There are some serious advantages of configuring a VPN account on your router. For starters you can protect your entire home network with a single VPN account. Every device that passes through the router will benefit. That means devices that do not natively support VPN can also benefit from the secure tunnel. Not to mention the ability to change the location of your IP address. All of our top VPNs for routers offer support.
The first step is to make sure your router will support VPN. How old is your device? I highly recommend using one of the new AC routers for VPN. The reason is that your router will be encrypting the traffic and helping protect all the devices on your network. Being able to do that with a single VPN account is awesome but it also puts some extra overhead on your router. The latest models from Asus, Netgear and Linksys are up to the task. You can visit our VPN routers page to explore your options.
I recommend purchasing a router with DD-WRT or Tomato firmware. The custom firmware will enhance the functionality of the router. This has many benefits including support for OpenVPN connections. If you have a technical background you can look into flashing your own device. Otherwise I recommend you visit FlashRouters and let them do the work for you. They will flash the router with custom DD-WRT firmware and even preconfigure your VPN if you’d like. You just need to sign up for a VPN account before purchasing the router.
In addition to securing your network you can take advantage of other advanced features like port forwarding and split tunneling. I think you will be quite pleased with one of the recent AC routers flashed with either DD-WRT or Tomato firmware. If you decide to flash your own device you can visit DD-WRT.com for a list of supported devices. Unless you have a technical background I would suggest you buy a pre-flashed router. Otherwise you could brick your device which is quite expecsive.
In a moment I will share our list of the top 5 VPNs for routers. The providers were chosen based on the speed and reliability of their services. Since you will be pushing all your Internet traffic through the VPN connection you will want a fast service. We also considered each companies support for routers. They all provide guidance in setting up your router to work with their network. Let’s take a look at the best router VPNs.
Best VPNs for Routers
Rank | Provider | Price | Rating | Visit |
---|---|---|---|---|
$4.87 60% Off | 9.9 Read Review | |||
$6.25 37% Off | 9.8 Read Review | |||
$8.32 35% Off | 9.7 Read Review | |||
$6.55 43% Off | 9.6 Read Review | |||
$3.25 53% Off | 9.5 Read Review | |||
Reviews of the Best Router VPNs
1. IPVanish offers unlimited VPN access from just $4.87 a month.
IPVanish is our choice for the “Best VPN for Windows” based on their performance, reliability, privacy, and price. Managing a tier-1 network gives IPVanish an edge over other providers. This allows them to provide you the best possible performance. It also increases the reliability of the service because they have full control over their VPN servers. They have a strict “no log” policy which gives you greater privacy. Having control over all aspects of the VPN service allows them to give you the best price. IPVanish kindly offers our guests a 25% discount. Enjoy unlimited VPN from just $4.87 a month.
Performance is key for those of us who enjoy watching tv shows and movies from other countries. Especially if you want to watch live sporting events or HD content. IPVanish has servers around the world with the speed and reliability to handle major events like the World Cup, Olympics, ICC Cricket, Super Bowl, and Grand Prix circuit.
Privacy is important to anyone looking for a VPN service. Any VPN you choose will offer encryption but IPVanish takes it a step further. They offer 256-bit AES encryption. IPVanish supports OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP protocols. Giving you a high level of security when connected to their network. Their “no log” policy ensures that your activities will not be logged while using the service.
IPVanish supports a wide range of devices. They have custom software for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. They also support DD-WRT and Tomato routers. Setting up your router to use the service allows you to protect your entire network with a single VPN account. IPVanish includes two simultaneous connections with every account so you can protect multiple devices at the same time. New members are covered by a 7 day money back guarantee. Enjoy unlimited VPN access from just $4.87 a month with our 25% off discount.
2. OverPlay offers unlimited VPN access from just $6.25 a month.
OverPlay is based in the UK and provides both VPN and Smart DNS service. They separate themselves from other providers by giving VPN members free SmartDNS access. This allows you to watch shows and movies in other countries without any speed loss. Enjoy unlimited VPN and SmartDNS from just $6.25 a month with our exclusive 25% discount.
Countries | Locations | Protocols | Devices |
---|---|---|---|
48 | 75 | OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP |
As you can see OverPlay offers SmartDNS and Secure VPN accounts. The difference is encryption. For online privacy you will want their VPN service. If your goal is to unblock content in other countries then SmartDNS is a great choice. The VPN plan comes with free SmartDNS access. Giving you the best of both worlds.
OverPlay manages a large network of VPN servers in key countries around the world. They support OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP protocols. You will find the service to be fast and reliable. On the SmartDNS side they have a channel line up on the OverPlay site. It will help you find the channels available in each country along with the devices they support.
OverPlay offers custom VPN clients for Windows and Mac users. They also support Linux, iOS, Android and custom routers. SmartDNS adds support for game consoles, smart tv’s, media players, and more. Anything that allows you to change the DNS settings. Enjoy unlimited VPN with free SmartDNS access from just $6.25 a month.
3. ExpressVPN offers unlimited VPN access from just $8.32 a month.
ExpressVPN does a lot of things right. They are a bit pricier than some services but the quality is excellent. You can expect fast connections and friendly tech support. They have some of the best VPN client software. You can tell they put a lot of effort into the interface design for all their software. You can sign up for unlimited VPN from just $8.32 a month. They offer a 30 day money back guarantee.
You’ll find that ExpressVPN is very user friendly. They start by offering a 30 day money back guarantee. There are no usage or connection limits. You simply request a refund in the first 30 days if you are not happy with the service. Their client software is very user friendly. I am especially fond of their Mac client. The software looks great and is very easy to use.
ExpressVPN manages a large network of VPN servers around the world. They host servers in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. They are one of the fastest VPN services we have had the pleasure of testing. On top of great service, ExpressVPN offers excellent customer support.
As a member of ExpressVPN you’ll have access to free client software for Windows and Mac. They also have mobile apps for iOS and Android devices. They provide a nice set up guide for DD-WRT routers. ExpressVPN supports OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP. You can sign up for unlimited VPN access from just $8.32 a month. All new members are covered by their 30 day money back guarantee.
4. HideMyAss offers unlimited VPN access from just $6.55 a month.
HideMyAss has been helping users protect their online privacy since 2005. With many years under their belt the HMA team provides an excellent service. HMA has the largest network of any major VPN provider. They are headquartered in the UK and have offices in London, Kiev and Belgrade. Enjoy unlimited VPN from just $6.52 a month.
A benefit of having such a large network is that you can access VPN servers in countries that are not available from other services. The HideMyAss network can get very busy at times. I suggest you use their HMA Pro VPN client which has a load balancing feature. This allows you to optimize your speed while using their service.
If you travel the world or live in a country without many local VPN servers then HideMyAss is your best choice. They are always expanding their network and adding new servers. They have multiple server locations in many different countries. Including servers in areas that are not covered by other VPN networks.
HideMyAss has a full line up of software. They have custom clients for Windows and Mac. They also have mobile apps for iOS and Android. You can set up your router to work with the service. HMA supports OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP protocols. Sign up for unlimited VPN access from just $6.55 a month. HMA offers a 30 day money back guarantee.
5. Private Internet Access offers unlimited VPN from just $6.45 a month.
Private Internet Access is perhaps the best known VPN provider among p2p fans. They are featured on sites like TorrentFreak and have a solid reputation for protecting users privacy. They have a “no log” policy and a very reasonable price. Their network is not as large as some others but they are well represented in key locations. You can enjoy unlimited VPN from just $3.25 a month. PIA offers a 7 day money back guarantee.
As I mentioned above Private Internet Access, better known as PIA, is respected for their commitment to users privacy. They have features that help in the effort. The PIA Windows client includes a VPN kill switch. You can have the client kill your Internet connection anytime the VPN drops. That way your public IP address is not exposed.
PIA doesn’t stop with the VPN kill switch. They do not log traffic on the network. That means you do not have to worry about PIA keeping track of your activities when using the service. They allow up to 5 simultaneous connections with a single account. This gives you VPN protection on a number of devices.
Private Internet Access has a nice Windows client with the VPN kill switch feature. They also have an Android app and guides for setting up Mac, iOS, and DD-WRT routers PIA supports OpenVPN, PPTP and L2TP protocols. They offer all new members a 7 day money back guarantee. Best of all they have kindly offered a discount to our guests. You can enjoy unlimited VPN access from just $6.45 a month.
Take a look at our Top 10 VPN services if you would like to explore other options. The top 10 list was compiled with an overall experience in mind. While this post focuses on the best VPN for routers, the overall top 10 looks at a wide range of devices and purposes for using a VPN. You can follow us @VPNSP for the latest VPN news and special offers.