VPN on Device
When a VPN is installed on a device, you can only use that device to access a VPN connection and only when the software is activated. Installing the VPN app on each device is required if you need to connect more devices to a VPN.
VPN on a router
With a VPN router, all required is a VPN set up on the router. The VPN connection will then be shared by all devices connected to the VPN router. No other device will require you to download an app.
About NordVPN
A reliable and secure option for enhancing your internet security is NordVPN. Thanks to our strong encryption, quick connection times, intuitive design, and several additional security features, you can feel secure when browsing the web.
What is a VPN router?
A VPN router functions the same as a typical VPN. Your web browsing is fully uninterrupted because your traffic is routed through a VPN’s servers. Anyone seeking to spy on you, from small-time criminals to data-hoarding companies, will be unable to see your behaviour.
You would want a VPN on your router to guarantee network-wide internet protection. All connected devices will receive the advantages of VPN security once a router has been set up to download VPN firmware. That includes gadgets like many smart home gadgets, which may not often be able to make the most of VPN software. Here is a video that demonstrates how a router VPN operates in detail.
Utilize a VPN app: If you only require a VPN connection on a handful of your devices and only sometimes plan to use the VPN connection (such as unblocking streaming sites, for example).
If you have many devices that require a reliable and consistent VPN connection, utilize a VPN router (work computer, office environment with multiple devices, etc.). You won’t need to manually install and configure the VPN program on every device if you do it this way.
If you have a device that you want to connect just to a VPN server and never to your regular connection, you should also utilize a VPN router.
A VPN router is also helpful when using an OS like Tails OS, which is incompatible with most VPN software.
What functions does a VPN router have?
A VPN establishes an encrypted and secure connection between the internet and its installed device. It collects all requests made by that device to access the internet and routes them through its VPN server and encrypted tunnel to prevent reading or rerouting.
Using a gadget with a user interface is simple to comprehend. Do you wish to visit a website? The tunnel is traversed. Wish to video call your best friend? Within the tunnel. But what transpires when a router, for example, lacks a user interface?
Every device connected to your network will have its traffic forwarded through the encrypted tunnel once you’ve configured a router VPN. Your computer, laptop, home theatre system, and even your IoT-enabled smart toaster.
Routers for VPNs of various type
- Routers with VPN client support
- Routers that require a firmware update before a VPN client may be installed.
- Routers that have a certain VPN service pre-installed on them.
- VPN router boxes that connect to your router are available.
Common servers
They are typical VPN servers with the fastest connections, making them perfect for regular use. By encrypting your internet traffic and hiding your unique IP address, Standard servers give you protection and privacy when browsing the internet, whether at home or when utilizing public WiFi networks.
Simple is the way that most servers operate. The NordVPN app uses a specific protocol to encrypt all of your internet traffic when you connect to a server. The traffic is encrypted before being transmitted through your ISP to a NordVPN server. The traffic is then transferred to its destination, whether a web page, a banking app, etc., after being decrypted there.
How to configure a VPN on a router?
Brands and models will affect the specifics of installing a NordVPN router; however, the fundamental procedures are as follows:
1. Access your router.
Start by logging into your router and configuring it if you want to understand how to utilize a VPN. You’ll need access via your product handbook or service provider to make the adjustments required to establish a VPN on your router.
Most routers require you to first log in by typing their IP address into your search box (if you don’t know your router’s IP address, follow these instructions to locate it). Since many routers come with factory-default passwords that are quite simple to crack, now would be an excellent time to change your password if you’ve never logged into your router before (here’s how to create a strong password).
2. Set up your router
Your router’s firmware will determine exactly how you set your router. Some routers, including many of those made available by Asus, provide VPN capabilities. For some, you’ll need to change their settings, so their traffic is routed through a VPN server. Again, our detailed tutorial page, manufacturer’s handbook, or website will be the greatest resource for finding exact instructions for your particular router.
3. Could you test it out
Test your router VPN after you’ve configured it to determine if the connection is functional. It will still be less convenient to use one of NordVPN’s apps than to log into your network anytime (from home) to change your settings. Remember that most routers may support VPN protection; you don’t need a particularly specialized router.
The benefits of a VPN router
Running a VPN on your router instead of each device has several benefits. When using the more advanced firmware of a VPN router, one of the key things I like is the degree of control and customization you have over your entire home network.
All your WiFi and wired devices, including those that don’t natively support a VPN, can be connected to the internet using a VPN router. This implies that the VPN will encrypt ALL of your internet traffic, and your entire network will appear to be located at the VPN server.
Additionally, your ISP won’t be able to tell whether you’re unblocking Netflix on your phone, torrenting on your laptop, or playing online games on a console because it will only see encrypted packets.
This “set it and forget it” approach is excellent for keeping your home network secure. Still, because VPN connections sometimes break, I would advise verifying the VPN connection from time to time using a program like DNSLeakTest rather than truly forgetting.
A VPN router’s drawbacks
The use of VPN routers can have some drawbacks. The factor that will undoubtedly turn off the most people is the price of the hardware.
It’s unlikely that the basic router your ISP provides will support VPNs, and you won’t be able to flash it with compatible software. The most basic models of the type of router compatible with a VPN start at around $50, but prices can rise well above that if you want one with a little more power.
Your router will require extra processing power to keep up with the continual encryption and decryption for the VPN if you have many devices connecting to your WiFi simultaneously. This shouldn’t be a problem for most home applications, and a consumer-grade VPN-compatible router should work just fine.
The comprehensive feature set of the VPN app, which typically supports multiple VPN protocols and encryption suites and enables you to change the configuration rapidly, is another item to keep in mind while using a VPN on your phone or computer.
However, a VPN on a router requires manual setup and typically only supports OpenVPN (which is the best anyway, at least). Changing the server location on a VPN router is also more difficult.