"unhandled exeption during request handling" error

HI,
I'm a very noob user and i may have messed things up pretty good. I flashed Open WRT to my dlink DIR-878 router and was attempting to connect through NordVPN using the openvpn function... I followed the tutorial in the Nord support pages and couldn't get it to work... i gave up and attempted to reverse what i had done. I removed the VPN instance that i had created then i removed the system software that i had installed:

  1. openvpn-openssl
  2. ip-full
  3. luci-app-openvpn

Now when i try to access the router through 192.168.1.1 i can get to the log in but once i enter the user and password i get an error message that looks bad.... :grimacing:

here's the text...

Error
Unhandled exception during request dispatching
module 'luci.ucodebridge' not found:
no field package.preload['luci.ucodebridge']
no file './luci/ucodebridge.lua'
no file '/usr/share/lua/luci/ucodebridge.lua'
no file '/usr/share/lua/luci/ucodebridge/init.lua'
no file '/usr/lib/lua/luci/ucodebridge.lua'
no file '/usr/lib/lua/luci/ucodebridge/init.lua'
no file './luci/ucodebridge.so'
no file '/usr/lib/lua/luci/ucodebridge.so'
no file '/usr/lib/lua/loadall.so'
no file './luci.so'
no file '/usr/lib/lua/luci.so'
no file '/usr/lib/lua/loadall.so'

In anonymous function, file [C]
In anonymous function, file /usr/share/ucode/luci/runtime.uc, line 133, byte 10:
called from function [arrow function] (/usr/share/ucode/luci/runtime.uc:141:63)
called from function render ([C])
called from function [anonymous function] (/usr/share/ucode/luci/runtime.uc:141:64)
called from function run_action (/usr/share/ucode/luci/dispatcher.uc:778:34)
called from function [anonymous function] (/usr/share/ucode/luci/dispatcher.uc:1003:48)
called from anonymous function (/www/cgi-bin/luci:39:13)

die(ex);
Near here --------^

Seems concerning.... any ideas as to how one might start again?

cheers

There can be a number of causes... sometimes it's a syntax error.

Let's take a look at the configs and see if we can identify anything (and if not, you can always reset and start over).

Please connect to your OpenWrt device using ssh and copy the output of the following commands and post it here using the "Preformatted text </> " button (red circle; this works best in the 'Markdown' composer view in the blue oval):

Screenshot 2025-10-20 at 8.14.14 PM

Remember to redact passwords, VPN keys, MAC addresses and any public IP addresses you may have:

ubus call system board
cat /etc/config/network
cat /etc/config/wireless
cat /etc/config/dhcp
cat /etc/config/firewall
cat /etc/config/openvpn

Also worth noting -- it seems that Nord offers WireGuard connectivity... it's much easier to setup and also far more performant. I'd recommend that path instead of OpenVPN (unless there is a specific reason you want/need to use OpenVPN).

Reinstall luci-compat package, it got uninstalled as a dependency to luci-app-openvpn.

BusyBox v1.36.1 (2025-12-17 21:08:22 UTC) built-in shell (ash)

  _______                     ________        __
 |       |.-----.-----.-----.|  |  |  |.----.|  |_
 |   -   ||  _  |  -__|     ||  |  |  ||   _||   _|
 |_______||   __|_____|__|__||________||__|  |____|
          |__| W I R E L E S S   F R E E D O M
 -----------------------------------------------------
 OpenWrt 24.10.5, r29087-d9c5716d1d
 -----------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:~# ubus call system board
{
        "kernel": "6.6.119",
        "hostname": "OpenWrt",
        "system": "MediaTek MT7621 ver:1 eco:3",
        "model": "D-Link DIR-878 A1",
        "board_name": "dlink,dir-878-a1",
        "rootfs_type": "squashfs",
        "release": {
                "distribution": "OpenWrt",
                "version": "24.10.5",
                "revision": "r29087-d9c5716d1d",
                "target": "ramips/mt7621",
                "description": "OpenWrt 24.10.5 r29087-d9c5716d1d",
                "builddate": "1766005702"
        }
}
root@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/network

config interface 'loopback'
        option device 'lo'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '127.0.0.1'
        option netmask '255.0.0.0'

config globals 'globals'
        option ula_prefix 'fd99:1c0f:8b17::/48'
        option packet_steering '1'

config device
        option name 'br-lan'
        option type 'bridge'
        list ports 'lan1'
        list ports 'lan2'
        list ports 'lan3'
        list ports 'lan4'

config interface 'lan'
        option device 'br-lan'
        option proto 'static'
        option ipaddr '192.168.1.1'
        option netmask '255.255.255.0'
        option ip6assign '60'

config interface 'wan'
        option device 'wan'
        option proto 'dhcp'

config interface 'wan6'
        option device 'wan'
        option proto 'dhcpv6'

root@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/wireless

config wifi-device 'radio0'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option path '1e140000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:00.0/0000:01:00.0'
        option band '2g'
        option channel '1'
        option htmode 'HT20'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio0'
        option device 'radio0'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'none'

config wifi-device 'radio1'
        option type 'mac80211'
        option path '1e140000.pcie/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:02:00.0'
        option band '5g'
        option channel '36'
        option htmode 'VHT80'
        option disabled '1'

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
        option device 'radio1'
        option network 'lan'
        option mode 'ap'
        option ssid 'OpenWrt'
        option encryption 'none'
        option disabled '1'

root@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/dhcp

config dnsmasq
        option domainneeded '1'
        option localise_queries '1'
        option rebind_protection '1'
        option rebind_localhost '1'
        option local '/lan/'
        option domain 'lan'
        option expandhosts '1'
        option cachesize '1000'
        option authoritative '1'
        option readethers '1'
        option leasefile '/tmp/dhcp.leases'
        option localservice '1'
        option ednspacket_max '1232'
        list server '103.86.96.100'
        list server '103.86.99.100'
        option noresolv '1'

config dhcp 'lan'
        option interface 'lan'
        option start '100'
        option limit '150'
        option leasetime '12h'
        option dhcpv4 'server'
        option dhcpv6 'server'
        option ra 'server'
        option ra_slaac '1'
        list ra_flags 'managed-config'
        list ra_flags 'other-config'

config dhcp 'wan'
        option interface 'wan'
        option ignore '1'

config odhcpd 'odhcpd'
        option maindhcp '0'
        option leasefile '/tmp/hosts/odhcpd'
        option leasetrigger '/usr/sbin/odhcpd-update'
        option loglevel '4'
        option piofolder '/tmp/odhcpd-piofolder'

root@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/firewall
config defaults
        option syn_flood        1
        option input            REJECT
        option output           ACCEPT
        option forward          REJECT
# Uncomment this line to disable ipv6 rules
#       option disable_ipv6     1

config zone
        option name             lan
        list   network          'lan'
        option input            ACCEPT
        option output           ACCEPT
        option forward          ACCEPT

config zone
        option name             wan
        list   network          'wan'
        list   network          'wan6'
        option input            REJECT
        option output           ACCEPT
        option forward          REJECT
        option masq             1
        option mtu_fix          1

config forwarding
        option src              lan
        option dest             wan

# We need to accept udp packets on port 68,
# see https://dev.openwrt.org/ticket/4108
config rule
        option name             Allow-DHCP-Renew
        option src              wan
        option proto            udp
        option dest_port        68
        option target           ACCEPT
        option family           ipv4

# Allow IPv4 ping
config rule
        option name             Allow-Ping
        option src              wan
        option proto            icmp
        option icmp_type        echo-request
        option family           ipv4
        option target           ACCEPT

config rule
        option name             Allow-IGMP
        option src              wan
        option proto            igmp
        option family           ipv4
        option target           ACCEPT

# Allow DHCPv6 replies
# see https://github.com/openwrt/openwrt/issues/5066
config rule
        option name             Allow-DHCPv6
        option src              wan
        option proto            udp
        option dest_port        546
        option family           ipv6
        option target           ACCEPT

config rule
        option name             Allow-MLD
        option src              wan
        option proto            icmp
        option src_ip           fe80::/10
        list icmp_type          '130/0'
        list icmp_type          '131/0'
        list icmp_type          '132/0'
        list icmp_type          '143/0'
        option family           ipv6
        option target           ACCEPT

# Allow essential incoming IPv6 ICMP traffic
config rule
        option name             Allow-ICMPv6-Input
        option src              wan
        option proto    icmp
        list icmp_type          echo-request
        list icmp_type          echo-reply
        list icmp_type          destination-unreachable
        list icmp_type          packet-too-big
        list icmp_type          time-exceeded
        list icmp_type          bad-header
        list icmp_type          unknown-header-type
        list icmp_type          router-solicitation
        list icmp_type          neighbour-solicitation
        list icmp_type          router-advertisement
        list icmp_type          neighbour-advertisement
        option limit            1000/sec
        option family           ipv6
        option target           ACCEPT

# Allow essential forwarded IPv6 ICMP traffic
config rule
        option name             Allow-ICMPv6-Forward
        option src              wan
        option dest             *
        option proto            icmp
        list icmp_type          echo-request
        list icmp_type          echo-reply
        list icmp_type          destination-unreachable
        list icmp_type          packet-too-big
        list icmp_type          time-exceeded
        list icmp_type          bad-header
        list icmp_type          unknown-header-type
        option limit            1000/sec
        option family           ipv6
        option target           ACCEPT

config rule
        option name             Allow-IPSec-ESP
        option src              wan
        option dest             lan
        option proto            esp
        option target           ACCEPT

config rule
        option name             Allow-ISAKMP
        option src              wan
        option dest             lan
        option dest_port        500
        option proto            udp
        option target           ACCEPT


### EXAMPLE CONFIG SECTIONS
# do not allow a specific ip to access wan
#config rule
#       option src              lan
#       option src_ip   192.168.45.2
#       option dest             wan
#       option proto    tcp
#       option target   REJECT

# block a specific mac on wan
#config rule
#       option dest             wan
#       option src_mac  00:11:22:33:44:66
#       option target   REJECT

# block incoming ICMP traffic on a zone
#config rule
#       option src              lan
#       option proto    ICMP
#       option target   DROP

# port redirect port coming in on wan to lan
#config redirect
#       option src                      wan
#       option src_dport        80
#       option dest                     lan
#       option dest_ip          192.168.16.235
#       option dest_port        80
#       option proto            tcp

# port redirect of remapped ssh port (22001) on wan
#config redirect
#       option src              wan
#       option src_dport        22001
#       option dest             lan
#       option dest_port        22
#       option proto            tcp

### FULL CONFIG SECTIONS
#config rule
#       option src              lan
#       option src_ip   192.168.45.2
#       option src_mac  00:11:22:33:44:55
#       option src_port 80
#       option dest             wan
#       option dest_ip  194.25.2.129
#       option dest_port        120
#       option proto    tcp
#       option target   REJECT

#config redirect
#       option src              lan
#       option src_ip   192.168.45.2
#       option src_mac  00:11:22:33:44:55
#       option src_port         1024
#       option src_dport        80
#       option dest_ip  194.25.2.129
#       option dest_port        120
#       option proto    tcp
root@OpenWrt:~# cat /etc/config/openvpn

config openvpn 'custom_config'
        option config '/etc/openvpn/my-vpn.conf'

config openvpn 'sample_server'
        option port '1194'
        option proto 'udp'
        option dev 'tun'
        option ca '/etc/openvpn/ca.crt'
        option cert '/etc/openvpn/server.crt'
        option key '/etc/openvpn/server.key'
        option dh '/etc/openvpn/dh2048.pem'
        option server '10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0'
        option ifconfig_pool_persist '/tmp/ipp.txt'
        option keepalive '10 120'
        option persist_key '1'
        option persist_tun '1'
        option user 'nobody'
        option status '/tmp/openvpn-status.log'
        option verb '3'

config openvpn 'sample_client'
        option client '1'
        option dev 'tun'
        option proto 'udp'
        list remote 'my_server_1 1194'
        option resolv_retry 'infinite'
        option nobind '1'
        option persist_key '1'
        option persist_tun '1'
        option user 'nobody'
        option ca '/etc/openvpn/ca.crt'
        option cert '/etc/openvpn/client.crt'
        option key '/etc/openvpn/client.key'
        option verb '3'

Thanks for the reply, I'm not sure how I can go about doing that as I can't get into the admin. As soon as I log in I get the error message? Is there a way to do it another way?

mostly defaults here, so no errors in the config that I can see.

cheers,
Is there a way I can re-install the luci-compat package without having access to the admin menu?

Login over ssh again and run:

opkg update
opkg install luci-compat

Amazing, Thank you!!!