How to install a VPN on your router
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These days, you need as much security as possible on the Internet. From working remotely to just watching your favorite show on a smart TV, the average consumer’s attack size is three to four times the size when most of us only had one computer. This isn’t just a concern, it’s also a chore because you’ll need to install security software on all of these devices. But while you can’t get around installing a separate antivirus on each device, you can at least make your VPN concerns less aggravating by skipping the device-specific procedure and installing a blanket VPN on your router.
Why get a VPN?
VPNs are essential to internet security for a number of reasons. First, they make your computer appear as if it is in a geographical location other than where you are actually. This is because you log into a server managed by the VPN provider and then run your web sessions from there. This means that when large, nasty government agencies or cookies try to track you from your web activities, they will find the VPN provider’s server, not you. Even better, just like you, hundreds or thousands of people would do the same from the same server.
But VPNs do more than mask the identity of your session. They also encrypt your traffic. VPNs can use a variety of different encryption methods, but the most common is the 128-bit or 256-bit AES standard. Combine that with anonymity, and you get a scenario where your location is being masked and a single encrypted traffic flow is very difficult because an encrypted gobbledygook stream is one of hundreds or thousands of other streams of encrypted gobbledygook flowing to and from the same set of servers.
This is the advantage of a VPN: you can get all these benefits just by installing a simple web client on your device and making sure it is active before starting any other web or cloud session.
But if your home has multiple devices, especially if you think some of them might be running connected programs that start before you even have a chance to activate your VPN, something more stable may be needed. This is when you choose to install the VPN client on your wireless router. With a VPN client on your router, anyone who uses your local network to browse the web or access a cloud service will automatically use the VPN because they can’t access the internet without jumping through this perpetual hoop.
Many types of VPN routers
Today, while some routers support connecting to VPN services via OpenVPN or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), you probably won’t find this feature on most consumer-oriented routers. Nor is it a lightweight chore to configure. Some of the more expensive routers will support VPNs with these features, especially if the manufacturer is looking to sell them to small businesses as well as homes.
There are also a few (albeit growing) VPN providers who have taken on the task of making sure you can install their VPN client on your router’s firmware (more on that below). But these clients are usually not universal, so you will need a router from the VPN provider’s compatibility list. While that’s great, you’ll probably be happy with your current router, and dropping dollars for a whole new router just to get a VPN client may not be an attractive option.
This allows you to search for an alternative firmware that supports either OpenVPN or the client of your chosen VPN provider. The most common is DD-WRT, although another option is Tomato if you have a Broadcom-based router. DD-WRT is the more mature of the two and works on many routers, both old and new. You can check to see if your router is supported here.
Alternatively, you can turn an old x86 computer into a router by adding an additional network port via an expansion card and then installing DD-WRT on that. This takes a little extra work, but if you have the pieces, this is a great way to build a highly capable, customizable router at no extra cost.
However, most people will stick with installing DD-WRT on their compatible router, which is not only what it intends to do, but also a great way to update and expand your network capabilities. The only downside to using your router this way is that you can void your warranty or, worse yet, render your router completely inoperable if things go drastically worse. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you aim to install DD-WRT on a router that is not only supported (check the link above), but has been supported for a long time as well.
The longer your router is supported, the smoother the firmware installation will be because the development team will have plenty of time to work around any kinks. You should also find a support forum with users who are familiar with both router and DD-WRT. Some router manufacturers have such forums on their support pages, but more often than not you will find them on independent websites, such as the main DD-WRT site or Reddit.
Once you have these resources in place, we have put together instructions on how to get started with upgrading your router below. To write this article, I performed an upgrade on three routers. Two of them carried the Linksys brand, the LAPAC1200 AC1200 Dual Band Access Point and the WRT1200AC v2. While the upgrade failed on the LAPAC1200, probably due to the fact that it’s not a full router, the process worked fine on the WRT1200AC. For smilies, I decided to do another install on an old generic Windows PC that I equipped with two Gigabit Network Interface Cards (NIC). This process went well too, and while it’s definitely a bit bigger than the WRT1200AC, it’s still the faster of the two.
Access to your router’s configuration
Every router is a little different, but most Linksys routers follow a similar pattern when it comes to logging in and making configuration changes. This process is also similar to what you’ll find on most other router brands as well, so it’s a good example for this article. The first thing you need to do is find out the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the router. To do this on Microsoft Windows 10, click on the Start menu and type Command Prompt and click enter. then type ipconfig and click enter again. You should see the same thing as in the screenshot below, but with different address numbers. Your router’s IP address will be listed as the default gateway. Here, this is 192.168.13.1.
Next, open your browser and type your router’s IP address as the URL (http:192.168.13.1). This will take you to the login prompt for the router’s administrative console. If you’ve never changed your router username and password, searching for your router model on the Linksys website should lead you to a support page where the default credentials are listed. If it’s not Linksys, just find the original installation instructions from the time the router was first installed and the default credentials will be there. If this document has been missing for a long time, go to your router’s maker’s website and find the instructions for returning your router to its factory default settings. The default credentials should be there as well. If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to call your router’s support line and ask.
Once you have accessed the router administrator functions, you will want to find the console that allows the firmware update. Generally, this will be found under the Administration tab. For instructions specific to Linksys routers, check here. Other router vendors will have similar instructions available from their support pages.
Download and install DD-WRT
This step is arguably the most important piece where you can “create” (i.e. render the router inoperable) if anything goes wrong. This could be caused by a software incompatibility or simply because you are experiencing a power outage in a particularly critical step of the update process. I’m not trying to scare you here, and the vast majority of DD-WRT installs work just fine, but the truth is that something bad can actually happen to your router, so please be careful.
Go to this page and enter your router model name. You will get a list of potential candidates. Choose the type that matches your router brand and model number, then download the bin file.
Now, from the Firmware Update screen, load the container file and wait. If everything works the way it should, you will have a router that runs DD0-WRT and is therefore OpenVPN compatible. If things go south and your router decides you’re no longer talking about jargon, don’t panic. It happened to me when I tried to upgrade the Linksys LAPAC1200 Access Point. Just do what I did: go to this page and follow the instructions exactly. With any luck, you’ll be back at a good starting point to try again.
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Once everything lights up the way it’s supposed to, the default IP address for the new DD-WRT install is http://192.168.1.1. Again, enter that address into your computer’s web browser as the URL, and you’ll see a screen asking you to reset the default username and password. After this step, you can move on to the basics of the process of configuring your new router. For business users and those with more advanced network requirements, DD-WRT offers plenty of advanced possibilities, so running everything is beyond the scope of this article. But for most home and small business applications, you will need to set the connection type to WAN, which really means your Internet provider. In general, this can usually be found under Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), so if you’re not sure, this is a good place to start.
VPN Client Setup
First, make your router talk to the internet on one side and your local area network on the other. Then set up any more advanced network settings you need, such as quality of service (QoS) or access controls. Once the router is fully operational, you should consider installing your own VPN client.
To do this, you will need to go to the VPN tab under Services. From there, select Enable Bubble next to “Start Open VPN Client”. At this point, there is no single set of instructions to make this work. The settings will be completely unique to the VPN provider. However, there are ready-made instructions for setting up your VPN client on DD-WRT for many of the best VPN players in PCMag. For example, NordVPN has DD-WRT setup instructions here, and Private Internet Access VPN has the same for its VPN here. Some VPN brands will want to install their own software, while some will want to use OpenVPN. Just follow the instructions for your VPN brand, and you’ll be on the right track.
Check your handiwork
DD-WRT has a good status tab with a VPN section that will show you if you’re connected and everything works as expected. If you want to go further, you can check your IP address by typing “What is my IP?” in google. You should get something different from what you started with because you will be browsing to Google from your VPN vendor’s server instead of your computer if your VPN is working properly. If that happens, great job! Now you can surf the web with more anonymity on all your connected devices.
Best VPNs for Data Protection and Online Privacy
For more detailed information on the wide range of VPN services available, check out our buying guide for the best VPNs. While not everyone we’ve reviewed has customers aiming to install the router, some of the best across the board…
Best overall selection
VPN for professional users
For those with a deep security focus
If you travel a lot
Good choice for beginners
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