VPN on a Huawei or Honor router: what is actually possible

A VPN for a Huawei or Honor router, out of the box, means only two old protocols: L2TP and PPTP. There is no WireGuard, OpenVPN or AmneziaWG in these routers' firmware, and there is no alternative firmware (OpenWrt, Padavan) for the home models — there is nowhere to load the NvoVPN file onto the router itself. But you can still have a VPN at home: either an app on every device, or a second router with AmneziaWG behind the Huawei. Below is how to confirm in a minute that this is your case, and both routes. If you are in Russia, there is one difference — see the block below.

1. 1

   Confirm this is your case

   Open the router's web interface (address 192.168.3.1) → "Additional Features" → "Network Settings" → "VPN Network" (on Honor the item is called VPN). The list of types will show only L2TP and PPTP — or there will be no such item at all: the HUAWEI WiFi AX3 and AX2 specs only mention VPN pass-through. In both cases, you cannot set up WireGuard or AmneziaWG on this router. Huawei 4G/5G modem routers (address 192.168.8.1) are the same: Advanced → Router → VPN, only L2TP and PPTP.

2. 2

   Option A — the NvoVPN app on every device

   The fastest route. Install the app on your laptop, phone and tablet, and press the shield: shield green means the VPN is working, and a server is chosen for you. The Huawei router stays as it is. A subscription covers up to five devices at once. This does not suit Samsung and LG TVs: there are no VPN apps for them, and they need option B.

3. 3

   Option B — a second router with AmneziaWG behind the Huawei

   Get a router that understands AmneziaWG natively — a Keenetic: with KeeneticOS 4.3.4 or later, it imports our file whole. Connect the Huawei's LAN port to the Keenetic's WAN port with a cable (the one the provider's cable usually goes into). In your account → "Connection" → "Manual", name the device "Router", click "Create" and download the AmneziaWG file. On the Keenetic: "Internet" → "Other connections" → "Upload from file" → tick "Use for internet access". Connect the TV and anything else that needs protection to the Keenetic's Wi-Fi. There is nothing to change on the Huawei itself: it supports VPN passthrough, so the second router's tunnel will get through. Details in the Keenetic guide.

4. 4

   Check that the VPN is working

   From a device on the Keenetic's Wi-Fi (option B) or with the app turned on (option A), open the "What is my IP" page: it will show the NvoVPN server's address, not your provider's. Anything still on the Huawei's own Wi-Fi goes to the internet directly — that is by design, not a malfunction.

If it does not work: pitfalls

• The device is still on the Huawei's Wi-Fi. Only what is connected to the Keenetic is under the VPN. Reconnect the TV to the second router's network.
• One file, one device. You cannot use the Keenetic's file on a phone at the same time: the connection will drop on both. Create a separate configuration for the phone — a subscription covers up to five.
• DNS. Some firmware ignores the DNS = line in the file. If the tunnel is up but sites will not open, set the DNS manually — the same address as in the file.
• MTU. If heavy pages "hang" while small ones open, set MTU to 1420 on the second router's VPN interface.
• Speed. Per Keenetic's data, entry-level models (Starter, Explorer, Carrier, Runner 4G) give up to 45 Mbps through WireGuard, and Hero KN-1012 and Sprinter KN-3711 up to 460. Choose your second router to match your plan.
• Check from a device behind the Keenetic, not from a phone on mobile data: the "What is my IP" page will show the server's address.
• A kill switch on the router is not in every firmware. If it matters that devices do not go straight to the internet when the tunnel drops, check for that option in the connection settings — what it is, in "Kill Switch".

Huawei and Honor models and firmware

Per the manufacturer's data as of September 2026.

• HUAWEI WiFi WS5200 NEW: per Huawei's official help page, there is a VPN client, with only L2TP and PPTP as types, no IPSec support, no VPN server, and VPN passthrough works. Path: "Additional Features" → "Network Settings" → "VPN Network".
• HUAWEI WiFi AX3 and AX2: the specs only mention VPN penetration / pass through; client protocols are not listed. There is no official OpenWrt build for them, nor for the AX3 Pro (WS7100/WS7200).
• Huawei 4G/5G modem routers (192.168.8.1): per Huawei's help page, the client is only L2TP and PPTP, path Advanced → Router → VPN.
• Honor routers: per Honor's official support page — a VPN client with L2TP or PPTP (not both at once), no IPSec support, no VPN server. Path: "Additional Features" → "Network Settings" → VPN.
• Alternative firmware: the official OpenWrt for Huawei list only has the enterprise access points AP5030DN and AP6010DN and old DSL modems EchoLife HG553, HG556a, HG253s v2 — no home Wi-Fi routers from Huawei or Honor are on it. Padavan-ng has no templates for Huawei or Honor either.

FAQ

My Huawei's menu has a "VPN Network" item — why can't I use it? It only has L2TP and PPTP. NvoVPN does not issue these protocols: they are easy to recognize and block, and they have no AmneziaWG obfuscation.

Can I install OpenWrt on a Huawei AX3? No. The official OpenWrt list only has enterprise access points and old DSL modems from Huawei. Padavan is not built for Huawei or Honor either.

Which Keenetic should I get as a second router? A model that updates to KeeneticOS 4.3.4 or later — from that version, per Amnezia's data, the AmneziaWG file from your account imports whole; full support for newer protocol versions is in KeeneticOS 5.1, so it is better to update straight to that. Check the stated WireGuard speed: entry-level models give up to 45 Mbps. Details in the Keenetic guide.

Does the Huawei count as a device on the subscription? No — it does not connect to the VPN. The Keenetic behind it is one device, no matter how many TVs are connected to it. The app on each phone is a separate device, up to five in total.

I have a Huawei phone on HarmonyOS NEXT — Android apps do not install on it. Then a VPN for it only comes through a router, meaning option B. A breakdown by system is in "VPN on Huawei and Honor".

Can I get an ASUS or TP-Link instead of a Keenetic? Where VPNs are not throttled, yes, with the WireGuard variant of the file: the ASUS guide, the TP-Link guide. In Russia they will not work with stock firmware: there is no AmneziaWG in their factory firmware.

Related guides: VPN on a router: an overview by firmware · VPN on Keenetic · AmneziaWG vs WireGuard: what is the difference · A second router behind a provider's router