A VPN provides an encrypted and protected connection between the computer on which it is installed and the internet. It collects all the requests for access to the internet from that user and guides them through its encrypted tunnel and VPN server so that they cannot be read or diverted. Any single device connected to your router will have its traffic sent through the encrypted tunnel once you’ve set up a VPN on your router.
This is a more robust security solution, and while more work is needed upfront, it ensures that any time you want enhanced security; you don’t have to start up a VPN. You can learn how to setup port forwarding here. It gives you more insights and is worth a glance.
Table of Contents
How VPN Works On Router
For all devices connected to the router, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) mounted on a router implements a layer of online privacy and security. The router is used to manage traffic data when a computer connects to the Internet.
All of the Internet traffic is encrypted and sent to a VPN server while a VPN is operating on a router. The encryption is removed there, and the information is sent to the internet. The response is encrypted and sent back to the router where data is decrypted and forwarded to the system.
It is important to understand, however, that while the connection between the router and the VPN server is encrypted, there is no security for the data that passes between the devices and the router.
Steps To Follow
The configuration of a VPN on a router consists of the following steps: Access the page for router configuration by logging in; Configure VPN parameters; Test the connection with a VPN.
1. Log Into Your Router
To change its settings, you can log into your router. You may need to use your product manual or service provider to gain access so that you can make the adjustments you need to install a VPN on your router.
You’ll need to start by entering your IP address in your search bar for most routers and logging in. This will be a perfect opportunity to change your password if you have never logged into your router because many are shipped with factory default passwords that are super easy to hack.
2. Configuration Of Your Router And Setting Up Of VPN Parameters
The measures you take to configure your router would be fully dependent on the firmware of your router. Some routers have integrated VPN features, like those provided by Asus. For others, to redirect their traffic to a VPN server, you’ll have to reconfigure their settings. Again, your manufacturer’s manual or website would be the best place to find detailed instructions for your specific router.
A router functions as a VPN client that links and encrypts all communication between the router and the server to a VPN server. Configuring a VPN on a router consists of filling in the parameters of the VPN server.
Here’s an example of how to set up a VPN link on a DD-WRT firmware router
- Enter the panel for DD-WRT access.
- Please click Services > VPN.
- Choose the VPN link type: client PPTP or client Open-VPN.
- Enter the IP or DNS name of the server, username, password, and other parameters needed by your VPN provider for the PPTP client.
- Enter Server IP / Name, Port, Tunnel Protocol (UDP or TCP), Tunnel Unit (TUN or TAP) for the Open-VPN client. In addition, a CA certificate and public/private keys are required. The VPN service supplies all of this stuff.
- Save your changes and verify your setup.
3. Verification Of Set-up
It is crucially essential to verify/test your VPN connection. As there are many manual settings, there is space for error when configuring a VPN for a router. Therefore, you need to verify the configuration of your VPN (make sure that you also carry out a leak test).
The rapid examination is comprised of the following steps:
- Gain access to a computer that can connect via Wi-Fi or cable to a router.
- To search your public IP address, load a website with an IP locator. If the VPN setup is successfully completed, then:
(1) The website should be loaded without any problems, and
(2) The IP address displayed should be the one that the VPN server is exposed to, not the actual IP address.
All you have to do after setting up the VPN on the router is connect your computer (via Wi-Fi or cable) to the router.
If you’ve purchased a pre-configured VPN router, it’s even simpler to set up the VPN parameters: select the desired VPN provider (you need to get an account first), enter the username and password of the account, choose a place or server, and link. The VPN router will configure the appropriate technical settings for you. This is one of the benefits of a router with a VPN.
