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Setting up VPN for Router: The Ultimate Guide

Setting up VPN for Router: The Ultimate Guide

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For the average internet user, there are many benefits to using a VPN service.

By ensuring an encrypted browsing experience, VPNs allow you to bypass regional internet restrictions, protect your data from hackers, and save money on expenses such as flying or renting a car and browsing from different locations, among other things.

But few people realize the benefits of connecting a VPN to their router.

Doing so allows you to connect all of your devices to your private network via a Wi-Fi connection.

But how do you create a VPN router?

Full disclosure: To make up for the time and money we spend testing VPNs, we use affiliate links. However, we never recommend a VPN service for the money – find our detailed review process here.

Why Router + VPN = WIN?

If you are still new to VPNs, or still using a free VPN browser service, it may seem like a leap to invest in setting up a new router for your computer. And that’s understandable: it’s a big investment, and there’s a lot to learn if you’re not tech-savvy.

To put your mind at ease, it’s worth noting that once you buy a router, it’s pretty affordable to keep the monthly subscription ($5 to $8 per month, even if you use a premium VPN like NordVPN), which is a small price to pay for your privacy and security.

However, it is still useful to know the advantages that a VPN router offers. Some of the benefits of installing a VPN on your router are:

1. Keeps VPN service running all the time

Downloadable and browser VPNs require you to sign in to the service every time you want to access it. By connecting the VPN service to your router, the service is running continuously, so logging in is no longer necessary.

2. You can connect multiple devices

Browser-based and downloadable VPNs require you to manually sign in to each device each time they access your private network. If you are not using a VPN router, you will need to enter your login credentials every time you want to access your VPN.

When you set up the VPN on your router, you only need to log in the first time, just like on a traditional Wi-Fi network. This applies to every device you connect to your VPN router.

3. Provides more security for all devices

Any device that connects to your router’s Wi-Fi network receives the benefits that your VPN provides. This means that anytime you have friends, or want to use several devices simultaneously (such as smart TV, smartphone, and laptop), all of your devices will be forwarded through the VPN, ensuring private browsing.

The only drawback is bandwidth: With multiple devices connected to the same VPN source, you should expect a slower internet connection. How much it slows down depends on several factors, such as who the VPN provider is and the speed of your connection.

Now that we’ve covered the advantages of buying a VPN router, let’s discuss what you should look for when buying one.

How to choose a router to connect your VPN

How to choose a router to connect to your VPN

When looking for a VPN router, what you’re really looking for is a router that can run VPN client software.

As a VPN client, your router – and any device connected to it – has direct access to the VPN server. To determine if your router is VPN compatible, you should refer to the router’s manual, or simply Google.

If you are using an ISP modem (it usually comes as a combined router and modem), you most likely cannot use your router as a VPN client. In this case, you will need to purchase an additional VPN-compatible router and connect it to your existing router, but we will touch more on this later.

Whatever the case, it should be noted that most store-bought routers do not come pre-installed with a VPN, and most importantly, not all routers can run VPN software. That’s why you need to know what’s out there so you can make an informed decision.

There are several VPN router options that can get the job done, including:

a) Pre-flash routers

The easiest option for both savvy VPN enthusiasts and beginners is to buy a pre-flashed VPN router. Doing so allows you to bypass the complicated process of flashing the appropriate firmware for your VPN (more on that term below), which varies depending on the type and specifications of the router.

Purchasing a pre-installed VPN router will cost you a bit more. That’s because companies like Flashrouters, which only sell pre-flashed routers, take care of the installation for you. Complete with features like plug-and-play encrypted and added performance improvements, the price tag is well worth it.

b) VPN-compatible routers ready to use

Another easy option is to buy a router that supports VPN firmware out of the box. These routers come pre-installed with stock firmware that can actually connect to a range of VPN servers. With VPN capabilities baked in, you don’t have to flash a new firmware or connect such a router to a secondary router.

Most VPN-compatible routers allow you to connect to a wide range of different VPN servers, and they usually support the OpenVPN protocol, which gives you the advantage of using just about any VPN provider you want.

c) Flash router with new VPN software

The last, and most complicated, option is to flash your router with new firmware. To be clear, “flashing” means installing a new firmware; The “firmware” is the operating system within your router that defines its capabilities and/or limits.

To enable your router to act as a VPN client, you need to flash it with a new firmware. There are two types of firmware that are most popular and stable DD-WRT And tomatoes.

DD-WRT and Tomato are two third-party open source firmwares that are available online for free, and they each have their own pros and cons. But first, let’s see what they have in common. Both DD-WRT and Tomato can:

  • Expand your wireless range
  • Organize your bandwidth
  • security improvement
  • Access to multiple VPN protocols
  • Disable the manufacturer’s back doors, among other things

Here’s where they differ:

DD-WRT It is accessible and available on more devices than Tomato. As far as exclusive features, DD-WRT allows users to adjust their Wi-Fi signal strength, manage QoS settings to prioritize certain types of traffic, access your home network from afar, and more.

tomatoes It offers better bandwidth monitoring options, allows up to two VPN servers to run at the same time, and provides a more user-friendly interface. It also connects better with different VPN service providers, but is not supported on many routers. For an in-depth comparison of the two firmware types, you can view the Flashrouter article here.

Just to be clear, if you search for DD-WRT or Tomato online, what you find may be misleading, as you will come across results like “DD-WRT router” or “Tomato router”. To be clear, both DD-WRT and Tomato firmwares were originally made for certain types of wireless router models.

These models support specific firmware, but they usually need to be flashed with the new firmware to rid the router of the stock firmware first. So, if you want a router that supports DD-WRT, you need to check the DD-WRT database; Otherwise, you can buy a router that is not compatible with firmware, which will crack – or “break” – your router if you flash it on your device.

How to choose a VPN provider for a router

Choosing a VPN Provider for Your Router

The most important things first.

If you are already paying for a premium VPN, that’s great! If not, it’s time to do some research.

Most VPNs (such as NordVPN and ExpressVPN) can be easily installed on DD-WRT or Tomato routers.

Others, like Hotspot Shield, don’t work easily.

There are two main aspects to look for in a VPN provider: speed and online support. Your private network will handle everything from streaming to downloading, gaming, etc., so it is important that you choose a provider that can do the heavy lifting. To make your life easier, it is also helpful if your provider offers online classes to get you started.

In general, you will also need to check the VPN provider’s server locations, speed reports, and whether or not they keep logs. Or, if you don’t want to delve into that research on your own, you can read our review on the best VPNs for 2020.

While there are many providers to choose from, we will be using NordVPN in this article. To be clear, NordVPN is not a manufacturer of routers; They simply provide a VPN service that works alongside select router models.

NordVPN makes the installation process easy. Their Flashrouters app easily plugs into any DD-WRT router and does the work for you. Here is their guide.

How to set up a router on a VPN

Setting up a VPN on the router

Now that you’ve found a VPN provider, you’ll want to follow any instructions they give on their website.

  • If your router is already compatible with your VPN, simply log in and configure it to connect to your VPN provider’s servers. Our example, NordVPN, has step-by-step router tutorials for each router and firmware they support.
  • If your router is not compatible with a VPN out of the box but is compatible with DD-WRT or Tomato, you will need to update it and install the new firmware of your choice before configuring your VPN. This is a longer process but not too complicated either.

In this tutorial, we will be using NordVPN’s Flashrouter security app as an example. Follow our step-by-step guide below.

Step 1: Download the firmware for your router

Once you’ve decided whether you want to use DD-WRT or Tomato, you can download the firmware so you can put it on your router. You will have to download it first because your router will not work after flashing it and before installing the new firmware.

Click here to see if your router is DD-WRT compatible. The same link will also provide you with a download for your router model.

The sheer number of Tomato forks makes it difficult to answer whether or not your router is supported. A Google search for your router’s name and Tomato may help you determine if you can use Tomato with your device.

Step 2: Connect your router

Assemble your router. While your setup will vary depending on your router model, the recommended device for most models is two routers and an Internet connection.

To properly set up both routers, the first thing you need to do is configure your primary router to enable VPN passthrough. By activating this feature, you allow any device connected to your primary router to run the VPN client software. Once activated, you will need to connect the primary and secondary routers.

The basic setup goes as follows:

  • Plug the Ethernet cable into the port LAN port on your primary router, and connect it to global network (“Internet”) Harbor on your secondary VPN router.
  • Connect The primary router for your PC Using another Ethernet cable by connecting it LAN port for your computer LAN port.

Or, if you’re using a wireless connection, make sure your primary router is connected to the Internet:

Both configurations allow your VPN router to handle your primary router’s internet connection.

Noticeable: Although two routers are recommended, not all routers require this. For example, some Linksys routers can and should be set up as your only primary router.

Step 3: Flash your router

Now that your router(s) are connected and the new firmware ready, it’s time to update it. Each router works differently and will have to be flashed differently. If your user manual does not have flashing instructions, you will certainly be able to find the instructions online.

Step 4: Connect your VPN

Once you boot your router with DD-WRT or Tomato, you can connect it to your VPN provider. These instructions can depend on your VPN provider, so we’ll use our example, NordVPN. They make it very easy to connect a DD-WRT router to their service. Simply click on this tutorial to get their app.

Now, you should be connected!

Step 5: How to use…

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