How to Setup NordVPN on Router in 2021

If you are familiar with the VPN products, NordVPN probably needs no introduction. The provider has taken the market by a storm, securing millions of subscriptions. Although NordVPN has excellent apps for the common platforms (PC, Mac, iOS, Android), it can’t work with other devices like going consoles.

But that’s not going to be a problem if you set it up on a router. Not only will you then be able to use NordVPN on more devices, but you’ll also be able to enjoy 6 simultaneous connections at the same time.

In this guide, I will be discussing how to setup NordVPN on Router in the easiest possible way. Through my guide, you’ll be effortlessly able to connect to NordVPN with the router. You will never have to open the app again.

So without further ado, let’s find out how to setup NordVPN on a router in 2021.

Routers Supported by NordVPN

NordVPN only supports Asus routers with stock firmware. Unfortunately, NordVPN Linksys is not compatible. If you want to setup NordVPN on other routers, you will first have to flash it with open-source firmware like Tomato or DD-WRT. Here are some Asus router models that NordVPN recommends:

• Asus RT-N18U
• Asus RT-AC66U
• Asus RT-AC68U
• Asus RT-AC87U
• Asus RT-AC3200.

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s check out the NordVPN Asus setup. Moreover, visit here to check out more VPNs for DD-WRT routers. Another big advantage of setting up a VPN connection on router is that those devices which don’t support native NordVPN application or manual configuration such as few specific models of Nvidia Shield, can now easily be protected with NordVPN. Nevertheless, if you still wish to set up NordVPN on your Nvidia device then we recommend following the steps in our Nvidia Shield steps by NordVPN article.

How to Setup NordVPN on Router (ASUS)

The Asus stock firmware is easy to navigate around and change settings. To set up NordVPN on ASUS in a few minutes, follow the instructions below:

Step 1: Purchase a NordVPN subscription or go for free NordVPN with premium features for 30 days.

Step 2: Log in to your Asus router by using the appropriate URL in your browser (usually 192.168.1.1)

Step 3: Enter your Asus username and password when prompted to do so

Step 4: Click on the VPN tab in the sidebar

Step 5: Select the VPN client tab and click on Add profile 

Step 6: Now choose the OpenVPN tab and insert the following information

1. Description: Give a name to the connection as you like
2. Username: Enter your NordVPN username
3. Password: Enter your NordVPN password

Step 7: To import the .ovpn file, you first need to download these files from NordVPN’s server utility. Choose a server to find its configuration files and download

Step 8: Now import these downloaded files after clicking on “Choose file” in the dialog box shown in step 5 and click Make sure the “Import the CA file or edit the .ovpn file manually” is left unchecked

Step 9: When the upload is finished, click OK 

Step 10: Now click on WAN in the sidebar, select no in the Connect to DNS Server automatically, and enter the DNS server addresses as DNS 1 and DNS 2 respectively:

• 86.96.100
• 86.99.100

Step 11: Click on Apply 

Step 12: Go back to the VPN client tab and click on the Activate button to initiate NordVPN on your router

Step 13: If the connection is successful, a blue tick will appear next to the Connection Status 

These steps will get NordVPN working on the ASUS router. Now you’ll never have to enable NordVPN before streaming Netflix with NordVPN. But in case something goes wrong, you can check out our NordVPN not connecting guide.

Also, setting up NordVPN on the Router allows you to skip configuring NordVPN on complicated devices such as Linux. If you still wish to know how to set up NordVPN manually on Linux, we recommend checking out our guide on NordVPN’s configuration for Linux.

Why You Should Configure NordVPN on Router

There are several reasons why having NordVPN on your router can be quite valuable. For one, it can be super helpful if you’re in a heavily restricted country like China where you can’t risk accidentally not connecting to a VPN. By the way, NordVPN actually works in China.

Here are some of the other reasons you should know as well:

• Always Stay Connected: You will always be connected to the VPN as soon as you hook your devices to your router’s connection. This means you’ll never have to remember to turn on a VPN to initiate a secure browsing/streaming/torrenting session. Speaking of torrenting, you might find this NordVPN torrenting guide useful.
• Fast speeds: Since NordVPN proved to be super fast in our speed test, if you configure it on your router, you’re going to experience speeds like never before for streaming and everything else.
• Stream without restrictions: By configuring NordVPN on your router, you get the freedom to bypass geo-blocks without worrying about enabling your VPN every time you connect to the internet. Speaking of configuring NordVPN, you might also be interested in learning how to setup NordVPN on FireStick, Kodi, and Roku devices. You can also stream popular restricted content such as DAZN with ease after following the steps in our NordVPN configuration for the DAZN blog.
• One-time setup: Setting up a VPN on a router is only a one-time process. You will simply have to connect your device to the home Wi-Fi to automatically come under VPN protection. Literally, that’s all you need to do. This way you can use NordVPN on Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and even use NordVPN on LG Smart TV, and more.
• No VPN Compatibility Issues: While NordVPN is compatible with a lot of devices, no VPN can support every other electronic gadget or device that industries are churning out every other day. But if your router is running NordVPN, then the question of compatibility with other devices becomes irrelevant. For example, setting up NordVPN on Xbox would be a lot hectic if you simply configure NordVPN on the Router first. Similarly, by using a NordVPN on Router, you can also save yourself from configuring NordVPN on the Raspberry Pi device.
• Works with Multiple Devices: All you need to give a VPN-enabled connection to whatever device you need a VPN for is to simply turn on its Wi-Fi. Since NordVPN is installed within the router itself, your device will automatically receive an internet connection that is integrated with the VPN. You can connect as many devices to your NordVPN connection as your router can support it. For more information on how NordVPN works, you must read our full NordVPN in-depth review.

Routers Not Compatible with NordVPN

The following routers are not compatible with NordVPN:

• Linksys
• Arris
• Netgear
• Mikrotik
• TP-Link
• D-Link

If you want to set up NordVPN on a router that includes one of these, then you will have to first flash firmware and setup DD-WRT.

Final Thoughts

NordVPN doesn’t support many router models. Nonetheless, if you are an Asus user, then you can enjoy the outstanding experience of running NordVPN on a router and bring the security of all your devices under the fold of a VPN’s protective layers.

This VPN will help you hide your online activity and masks your original IP address to another level. You can secure multiple devices at once and never worry about turning off or on your VPN connection.

Best of all, NordVPN is super affordable. But in case you just want to try it out or are not satisfied with it, you can always cancel your NordVPN subscription and get fully refunded. You can also check out our Surfshark vs NordVPN comparison to see which one is the best option for routers.