Guide to installing Proton VPN on different routers
There are many advantages to configuring your router to run Proton VPN. These include:
- No need to set up a VPN on each device
- Protects devices that don’t support VPNs
- Automatically secures all your Internet traffic
- Protects your entire household with one device
Learn more about why you should set up a VPN on your router.
We don’t recommend you attempt to set up a VPN connection yourself unless you are a tech-savvy user. You cannot set up Proton VPN on any router.
You can install Proton VPN on routers that support OpenVPN or WireGuard as a client (instead of as a server).
Note that routers your Internet service provider gives you will generally not support VPN configurations.
This means you must either find a router that has a VPN client package, which can take some research, or you must “flash” (or install DD-WRT software) on your router, which comes with the risk of rendering your router inoperable if you make a mistake.
However, if you are a tech-savvy user, we have created several guides for the routers and firmware that work with Proton VPN:
Proton VPN router guides
- AsusWRT using OpenVPN(new window)
- AsusWRT using WireGuard(new window)
- AsusWRT-Merlin using OpenVPN(new window)
- DD-WRT(new window)
- FreshTomato(new window)
- Gl.iNet Flint using OpenVPN(new window)
- MikroTik using WireGuard(new window)
- OpenWRT(new window)
- pfSense using OpenVPN(new window)
- pfSense using WireGuard(new window)
- Vilfo router(new window)
FAQ: Proton VPN on routers
Q: Will my connection speed slow down if I set up Proton VPN on my router?
A: That depends on the processing power of your router. If your router cannot handle the additional VPN encryption, then yes, you could see slower speeds.
Q: Will having Proton VPN on my router protect all my connections?
A: The VPN on your router will protect the connections of all devices connected to the router, but not necessarily the connection between the device and the router. The VPN encryption takes place on your router, which means it only applies to the traffic between your router and your Internet service provider. As long as your router is password-protected and you do not have any unknown devices connected to your network, this should not be an issue.
Other local network connections, like a Bluetooth connection between your smartphone and speaker, will not be protected.
Q: Once I set up a VPN on my router, do I need to do anything else?
A: A router, like any other device, needs to be updated regularly to receive the latest security improvements. If they are not updated, routers can become incompatible and stop supporting Proton VPN’s service. This can happen if the router is running an outdated version of OpenVPN (e.g., 2.3) or an old version of the SSL/TLS networking stack. (These examples are taken from user issue reports.)
Keeping your router up to date will help it stay compatible with our servers. When you are selecting a router to install Proton VPN on, you should choose one from a brand with a good track record of keeping its firmware up-to-date.
If you have any questions, please contact our Support team(new window).