How to install VPN services on Zima OS

Operating System ZimaOS
1

I have installed Zima OS on my laptop, and I would like to install NordVPN. I access Terminal using SSH and keep running into issues. Please help!

Sudo: apt: command not found, sudo: dnf: command not found. What to do here?

2

Hi, I am not a tech expert. But as far as I am aware ZimaOS itself doesn’t support apt commands since it’s a customized server OS. Anyway you can run apt commands within any docker container terminal installed within ZimaOS. If your requirement is to connecting and managing server remotely I highly suggest trying Tailscale. I am using Tailscale more than one year now without any issue.

3

I am aware of Tailscale. Since NordVPN offers mesh network capabilities i wanted to give NORDVPN a try.

1 Like
4

ZimaOS is not a traditional Linux distro (like Ubuntu/Debian). It’s Buildroot-based, so tools like apt, dnf, or yum do not exist. That’s why those commands fail.

What this means

  • You cannot install NordVPN directly via CLI on ZimaOS
  • ZimaOS is designed to run services via Docker containers, not system packages

Supported ways to use a VPN on ZimaOS

Option 1 (Recommended): Run NordVPN via Docker

Use a VPN container and route apps through it.

Common approaches:

  • Gluetun (very popular, supports NordVPN)
  • NordVPN-compatible OpenVPN / WireGuard containers

Example stack idea:

  • gluetun (VPN container)
  • Your apps (qBittorrent, etc.) connected to the same Docker network

This is the cleanest and safest way on ZimaOS.

Option 2: VPN at the network level

Instead of installing VPN on ZimaOS:

  • Run NordVPN on your router
  • Or on an upstream firewall / gateway
  • ZimaOS then just uses that routed connection

Option 3 (Not recommended): Manual hacks

Trying to inject binaries into ZimaOS:

  • Breaks easily
  • Lost on updates
  • Not supported

I don’t recommend this.

Key takeaway

ZimaOS = appliance OS, not a package-managed Linux system
VPNs must run in Docker or outside the OS

5

So the way mine is setup is gluetun is running and is routing through my VPN as expected (confirmed via terminal using ifconfig). I have it set to the gluetun network as well. In the app I’d like to use the network I also have it set to use the gluetun netowrk, however when I go into the terminal within that container and check the IP it still shows the host IP, not the VPN ip… I’m at a loss what of to do. I’ve seen issues with containers which are named, so I tried removing that. Nothing. I tried adding network_mode: “container:gluetun” in the container variables and still nothing. I have no clue how to move forward and am debating moving off of ZimaOS due to this. Any help would be appreciated!

6

If the app container still shows your host IP, it is not actually sharing Gluetun’s network stack — even if the UI says it is.

On Docker, the only correct way is:

network_mode: “container:gluetun”

And when you use that:

  • No ports:
  • No networks:
  • No bridge mode
  • No extra network attachments

If any of those exist, it will leak to host networking.

Also confirm the container name is exactly gluetun:

docker inspect your_app | grep NetworkMode

It must show:

“NetworkMode”: “container:gluetun”

If it says bridge, it’s not routed through the VPN.

This is a Docker namespace issue, not a ZimaOS limitation.