Why You Should Set Up VPN On Router

At this point, you don’t need another lecture on the importance of using a VPN service. VPN apps have now become a necessity rather than an additional protection layer. However, it can be a little inconvenient to set up VPNs on all your devices. At this juncture, VPN routers and VPN apps for routers make a lot of sense. Here are a few insights on why you should set up a VPN on your Wi-Fi router.

Reasons to Set Up VPN on Router

Setting up a VPN on your router or getting a router VPN can help you improve the security and privacy of the entire network. It is more convenient than setting up a VPN on individual devices and getting advanced control options as well.

What is a VPN Router?

I assume you now have a clear understanding of VPN services. Typically, when you want to connect to a VPN, you need to install a device-specific client on your smartphone or desktop. This client then establishes the connection to the VPN server, tunneling all your traffic through the server. However, if you’d like to avoid the hassle of setting up everything on each device, you can set up a VPN router or install a VPN application on your router.

Let’s focus on VPN routers first.

VPN routers are specially designed Wi-Fi routers with a built-in VPN tool. Similar to other quality control software, such as network monitoring, these routers come equipped with a VPN client. You can manage the VPN connection from the router’s management application and select the desired server location to meet your security and privacy needs. This approach makes it easy for all the devices on your network to connect to a secure VPN location.

VPN routers are designed to work well in small offices and homes, where security is essential but not as critical as for individual systems. By setting up a VPN router, you ensure that all traffic from your home or office is routed through a secure VPN server. It is essential to obtain a VPN router from a trusted provider and configure it according to your specific requirements.

You can also set up VPNs on Wi-Fi routers.Top of Form

Many Wi-Fi routers today come with built-in support for VPN clients. This allows you to set up a third-party VPN service on your router, ensuring that all the traffic passing through the router is encrypted and tunneled through the VPN server. Compared to purchasing a VPN-focused router, this option is more affordable, and you can choose any VPN service you prefer. This flexibility may not be available with a dedicated VPN router.

However, setting up the VPN on a standard router is a DIY process and may require some level of network experience, especially for first-time users.

But don’t worry; I can provide you with detailed steps to guide you through the setup.Bottom of Form

How Does a VPN Router Work?

Encryption technology is a critical component of how VPN routers operate. In many ways, VPN routers function similarly to the VPN clients you install on your desktop or smartphone, but the VPN router applies these changes at the network level. To better illustrate this, let’s compare a traditional router with a VPN router.

With a traditional router, when you request a web page from your smartphone or desktop, the router simply forwards the request to the website or application based on the DNS settings. This process is typically done without any interception, but it leaves your data exposed to your ISP or other third-party entities, who can access what you’re serving or browsing.

In contrast, a VPN router adds a layer of security by first sending your requests through a VPN server. The VPN server then forwards the request to the website and relays the response back to you. This process ensures that only you can see the requests you’re making, and third parties have no way of monitoring your browsing or downloading activities.

The advantage of a VPN router is that it handles all the encryption and IP masking automatically. You don’t need to configure these settings on each device. Instead, you simply select a server or a range of servers based on your access needs.

For example, if you have many smart home devices, you might choose a server that is closer to ensure optimal performance while still benefiting from the extra layer of protection. Additionally, you can easily set up exceptions, which is a convenient feature when using a dedicated VPN router.

The best part here is that you don’t have to worry about these things once you have set up the VPN router. After that point, you simply have to manage the network settings through the official app. These apps are primarily available for Android, iOS, and desktop devices.

How to Set Up a VPN on Your Router

Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up a VPN on your Wi-Fi router.

Step 1: First, ensure that your Wi-Fi router supports VPN functionality. You can check this in the product user manual or by accessing the router’s admin panel. Keep in mind that many low-end Wi-Fi routers may not have this feature. However, if you’ve spent more than around $50 to $60 on your router, it likely supports VPN functionality. Once you’ve confirmed this, you can move to the next step.

Step 2: Now, you need to set up the VPN on your router. The process can vary depending on the type of router you have. If you’ve received a router specifically designed for a VPN service, there might be an “express setup” option, allowing you to configure the router even before it arrives. On the other hand, if you have a standard Wi-Fi router with VPN support, you can customize the setup.

To proceed with the custom setup:

• Access the admin panel of your Wi-Fi router by entering its default IP address in your web browser. Standard default IP addresses are 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1, but you should check the product manual to confirm the correct IP for your router.

• Once you reach the login page, enter the credentials found on the router package or in the manual.
• After logging in, navigate to the section labeled VPN Client.

• In this section, you can set up the VPN connection using the credentials and configuration settings provided by your VPN service.

Most major VPN providers, like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, offer detailed tutorials on how to configure their services on custom router firmware and other platforms. These guides can walk you through specific settings to ensure a smooth setup.

NOTE: The specific steps to set up a VPN client on a router would depend on the VPN provider. You need to select multiple variables, including the server location and the VPN protocol. The steps would also vary based on the router’s firmware.

Types of Routers That Support VPN

Let’s take a quick look at the types of routers that support VPNs.

First, there are VPN routers that are designed to work exclusively with a specific VPN service. For example, ExpressVPN offers Aircove routers, which allow users with an active subscription to connect securely to the internet through ExpressVPN’s servers. These routers provide additional customization options, such as grouping devices to connect to multiple locations simultaneously.

Second, we have Wi-Fi routers that support any VPN client. These routers function similarly to the first type but are not restricted to any specific VPN provider. You can manually set up the VPN service of your choice by configuring the credentials through the admin panel. However, since these routers are not pre-configured for VPNs, the setup can be more complex, particularly for beginners.

The third option is custom firmware routers. If your current router doesn’t natively support VPNs, you can install custom firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato. Developers continually update these open-source firmware solutions and provide additional features, including native support for VPN connections. Installing this firmware gives your router enhanced capabilities, even if it didn’t initially support VPNs.

These categories are based only on residential needs. If you need better coverage and control for a business or enterprise location, you should get higher-grade devices. These devices may have VPN support alongside network customization options.

How to Check if Your Router Supports VPN

Wondering whether your router supports VPN? Here are a few ways to find out.

The first step is to check the product page or user manual that came with your router. If your router supports VPN, it will usually be mentioned, as this is a highly sought-after feature these days. This is one way to determine whether your router has VPN capabilities.

The second method is to check the admin panel. As mentioned earlier, you can access this by entering the default IP address of router into your browser. This IP address can typically be found on the router package or retrieved through a network command on your Mac or PC. Once in the admin panel, if your device supports an external VPN, you should find an option labeled VPN Client or VPN Setup.

If you have a router from a famous brand that doesn’t have built-in VPN support, there’s no need to worry. In many cases, you can install custom firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato, which will enable VPN functionality on your router.

Pros and Cons of Installing VPN on a Router

You can navigate around some of these cons by choosing a suitable VPN service provider. For instance, if you want better security without compromising speed, you can select a VPN with servers near your location. In this way, you can get an additional protection layer without compromising latency/speed.

When You Should Consider Using a VPN Router

Now that we have seen how and when a VPN router can help, here are some common scenarios where you’d need a VPN router setup.

• VPN routers ensure that all devices within your home network are protected by at least one layer of security.
• They encrypt all traffic, providing enhanced security and access whenever needed.
• It is ideal for accessing an entire network of devices without manually connecting to a VPN each time.
• Great for frequent travelers who need to use public Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections.
• It is beneficial for gamers, as they can connect multiple devices to a specific server for seamless gameplay.
• It is convenient for smartphones, as setting up VPNs on individual devices can be more challenging.

I understand that you need to spend extra money and time setting up a VPN router or setting up a VPN on your existing router. But I can assure you that your efforts are worth the additional benefits you get. 

Conclusion

As you have seen, setting up a VPN on your router is not a big deal. Things cannot be easier if you get a new router with VPN support.

I highly recommend this option if you use many smart home devices at your home.

Attacks targeting smart devices are growing like never before, and you actually need proactive security steps. Considering that most smart home hubs lack advanced customization options, your best bet is a network-wide VPN.