How to set up a router to connect vpn. How to set up a site-to-site PPTP VPN connection on a TP-Link router? How to set up a VPN server

In this article, I decided to show you how to use ASUSCOMM.COM. This is a proprietary DDNS service that works on Asus routers. Its main purpose is to provide remote access to wifi router Asus over the internet. The essence of the work is to turn your dynamic external IP address into a static one by replacing it with Domain name. I already wrote more about this replacement.

What is Asus DDNS for?

Asus DDNS name service is needed to get remote access to the router and all your home network directly via the internet. For example, through a VPN server. That is, if you configure it, then in order to enter the router settings, you do not need to be in the coverage area of ​​its WiFi network. You can do this from work, from transport or even from abroad. All you need to connect is the internet. Also through it it is possible to use the local resources of the home network. For example, download files from connected to the router, or to.

Registering DDNS on an Asus router

Let's take a closer look at how to register DDNS in order to use asuscomm.com. And how to organize remote connection Asus router via VPN. Usually for customization remote access to a Wi-Fi router via the Internet and the organization of a VPN server, you need to have either a dedicated IP address. Another option is to use the services of dynamic DNS addresses.

On the ASUS router, in addition to this standard set, which is available in almost all routers, there is also the opportunity to register in your own DDNS service, which is free for users. Its setting is located in the "Internet" menu, "DDNS" tab.

Here, in the drop-down list, select "WWW.ASUS.COM" and come up with a name for your host - the address by which we will access our router. It will end up looking like YOUR_NAME.ASUSCOMM.COM.

Pay attention to the yellow inscription in this screenshot - at my house, where I made it from my Asus router, just a gray external IP from the provider, so the DDNS service asuscomm.com or any other, alas, will not work.

Why is ASUSCOMM.COM not working? Invalid IP address and Unauthorized registration request

Registration in DDNS only makes sense if you have an external white IP address from the provider - it doesn't matter if it is static or dynamic. I wrote more about how to find it out in - read it if you don't know what it is.

Otherwise, errors like "Invalid IP address" or "Unauthorized registration request" will appear. If you have a gray external IP address, then the Asus DDNS service will not function.

If asuscomm.com does not work after a reboot, this means that when the router connected to the Internet, then its gray IP address changed to another one, and all settings were lost.

Free VPN server on ASUS router

When finished with this setting, go to the "VPN server" section. This function support routers with installed software version no lower than 3.0.0.3.78. Here we put the checkmarks in the "Yes" position on "Enable PPTP server" and "Network Place (Samba) Support".

Next, we come up with a username and password by which we will connect to the local network via VPN. They must be entered in the appropriate text fields and click on the "+". This username and password will later be used to connect clients to the VPN server. Up to 10 clients are supported at the same time, so you can create the same number of accounts. Click "Apply".

• Broadcast support - "Both"
• Authentication - "Auto"
• MPPE encryption - "MPPE-128" and "MPPE-40"
• Connect to DNS server automatically - "Yes"
• Connect to WINS server automatically - "Yes"
• The client's IP address is the default.

Video on setting up remote access to Asus via DDNS service asuscomm.com

As we know, the Internet in our country is very different from what we would like it to be. While our government is trying to block telegrams, chips fly so that one or the other service suddenly turns out to be inoperative. Except for the telegram itself, of course.

In order not to be dependent on the incompetence of regulatory authorities and have free access to at least what is already allowed, it is worth setting up a VPN. And, not just anywhere, but right on the router. Why exactly on the router? There are several reasons:

1. This is corny more convenient if the Internet interests you more at home. You do not need to configure every home device, especially if there are a lot of them (devices). Moreover, not everything can be configured on a VPN. Or you can, but not any type of connection (but there is a difference).
2. It is easy to manage settings - after all, one connection is configured for everyone at once. If you want to change the server or the VPN provider in general - everything is done in a couple of clicks.
3. You can configure connection rules for each device individually.

Let me explain the third point. For example, I firmly decided to connect myself to a VPN when I started having problems with PSN. Moreover, the problems were rather strange - I could play online, but I could not participate in the so-called “Party”, which is the only way to implement voice chat in some games. No, of course for voice chat you could use some kind of Discord (and I used it at first), but it's inconvenient to play in two headphones at once.

As soon as I connected the VPN, everything worked, but for some reason the Xbox One and Switch fell off the online. Generally speaking, this should not be the case, however, in any case, I wanted only the PlayStation 4 to connect to the VPN, because whatever one may say, a VPN slows down the speed. And why is it needed on those devices where everything works anyway?

So router. Which? Here I will talk about setting up all this stuff on the Keenetic Giga KN-1010. Why exactly him?

1. Keenetic routers (and Zyxel Keenetic) allow you to configure any VPN client: Open VPN (the slowest in this case), PP2P, L2TP (universal and fast, but there is no traffic protection) and L2TP / IPSec (the most optimal in this case - there are also speed and defense).
2. All this can be done on standard firmware.
3. Trite - I have such a router at home. If there was another one, I would probably write about something else ...

But if in general (this is the third point), then, of course, you can set up a VPN on different routers. And if you have Open WRT or DD-WRT firmware, then you basically don’t care which router. But, again, not everyone supports L2TP / IPSec, especially with hardware acceleration, as Keenetic routers can. Some routers only work with Open VPN. In addition, do not confuse that for the described tasks we need from the router a skilled VPN client, not a VPN server.

Firmware 2.12 for Keenetic routers

Another point - the new firmware 2.12 for Keenetic and Zyxel Keenetic routers (I already know that the Keenetic division has recently left Zyxel) allows you to create different connection groups in a couple of clicks and “swap” devices from one group to another. That is, without fiddling with connection priority or turning them on / off (as on firmware up to 2.11). I just threw the device into the VPN group if it needs a VPN. At the same time, the rest hang on a normal connection. This feature is called Policy Based Routing, and not everyone has one.

VPN providers

Here I’ll say right away - forget about a free VPN. Just forget everything. IN best case you can take advantage of the free testing of the service, but the real “free” I found only hidemy.name. They are generally not bad, although in the future I decided to choose another provider - something went wrong with my settings there. However, now I have not found a free option on their website, there is just an option - 49 rubles per day. But their prices are generally low - only 380 rubles a month, and when paid for six months and a year in advance, it turns out even lower.

What else have I tried? nord vpn. I bought them purely by accident - I thought that I was just linking my PayPal account, but in fact they had already deducted money from me. However, a day later I requested them back. Firstly, this is a sudden write-off (for sure I missed some kind of warning from PayPal there, but from the side of the site itself it was still somehow not obvious). Secondly, more than half of the sites that I tried did not work for me. I just didn't like it. True, they did not immediately return the money, at first they wrote - what is wrong, maybe we can help, I replied that I could not connect normally and return the money, but they are still like that - sorry, but you did not provide enough information so that we could help you . Here I came up with trump cards - they say, are you lying there or something about a 30-day money-back guarantee for any reason? It worked - the money was returned.

In the end, I settled on Express VPN. The service is listed as the best in many ratings, and in general, it did not disappoint me in its work. Firstly, all the servers I tried to connect to worked for me. Secondly, L2TP / IPSec worked without problems for me - this is a common problem with many VPN providers. That is, they provide OpenVPN without any problems and easily, and you can connect to a server even specified as L2TP / IPSec. Here it went without any problems at all, but keep in mind that Express VPNs are very expensive. But at least it is clear what the money is taken for.

Setting up a VPN connection

So what do we need here. We log in to the Express VPN account, go to this page, and look to the left side, which lists all the systems where you can put the VPN.

Select "manual setup":

On the right, select either Open VPN or PPTP & L2TP-IPSec. Consider the second option as the most interesting (a little lower we will briefly go through Open VPN).

We remember the login password - it will come in handy for us (you can copy it somewhere, you can not touch it yet - they do not change), select the server (copy its domain name). Now let's go to the router settings.

So, we need to create a connection. We just copied the server address, I said the login / password where to look, and the secret key is 12345678. They also have it written above the list of servers.

We go to the router settings, the “Connections” or “Other connections” tab (on new firmware- second). We create a connection necessarily indicate that it should take us to the Internet, indicate any connection name (this is just for our convenience - you can enter the name of the VPN provider there or whatever), type (in this case, L2TP / IPSec). It is worth noting here that by default the router may not have L2TP / IPSec (with IPSec) - then you need to install it in the components from the same tab where the router firmware is updated. There is a button "Change the set of components".

We look at the list of components, look for a line with L2TP / IPSec, install it, wait until the router configures everything and reboots, and return to the connection setup.

Login / password / server name is entered according to the data that the provider issued.

That's it, we've created a connection. It must either be enabled with a checkmark (in the old firmware) or a slider (in the new one). After some time, the status will also be visible in the list of connections - whether a connection to the server is established or not. In the case of Express VPN, if it is not installed, then you did something wrong (to be sure, you can try another server from them, if it doesn’t work either, look for an error in the settings). In the case of some Nord VPN, it is quite possible that you did everything correctly, but the server is unavailable for some reason beyond your control.

Connection Priorities

Now we have come close to the cardinal difference between the old and new Keenetic firmware. In the old one, we see a list of connections and must manually manage their priority. Which connection has a higher priority - then ... more priority. Everything is simple. The router will use the first available connection with the highest priority and all devices to which the router distributes the Internet will work through this connection.

The new firmware has more flexible tools. Firstly, we set the connection priority by simply dragging and dropping the names of the connections themselves.

Secondly, we can control which device on the router will belong to which connection.

To do this, we must do two things. The first is to find the device we need (computer, laptop, game console) connected to the router on the “list of devices” page and register it. You don't have to assign a permanent internal IP address to it, but this registration is required so that we can work with setting up the device's access to the network in the future. Therefore, it makes sense here to give it some kind of understandable name.

Second - go to the “Connection Priorities” tab and create new profile. Let's call it, for example, VPN. Here we must specify which connections it uses.

Voila - we have a main profile with a “normal” internet connection, and a VPN profile with a VPN connection.

Now click on the “Associate devices to profiles” tab. There you can manage both entire network segments (for example, a group of unregistered devices), or individual registered devices. Here we simply drag-and-drop a plate with the device we need and “throw” it on the profile name with VPN.

Well that's all. To be sure, you can reboot the router or the device itself, but in any case, after a couple of minutes it will already be served through the VPN, while all other devices will work as usual. Of course, in this way you can redirect any number of devices on your home network to the VPN.

A few words about Open VPN

Setting up Open VPN on the router does not always give the desired results. In particular, on Keenetic routers, this is not very effective (below you will understand why), but an article without a description of this method would be incomplete. Keenetic also has one more nuance - the Open VPN certificate, which is copied into the “Open VPN Configuration” field, must contain both a login and a password, while most sites and providers issue you only the certificate itself. By the way, the certificate is often saved as a file that you just need to open with Notepad, copy all the contents, and paste it into the “Open VPN Configuration” field when setting up the router.

What we need to do here is find the line:

Auth-user-pass

and replace it with a construction of the form:

username password
Editing the certificate manually

Here, instead of username and password, specify the login and password that the OpenVPN provider issued. And yes, the line is needed replace- that is, remove it, and write such a construction instead. Now it should work.

Speed ​​measurement

Well, now the most interesting thing is how quickly everything works. I measured the connection on the main Windows PC connected to the router with a cable. I didn’t turn off the rest of the devices - I don’t see the point in “laboratory” measurements, if in real life the conditions are quite harsh. First, I connected the PC to the VPN profile via L2TP / IPSec, choosing a server in Sweden. Why in Sweden? Well, because half the Internet is not blocked there, Sweden is close to Moscow, and the connection is faster than in Finland and Estonia.

The test was conducted on Yandex.Internet and a random server in Speedtest.net. As you can see, the service found some server in Sweden there. decided that I myself was in Sweden. This is only to our advantage - we will measure the traffic to Stockholm.

As you can see, everything is quite smart. Now with the same settings, but without a VPN, to compare to the “normal” internet, without a VPN (because the VPN still slows it down a bit):

Here, the ping suddenly turned out even more than on the VPN, but this can be explained by a large number of nodes.

And now, in the end, Open VPN, from the same Express VPN provider, with a server in the same Sweden:

I think comments are unnecessary. Open VPN generally works well on a computer through some proprietary VPN provider client, but on Keenetic it should be configured only for lack of a better one. L2TP / IPSec, on the other hand, is an advanced thing for fast, but free Internet, while also with high security.

Instead of conclusions

To be honest, I have been collecting material for this article for a long time. Because despite the obvious simplicity of setting up a VPN, when you didn’t do this, you perceive any connection problem as your own mistake, and in the end you can’t understand how to do it. In fact, the most important issue here is the choice of provider. And with free providers, unfortunately, complete seams, even if you need to literally test for free. To get an adequate and fast Internet setup (so that you don’t have to pick a dozen non-working servers), you will have to fork out at least for the first month.

Well, what to configure VPN on is up to you. But, as it seems to me, it is most convenient to do this on the router.

Connecting a router to a VPN network is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. But if you want quickly and easily protect the entire network, you will have to make an effort.

You can connect your home, office, or entire work network to a VPN router and get all the benefits of a VPN connection right away for the number of users you need.

If you are already using a VPN service, then you probably know that you can get all this using reliable dedicated applications. So what is the advantage of VPN routers, why would you spend time and effort setting up such a router?

You will find the answer to this and other important questions in our instructions. Read on, because we still have a couple of great VPN offers where setting up a router is easier than ever!

If you want to quickly jump to a specific section of this article, use the table of contents below:

Why You Might Need a VPN Router

Before we get started, let's get something clear: The ultimate goal of a VPN router is exactly the same as any desktop or mobile VPN app. But in one they are very different..

What does it mean? If you're already using a premium VPN service (like ExpressVPN or NordVPN), you already know how easy it is to encrypt your connection and protect yourself online. But this protection only applies to the number of connected devices allowed by your VPN provider, and only to your own devices.

There are restrictions everywhere. VPN routers offer a solution to this potential problem . There are also other unique benefits VPN protection directly from the “Internet source” in the house.

Here is what VPN routers can offer you:

• Unlimited number of connections.
  By connecting to a VPN network through a router, you can use as many devices as you like. You can also share a secure connection with friends and guests without connecting them to your account (which is almost always prohibited by VPN terms of service).
• Compatible with big amount platforms.
  Do you have a Smart TV set-top box? Or maybe a streaming box - Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV or Chromecast? Unfortunately, these devices are not supported separately by VPNs.
  The good news is that you can still protect them by connecting to a VPN router. Although the leading providers offer special services for these platforms (for example, ExpressVPN and its MediaStreamer DNS), a VPN router is much better if you want to not only encrypt your data, but also access your favorite shows and series around the world.
• You only need to enter your username and password once.
  Many users often forget to sign in to their VPN account or set apps to start automatically when the device starts up.
  After you set up your VPN router for the first time, you don't have to worry about it anymore. Yes, yes, you will need to enter your login and password only once, and then everything will work for as long as you want! If you constantly use a VPN network through many devices, then this is a practical and effective solution.
• The VPN connection will be available 24/7.
  If you have a preferred VPN server that you use all the time, you can stay on it all the time (as long as your router is on). This can easily be achieved by setting up auto-connect in VPN applications, but with a VPN router, everything will be much easier, not to mention all the benefits mentioned above.

At VPN routers also have disadvantages you should be aware of:

• VPN routers are usually expensive.
  In most cases, a VPN router is not a small investment. You need specific specs and features for your VPN firmware to work with your router, and this often means that the most simple devices will not be up to the task.
  There are ways to spend less and save your nerves - for example, install advanced firmware on your router (IF they are compatible) or buy a VPN-compatible router right away if you need a new one. We will tell you more about this below.
• The more devices connected to the router, the lower its performance.
  Server load is very important for effective work your VPN router. If you choose your servers carefully, this shouldn't be a major problem, but keep in mind that the more devices you have connected, the more likely your internet connection will drop.
  The most important factor here is the speed of your Internet connection, but choosing the right VPN service is also important.
• Smaller selection of servers.
  Let's say you have two favorite VPN servers that you switch between regularly. When connecting through a VPN client, this is easy to do with just a couple of clicks, but the VPN router is not so flexible - you will be limited to the server that you specified in the settings, and you can only change it through the router control panel.
  Some routers can be configured so that it is possible to connect to more than one server. However, this is much easier to do through a VPN application.

As you can see, VPN routers have both their pros and cons. But there are situations in which the advantages outweigh all the disadvantages.

When to Consider Setting Up a VPN Router

As we mentioned above, a VPN router can be a great solution if you need online security and privacy for a large number devices.

We want to introduce you to our imaginary friend Alexander. Alexander is the owner of a popular cafe with several hundred visitors a day who are attracted by great drinks and super-fast Wi-Fi.

Alexander does not want hackers and other cybercriminals feasting on his network; he wants visitors to be protected online because it's good for business.

Therefore, Alexander decides to invest in a good VPN router, which encrypts all the sensitive information of users of this network and allows visitors to enjoy great coffee and delicious smoothies while browsing the web with peace of mind.

On the other hand, our friend Ekaterina wants to launch her own startup. Right now, she can't afford to pay for an entire cybersecurity department, so she buys a VPN router for her young company, which will protect all the organization's devices on the network, as well as all its confidential data.

All over the world there are many such conditional Alexanders and Catherines, and maybe even you are in a similar situation! If yes, then you should definitely consider getting a VPN router for your small business or social events.

We don't want to fool anyone, so let's just say that you may not need the kind of online protection that a VPN router can provide. For example, if you use a VPN mostly on your own to protect only your personal devices. The same is true if you use VPN only occasionally and only for quite trivial tasks.

It is also worth noting that not all VPN services support the necessary functionality for routers. If you are using a simple free VPN provider, then most likely it will not work with a router. It could get even worse... you will break your router during the setup process and only add to your problems.

If you're serious about switching to a VPN router (or just want the most reliable VPN services), we suggest you check out the deals the best VPN providers on the market, namely ExpressVPN and NordVPN. Thanks to their amazing features and , you will quickly understand why they are considered premium VPN providers, and you will not be confused by the price at all.

How to Get a VPN Router

Usually, when it comes to choosing a VPN router, you have two options: buy a device with built-in VPN support or update your own router if possible (i.e. change “firmware”). Therefore, there is There are three main types of VPN routers: VPN-compatible routers, pre-configured routers, and routers that can be manually updated.

Here short description each type of router and some useful notes:

1. Routers compatible with VPN networks

When: when buying a new better router if you want to save money and don't mind taking the time to set it up.

Why: you want to buy a VPN router without flashing or overpaying for additional settings.

Intuitive firmware, support for OpenVPN security protocol.

If you have already understood that it is time to update the router, but have not yet decided which one, it is worth considering choosing a VPN-enabled device. Since the firmware of such a router already provides a VPN connection, the setup process boils down to the fact that you just need to enter the name of the VPN service and your authorization data.

Although most VPN-compatible routers already have all the necessary settings to work seamlessly with your VPN service, always double check if they support the OpenVPN security protocol as it is currently the most reliable option.

2. Pre-configured VPN routers

When: you want to buy a better router and still make the least effort to set up, even if it costs extra money.

Why: you want a VPN router that's ready to use as soon as you unpack and plug it in, and you don't mind paying extra for pre-configuration.

What you need to pay attention to: reputable suppliers.

Pre-configured routers, that is, already “reflashed” ones, are the most expensive type of VPN routers, but for your money you will get a completely ready-to-use device.

The biggest advantage here is ease of use., since you can even choose the VPN service that your router should work with, you only have to choose a server, which the setup wizard will ask you to do.

Wherein there are some pretty significant drawbacks here.

In addition to the high price, you will have a small selection of really reliable providers. Providers like Flashrouters have been offering quality services for many years, but beware of scam sites.

Another disadvantage is that basically you can only buy a pre-configured router through an online store; depending on where you live, this can be a very wasteful purchase.- just imagine the cost of shipping and the difficulty of returning the goods if your device turns out to be defective.

3. Manually flashed VPN routers

When: you want to upgrade your old router in the cheapest possible way.

Why: you need a VPN router, but you don't want to buy a new device and are confident that you can handle the setup yourself.

What you need to pay attention to: informative instruction, data about your router model, namely: is it compatible with advanced firmware.

Updating the router firmware is not an easy task for which you will need to search for information, but it is not as difficult and risky as it seems. If you want to set up a VPN router yourself so you don't have to spend money on a new one, this is a smart choice.

As we already wrote, “firmware” is the short name for the process in which you install an advanced software to your router. The two most popular options for such software are DD-WRT And Tomato, each has its own advantages.

Here is a summary of the information you need to know about these two firmwares. DD-WRT is the most flexible option which is supported many (80+) router manufacturers, including relatively obscure manufacturers (eg TP-Link, Tenda and D-Link).

Firmware Tomato compatible with a more limited number of devices, but often works better with the OpenVPN protocol, it has unique features (for example, you can connect to two VPN servers at the same time), and it is also believed that here more clear interface than DD-WRT.

Ultimately, the choice of firmware will depend on the model of your router. Whatever you choose we advise you to first check if your router is suitable for this upgrade by browsing the DD-WRT database or lists of routers that are compatible with Tomato Before, how to start the update. IN otherwise you risk breaking your router so that it can no longer be repaired.

The perfect VPN for your router

Now you know what types of VPN routers exist, and it's time to talk about VPN services, without which they cannot function.

Choosing the right VPN provider is just as important as choosing the right router. The right choice will ensure that you can get VPN protection without too much trouble, but if the VPN service itself has a bunch of flaws, this will not help you much.

How to avoid such an outcome? Trust a reliable VPN service.

Regardless of the platform, a VPN service must meet certain criteria. Speed, reliable servers And guaranteed confidentiality equally important.

Since all your traffic will go through your router and VPN network, you need to make sure that the connection speed is fast enough so that you can easily carry out your usual online activities - from basic website browsing to watching HD videos online, downloading files and gaming.

If you already have experience with geoblocks, you also know how important server diversity is, so you need to look for a VPN provider that has a lot of servers in a variety of regions for.

Finally, your VPN service should adhere to if you value your online privacy (trust me, it's better to value it). Both performance and data protection are of paramount importance - this is the main reason why you need a VPN service.

There are also specific characteristics that help when working with routers. This includes detailed guides by setting, And individual firmware, which can be downloaded from the provider's website to configure the router to work with a specific VPN network.

Keep in mind that not all VPN services are suitable for routers. If you need ideas, here are a few options:

1. ExpressVPN

If something goes wrong, ExpressVPN gives you 30 day money back guarantee, and rest assured: they will be returned to you without further questions.

ExpressVPN is able to unblock:

• Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Prime Video, Showtime, Sling TV, DAZN and BBC iPlayer.

Torrent support:

• Yes, all servers support P2P.

ExpressVPN works on the following devices: is another premium provider that offers amazing services for their money.

Registered in Panama, this VPN service has more than 5 100 servers, adheres strict no-logs policy and also uses 256-bit AES encryption with OpenVPN security protocol along with the function Perfect Forward Secrecy. With such high-end encryption, the service maintains high connection speeds.

Thanks to regular service updates, informative setup guides for various routers and convenient functions (for example, access to information about server load), NordVPN will be a great choice for your router at a very competitive price.

On the NordVPN website you will find detailed instructions for setting up routers, and the service also offers a large selection of pre-configured router models. Here you will find instructions for working with a variety of firmware, including DD-WRT, Tomato, pfSense and OpenWRT. More about this versatile VPN provider

Finally, SaferVPN is another quality option. Service offers preconfigured routers and manual configuration guides for 20 different router firmwares. If you see the name of this VPN provider for the first time, then you can.

Conclusion

Installing a VPN on a router is not that difficult, even if you do it manually. A good provider will provide you detailed instructions so that you can complete the setup successfully.

Now you know the benefits and features of a VPN router, and you also have an idea of ​​which VPN providers are best at supporting such a router. Find the best deal on . Good luck!

DD-WRT is a free and open source solution. source code based on Linux that works with a wide range of third-party wireless routers. Among other benefits, most DD-WRT distributions allow users to set up OpenVPN connections directly from the router.

Benefits of setting up a VPN on a Wi-Fi router

1. you can connect any number of devices via VPN;
2. you can connect devices that don't normally support VPN connections.

After that, you can connect as many devices as you want to a single VPN connection, as long as you have enough bandwidth. These may include devices that typically do not support VPNs or their apps, such as game consoles (PlayStation, Xbox), media devices (Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV).

First of all, you need to choose a suitable VPN service. In this article, we have compiled a list of TOP 5 VPNs for DD-WRT routers based on the following criteria:

• the ability to download OpenVPN configuration files for each server;
• support for DD-WRT users in the form of technical support or the availability of tutorials;
• OpenVPN connections include DNS leak protection;
• fast and reliable work;
• security and no logs.

ExpressVPN- the best choice for users who need a VPN-enabled router. The supplier offers study guides, OpenVPN configuration files and ongoing customer support with firmware DD-WRT. In addition, ExpressVPN has its own lightweight firmware for several LinkSys routers that you can install yourself, or even buy pre-configured routers. The firmware simplifies setup, connects servers, and sets up split tunneling for every device in your home.

DNS leak protection is included in all server configurations. The Company does not maintain identification transactions or metadata logs. ExpressVPN uses the highest security standards, including 256-bit AES channel encryption and perfect secrecy. It sets the gold standard when it comes to speed and stability. ExpressVPN can unblock geo-restricted services that most VPNs can't, such as US Netflix and Hulu.

Includes 3 months free with the purchase of an annual package. And the company also guarantees a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can just try it risk-free and get your money back if you don't like the product.

The IPVanish website includes a directory of OpenVPN configuration files and instructions on how to use them, including those for DD-WRT.

IPVanish comes with DNS leak protection and built-in IPv6 leak protection. The Company does not store user activity logs and their metadata. PPTP and OpenVPN are available for DD-WRT users, with 128-bit and 256-bit encryption, respectively. And we recommend using the latter option.

NordVPN

NordVPN offers customer support and tutorials for DD-WRT users. OpenVPN configuration files for all NordVPN servers, including dual-pass VPN and Tor over VPN servers, are available for download directly from the website.

Built-in DNS leak protection. NordPVN maintains a strict "no logs" policy and thus does not store any information related to your online activity on its servers. The company uses military-grade 256-bit encryption to protect your data, and you won't have a hard time finding a fast server in a huge network of servers around the world. NordVPN can unblock US Netflix and Hulu, streaming services that most VPNs can't.

The VyprVPN website has tutorials and configuration information for connecting to any of its servers via OpenVPN and PPTP. Alas, there are no pre-configured routers. However, if your router will run firmware, VyprVPN will make special application VPN. There is a handy live customer support if you need help setting up OpenVPN.

The company does not keep traffic logs, but it does record the outgoing user. This information is only retained for 30 days. On the other hand, VyprVPN offers top-notch security with 256-bit encryption, Netflix unblocking, and fantastic speeds.

CyberGhost offers a tutorial and DD-WRT configurations for commercial users. You can even specify which features you want to include in the user configuration when adding a device from the user control panel, such as tracking prevention, ad blocking, forced HTTPS, and data compression.

CyberGhost does not save activity or metadata logs. DNS leak protection uses 256-bit encryption to protect your connection. The VPN performed well in our speed tests.

Avoid Free VPNs

Free VPNs are usually

• use poor security;
• may place ads in your browser; record browsing activity for advertisers;
• a limited number of servers, which are usually overloaded;
• restrictions are often applied bandwidth or data.

VPNBook is one vendor that offers OpenVPN configurations for free, but relatively little is known about who is behind the organization. In 2013, the Hacker Anonymous team once accused VPNBook of providing access to data for law enforcement. This is just one example of why you should be careful when choosing free VPNs.

Will DD-WRT work on my router?

Not all routers support DD-WRT. You can find a list of supported devices on the official DD-WRT website. Cheaper and newer routers are less likely to support this alternative firmware. Older routers may use outdated versions DD-WRT which do not support OpenVPN. By the way, your router will need at least 8 MB of flash memory.

Please choose the correct version of DD-WRT for your router model carefully and carefully follow the instructions on the DD-WRT website. Attempting to flash an incompatible version or the wrong firmware can permanently damage your router.

How to set up OpenVPN on DD-WRT?

First of all, go to the VPN provider's website and download the OpenVPN configuration files - they will have an ovpn extension - for all the servers you want to connect to. You will also need a VPN username and password.

When connected to a router, preferably via local network, go to the router's control panel in a web browser. As a rule, for this you need to enter in the browser line 192.168.1.1 if that doesn't work try 192.168.0.1 .

1. log in to your control panel using the credentials you set up when you first installed DD-WRT;
2. go to tab Services;
3. then select VPN;
4. under Open VPN Client turn on Enable, the configuration panel will appear.

What you do next depends on your version of DD-WRT. If your firmware has user authentication, you will need to open the configuration file for the server you wish to connect to with a text editor such as Notepad. Copy the settings from the configuration file, including the server address (IP address or domain name), username, and password. Depending on your ISP, you may also need to set the port, tunnel protocol, encryption, or hash algorithm.

If your firmware does not have user authentication, look for the "Additional configuration" text box and enter the following command:

You will see several fields that correspond to the files in your configuration file Open VPN. Open the config (.ovpn) file in text editor, such as Notepad. You will need to copy over the server address (IP address or domain name) and port number that appear after the "remote" line in the configuration file.

To set up keys and certificates, you'll need to consult the VPN provider's help desk or knowledge base to get the correct commands to enter the " Additional setting". Copy and paste the TLS Authentication Key, CA Certificate, Public Client Certificate, Private Client Key into each of the respective fields in the DD-WRT Dashboard.

When finished, click "Apply Settings" to start the VPN connection.

Setting up DNS on the router

If you don't want your ISP to receive DNS requests that can broadcast your location and browsing activity, you should also consider installing DNS servers in DD-WRT. While you can usually list them on separate devices, you can take care of all of them at once in DD-WRT.

In the DD-WRT administrative panel, go to the "Settings" - " Basic setup". In the and section, enter the DNS addresses next to Static DNS 1, 2, and 3. You can use Google DNS, OpenNIC, or DNS provided by your VPN provider.

We haven't done everything yet. Go to Services - Services. In the DNSMasq section, in the advanced DNSMasq options, enter this command, replacing "dns.ip.1.here" with the DNS servers you used above:

Enable DNSMask. This will ensure that all DNS queries are sent through the VPN tunnel.

Split tunneling in DD-WRT

In some cases it is necessary to certain devices had access to internet traffic through a VPN. Some builds of DD-WRT allow split tunneling, which allows you to choose which devices are tunneled through the VPN and which can use the ISP's unencrypted network.

To set up split tunneling, in the DD-WRT administrative panel, go to the Service - VPN section. Locate the policy-based routing box and enter the IP addresses for each of the devices you want to let through the VPN.

If you want to enable split tunneling for specific websites, applications, servers, or other traffic destinations, this will need to be configured in the firewall using iptables. Open Administration > Commands. In the "Firewall" section, click "Edit" and enter the necessary commands.

How about PPTP?

Some DD-WRTs support the PPTP VPN protocol, but we do not recommend using it. Although it can function as a rudimentary VPN, it has security vulnerabilities.

While PPTP is easier to set up and is generally considered faster than OpenVPN. Therefore, if you are not concerned about security and privacy, but you just want the VPN to be used as a basic proxy server, set up PPTP.

Disadvantages of using a VPN on a router

Setting up a VPN on a DD-WRT router has obvious advantages, as described above, but it also has some disadvantages to consider.

1. all devices are tunneled through the same VPN connection, which, depending on the provider and server, can quickly become overloaded if you have many devices connected to the same router;
2. if the server stops working - disabling the VPN or switching servers is a pain.

Pre-configured routers or custom firmware, such as those offered by ExpressVPN, greatly eliminate these shortcomings.

can perform not only powerful computer serving your organization, but also a router (router) with support for the vpn server function.

Such a router or server must be fault-tolerant and protected from “listening”,

insofar as key feature this application of the router is security and .

The above diagram shows a vpn server on a router with the ability to connect the required number of independent vpn connections, which can work not only in a large network, but also in - i.e. in .

vpn client ( 1 ) connecting to the Internet ( 2 ) establishes a secure connection over vpn tunnel ( 3 ) to the vpn server.

Dsl modem ( 4 ), using predefined routing rules, creates a vpn connection through a router ( 5 ) with the necessary network resources: whether ( 6 ) in an organization or access to files and documents on ( 7 ) local office computer.

Any configuration of a vpn connection on the router is carried out through the web interface of the device. For this it is necessary go to router settings using an internet browser on desktop computer and authenticate with administrator rights.

Consider how to set up vpn on a router from several popular manufacturers.

vpn setup on asus router

vpn server on the asus router is represented by the following functionality:

To configure vpn on the asus router, go to the "VPN server" menu item ( 1 ) and select the tab ( 2 ), and select a pptp connection.

Also specify the number of clients for your tunnel channel as well.

To delete a vpn profile, just use the "delete" button

vpn setup on d link router

To set up a vpn server on a d link router, select "Intenet" - "setup manual" and go to "configure".

Select the tunneling protocol to use, taking into account the proposed settings for static or dynamic ip-addresses.

vpn setup on tp link router

Select the "Network" menu ( 1 )” – “WAN”( 2 ) - and opposite the field "wan connection type" specify lt2p or pptp protocols ( 3 ). After making changes, click the "save" button 4 ).

How to setup zyxel keenetic router with vpn?

To set up a vpn server on a router zyxel keenetic first you need to go to the "System" menu, then "Components" and install additional component PPTP server, after which the VPN Server tab will appear in the settings

Here you need to specify the appropriate settings, while the subnet of IP addresses should not be the same as .

So, if the pptp server uses the ip range 192.168.1.10 - 192.168.1.20, then for Home you can specify the addresses 192.168.1.35 - 192.168.1.54

For a normal connection to the built-in pptp server, you need to specify the appropriate settings in account all users of the local network.

In addition to setting up vpn on the router, you need to create a vpn connection on each user computer. The stages of this configuration are described in detail in the articles and