How to Set Up NordVPN on Synology? (2026)

Written by Bram Jansen Fact-checked by Kevin Parker Updated on

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Configuring NordVPN on your Synology NAS router is the best way to protect all the devices on your home network, including devices that don’t support VPN software.

Although Synology NAS doesn’t have a NordVPN app, you can connect to NordVPN servers through an OpenVPN manual configuration on the router.

In other words, you can use any of NordVPN’s 7,000+ servers in 150 countries with your Synology router.

In this guide, I’ll teach you how to configure NordVPN on your Synology NAS router for the most common versions (5.1 and 6.1).

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How to Set Up NordVPN on Synology 6.1 NAS?

To set up NordVPN on your Synology NAS version 6.1 or later (including DSM 7):

  1. Sign up for a NordVPN account. Use these NordVPN discounts to save up BIG on your first purchase.
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  1. Log in to your Nord Account and click “NordVPN.” Scroll down and click “Set up NordVPN manually” (if NordVPN emails you a verification code, enter it).
  2. Open the “Service credentials” tab and copy your Username and Password. Your NAS needs these, not your Nord Account email and password.
  3. Open the “OpenVPN configuration files” tab, find the server you want with the search bar, and click “Download UDP” (or “Download TCP”).
  4. Download the list of CA certificates linked in NordVPN’s Synology guide and unzip it.
  5. Log in to your Synology NAS and go to Control Panel > Network > Network Interface. Click “Create” and pick “Create VPN profile.”
  6. Select “OpenVPN (via importing a .ovpn file)” and click “Next.”
  7. Fill in the fields as below, then click “Next”:
    • Profile name: anything you like, such as “NordVPN.”
    • User name and Password: your service credentials from Step 3.
    • Import .ovpn file: the file you downloaded in Step 4.
    • CA certificate: click “Browse” and pick the certificate with the same server number as your .ovpn file.
  8. Select all the options on the next screen and click “Apply.”
  9. Select the new profile and click “Connect.” Its status changes to “Connected” once the connection is up.
  10. Secure all connections through your router, unblock content on your smart TV seamlessly, and play games on consoles like PS4 without DDoS attacks.

How to Set Up NordVPN on Synology 5.1 NAS?

To set up NordVPN on your Synology NAS version 5.1:

  1. Get your NordVPN account. Grab these deals if you’re a first-time NordVPN user.
  2. Follow Steps 2–5 above for your service credentials, server and CA certificates. After that, DSM 5.1 works differently: you pick the plain OpenVPN option, type in the server address, port 1194 and UDP yourself, and finish the setup over SSH. NordVPN’s DSM 5.1 guide walks you through it.
  3. Enjoy NordVPN security, content unblocking and anti-DDoS on your connected devices.

If you configure everything correctly, you’ll connect to NordVPN without any issues. 

Click “Disconnect,” and you’ll return to using your regular connection without NordVPN.

NordVPN Synology Not Working (Troubleshooting)

NordVPN works flawlessly with Synology. However, you may sometimes encounter issues with your VPN connection.

Here are a few tweaks to get your NordVPN-Synology combination working.

Update/Re-Do Your Nordvpn Synology Configurations

There could be a chance that your OpenVPN configuration file (UDP or TCP) doesn’t match the CA certificate. As you can see from Step 8 above, the CA certificate number needs to match the OpenVPN server configuration file.

In our case, the OpenVPN server configuration file is UK2086.nordvpn.com, while the CA certificate is UK2086_nordvpn_com_ca. For anything to work, both of these must match as indicated below.

nordvpn uk security certificate

Fortunately, all you need to do to fix this issue is to re-do your NordVPN Synology configurations with the abovementioned steps.

Enable Multiple Gateway on Synology

You might have trouble connecting to anything connected to your local network, including Synology, once NordVPN is connected. This is because using NordVPN on Synology changes the default gateway. As a result, all traffic is rerouted through NordVPN.

To regain access to your router (and other devices on the network), go into your router settings to enable the multiple gateway options. You’ll find it by:

  1. Going to Control Panel > Network > General > Advanced Settings.
  2. In the pop-up window, check “Enable Multiple Gateway.”
  3. Click “Apply” to save your settings.

By doing so, routing for each network interface will go through their respective gateways.

FAQs

Will the NordVPN Synology Setup Slow Down My Internet?

Using NordVPN can decrease your internet speed on Synology to a certain degree. However, if you connect to the closest available server through OpenVPN UDP, you can expect no more than a 30% drop in speed.

Protect All Your Devices With NordVPN

NordVPN gives you 10 simultaneous connections, but you can set it up on your Synology router to connect unlimited devices.

Hence, you’ll get the VPN’s strong encryption, robust security features, and entertainment purposes, like unblocking and streaming Netflix libraries anywhere.

Grab this NordVPN discount deal for all your Synology privacy and security needs!

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