I set up ProtonVPN on the router for a few months & the family hated it. HATED IT! They were constantly asking me to disable the VPN so they could log in to a site here, or make a credit card payment there. It was a mess.
Eventually I just disabled it on the router & ran my VPN at the device level. Much better now & the family doesn’t hate me! :)
I use the fusion VPN function of my Asus router so new devices and specific devices can only use the VPN. Other devices can access.internet without the VPN.
It’s pretty stable. I think I’ve had the connection ( wireguard ) drop twice so that I had to reconnect it. Not sure if that is related to the VPN on Asus though.
The reason not all devices use the VPN is because there’s a bunch of streaming sites ( local ) that claim you’re not in the country while the VPN is. Or it just doesn’t allow you to play the videos.
I’ve got a Mikrotik that’s connected to Proton with Wireguard. It uses routing rules to control which traffic goes through VPN.
It’s pretty much “set it and forget it” once you get everything configured the way you want.
I’ve had Mullvad running on a Gli Flint router, and it was perfect until some weird power-cycling issues bricked the router… pita.
I was just looking at the GL.iNet Flint 2 (GL-MT6000), since it was recommended in a thread on the OpenWRT forum, and thought about possibly getting that one. Is that the one that bricked, or was it an earlier product of the Flint-series of routers?
Nah, mine was the 1800. Can’t really blame the router either, or solar has a weird issue for a while where power flicked on and off repeatedly, and something about that cleaned its clock
I’m not entirely sure why you would put a VPN at your router.
Because it’s better than adding it per-device?
A router-level VPN is like a privacy shield for your entire home network. Instead of installing a VPN on each device, you set it up once on your router. Here are the benefits: Protects All Devices Automatically: Every device connected to your Wi-Fi—like phones, computers, smart TVs, and game consoles—is automatically secured by the VPN. Simplifies Setup: You only need to configure the VPN one time on the router, saving you the hassle of setting it up on each gadget. Enhances Privacy and Security: It encrypts all your internet traffic, keeping your online activities private and safe from hackers or snoopers. Bypasses Internet Restrictions: The VPN can help you access websites or streaming services that might be blocked or limited in your area. In simple terms, a router-level VPN makes your entire home internet more secure and private with less effort.
Thanks! That’s a great explanation and now it makes a lot of sense to me.
