Did you know that you can connect your router to a VPN network? This way, all devices in your home or office will get to benefit from the security and privacy a VPN offers.
Sure, you can connect many of those devices separately, but you may not be able to connect your gaming console or smart TV to a VPN. Simply put – in most cases, there isn’t an app for that.
With a VPN working on your router, you get to bypass that and make all smart devices connect to the Internet in an encrypted manner — so that no one can track what you’re watching, listening to, or reading online.
The best part is that great VPNs include router support in addition to supporting your phones and computers. That’s one of the features that make them so good. Here are the best VPNs with router support:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
Summary
Its network includes more than 6,200 servers spread across 111 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- It's super fast!
- Works with Netflix, BBC and others
- Easy to use apps, browser extensions
- You can try it for free!
- Some advanced features are not configurable
- Not the best for high-censorship countries
Summary
Furthermore, thanks to the availability of browser extensions - Hotspot Shield is also one of our top choices for Chrome and Firefox VPNs.
Your privacy is equally well protected, with the software only collecting some anonymized that help continually improve its service.
There is one caveat though - it won't work in high-censorship countries like China. If you don't need that in the first place, we highly recommend Hotspot Shield.
As that's typically the case with most VPN services out there, the longer you commit - the better deal you get. However, what makes Hotspot Shield even better is the fact that it offers a 7-day free trial of its service. A few other top VPN providers do the same. Plus, its money-back guarantee lasts for 45 days, making for a risk-free purchase. Cause, you can always get your money back. Sweet and just the way we like it.
Pros
Cons
- Reliable download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix and BBC iPlayer
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Lets you use it on unlimited number of devices
- Low number of servers in Africa and Australia
Summary
You can rely on it for streaming and torrenting, with included extra features like CleanWeb and MultiHop, delivering a that much better — and more secure — experience.
Surfshark, the company, is based in the British Virgin Islands and with its zero-logs policy makes for a powerful combo to anyone looking to keep its web whereabouts under the radar.
The service is easy to use and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
Cons
- One the best VPNs for torrenting
- Works well with Netflix
- Simple setup on all popular devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Doesn't work with BBC iPlayer
- Doesn't work in China
Summary
Its desktop apps are not among the prettiest ones, but they get the job done. The important thing is that installation is easy and straightforward, and that no logs are kept by the company.
When it comes to pricing, IPVanish is somewhere in the middle — it's not the most affordable option but also not the most expensive one. As noted, it will be most appreciated by heavy BitTorrent users, and — related — Kodi fans.
Why connect your router to a VPN?
There are several advantages of running a VPN on your router rather than on every device separately.
One of the main benefits is that you get to include other devices for which there are no native VPN apps. We’re talking about smart TVs, streaming boxes and gaming consoles.
The second benefit comes from the fact that this way you get to protect every member of your family with a VPN connection. Or every colleague in your office in case we’re talking about an in-office setup. Instead of wasting the limited number of simultaneous VPN connections, this way – you can protect more people and multiple devices at once.
Then there’s the extra privacy you get from this setup, which means that your ISP won’t even know which device you or someone else in your network is using to connect to the Internet. All they see are encrypted packets connecting to a single (VPN) server.
This extra privacy also keeps you more protected online. With every bit of data coming to and out of your computer encrypted, no one will be able to get any meaningful information by snooping into your traffic. Even if he/she somehow manages to intercept it.
Are there any disadvantages?
It is only natural that everything good also has its downside. In this case, you may experience a slower loading time. This will most likely be the case if multiple users are connecting to the router with multiple devices. Just imagine a setup with 3 people in the room using 3 computers and 3 smartphones, plus the TV is showing some Internet video. That’s a total of 10 devices demanding some content or uploading stuff to the Internet — and it all goes through a single VPN server.
This could slow down your connection but, depending on the VPN service you’re using, you may not even notice it. In some cases, based on the content and websites you’re visiting, you may even get a faster connection.
In most cases when there are more of you connecting to the Internet, you will get a slightly slower connection.
Nevertheless, we think it’s worth it. Why in the world would you want Google and Facebook — let alone various government agencies — to know your whereabouts? There is no need to turn yourself into a product (cause that’s what you/we end up being).
Plus, if you need to access some piece of content or some service that is not available in your country, there is no second-guessing this – you should set up your router to sing along a VPN service.
Best VPNs include router support…
Best VPNs work across platforms and devices, and sure enough – they also include router support. Also, all of them offer easy-to-follow instructions on how to set up your router to work with their services. You don’t have to be a tech genius in order to implement these steps – just take your time and before you know it, your entire network will be that much more secure.
Beyond protecting your router, a good VPN will have your back in other situations as well, and will:
- Protect your privacy from the government and big corporations
- Bypass restrictions imposed by the government or various organizations
- Change your IP address so you get unrestricted access to Netflix, Disney+, iPlayer, HULU, and other video streaming services
- Encrypt and protect private data from cybercriminals
The top contenders that check all these boxes include the following:
