Are you tired of feeling like the Government is always watching you when you browse the internet? Or are you sick of dealing with slow, unreliable internet connections? Don’t fear because NordVPN routers are here to save the day!
These are the ultimate solution for anyone who wants to take their online privacy and security to the next level. Moreover, they offer a ton of other incredible benefits that you’re going to love.
So, kick back, grab a snack, and let’s dive into the world of NordVPN routers together!
What is a NordVPN Router?
Okay, so picture this: you’ve got a regular ol’ router at home, but you’re worried about online security and privacy. What do you do? You get a VPN router. It’s a router specially set up to connect to VPN servers like NordVPN automatically, protecting your whole network from any prying eyes.
Best Routers For NordVPN
Here is our list of NordVPN Routers.
ASUS RT-AX86U
If you’re in the market for a powerful router for NordVPN that comes with some sweet extra features, you must check out the ASUS RT-AX86U. This baby launched in 2021 and is packed with the latest Wi-Fi tech, Wi-Fi 6 or 802.11ax. Translation: it’s fast as heck and super efficient.
The design is also slick, with red accents that make it look like a gaming router. Speaking of gamers, this router has a dedicated gaming port and is optimized for Nvidia’s GeForce Now. So, if you’re a gamer, this router will make your day.
Netgear Nighthawk X10
If you want to invest in a router that’ll hold up for the next five years, you must check out the Nighthawk X10 by Netgear. This router features a 60GHz connection on top of most routers’ usual 2.4 GHz and 5GHz bands.
Now, you could hit speeds up to 7200 Mbps across all three bands. And while you won’t hit that exact speed IRL, it’ll still be the fastest router on this list and perfect for streaming 4K videos and transferring huge files.
DD-WRT (firmware for a router)
DD-WRT is a pretty sweet firmware that can make your router perform way better than it currently does. It gives you new features and better speeds, but it also supports IPv6, has a secure firewall to block unauthorized access, and can even increase your Wi-Fi coverage.
Plus, you can prioritize bandwidth for specific devices and troubleshoot any issues quickly.
How to Set up NordVPN with ASUS
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to Setup NordVPN with an Asus router:
- First, head to the NordVPN website and choose a subscription that suits you.
- Once you’ve paid and got the confirmation, sign in to your router’s control panel by visiting 192.168.1.1 in your browser.
- Now, click on the VPN tab and select VPN Client Settings.
- From there, you’ll need to upload the .ovpn file that contains the OpenVPN configuration for the server you want to connect to.
- To download this file, go to this link, select your preferred server location, and choose OpenVPN UDP or TCP from the dropdown.
- Hit the Download config button next to it, and you’ll have the .ovpn file ready.
- Head back to the VPN Client Settings page, click Choose File, and open the .ovpn file you downloaded.
- Click Upload, and the page will refresh with your OpenVPN client information.
- Here, you’ll need to enter your NordVPN service credentials, which you can find and copy from your online account dashboard under the Advanced configuration tab.
- Next, set the Accept DNS Configuration option to strict, and move on to the Custom Configuration window. Enter the following text:
- remote-cert-server
- remote-random
- Gobind
- tun-mtu 1500
- tun-mtu-extra 32
- mssfix 1450
- persist-key
- persist-tun
- ping-timer-rem
- reneg-sec 0
- #log /tmp/vpn.log
11. To configure NordVPN’s DNS settings, click on WAN from the left pane, and select No under Connect to DNS Server automatically.
12. Then, fill in NordVPN’s DNS servers as follows:
- 103.86.96.100
- 103.86.99.100
13. Click Apply, wait for a few seconds, and voila! Your Status should now be connected, and you can confirm this by looking for the green ON button under the Service state of the VPN Client tab.
How to Set up NordVPN with DD-WRT
Below are some steps on how to set up NordVPN with DD-WRT:
- First, Log in to your DD-WRT router’s Admin Interface in your browser.
- Then Go to Setup -> Basic Setup.
- Under Network Address Server Settings (DHCP), enter the following:
Static DNS 1: 103.86.96.100
Static DNS 2: 103.86.99.100
Static DNS 3: 0.0.0.0 (default)
- Use DNSMasq for DHCP: Checked
- Use DNSMasq for DNS: Checked
- DHCP-Authoritative: Checked
- Save and Apply settings.
- Go to Setup -> IPV6 and set IPv6 to Disable.
- Click Save, and then Apply Settings.
- Go to Services -> VPN.
- Enter the Server IP/Name. You can find this on the NordVPN website.
- Click the “Show available protocols” link and download the OpenVPN UDP or TCP configuration file.
Enter the following:
- Port: 1194 (or 443 for the TCP protocol)
- Tunnel Device: TUN
- Tunnel Protocol: UDP (or TCP)
- Encryption Cipher: AES-256-CBC
- Hash Algorithm: SHA-512
- User Pass Authentication: Enable
- Username, Password: Your NordVPN user credentials
- To get your NordVPN service credentials, log in to your NordVPN account and copy the credentials from the Nord Account dashboard.
- Enable Advanced Options.
- Set TLS Cipher to None, LZO Compression to Disable, and NAT to Enable.
- If the Username and Password fields are missing, go to Administration -> Commands and enter the code provided on the NordVPN website.
- In the Additional Config box, enter or copy/paste these commands:
- remote-cert-tls server
- Remote-random
- Nobind
- tun-mtu 1500
- tun-mtu-extra 32
- mssfix 1450
- Persist-key
- Persist-tun
- Ping-timer-rem
- reneg-sec 0
- #log /tmp/vpn.log
- #auth-user-pass /tmp/openvpncl/user.conf
- Open the OpenVPN UDP or TCP configuration file in any text editor.
- Copy the <ca> section of the file into the CA Cert field. Make sure to include the —–BEGIN CERTIFICATE—– and —–END CERTIFICATE—– lines.
- Please scroll down to the <tls-auth> section of the file and copy its contents into the TLS Auth Key field. Make sure to include the —–BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1—– and —–END OpenVPN Static key V1—– lines.
- Save and Apply Settings.
- To verify that the VPN works, go to Status and look for the message “Client: CONNECTED SUCCESS.”
How to set up NordVPN with OpenWRT
Below are some steps to set up NordVPN with OpenWRT:
- First, we need to access the LuCI interface of your OpenWrt router by typing its local IP address (usually 192.168.1.1) into your browser and logging in as root.
- Once you’re in, go to the System tab and click on Software. Hit the “Update lists” button, wait for it to finish, and then click “Dismiss.”
- Now, let’s install some packages. Type in “openvpn-openssl,” “IP-full,” and “luci-app-openvpn” in the “Filter” field, then click “Install…” for each one. Hit “Save & Apply,” The router page will refresh with a new VPN tab.
- Click on it and select OpenVPN from the dropdown.
- Next, we need to download the OpenVPN client configuration files.
- Go to the NordVPN server utility page (https://nordvpn.com/servers/tools/) and name your VPN connection in the “Instance name” field. We named ours “nordvpn_us.” Click “Browse” to locate the downloaded server file, and click “Upload.”
- Return to the router page and click “Edit” next to the instance you created.
- Enter your NordVPN service credential username and password in the lower field (each on a separate line), and copy the path to the credentials file given above the field.
- Paste it next to the “auth-user-pass” line in the “Config file” section above. It should look like this: auth-user-pass /etc/openvpn/nordvpn_us.auth. Click “Save.”
- Go to the “Network” tab and select “Interfaces.” Click “Add new interface…” and name it “nordvpntun.” Choose “Unmanaged” from the Protocol dropdown menu, and enter “tun0” in the Interface field. Click “Create interface” and “Save.”
- Go to the “Firewall” section and click “Add.” Name it “vpnfirewall,” set “Input” to “Reject,” leave “Output” as “Accept” and “Forward” as “Reject,” check “Masquerading” and “MSS clamping,” and choose “nordvpntun” from the “Covered Networks” dropdown menu. For “Allow forward from source zones,” select “LAN” and click “Save.”
- In the “Zones” section, find “lan” and click “Edit.” Check “nordvpntun” under “Allow forward to destination zones” and click “Save.”
- Head back to the “DHCP and DNS” section under “Network” and enter NordVPN DNS addresses (103.86.96.100 and 103.86.99.100) in the “DNS forwardings” option. Check the “Ignore resolve file” box in the “Resolv and Hosts Files” tab and hit “Save & Apply.”
- Lastly, go back to the “VPN”> “OpenVPN” tab, check “Enable” next to NordVPN, and click “Save & Apply.” Click “Start” next to the NordVPN instance to connect to the VPN server.
Is NordVPN not working with a router? Solution
Do you need help getting NordVPN to work with your router? Don’t sweat it; we’ve got you covered.
Firstly, make sure that your router is compatible with NordVPN. If it is, double-check that you’ve set up the VPN correctly. If you still have issues, try resetting your router and reinstalling NordVPN. And if all else fails, contact NordVPN’s customer support team for expert help. They’re always happy to assist you with any issues you may be facing.
Conclusion
Well, folks, that’s all for today’s blog post about compatible routers with NordVPN. We hope you learned something new about improving your network’s security and performance using these routers and VPN services.
Upgrading your router’s firmware to either OpenWRT or DD-WRT can benefit from increased security, reduced latency, and advanced network configurations. Plus, pairing your router with NordVPN ensures that all your online activities are protected from prying eyes.