What is a router VPN?

VPNs keep your online activities and personal data hidden from prying eyes, and allow you to sidestep bans and geo-restrictions on streaming and social media sites. With a router VPN, you can extend these benefits to every single device in your household, which a traditional VPN can't quite manage.

Additionally, the best VPNs for routers also offer VPN encryption and content unblocking on devices that don't natively support VPNs, such as smart TVs, game consoles, and smart gadgets.

Keep reading to find out what router VPNs are, how they're different from typical, software-based VPNs, and under what circumstances you should consider getting one for your home network.

What is a router VPN?

A router VPN , as the name suggests, is a Wi-Fi router that has a VPN installed on it. Typically, the VPN software is installed on individual devices, but installing it on your router allows you to secure your Wi-Fi connection at its source.

Once you've set up a VPN on your router, every single device connected to it will enjoy an encrypted VPN connection by default, meaning you will no longer have to install the VPN app on your devices one by one.

It's worth noting that installing a VPN on your router hands-on is a slightly more complex than installing it on a device, which is why ExpressVPN is at the very top of our best router VPNs page. It offers its own custom router firmware, which can be used on a wide range of compatible routers.

Alternatively, you can get ExpressVPN's Aircove router, which comes built-in with ExpressVPN software, meaning setting up the VPN router is super quick and hassle-free.

Other router VPNs worth checking out are NordVPN and Surfshark . Do note that Surfshark comes with unlimited simultaneous connections, meaning you can install the VPN app on any number of devices you want – which is why many opt for a router VPN rather than a normal VPN in the first place.

How does a router VPN work?

A router VPN works exactly like a software-based VPN, with the only difference being that it spoofs the IP address and encrypts the online traffic of all the devices connected to it, as opposed to a software-based VPN that only protects the device it's installed on, such as a smartphone, PC, tablet, etc.

By encrypting the devices' web traffic, a router VPN sends all your (and everyone on your network) sensitive data, such as financial details, messages, login credentials, browsing history, etc., through an encrypted tunnel, meaning hackers, ISPs, and government authorities can't collect and store your personal data.

Next, a router VPN undertakes IP masking for every single device connected to it, allowing you and your friends and family access to geo-restricted content from around the world.

Should I get a router VPN?

Most normal VPNs won't protect all the devices in your household because they come with limited simultaneous connections. So, if you want network-wide security and protection for multiple devices at once, get a router VPN.

Having VPN encryption at your internet's source also offers convenience, as you don't have to remember to activate the VPN on every single device that you need to protect. This comes in extremely handy if you have seniors in your household who might not be so tech-savvy enough as to use a VPN but use social media or banking sites on their smartphones.

Next, with a VPN installed on your router, you can protect not just your mobile phones, laptops, PCs, and tablets, but also your gaming consoles, smart TVs, smart lights, and other smart gadgets that don't natively support VPN connections.

However, if you just want to get around the limits on how many devices you can have simultaneously connected to a VPN, and don't seek protection for the above-mentioned devices, we'd suggest a service like Surfshark or IPVanish , which provide unlimited connections.

Router VPNs come with their fair share of downsides, too, which are important to take note of before you set out to purchase one. For starters, router VPNs aren't very straightforward to set up. They involve diving into your router's settings and tweaking the configuration to make sure it supports VPN connections.

Traditional VPNs, on the other hand, are super simple to get up and running. But, again, if the complexity of setting up is the only red flag for you, I'd recommend getting ExpressVPN .

Furthermore, it's quite difficult to change your VPN’s settings on a router because it doesn't have a screen or interface. Even simple, one-click tasks with a normal VPN, such as changing the server location, can be a painstakingly long process with a router VPN.

Lastly, and unsurprisingly, router VPNs have portability issues, as they only work locally. As soon as you step outside your home network, you'll be left wanting for a software-based VPN on your device that can protect your online activities and grant you access to blocked content on the go.