How do I know if NordVPN is working on my router?

Can you set up NordVPN on a router?

I used to have a Netgear N600 VPN router, but it was very slow and didn't do much.

This made me reluctant to use it as a VPN router.

But then I thought, if you can set up a VPN on your PC that works and won't slow down, why not use that instead? Then I got the iMac (with built-in WiFi) and realized it worked as a router for my home office there's no need for anything else. But NordVPN is too easy! My iMac is fast enough to handle most VPN apps especially with the latest MacBook Air and its faster processor and storage. Now I have no excuses for not using a VPN! Why do you use a VPN anyway? Most of you will just use it to avoid geo-restrictions say, if you want to watch Netflix in Europe, or you need to connect to some site like YouTube. If that's true for you, good! But there are other uses too: If you work from home, and your office is in a different timezone from yours, having a VPN means your work can keep being accessed while it's late in the day where you are. So you don't have to go to the office and work, or get into an uncomfortable situation because you don't know if the site you need access to will still be available at night.

This is especially important when you work remotely especially for freelancers who can have difficulty getting in enough face-time with their clients to really get things done. As a freelancer, I travel and work from cafes, airports, airplanes, local coffee shops, etc. But even though I'm connected to wifi at these places, using a VPN gives me the confidence I need to continue working effectively, and without breaking my day so I'll have to pay a penalty fee at the end of the month.

If you work in sales, you need to stay on top of changes in market demand (and vice versa).

How do I setup a VPN with NordVPN?

Once you've got your VPN running smoothly, it's time to get back on track with your other software, as NordVPN runs the OpenVPN server that's used to encrypt all of your connections.

You can follow our quick guide to get started in about 15 minutes - but we also offer a full guide to how to set up a VPN and secure all of your online activity, including security checks on your web browser, using our VPN settings guide. Use the link below to begin your free trial of NordVPN. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for news, guides and deals. This article was originally published on 8 May 2026. It has been updated for current NordVPN pricing.

How do I set up a VPN on my router?

There are many routers that provide VPN functions, but it's generally best to use an old-school router, or at least have multiple ports open on your modem.

Routers that connect to the Internet through the firewall do not require OpenVPN installation. Simply connect your device to the ports that you desire and then open the port in the router's firewall configuration. These ports will be forwarded from the external network interface of your modem or router to the internal, virtual, or physical LAN interface.

If you cannot see all of your network devices on a map (if you are using a Linux computer), open the Windows Network Connections window. Click on Local Area Connection, as seen above. This will take you to the Network Map window. Expand the tree and double-click to expand a connection named VPN to see more details.

Click "Start", type "firewall" into the start search box and click "Run". Enter "ipconfig /all" (without the quotes) and hit "Enter".

Right-click on the main entry for "Local Area Connection" and choose Properties. The window that appears contains your IP address, which may look similar to the one above.

Open a browser window and browse to Google. Google may respond with an "The connection is untrusted" error message; that's fine. It is not a problem and a valid warning.

Select "Proceed anyway" to allow the website to connect to the internet, even if it appears untrusted. Once you connect, log out of your Gmail account. Go back to your Router. Open the same window again.

Click "Tools", click "Manage". Select the "Settings" tab. Select "Advanced" in the settings list and then click "Save Changes". This is where you enter the information needed to connect to the OpenVPN service.