- Get a reliable VPN provider. I recommend NordVPN as it supports many router models and is relatively easy to set up.
- Get your VPN credentials and server details from your provider’s website. When you log in to your NordVPN account on the website, click on NordVPN on the left side, and then you’ll find a section called Manual Setup. Press on Set up NordVPN manually. Here, you’ll see a username and password specifically for your router, plus a list of server addresses, such as us123.nordvpn.com or uk456.nordvpn.com. These are the details you’ll enter in your router settings to connect to the VPN.
- Log in to your router’s firmware by entering its IP address in your web browser. Common addresses include 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.
- Go to the VPN or Advanced section of your router’s settings.
- Enter your VPN credentials and server information from Step 2.
- Save the settings and reboot your router to apply the VPN connection.
Once completed, all devices connected to your router will be protected by VPN. If these steps feel too technical, you can opt for a pre-flashed router that already has VPN installed. NordVPN supports several pre-configured routers, such as the ASUS RT-AX86U, making setup simpler.
Installing a VPN on your router is an effective way to protect all your devices at once. This approach saves you from installing a VPN app on each device and lets you use a single VPN subscription across multiple devices simultaneously. In addition, the exact steps to set up a VPN on your router can vary by router model and manufacturer.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to install a VPN on your router and explain the main benefits and potential drawbacks.
How to install a VPN on your router: a step-by-step guide
You can set up a VPN on your router in several ways. In this article, we cover the three most widely used methods, namely:
- Option 1: Purchase a pre-flashed router
- Option 2: Configure your router’s firmware to work with a VPN
- Option 3: Flash your router with DD-WRT
Regardless of the method you choose, you will need a VPN subscription. I recommend NordVPN, as you can get various pre-flashed routers with NordVPN installed. NordVPN also supports numerous router firmware, including Tomato and DD-WRT, giving you a wide selection to choose from.
Note:
While I recommend using NordVPN on your router, not all routers are compatible with it. Always check your router’s compatibility with a VPN provider your choose before purchasing a subscription. Compatibility information is usually available on the VPN provider’s website.
Option 1. Purchase a pre-flashed router
Even though installing a VPN on your router isn’t too complex, it can still be daunting for many users. Buying a pre-configured VPN router is your best bet if you’d rather not get caught up in accessing your router’s firmware.
As the name suggests, these VPN routers come with a VPN application pre-installed. In other words, your router has VPN protection enabled right out of the box. All you need to do is set up the device and enter your VPN subscription details.
Several pre-flashed VPN routers that support NordVPN are easily available on websites like FlashRouters. In fact, our highest-rated VPN router model, the ASUS RT-AX86U, comes pre-flashed with NordVPN. It’s an excellent option for users who want a fast, responsive, and secure router with a VPN pre-installed.
Option 2. Configure your router’s firmware to work with a VPN
Several modern routers have firmware that supports VPN use without any other changes. If your router is compatible with VPNs, setting up NordVPN on it is easy. Below, we’ll explain the steps.
1. Access your router’s firmware configuration webpage
The firmware on most routers can be accessed via a web browser such as Chrome or Safari. Simply enter the router’s IP address in your URL bar, and you should see a page with the logo of your router’s manufacturer asking you to log in.
Wondering how to find your router’s IP address? Most routers use IP addresses like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.01. Alternatively, you can find your router’s IP through Command Prompt on Windows or Systems Preferences on the Mac.
- On Windows:
- Open the Start menu and type in Run (Or hold the Windows key + R).
- Type cmd in the Run dialog box.
- Type ipconfig in the Command Prompt box.
- The IP address listed next to Default Gateway is your router’s IP address.
- On Mac:
- Open System Preference.
- Select the Network icon from the sidebar.
- Click on the Wi-Fi option.
- Click on the three dots next to the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to.
- The following dialog box will show your router IP:
2. Log in to your router’s firmware configuration webpage
Once you type in your router’s IP address into your browser’s URL, you should see a dialog box or prompt requiring you to log in. If this is your first time accessing the login in your router settings, use your router’s default username and password.
The default username and password vary by brand. But you can usually find these in the documentation that accompanied your router. If you no longer have your original documents, you can get them from the manufacturer’s website.
3. Subscribe to a VPN provider
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need an active VPN subscription to install a VPN on your router. Getting a VPN subscription is simple and only requires an email address and a payment method, such as PayPal, credit card, or Bitcoin.
Head over to your reliable VPN provider’s website and click on the Get NordVPN button, typically located in the top right of your browser window.
NordVPN offers several subscription options with different lengths and pricing options. You can also try NordVPN for free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. If you have trouble getting a subscription or setting up NordVPN on your router, contact their support team, who are highly knowledgeable and are available 24/7 via live chat.
4. Get VPN service access credentials
Once you have a VPN subscription, you’ll need to get service credentials (typically your username and password), so your router can access the VPN service through your account.
You’ll need to go to your VPN provider’s website and log into the management dashboard to get these credentials. For instance, after logging into your NordVPN account, you can scroll down to find the option that says Get service tokens or an access token.
After verifying your email address, you can access your service credentials. Make sure to note these down, as we’ll use them while configuring the router.
5. Download server configuration details
Next, we get server configuration details. These will set which server your VPN should connect to. Most premium VPN providers have dedicated pages for configuration files, which you can explore to find the best server.
If you’re unsure about which server to choose, you can use the server utility tool provided by your VPN service to determine the best server for your location.
I used NordVPN’s server utility, and it identified a server in Thailand as the best option. After selecting this server, the tool gave me the necessary download links.
6. Configure the router to work with your VPN service provider
Now that I have the required service credentials and server configuration details, let’s head back to the router configuration screen. Look for a VPN or Advanced option in the configuration screen’s menu.
You should then see an option to add a VPN profile or set up a router as a VPN client. Enter the service credentials that I obtained earlier.
There will also be an option to enter server configuration details or upload the configuration file manually. Once done, confirm your details to add the VPN profile to your router.
Can't find a VPN or Advanced tab?
This likely means that your router’s firmware doesn’t support VPNs. In this case, you’ll need to flash it with different firmware.
7. Activate and test your profile
Depending on your router, you should see an option to Enable or Activate the VPN profile you just added. Clicking this button will establish a VPN connection to your server of choice.
Use our free online tool to check whether your router’s VPN is properly configured. If the location shown by our tool matches your real-world location, your VPN is not configured correctly and may require troubleshooting. However, if it shows the location server you added, your VPN works.
Option 3. Flash your router with DD-WRT
If your router’s firmware doesn’t support VPN connections natively, you’ll need to replace it with one that does. DD-WRT and Tomato are both popular router firmware, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Both expand the features available on the router and allow a VPN to be installed.
We’ll use DD-WRT for this tutorial, as it supports many devices. Here’s how to flash your router with DD-WRT:
- Check if your router is compatible with DD-WRT firmware by exploring the router database on the DD-WRT website. If your router isn’t listed, it likely isn’t VPN-compatible. In this case, you won’t be able to install a VPN on a router, so you’ll need to purchase a new one.
- Download the firmware file associated with your router.
- Reset your router by long-pressing the Reset button located at the back or bottom of your router.
- Navigate to your router configuration page. Open a browser and enter 192.168.1.1 into the address bar. If this doesn’t work, refer to step 1 of the previous section.
- Log into the router configuration page. You can usually find the default username and password in the documents that came with your router.
- Find the menu option that lets you update or flash new firmware. This could be under an option called Maintenance or Update.
- Upload the firmware file you downloaded from the DD-WRT website earlier. Do not interrupt this process as it could “brick” your router, making it unusable.
- You should now have a router running DD-WRT firmware that supports OpenVPN connections.
Once you’ve flashed your router with DD-WRT, you can follow the steps mentioned in the previous section to set up a VPN.
Alternatively, you can flash your router with other firmware besides DD-WRT, such as Tomato, OpenWRT, or Padavan. NordVPN supports all the firmware mentioned and provides detailed instructions for flashing your router.
Why install a VPN on your router?
A VPN is primarily used to browse the internet safely and anonymously. It encrypts your internet traffic and changes your IP address, ensuring that your ISP or the government can’t follow you online.
However, installing a VPN app on each device you use can be cumbersome. Moreover, most leading VPN providers limit the number of devices that can be used with a single subscription.
Using a router VPN can help resolve these problems by doing the following:
- Protect all devices connected to the router’s network: Your VPN router will protect the internet traffic on all your devices, including your phone, computer, PS5, Android TVs, and more.
- Use one subscription across devices: Save money with a single VPN subscription to protect all devices connected to your router.
- Seamlessly manage VPN settings across all devices: Forego setting up your VPN one by one on multiple devices by installing the VPN software on the router.
However, there are downsides to using a router VPN. For instance, you may experience slower speeds on all your devices, especially if you pick a VPN server far from your location. It also makes it more challenging to change VPN servers or choose a different encryption protocol.
Still, I recommend using a VPN on your router as the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. To get started, sign up for a NordVPN subscription using the button below.
Final thoughts: installing a VPN on your router
If you want to protect multiple devices with a single VPN subscription, setting up a VPN on your router is a smart option. Once installed, the router encrypts internet traffic for every connected device, from laptops and phones to smart TVs and gaming consoles, so everything on your network benefits from a VPN connection.
The exact setup process depends on your router’s model and firmware, but the general steps outlined in this article should work for many popular routers. Some routers even support VPN connections directly, while others may require compatible firmware such as OpenVPN support.
No matter which router you use, you’ll need an active VPN subscription to create the connection. After thorough testing, NordVPN stood out as the best VPN for router setup thanks to its strong security, fast speeds, and compatibility with a wide range of routers and firmware.
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FAQ
Installing a VPN on your router encrypts internet traffic on all connected devices. So, if you want to browse anonymously and securely on all your devices, installing a VPN on your router is a great idea.
When you install a VPN on your router, it encrypts internet traffic on all devices connected to it. In other words, all your devices access websites and applications using an encrypted VPN server instead of the one provided by your ISP.
The steps involved in configuring a router for a VPN connection vary by brand. You can generally configure a router for VPN by accessing the VPN’s firmware settings page. This page can be found by entering the router’s IP address (192.168.0.1. or 192.168.1.1.) into your browser.
No, VPNs don’t work on all routers because the router’s firmware doesn’t support VPN connections. However, you can flash your router with open-source firmware to use it as a VPN client. Unfortunately, if your router doesn’t support any open-source firmware, it can’t be used with a VPN client.
While installing a VPN on your router can slow overall download speeds, this is not always the case. Speeds are reduced because your internet traffic passes through an encrypted server that may be far from your physical location. By choosing a nearby VPN server located nearby, you can minimize potential speed reductions.
