How to Set Up a VPN Router [+Video]

Contents

• What is a VPN router?
• How does a VPN router piece of work?
• VPN on your router: pros and cons
• Different types of VPN routers
• How do I know if my router is VPN compatible?
• How to set upwardly a VPN on your router
• • i. Log into your router
  • 2. Configure your router
  • iii. Test it!
• Still don't know how to install a VPN on your router?
• Tips for using your VPN router

What is a VPN router?

A VPN router works exactly similar a normal VPN. Your traffic is redirected through a VPN's servers, assuasive yous to scan online completely undisturbed. All your activity will be hidden from anyone trying to spy on you lot, whether it's picayune thieves to data-hoarding corporations.

The reason you lot'd desire a VPN on your router is to provide network-broad online security. Once a router has been configured to download VPN firmware, all continued devices will be granted the benefits of VPN protection. That includes devices that may commonly not have the ability to utilize VPN software to its fullest, like a lot of smart home devices. Here'south a video explaining exactly how a router VPN works.

How does a VPN router work?

A VPN creates an encrypted and secure connection between the device information technology's installed on and the cyberspace. It gathers all of that device'due south requests to admission the internet and directs them through its encrypted tunnel and VPN server and so they tin can't be read or redirected.

That's like shooting fish in a barrel to understand when you're on a device with a user interface. Want to visit a website? You go through the tunnel. Want to video call your BFF? Through the tunnel. But what happens on a device with no user interface, like a router?

Once you've set up a router VPN, every single device connected to your router volition have its traffic sent through the encrypted tunnel. Your PC, your laptop, your home entertainment system, and even your smart IoT toaster.

VPN on your router: pros and cons

Pros	Cons
Protecting your whole network	Managing your VPN settings is harder
Securing devices that don't back up VPN	Encryption and available protocols depend on your router
Connecting multiple devices	Traffic between a device and router is not encrypted

Pros

Always-on security and privacy

With a router VPN, you'll ever be continued to the VPN server. You'll never forget to secure yourself because you'll be role of the VPN protection every bit long as your router is working. If any of your devices initiate any automated connections, similar account rest updates for a personal finance app, they volition exist secured fifty-fifty if you lot're sleeping.

Comprehensive home security

That always-on VPN server connection will apply to every device continued to your home router VPN. It will cover new devices you lot get with no additional setup, and information technology will even cover your guests when they visit and ask for your WiFi password.

Covers devices that don't support VPNs

There are plenty of WiFi-connected devices that don't support VPN coverage on their ain but could certainly benefit from it. Security is e'er essential, no matter what device you're using.

Connect more devices

NordVPN allows you to connect up to 6 devices, which is already more than enough for most users. But did y'all know that your NordVPN-enabled router counts every bit only one device? If your laptop, smartphone, and desktop PC all connect over your VPN-enabled router, that's nevertheless technically only ane device continued. Information technology'south not a skilful idea to abuse this feature considering your connection speed and stability may suffer, just information technology's an easy way to aggrandize the number of devices your NordVPN subscription covers.

Cons

Managing your VPN settings is harder

Because your router doesn't accept its own user interface (beyond a few simple buttons), you'll have to access it through some other device in lodge to suit your VPN settings. Turning your VPN tunnel on and off or changing the state it's continued to is much more convenient using NordVPN's app. It's still possible on your router, but not as convenient.

Configuration and encryption power depends on your router

Most routers lack the power to run annihilation more than the most bones encryption or tunneling protocols. You lot may want to upgrade to a VPN router that supports more secure protocols or just research what your chosen protocol does and doesn't protect y'all from.

Blocks some incoming connections

Past its very nature, a VPN is designed to cake incoming unauthorized connections. You'll have an easier fourth dimension initiating connections using your laptop, computer or smartphone to get around this limitation because they have user interfaces. Your less-accessible devices, like your router, will probably remain unreachable from exterior since they tin't initiate connections. This doesn't apply to automated processes on user devices, all the same – your computer volition even so receive emails and notifications.

Traffic betwixt devices and the router is not secured

Considering encryption occurs on the router, traffic between the device and the router will not all the same be encrypted. If you lot have a secure dwelling house WiFi setup and your mobile devices aren't ready to motorcar-connect to other networks, this shouldn't be a huge outcome. This only becomes a serious security issue if random strangers are capable of connecting to your network.

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Different types of VPN routers

• Routers that back up a VPN customer.
• Routers that need upgrading their firmware in order to install a VPN client.
• Routers that already come with a sure VPN service pre-installed.
• VPN router boxes designed to connect to your router.

Equally you can see, there are different types of VPN routers, and they all have pros and cons. Having a VPN service pre-installed is the easiest manner to secure your network, as you don't demand to practise any boosted configuration. But if you lot need to upgrade your firmware to use a VPN, information technology takes more time and requires some technical skills.

If your router supports a VPN client, information technology doesn't accept more than than a couple of minutes to set up up a VPN.

How do I know if my router is VPN compatible?

Earlier yous become further, it's important to make sure that you lot have as supported router that'southward compatible with a VPN. Not all routers are.

To find out more about compatibility, cheque the manual that may have come up with your router. If you lot didn't receive whatsoever manual, or if you lot've misplaced it, you lot should be able to find the data you need online. Just search for the proper name of your router and "VPN compatibility". If you're buying a new router, it's besides a practiced idea to make certain it'south VPN uniform before you purchase information technology. There are enough of splendid abode VPN routers on the market.

It is worth noting that most ISP routers and modems don't support a VPN connection. All the same, you tin can combine an ISP modem with a VPN-supported router for a VPN to piece of work.

If you're looking for a VPN-supported router, hither are a few suggestions that will do good both abode users and SMEs:

• Linksys WRT 3200 ACM
• Asus RT-AC86U
• Teltonika RUTX11
• Netgear Nighthawk X10 AD7200

How to set upward a VPN on your router

The get-go matter y'all need to do is select a VPN that supports router connections, and if yous desire the best VPN on the market, then NordVPN is a safe choice.

Next, you'll accept to meet if your router supports VPN functionality. To discover out if your router can run NordVPN, check out our tutorial folio and discover your router's brand and model. Some routers there will too include NordVPN router setup instructions. It's possible to discover a pre-configured VPN router if you expect difficult plenty.

The specifics for NordVPN router installation volition vary between brands and models, but the general steps will exist as follows:

one. Log into your router

If you want to learn how to use a VPN, outset by logging into your router and adjusting its settings. You'll have to gain access using your product manual or service provider so you can make the changes you need to install a VPN on your router.

For most routers, you'll accept to outset by entering its IP address into your search bar and logging in (here's how to notice your router IP accost if you don't know information technology). If yous've never logged into your router, this would be a bang-up opportunity to change your password as well (hither's how to make a secure password) because many are shipped with factory default passwords that are super easy to hack!

two. Configure your router

The steps you take to configure your router will depend entirely on your router's firmware. Some routers, similar many of those offered by Asus, take integrated VPN functionality. For others, y'all'll take to reconfigure their settings to redirect their traffic to a VPN server. Over again, the best identify to observe specific instructions for your specific router will exist our exhaustive tutorial page or your manufacturer's manual or website.

3. Examination information technology!

Once you've completed the configuration process for your router VPN, examination it to come across if the connectedness works. You'll be able to log into your router at any fourth dimension (from home) to adjust your settings, only information technology's still going to be less user-friendly than using one of NordVPN's apps. Remember, you don't need a particularly special router, most will be able to comprise VPN protection.

Still don't know how to install a VPN on your router?

If you're experiencing issues and don't know how to install a VPN, no problem. NordVPN has award-winning 24/seven alive customer support in multiple languages. If these tips didn't assist you and you're nevertheless lost, our support experts will help y'all find a mode to put NordVPN on your router. Contact them at support@nordvpn.com or through the live chat or other means bachelor here.

Tips for using your VPN router

Avoid unnecessary double coverage

With NordVPN working on your router and out of sight, yous may forget information technology's switched on. If y'all use NordVPN on another device while at home, your NordVPN encrypted tunnel volition still be sent through the encrypted tunnel set up on your router. This can exist a powerful and useful characteristic when using our Double VPN setting, but NordVPN was non designed to function this way through your VPN router. To avert significant speed reductions or instability, utilise ane method or another to connect to NordVPN'south servers.

Bookmark your router settings folio

Connecting to your router to change the settings might exist inconvenient, but you lot can bookmark the address to make this part just a flake easier.

To avert double coverage, prepare a carve up router

Near devices that you lot conduct with you lot throughout the solar day (phones, laptops, and tablets) will be able to support a VPN app. This will proceed you condom while outside the firm, simply if yous forget to switch the app off in your home, the ii overlapping VPN connections tin can crusade a drop in cyberspace speed.

If yous accept two routers, you can connect your phone or tablet to the 1 that isn't configured with a VPN. Meanwhile, any devices that don't support a VPN app (some smart TVs and gaming consoles, for example) can run on your VPN router. All your hardware will be protected, without risking whatsoever reduction in speed.

Check out these NordVPN reviews to notice out more about the NordVPN experience. Whether on your router or your other devices, NordVPN will keep you secure and private online. Go started today and employ a NordVPN coupon to observe the all-time deal possible.

Take your privacy into your ain hands.

Protect your router with a VPN

Source: https://nordvpn.com/blog/setup-vpn-router/