How to set up and configure a VPN on your home router for whole-office protection

Network & Internet KB-318

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to set up and configure a VPN on your home router for whole-office protection. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

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Common Causes

Installing a VPN directly on your home or office router is one of the most efficient ways to secure every device on your network. Rather than configuring a VPN app on each computer, phone, or tablet individually, a router-level VPN protects every device that connects to your Wi-Fi automatically. This includes devices that don't normally support VPN software, such as smart TVs, security cameras, and IoT equipment. This guide walks you through selecting a compatible router, choosing a VPN provider, and configuring the connection step by step.

Before You Begin

Before starting the installation, gather a few things and confirm your equipment is suitable. Router-level VPNs require more processing power than standard browsing, so not every router can handle the encryption workload.

What You'll Need

A VPN-compatible router (or an existing router that supports VPN client mode)
An active subscription with a VPN provider that supports router configurations (such as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost, or similar)
Your VPN provider's configuration files or setup credentials
A computer connected to the router via Ethernet or Wi-Fi
Your router's admin login details

Check Router Compatibility

Not all routers support VPN client functionality out of the box. Check the following before proceeding:

Stock firmware: Routers from AsusWRT, GL.iNet, and some Netgear models often include built-in VPN client support.
Custom firmware: Routers flashed with DD-WRT, OpenWrt, or Tomato can run VPN clients but require more technical knowledge.
ISP-provided routers: Most routers supplied by Australian ISPs do not support VPN client mode and will need to be replaced or put into bridge mode behind a compatible router.

If your current router doesn't support VPN clients, consider purchasing a pre-configured VPN router from your provider. Many VPN services sell routers with their software pre-installed, which removes the manual setup steps entirely.

Choose a VPN Provider

Select a provider that explicitly supports router installations and offers OpenVPN or WireGuard configuration files. Most major providers include detailed router setup guides in their support centres.

When comparing providers, consider:

Server locations relevant to your business needs
Connection speeds and bandwidth limits
Support for modern protocols such as WireGuard (faster) or OpenVPN (more widely compatible)
The ability to selectively route traffic (split tunnelling) if needed
Number of simultaneous connections included in your plan

Download Your VPN Configuration Files

Log in to your VPN provider's website using your account credentials.
Navigate to the Setup or Downloads section of your account dashboard.
Select the server location you want to connect through (Australian servers are recommended for local services like banking and streaming).
Download the .ovpn configuration file for OpenVPN, or the equivalent file for WireGuard.
Make a note of your username and password — these are often different from your account login and may be labelled as "VPN credentials" or "service credentials".

Most providers let you download configuration files for multiple server locations. Save these in a folder on your computer so you can switch locations later if needed.

Configure the VPN on Your Router

The exact steps vary depending on your router's firmware. The instructions below cover the most common scenarios.

Option A: Asus Router with AsusWRT Firmware

Open a web browser and go to 192.168.1.1 or router.asus.com.
Log in with your router's admin username and password.
Click VPN in the left-hand sidebar.
Select the VPN Client tab at the top of the page.
Click Add profile.
Choose OpenVPN as the connection type and enter a description for the profile.
Upload the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier, or paste its contents into the configuration field.
Enter your VPN username and password.
Click OK to save the profile.
Click the Activate button next to the new profile to start the VPN connection.

Option B: GL.iNet Router

Connect to the router's admin panel at 192.168.8.1.
Go to VPN in the left-hand menu.
Click OpenVPN Client (or WireGuard Client, depending on your chosen protocol).
Click Add a new OpenVPN configuration.
Upload your .ovpn file or paste the configuration text.
Enter your VPN credentials and save.
Toggle the connection switch to ON.

Option C: Router Running DD-WRT or OpenWrt

Log in to your router's admin interface (typically 192.168.1.1).
Navigate to Services → VPN (DD-WRT) or Network → Interfaces (OpenWrt).
For DD-WRT: paste the contents of your .ovpn file into the OpenVPN Client configuration box.
For OpenWrt: install the openvpn-openssl or wireguard-tools package via System → Software, then upload your configuration through the interface editor.
Enter your VPN username and password in the appropriate fields.
Save and apply the settings, then start the VPN service.

Custom firmware installations can permanently damage your router if performed incorrectly. Only flash custom firmware if you're confident in the process, and always follow the exact instructions for your specific router model.

Verify the VPN Connection

Once the VPN is active, confirm it's working correctly:

From any device connected to the router, open a web browser.
Visit whatismyip.com or similar IP-checking site.
Confirm that the displayed IP address and location match your chosen VPN server, not your actual Australian location.
Run a DNS leak test at dnsleaktest.com to ensure your DNS requests are also being routed through the VPN.

Troubleshooting

VPN Won't Connect

Double-check your username and password — these are often different from your account login.
Confirm the .ovpn file is intact and not corrupted; re-download it from your provider if needed.
Try a different server location to rule out a temporary outage.
Update your router's firmware to the latest version.

Connection Is Slow or Unstable

Connect to a VPN server geographically closer to Australia (such as Sydney, Melbourne, or Singapore) for better speeds.
Switch from OpenVPN to WireGuard if your router supports it — WireGuard is significantly faster on most hardware.
Use a wired Ethernet connection for performance-critical devices.
Check that your router's CPU isn't overloaded; older routers may struggle with VPN encryption.

Some Devices Can't Access the Internet

Verify the VPN tunnel is active and the router shows a connected status.
Restart the router after applying VPN settings.
Check for IP address conflicts between the VPN tunnel and your local network.
Confirm that DNS settings are being pushed correctly by the VPN server.
Temporarily disable the VPN to confirm the underlying internet connection is working.

DNS Leaks Detected

Enable the "DNS leak protection" or similar option in your router's VPN settings if available.
Manually configure your router to use the VPN provider's DNS servers.
Disable IPv6 on the router if your VPN only tunnels IPv4 traffic, as IPv6 requests can bypass the VPN.

When to Seek Further Help

If you've worked through the steps above and the VPN still won't connect or perform reliably, contact your VPN provider's support team. Most reputable providers offer 24/7 live chat and can walk you through router-specific issues. Have your router model, firmware version, and any error messages from the router's logs ready when you reach out.

Still Having Issues?

Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

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