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How to Set Up NordVPN on a Router?

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Setting up NordVPN on a router is a straightforward process, even if your technical ability is limited.

There are a variety of benefits of installing NordVPN on your router.

These include positives like encrypting all internet traffic that passes through the connection. Yet, there are also negatives, such as not offering a user-friendly config.

For more information on how to configure NordVPN on a router, the pros and cons of doing so, and more, keep reading.

Can NordVPN Be Installed on a Router?

Yes, NordVPN can be installed onto a router, but compatibility will depend on the make and model of the router being used.

NordVPN recommends Asus as the best make of router to use with its VPN service as most of their routers support OpenVPN.

OpenVPN is a core requirement for NordVPN to function when installing directly to a router.

What Routers Are Compatible With NordVPN?

There are various routers that you can install NordVPN onto.

But which one is suitable will depend on individual circumstances.

Check out my recommended routers from the categories below to help you find a compatible router:

Best For Home Use (Includes OpenVPN Encryption)

If you need a router to encrypt your connection via VPN, the following Asus models will do the trick:

  • RT-AC66U B1
  • RT-AC86U
  • Asus RT-AX3000

Routers That Support Custom Firmware

Need more customization options allowing you to install your own firmware?

Then you might consider a router that enables the installation of custom firmware:

Best Overall Performance Using OpenVPN (up to 60mbps)

If you require a top-performing router that comes with built-in OpenVPN, then you may wish to check out these router models:

  • Asus: RT-AX86U, RT-AX88U (AC3100), RT-AC5300
  • D-Link: DIR-885L, DIR-895L
  • Linksys: EA8500, WRT1900ACS, WRT3200ACM
  • Netgear: R7500, R7800, R8500, R9000

Pre-Configured Routers (With NordVPN Already Installed)

If you’re searching for an easy option where everything is ready to use out-of-the-box, then a router with nordVPN pre-installed might be the way to go.

I’d recommend one of NordVPN’s Flashrouters, which include everything you need to get started:

  • NordVPN Netgear R6400 DD-WRT FlashRouter (allows up to six simultaneous device connection)
  • NordVPN Linksys WRT3200ACM AC3200 DD-WRT FlashRouter (Hooks up 6-9 devices at once)
  • NordVPN Asus RT-AC5300 AC5300 DD-WRT FlashRouter (connect over ten devices)

What Is the Best Router for NordVPN?

The best router to use with NordVPN will depend on your requirements.

The choice of the ‘’best’’ router will often come down to how it performs and how easy it is to use and set up.

NordVPN recommends using one of its FlashRouters which come equipped with NordVPN pre-configured. offering some of the best performance.

They also support multiple devices.

I’d personally recommend the NordVPN Asus RT-AC5300 AC5300 DD-WRT FlashRouter. This supports over ten simultaneous device connections.

This is important for those times when you have several Wifi devices connected that you need to be encrypted using VPN. Not only that, but it looks like something from an Alien movie!

How to Configure Your Router for NordVPN?

The process to configure NordVPN on a router may differ depending on the make and model of the router you are using.

The following steps are a generic guide that you can use as a basis for most compatible routers.

Step 1: Log in to Your Router

At a very base level, you will need to ensure your router is connected to the internet. You should identify the device’s IP address (often found on the back of the router). Once you have this, you’ll need to open a browser such as Chrome or Firefox, enter the IP address, and then complete your router admin username and password.

Step 2: Adjust the Settings for Your Router

Asus is the most straightforward router to set up and often comes with built-in VPN functionality. For other brands, it’ll require a little more effort to ensure your connections are routed to the NordVPN servers for encrypted traffic.

Step 3: Test Your Connection

Configuring NordVPN on a router should be a one-time effort unless you wipe your settings by resetting the router to factory settings.

Assuming you’ve configured everything correctly, you shouldn’t need to tamper with any settings going forward. All your devices that connect to your router should be routed via an encrypted VPN tunnel.

How to Install NordVPN on Your Asus Router?

Asus logo

To install NordVPN on an Asus router, I would recommend selecting one of the below models before you get started:

  • Asus RT-N18U
  • Asus RT-AC66U
  • Asus RT-AC68U
  • Asus RT-AC87U
  • Asus RT-AC3200

Each of the above models works well with NordVPN because they support OpenVPN usage as a client instead of as a server.

If you have another model of Asus router, please check whether it supports OpenVPN. You can do this by referring to the operating manual via the manufacturer’s website or by contacting Asus support.

The process for Asus routers versus other brands is pretty straightforward:

  1. Sign up for a NordVPN subscription.
  2. Open a browser window (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and type in the IP address from the back of your router. This is usually 192.168.1.1 and hit enter.
  3. You may be prompted for a username. This is Username: admin. Password: admin.
  4. After signing in, click on the VPN tab and select ‘’Add New profile’’ with the following settings:
  • Description: A description of your choice.
  • Username: Your NordVPN username you should have received in an email.
  • Password: The NordVPN password you set up during the registration process.
  1. Head to NordVPN’s recommended server page to download the NordVPN config file. Select your preferred server, and the config file will download automatically.
A tool that recommends a server
  1. Go back to the VPN tab (which should still show in your browser) and select ‘’Choose file’’ to locate and import the .ovpn file you have just downloaded.
  2. Click on the WAN tab and choose No for the section that says ‘’Connect to DNS Server automatically’’. Enter the following addresses and then hit apply:
  • DNS Server 1: 103.86.96.100
  • DNS Server 2: 103.86. 99.100
  1. Lastly, head back to the VPN Client tab, find your newly added profile, and hit ‘’Activate’’.
Activate NordVPN on Asus router

Assuming you have completed everything correctly, you should see a blue checkmark.

It should be similar to the screen below, which confirms you have successfully set up NordVPN on your Asus router.

blue checkmark

How Do I Install NordVPN On My Netgear Router?

NETGEAR routers

Netgear routers are the next best option to an Asus router. Unfortunately, they don’t support OpenVPN, which means relying on DD-WRT firmware to get connected. You can check which Netgear routers support DD-WRT here.

Before we get started, you will need to flash your Netgear router with the DD-WRT firmware.

The simplest method of installing NordVPN on your Netgear router is using the FlashRouters Privacy App.

The following is a list of supported Netgear routers which will allow you to use the FlashRouters method:

  • Asus RT-AC5300
  • Asus RT-AC56U
  • Asus RT-AC66U
  • Asus RT-AC68U
  • Linksys WRT1200AC
  • Linksys WRT1900AC
  • Linksys WRT1900ACv2
  • Linksys WRT1900ACS
  • Linksys WRT3200ACM
  • Linksys WRT32X
  • Netgear R6300v2
  • Netgear R6400v2
  • Netgear R7000
  • Netgear R7800
  • Netgear R8000
  • Netgear R8500
  • Netgear R9000

To install the FlashRouters Privacy app, please follow these steps:

  1. Connect your router to the internet. Log in to your DD-WRT admin panel via your device IP address and navigate to Administration > Commands within your DD-WRT settings.
  2. Paste the following command: curl –silent –retry 3 https://api.flashroutersapp.com/api/v1.0/ddwrt/group/privacy/provider/NordVPN/install | sh and then select ‘Run Command.’
  3. A prompt should appear saying ‘’Installation Successful’’.
  4. You can access the Flashrouters Privacy app while you’re still logged in to the DD-WRT admin area by heading to status>my page.

Login to NordVPN using the following steps:

  1. Head to the connect page of the Flashrouters Privacy app.
  2. Next, enter your NordVPN login credentials. These will typically be the email you registered with and the password you set up.

Choose a NordVPN server by completing the following:

  1. Select your preferred NordVPN server from the list of available servers.
Select a location from the list
  1. You can filter the available servers to find the least loaded server closest to you, and once selected, hit connect to get connected to NordVPN.
  2. A prompt should appear to show you are connected.
A prompt NordVPN connected
  1. You can verify NordVPN is working correctly by heading to the NordVPN website. You should see a message in the page header stating your IP address and the word ‘’Protected’’.

Routers Not Compatible With NordVPN

If you wish to install NordVPN on a router, you will need to check it is compatible. As a general rule, any router that uses PPTP or L2TP/IPsec is no longer supported for NordVPN use as of 2018.

The following routers using their out of the box firmware are not supported for a direct install of nordVPN:

  • Arris
  • Belkin
  • Cisco
  • D-Link
  • Huawei
  • Linksys (except WRT32X/WRT32XB AC3200)
  • Netgear
  • TP-Link
  • TRENDnet
  • Tenda
  • TotoLink
  • Ubee

What to Do if NordVPN Router Is Not Connecting?

If you have successfully set up NordVPN on a router, but it’s not connecting, this could be down to a few different issues.

Please try the following steps to see if this resolves your problem in the first instance.

No wifi logo

Check Your Router Status

Although very basic, users often miss the fact that their router status lights show connectivity problems.

They assume NordVPN is the cause.

If you are unable to connect, check for any router status lights that are unilluminated or amber.

This may indicate an issue with your internet connection.

Reset Your Router

If you are confident you have installed NordVPN or have connected before, it’s worth powering down your router.

Wait at least 2 minutes before turning it back on.

This will not clear your NordVPN settings but will refresh your router’s configuration to overcome any router errors you might not be aware of.

Update Your Router Firmware

Assuming your router is among the compatible models to use with NordVPN, it may be worthwhile checking for any firmware updates.

If you are running an older version, try updating the router firmware and test your connection again.

This may require you to re-configure/install nordVPN to align with the new firmware.

If you are still having problems connecting, I’d recommend contacting NordVPN support. Or, check with your router manufacturer to see if they can offer further advice.

Tips for Using Your VPN Router

Once you’re up and running with your NordVPN router setup, there are a few tricks to help make the most of your new config.

I’d recommend the following to make things a little easier, especially for those times when you need to adjust settings or to get the best performance.

Save Your Router Config Page in Your Bookmarks

There may be times when you need to change a VPN setting on your router. To make this easier, I’d recommend bookmarking the page instead of having to find and type your router IP address manually.

Double Coverage Can Impact Stability and Performance

There may be occasions where you forget that internet traffic going through your router is encrypted with NordVPN.

As a result, you enable the VPN app on your PC, which is known as double coverage.

Essentially this means you have two instances of nordVPN running. This can impact the speeds and stability of your connection. To avoid this happening, it is advisable to remove the VPN app from your device if you are using NordVPN on a router.

Add Another Router to Your Setup

At times you may wish to connect to the web without VPN encryption. To make this possible, you could set up a second router at home. One router would have NordVPN installed while the other uses a direct internet connection.

Interesting Reads:

FAQ

Can I Install NordVPN on My Virgin Router?

No, you cannot install NordVPN on a Virgin Media router such as a Hub 3. As discussed in this Virgin Media Community post, the routers provided by Virgin Media are modems. That means they do not allow the installation of third-party applications like NordVPN.

A Virgin router merely provides an internet connection, so to use NordVPN and encrypt the traffic over your connection, you would need to install NordVPN on a compatible router, or install the NordVPN app directly on your device (smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.).

Conclusion

Installing NordVPN on a router is straightforward if you have an Asus device.

The process is lengthier with devices that need firmware flashing and extra setup steps.

Routers with OpenVPN built-in are straightforward to set up with NordVPN.

The benefit of installing NordVPN on a router instead of using an app allows all internet traffic going through the router to be encrypted.

Your ISP, local authorities, and more will be unable to track your VPN activity using NordVPN. You can take back your privacy with confidence, knowing NordVPN does not log your online activity.

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