

I chose the "TP-Link TL-SG1008D" switch, which has a metal casing, 8 ports, and supports Gigabit speeds. It is more than sufficient for home use, although the appearance is a bit ugly. However, this device is for utility, so aesthetics don't matter; stability is what counts.

Purchase Link: https://u.jd.com/sBbYEjz

iKuai OS User Experience

Here is a screenshot of the iKuai OS backend after installation. The interface is clear and user-friendly.

About Partitioning

After installation, there are only two partitions: a system partition and a log partition. You can perform quick partitioning in the backend under System Settings > Disk Management > Disk Partition. Quick partitioning will not affect the system.

It is recommended to have at least 2 partitions:

• Log Partition: Set according to your disk size.
• Standard Partition: Used for virtual machines or Docker; recommended to be larger.
• Cache Acceleration: This feels somewhat useless; it caches video content but supports limited video types and often fails to cache.
• Yufan Xingxing: Similar to JD Cloud Wireless Treasure, it turns your router into a CDN node to share and earn some revenue. Not necessary if your upload bandwidth is small.

About Multi-Dialing

Currently, testing shows that Chengdu Telecom supports 3-way dialing. You can configure this under Network Settings > Internal/External Network Settings > Mixed Mode Based on Physical NIC > ADSL/PPPoE Dialing, as shown below.

Then, configure load balancing under Traffic Control & Splitting > Multi-line Load. For detailed explanations on multi-line load balancing, refer to the official documentation: https://www.ikuai8.com/zhic/ymgn/lyym/lkfl/ea195.html

After setting this up, I found that the bandwidth did not stack but was split instead. I am unsure if this is due to carrier restrictions or other issues.

Behavior Record Management

iKuai OS supports behavior record management, which needs to be enabled manually in the backend. Once enabled, you can view browsing records and IM online/offline records of devices, as shown below.

Generally, companies配备 enterprise routers, and "Behavior Record Management" is a standard feature in enterprise routers. So, never underestimate the network in an office environment; your leaders can see which websites you visited.

Advanced Usage

iKuai OS also supports KVM virtual machines and Docker. With these two features, almost any software you want can run on iKuai OS. However, since it is a soft router system, hardware configuration might be a limiting factor. There is also the risk that if something goes wrong, the entire network could crash. Personally, I am not particularly inclined to run virtual machines or Docker on the router (after all, I have a NAS).

Network Topology

My current network topology is as follows:

Summary

• If using a single-port mini PC as a soft router, you can enable single-arm routing or purchase an additional USB wired network card.
• If writing the system according to the official documentation fails, try using UltraISO to burn the .iso file.
• It is recommended to have at least 2 partitions; log and standard partitions are essential, while others are optional.
• More advanced features and usage methods require self-exploration.
• iKuai has a friendly interface, simple operation, and powerful traffic control.