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jsebgiraldo

OpenWRT SSH MCP Server

by jsebgiraldo
README.md
# OpenWRT SSH MCP Server ๐Ÿณ

![Status](https://img.shields.io/badge/Status-Production%20Ready-brightgreen)
![Docker](https://img.shields.io/badge/Docker-271MB-blue)
![Python](https://img.shields.io/badge/Python-3.11+-blue)
![MCP](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP-SDK%201.0-purple)

A containerized MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for managing OpenWRT routers via SSH. This server allows AI agents (like Claude) to execute commands and manage OpenWRT routers remotely and securely.

๐ŸŽ‰ **STATUS**: โœ… Fully functional and tested with physical router

## โœจ Features

- ๐Ÿณ **Docker Ready** - Optimized image with multi-stage build (271MB)
- ๐Ÿ” **Robust Security** - Command whitelist, read-only filesystem, audit logging
- ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ **23 OpenWRT Tools** - Complete router management (network, system, Thread, packages, firmware OTA)
- ๐Ÿš€ **Easy Integration** - Compatible with Claude Desktop and VS Code
- ๐Ÿ“Š **Monitoring** - Detailed logs of all operations
- ๐Ÿ”„ **MCP Toolkit** - Fully compatible with Docker Desktop MCP
- ๐Ÿ“ฆ **Package Management** - Install/remove IPK packages with opkg
- ๐Ÿ”— **OpenThread OTBR** - Support for Thread Border Router

## Architecture

```
โ”Œโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”
โ”‚ Claude / VS Code    โ”‚  โ† Your AI agent
โ””โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”ฌโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”˜
           โ”‚ MCP Protocol (stdio)
           โ”‚
โ”Œโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ–ผโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”
โ”‚ Docker Container    โ”‚  โ† MCP Server
โ”‚  โ”Œโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”   โ”‚
โ”‚  โ”‚ MCP Server   โ”‚   โ”‚
โ”‚  โ”‚ (Python)     โ”‚   โ”‚
โ”‚  โ””โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”ฌโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”˜   โ”‚
โ””โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”ผโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”˜
          โ”‚ SSH
          โ”‚
โ”Œโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ–ผโ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”
โ”‚ OpenWRT Router      โ”‚  โ† Your physical router
โ”‚ (192.168.1.1)       โ”‚
โ””โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”€โ”˜
```

## Features

- ๐Ÿ” Secure SSH authentication (password or key-based)
- ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ OpenWRT-specific tools (ubus, uci)
- โœ… Command validation with whitelist
- ๐Ÿ“ Audit logging
- ๐Ÿณ Docker support (optional)
- ๐Ÿ”Œ Integration with Claude Desktop and VS Code

## Requirements

- Python 3.10+
- OpenWRT router with SSH enabled
- SSH access to router (root user recommended)

## Installation

### 1. Clone or create the project

```bash
cd "c:\Users\Luis Antonio\Documents\UNAL\MCPs-OpenWRT"
```

### 2. Create virtual environment and install dependencies

```bash
python -m venv venv
.\venv\Scripts\activate  # Windows
pip install -e .
```

### 3. Configure SSH credentials

```bash
# Copy example file
copy .env.example .env

# Edit .env with your router credentials
```

### 4. Generate and copy SSH key (recommended)

```bash
# Generate dedicated key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f ~/.ssh/openwrt_router -C "MCP Server"

# Copy to router
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/openwrt_router.pub root@192.168.1.1

# Update .env
OPENWRT_KEY_FILE=C:\Users\YOUR_USER\.ssh\openwrt_router
```

## ๐Ÿ”ง Configuration

### Claude Desktop (Docker)

Includes optimized configuration in `claude_desktop_config.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openwrt-router-docker": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "--rm", "-i",
        "--network", "host",
        "--env-file", "C:\\Users\\Luis Antonio\\Documents\\UNAL\\MCPs-OpenWRT\\.env",
        "--mount", "type=bind,src=C:\\Users\\Luis Antonio\\.ssh,dst=/root/.ssh,readonly",
        "openwrt-ssh-mcp:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### VS Code with GitHub Copilot

The project includes complete VS Code configuration:

**Option 1: Direct Python (Recommended)**
```powershell
# Open workspace
code mcp-openwrt.code-workspace

# In Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Shift+I):
"What OpenWRT tools do I have available?"
```

**Option 2: With Tasks**
```
Terminal > Run Task > "Start MCP Server (Python)"
```

**Option 3: Startup Script**
```powershell
.\start-mcp-vscode.ps1
```

### Script Helper

Use `docker-mcp.ps1` for all operations:

```powershell
.\docker-mcp.ps1 build   # Build image
.\docker-mcp.ps1 run     # Run server
.\docker-mcp.ps1 test    # Test connection
.\docker-mcp.ps1 logs    # View logs
.\docker-mcp.ps1 shell   # Open shell
.\docker-mcp.ps1 clean   # Clean all
```

## ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Available Tools

### System & Network (8 tools)
- `openwrt_test_connection` - Test SSH connection
- `openwrt_execute_command` - Execute raw command (validated)
- `openwrt_get_system_info` - System info (uptime, memory, CPU)
- `openwrt_restart_interface` - Restart network interface
- `openwrt_get_wifi_status` - WiFi status and clients
- `openwrt_list_dhcp_leases` - List DHCP clients
- `openwrt_get_firewall_rules` - View firewall rules
- `openwrt_read_config` - Read UCI config file

### OpenThread Border Router (5 tools)
- `openwrt_thread_get_state` - Current Thread state
- `openwrt_thread_create_network` - Create new Thread network
- `openwrt_thread_get_dataset` - Get network credentials
- `openwrt_thread_get_info` - Complete Thread network info
- `openwrt_thread_enable_commissioner` - Allow new devices

### Package Management (6 tools)
- `openwrt_opkg_update` - Update package lists
- `openwrt_opkg_install` - Install IPK packages
- `openwrt_opkg_remove` - Remove packages
- `openwrt_opkg_list_installed` - List installed packages
- `openwrt_opkg_info` - Detailed package info
- `openwrt_opkg_list_available` - List available packages

### Firmware OTA (4 tools)
- `openwrt_firmware_version` - Current firmware version, board model, release info
- `openwrt_firmware_upload` - SCP a local `.img`/`.bin` to `/tmp/firmware.img` with SHA256 check
- `openwrt_firmware_verify` - `sysupgrade -T` to validate without flashing
- `openwrt_firmware_flash` - Flash via `sysupgrade` with optional `keep_settings` (clean install when false)

## ๐Ÿ’ฌ Usage Examples

Once configured, you can ask Claude:

### System & Network
- "Show me the WiFi status on my router"
- "List connected devices"
- "Restart the wan interface"
- "What's the router's memory usage?"

### Package Management
- "Update the package repositories"
- "Install the luci-app-openthread package"
- "Show me installed packages"
- "Give me information about the ot-br-posix package"

### OpenThread
- "Create a Thread network called 'MyHome' on channel 15"
- "Show me the Thread network status"
- "Enable the commissioner to add new devices"
- "Give me the Thread network credentials"

## Security

โš ๏ธ **IMPORTANT**: This server has root access to your router. Make sure to:

- Use SSH key authentication (not password)
- Keep `.env` out of version control
- Review commands before production execution
- Enable audit logging
- Limit SSH access from router to your PC

## ๐Ÿ“š Documentation

### ๐Ÿš€ Quick Start
- **[QUICKSTART_DOCKER.md](QUICKSTART_DOCKER.md)** - Quick start with Docker
- **[TEST_OPKG.md](TEST_OPKG.md)** - Test IPK package management

### ๐Ÿ“– Detailed Guides
- **[DOCKER_GUIDE.md](DOCKER_GUIDE.md)** - Complete Docker guide

## ๐Ÿงช Testing

```powershell
# Test with helper script
.\docker-mcp.ps1 test

# Test with MCP Inspector
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/inspector
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector docker run -i --rm openwrt-ssh-mcp:latest

# View logs
.\docker-mcp.ps1 logs
```

## ๐Ÿ” Implemented Security

- โœ… **Read-only filesystem** - Immutable container
- โœ… **No capabilities** - No special permissions
- โœ… **SSH keys read-only** - Protected keys
- โœ… **Command whitelist** - Only safe commands
- โœ… **Audit logging** - Complete logging
- โœ… **Volatile tmpfs** - /tmp cleaned on restart
- โœ… **No privilege escalation** - No sudo

## ๐ŸŽฏ Use Cases

### Advanced Workflows

- ๐Ÿ”„ **Automated backup** of UCI configurations
- ๐Ÿ“Š **Network monitoring** - Connected devices, resource usage
- ๐Ÿ”ง **AI-guided troubleshooting**
- ๐Ÿ“ **Automatic documentation** of changes
- ๐Ÿšจ **Network anomaly alerts**
- ๐Ÿ“ฆ **Package management** - Install/update software
- ๐Ÿ”— **Thread configuration** - Create and manage Thread/Matter networks
- ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ **Security auditing** - Review firewall rules

## ๐Ÿณ Docker Hub (Optional)

```powershell
# Publish your image
docker login
docker tag openwrt-ssh-mcp:latest yourusername/openwrt-ssh-mcp:latest
docker push yourusername/openwrt-ssh-mcp:latest
```

## ๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Development

```powershell
# Install development dependencies
pip install -e ".[dev]"

# Run tests
pytest

# Format code
black .
ruff check --fix .

# Rebuild after changes
.\docker-mcp.ps1 build
```

## ๐Ÿค Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the project
2. Create a branch for your feature
3. Commit your changes
4. Push to the branch
5. Open a Pull Request

## ๐Ÿ“– Resources

- [MCP Documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/)
- [Docker MCP Blog](https://www.docker.com/blog/dynamic-mcps-with-docker/)
- [OpenWRT Documentation](https://openwrt.org/docs/start)
- [MCP Servers Repository](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers)

## ๐Ÿ“„ License

MIT

---

**Made with โค๏ธ for the OpenWRT and MCP community**

TDQS

A3.7/5.0

Scored across 19 tools

Disambiguation5/5

Every tool has a clearly distinct purpose targeting specific resources and actions in the OpenWRT domain. For example, opkg tools handle package management, Thread tools manage Thread networking, and system tools cover firewall, DHCP, WiFi, etc., with no overlapping functionality. The general execute_command tool is explicitly reserved for commands not covered by specialized tools, preventing confusion.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern with the prefix 'openwrt_' (e.g., openwrt_get_firewall_rules, openwrt_opkg_install, openwrt_thread_create_network). This uniform naming convention makes the tool set predictable and easy to navigate, with no deviations in style or structure.

Tool Count4/5

With 19 tools, the count is slightly high but reasonable for the comprehensive scope of OpenWRT router management, covering system info, networking, package management, and Thread networking. It avoids bloat by focusing on core operations, though it could be streamlined by merging some related tools without losing functionality.

Completeness5/5

The tool surface provides complete coverage for OpenWRT management, including CRUD operations for packages (install, remove, list), system monitoring (info, firewall, WiFi, DHCP), network configuration (restart interface, read config), and Thread networking lifecycle (create, enable, get info). No obvious gaps exist; agents can perform end-to-end tasks without dead ends.

Maintenance

ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessUnresponsive