Odds are, you’ve come here to find out more about VPN connections as well as how to set them up on your router. Let’s start with the basics. A VPN stands for a Virtual Private Network. The clue is in the name – it makes any information you send to the VPN server completely private. While Internet Service Providers usually have access to your browsing activity, A VPN connection completely masks this from their view… nice one.
Now for the second part of the equation. So far, we’ve made you aware of what a VPN is, but not what a VPN Router is. If you’ve been keeping up, you know that it provides a securing mechanism for your information. If your router is VPN enabled, each device that is connected to your router will also be protected in this way. This covers a range of devices, pretty much any device that requires a wi-fi connection… from gaming consoles to Smart TVs. Any smart cookies recognise the benefits of this? If not, that’s what we’re here for. What having a VPN router basically means is that you’ve got one overarching VPN connection and don’t have to log in and out of your individual devices. The list goes on. Of course, as well as sending data, you tend to receive data accordingly. A VPN Router can ensure that your device is protected against any malicious data trying to take your personal data. In other words, a VPN can act as an extra layer of security.
How to Choose A VPN Router?
There are many different VPN Routers out there. It is important that you make an informed choice and to do this you must know what your priorities are.
Firstly, and most importantly your router must be capable of supporting a VPN connection. As it’s not currently the norm, some routers simply don’t deem it necessary to do so. Is it within your budget? There are several options for all kinds of budgets. Make sure that your expenditure is suited to your particular financial position, while also purchasing a quality product that fulfils all of your needs. Do you want a preconfigured VPN router? This will be explained more fully later on, but some routers come with a VPN already enabled, so you don’t have to go to the trouble of installing any software.
Best VPN router list 2018
To help our readers we have collected three of the best VPN router from the huge list of amazon. You can easily setup these router as your VPN if you follow the guide from below:
Asus AC1900 RT-AC68U Router ASUS Dual-Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router (AC3100) NetGear R6700 SMART DUAL BAND Router
How to choose a VPN Provider
This is not a task that you can take lightly – your privacy and security depend on you making a good decision. There are the obvious things that have to be considered… what sort of system will be using your VPN in conjunction with? Some of them don’t support Mac for example. Try to do your research beforehand whatever your operating system, Android, Windows or Linux. Pay heed to this – it’d be massively frustrating going to the effort of buying a VPN router and it not being compatible. You can’t say we haven’t warned you. You also need to bear in mind the reason why you’re getting a VPN in the first place. Speed is probably going to be a priority for you if you’re a fan of streaming media that takes up a lot of storage space. If you’re someone who’s always out and about, hopping from one place to the next, then security is of prime importance.
Here are the top 5 VPN service provider that we have handpicked from 100+ wellknown providers:
Step by Step: How to Set up a VPN on a Router
Now to address those commonly asked questions that no one seems to ever get concise answers to.
Does connecting your router to a VPN slow down your internet speed?
It depends on how you use it. If you are sending lots and lots of outgoing traffic and downloading massive quantities of incoming traffic, then it is going to have an effect on your internet speed in some way. It’s unfair to brand this as a disadvantage. The work that the VPN does by encrypting all outgoing data and sending it to the VPN server is hard. We think it’s understandable if your internet speed is slightly slower as a result of it.
VPN routers for the home
There are many VPN routers specifically designed to work best in a domestic context. Make sure you don’t end up paying extra for a commercial level VPN router- just because a product is more expensive doesn’t mean that it’ll serve you better if its functionality is formulated to deliver in another context.
VPN router behind another router
So, this is where things start progressing from beginner to intermediate. Don’t worry though, we’re here to facilitate that transition. Dual -router configuration means that you have two routers. A main router and a VPN router and that both of these are on a different subnet. Depending on your mood, you can alternate between a VPN and Non VPN connection, switching seamlessly between the two. In this way, you are not limited to a completely private connection or no protection whatsoever.
Do you need a VPN router if you already have a VPN Service?
If you’re only planning to use your VPN connection on one device then there’s no need to go to the trouble of choosing, purchasing and setting up a VPN Router. If you have a VPN client on more than one device and log in and out, then having a VPN router will save you an awful lot of time. It simply depends on what you’re planning on using a VPN for. For us, anything that saves time is a godsend.
Dedicated VPN router
We’re going to unpack all sorts of jargon now- this amusing term is just an extension of the idea that we’ve been entertaining thus far. It just means a router that is VPN enabled and thus includes all given devices within its reach.
Preconfigured VPN router
We mentioned that we’d get back to this particular type router. All you have to do is plug it into your network and you’re good to go. Easy peasy.
How do I link a VPN router to my secondary router?
Is it possible to run a VPN in a router which is connected to another router, if I need to set a VPN only to a specific device?
You could do this in theory, but it sounds like you wouldn’t really benefit from doing so. If you wanted other devices to take advantage of the VPN router then this is certainly a good idea. A bit of a waste if not.
Free VPN for router is it a good idea?
In a nutshell- no. Think about the vast responsibility that your VPN connection has. Would you trust a free software to handle your private data, bearing in mind that it could be sold on to third parties? The logical answer is obvious. Yes, you’re going to have to pay, but can you ever put a price on peace of mind?
Now comes the big question: what are the advantages of a VPN Router when compared to VPN Service?
A VPN ROUTER SAVES YOU TIME. With a VPN service you have to constantly log in and out of the VPN client. Given that it can only be installed on one device at a time, this will be a lot of extra fuss. With a VPN router on the other hand you can incorporate many devices onto the network and also have an added layer of security. It’s a no brainer really. Oh, and did we mention that it’s more cost effective?
As we’ve shown there are a variety of benefits to getting a VPN router. The internet should be able to be enjoyed without having to compromise your privacy. Remember- always be responsible and make an informed choice!
