How to Set Up a VPN on Your Router

by Vít Nováček, updated November 24, 2022

To protect your entire household with a VPN, several providers offer the option to install a VPN on your router. A VPN router protects all your devices on your home network by encrypting connections, including those for which a VPN app is not offered. These can be things like TVs, smart homes, and more. By using a VPN router, you also get protection for all your devices through one connection. So, if the number of active connections limits your subscription, then the VPN router will only use one, and it will be for all your devices.

On the other hand, the downside is the inability to take advantage of any additional features that VPN protection offers within the device apps. Also, you cannot edit individual connections for each device but only for all of them on the network. Another disadvantage can be the slowdown, which can be slightly slower compared to a traditional VPN connection.

For the VPN router, you will only use VPN without limit, so the VPN service for the router requires a paid version.

How to set up a VPN on a router? Many VPN providers offer guides on their how-to pages; you can also find a list of supported routers, as some routers, unfortunately, do not support VPN services. Select VPNs also offer a router with VPN service already installed and can be purchased from the provider’s website.

Here we give you a general guide to getting your VPN router up and running. The individual steps may vary slightly depending on the service and router. Unfortunately, the setup is not a one-click process like VPN apps for mobile or desktop, but with our guide, you can do it.

Software

Depending on the VPN provider, different routers are supported. If you have a router that supports VPN, skip this step.

If you do not have a router that supports VPN, you still do not need to buy a new one. Most VPNs have third-party software support, including community-developed OpenWrt, Tomato, and DD-WRT. In addition, this software is free and open source, meaning anyone can modify and view their freely available code.

Your router does not need to be supported by this software; you can find supported routers on the community pages. However, if your router is supported, you can download and install this software on your router.

Keep in mind that this is a more advanced installation of unofficial software. Depending on the manufacturer’s terms and conditions, you may lose your device warranty. In addition, you are installing at your own danger. Please take this into account. However, most installations will go without a problem, but there is always the possibility of a glitch.

Let’s move on to the installation step if you decide to proceed.

Installation

Navigate to your router’s environment by typing the IP address into a search engine. The address is in the standard form, depending on your router. Log in here with your login credentials.

Go to the firmware update section. In the upload software update option, enter the new software downloaded for your router. Then, wait a moment for the software to upload. Your router should be running on the latest software if all goes well. Otherwise, find the procedure in case of a bad installation on the community site of the selected software and follow it exactly step by step. Then, installation problems can occur and be resolved.

Once you install your new software, go to the router management login page first. However, you will access this page with a different address. You can find the new address on the software page.

When you first access it, set up a username and password; you can use your original one on this router.
The main advantage of the new software is more options to manage settings, including other advanced settings in addition to VPN.

VPN Router Settings

First, make your internet connection work without a VPN and other network settings you want to use. Then, after you get your internet connection up and running, we will move on to the VPN settings.

In the VPN section, find OpenVPN and enable it. Your VPN provider will provide further instructions as settings for each VPN change. Some providers offer their own software, while others use OpenVPN configuration.

Once you set up your VPN, the last thing you need to do is check that you have set up your VPN correctly. Type “my ip” in the search engine and check that the IP address of the VPN server is visible. You can tell by the location that matches the IP address.