Prioritizing Privacy
Change the FlashRouter’s wireless network name to any name you like.
Navigate to Wireless > Basic Settings
The encryption provided by a VPN connection almost always results in slower connection speed. In some cases you may have noticed that your computer or tablet was working faster when running a VPN client application or program, that is because a computer has a processor that is normally about 4-6x times as strong as a the processor on a router, and that is for managing a single VPN connection. A router has a smaller processor and is managing an entire network of devices. Encrypting an entire network does take considerable processing power.
Speed test results while connected to VPN are never going to be accurate. A speed test measures the rate at which a data packet travels from one server to another, however when you are connecting to VPN the data packets travel to an extra server where they are encrypted and then sent back into the route. We strongly recommend disabling the FlashRouter’s VPN connection when testing speeds to make sure there isn’t and issue with the router.
Ethernet: Wired ethernet connections will almost always be the most stable and reliable connection. To speed up your internet connection, use an ethernet cable to wire your devices to the FlashRouter.
Wireless (5.0GHz): The 5.0GHz WiFi frequency has less range than the standard 2.4GHz WiFi, but also transmits your internet connection at a significantly faster speed. If you were previously using the 2.4GHz network and experiencing slow speeds please connect to the 5GHz wireless network which should improve your speed.
Our supported VPN providers offer many servers in different countries and regions. If a server has slower connection speed we recommend connecting to the server closest to your actual location.
The process for changing servers is detailed in your provider’s setup instructions.
UDP servers do not authenticate every data packets the way TCP servers do which results in faster connection speeds.
Contact your VPN provider for a server recommendation that should provide the fastest speeds for you.
Can’t send or receive emails? Connecting to a VPN server can result in your email client not being able to send or receive emails. This can happen for several reasons:
This issue will only occur with email client applications and not with web browser email.
Access the settings of your email client and change the SMTP port to 587 or 465.
Connect to a different VPN server. The process for changing servers is detailed in your provider’s setup instructions.
Disconnect from VPN on the FlashRouter and use your ISP Internet connection when using email.
Dual router setup users can leave the VPN running on the FlashRouter and simply connect to the other router’s network when using email.
In some cases if you contact your VPN service provider they will be able to give you access to a specifically requested e-mail service.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
Use these steps to change your Privacy Hero WiFi name and password.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
If you have not created your Privacy Hero account yet please follow these instructions.
3. Click the Wi-Fi symbol.
4. Click the edit box for the 5GHz network or the 2.4GHz network.
5. Enter the new Wi-Fi name and password you’d like to set. Click Save at the bottom of the page.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
Use these steps to disable your Privacy Hero Wi-Fi so only ethernet connections are active. This is not a required step just a preference.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
If you have not created your Privacy Hero account yet please follow these instructions.
3. Click the Wi-Fi symbol.
4. Set the toggle switches to the off position for the Wi-Fi bands you want to disable.
If you are not already an ExpressVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the ExpressVPN website.
2. Successfully log in with your account information. Select More.
3. Select Manual Configuration and copy the Username and Password that are displayed on the right hand side of the screen.
4. Click the Server Location(s) that you want to connect to. This will download a .ovpn file to your computer that we will use later on. There is no need to open the file. For this example I have selected New York but feel free to select any server listed there or multiple servers.
Login to GL.iNet firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the GL.iNet FlashRouter’s network. For more instructions on how to access the firmware settings view our guide here.
1. Navigate to the VPN tab and select OpenVPN Client.
2. Click New Group.
3. Enter ExpressVPN and click the check mark.
4. Select the .ovpn file(s) you downloaded earlier and upload them here.
5. Enter in the ExpressVPN username and password that you obtained earlier. Do NOT enter your ExpressVPN account email and password login. Click Apply.
6. Select VPN Dashboard.
7. Set the Enable toggle to On to begin the ExpressVPN connection.
In some cases you may notice that the location is not showing the same location as the server you have input in your router settings; this is because geo tracking tools are often tricked by VPN connections. As long as you see an IP address that is not the same as your normal Internet IP address then you are indeed connected to ExpressVPN.
User Profiles allow you to organize your devices connected to the Roqos Core. This allow you to see a user profile’s usage history, set a schedule when devices are allowed to connect to the Internet, and filter out specific content such as explicit websites and games.
Login to Roqos Core UI web app in a browser on any computer or smart device.
1. Click the navigation menu and select Users.
2. To add a new User Profile click Add User.
3. In the Name field enter the name for the User Profile. You can add an image for the User Profile here as well.
4. You will see a list of devices connected to the Roqos Core at the bottom of the page. Check the box of the devices that you would like to add to this User Profile. Then click Save.
1. Click the User Profile that you want to review.
2. Select Usage History.
3. On the new page you can view usage by Top Visited, All Activity, and Activity Graph.
1. Click the User Profile that you want to review.
2. Select Scheduled Pauses.
3. Click Add Schedule.
4. From here you can set the name of the schedule, the days that the schedule will be in effect, and if the schedule should be applied all day or during specific hours. Click Save.
1. Click the User Profile that you want to review.
2. Select Filters.
3. From here you can use the toggle to Block explicit websites and Block explicit search results.
4. In the Safe Youtube dropdown you can select None, Moderate, or Strict.
5. The Blocked Content area allows you to block specific services such as Games and Social Media.
6. Add specific websites to the Block Sites list if the above policies did not cover them.
7. Add specific websites to the Allowed Sites list if you want to block all websites except for a few.
Support for Untangle Router NG Firewall features is provided by the Untangle Support team and not the FlashRouter support team.
We recommend reviewing these excellent resources that Untangle has created to get you setup as desired.
To contact Untangle directly you can email them at support@untangle.com and their team would be happy to assist you with getting setup to use their NG Firewall settings such as Web Monitor, Captive Portal, Intrusion Prevention, and many other features supported by the Untangle firmware running on your FlashRouter.
If you are not already a CyberGhost user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the CyberGhost website.
2. Select VPN.
3. Click Configure New Device.
4. Set Protocol to OpenVPN. Select the Country you would like to connect to. Select the Server Group. Name the device in the Device Name field. Click Save Configuration.
5. Press View configuration.
6. Copy the Username, and Password that appear to a notepad, since you will need this information later in the setup process. Click Download Configuration.
Open the folder that was downloaded. Then open the ca.crt the client.crt, and client.key files with NotePad++ for Windows or TextEdit for Apple. All CyberGhost servers have different keys and certificates.
Login to Asus Merlin firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the Merlin FlashRouter’s network.
1. Navigate to the VPN tab.
2. Navigate to the VPN Client tab.
3. Click Choose file and select the .ovpn file from the folder you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
4. Set Automatic Start at boot time to Yes if you want the VPN connection to begin automatically when the router is powered off and back on.
5. In the Description field enter in the name you’d like to use for this OpenVPN Client profile. We typically advise entering in the location here. Our example server was in USA so I have entered in CyberGhost USA.
6. Set Accept DNS Configuration to Strict. Set Redirect Internet traffic through tunnel to Yes (all). Set Kill Switch to Yes or No depending on if you want the Internet to be killed if the VPN connection drops.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the OpenVPN Client profile you are setting up instead of all the devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network please set the Redirect Internet traffic through tunnel to VPN Director. Then complete the instructions on this page and then view our VPN Director guide.
7. Enter your CyberGhost OpenVPN username and password that you obtained earlier. Do not enter your account login.
8. Click the Edit button in the Keys and Certificates area.
9. In the Certificate Authority field paste in the entire content of the ca.crt file.
—– BEGIN xxx —– / —– END xxx —– block (including those two lines).
10. In the Client Certificate field paste in the entire content of the client.crt file.
—– BEGIN xxx —– / —– END xxx —– block (including those two lines).
11. In the Client Key field paste in the entire content of the client.key file.
—– BEGIN xxx —– / —– END xxx —– block (including those two lines).
12. Click Save at the bottom of that window.
13. Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
14. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
If you are not already an ExpressVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the ExpressVPN website.
2. Successfully log in with your account information. Select More.
3. Select Manual Configuration and copy the Username and Password that are displayed on the right hand side of the screen.
4. Click the Server Location that you want to connect to. This will download a .ovpn file to your computer that we will use later on. There is no need to open the file. For this example I have selected New York but feel free to select any server listed there.
Login to Cudy firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the Cudy FlashRouter’s network.
1. Click General Settings.
2. Click VPN.
3. Toggle the Enable switch to On.
4. Select OpenVPN Client from the Protocol dropdown.
5. Click Browse and select the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier. You should see the server file name listed next to Current Config File after doing so.
6. Enter your ExpressVPN username and password that you obtained earlier in the Username and Password. Note that these are different from your ExpressVPN email login and password.
7. Click Save & Apply at the bottom of the page.
In some cases you may notice that the location is not showing the same location as the server you have input in your router settings; this is because geo tracking tools are often tricked by VPN connections. As long as you see an IP address that is not the same as your normal Internet IP address then you are indeed connected to ExpressVPN.
If you are not already an IPVanish user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the IPVanish website.
2. Successfully log in with your account information then go to IPVanish .ovpn file page.
3. Click on the .ovpn file for the server location you want to use to dowloand the .ovpn file. Do not open this file.
Login to Cudy firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the Cudy FlashRouter’s network.
1. Click General Settings.
2. Click VPN.
3. Toggle the Enable switch to On.
4. Select OpenVPN Client from the Protocol dropdown.
5. Click Browse and select the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier. You should see the server file name listed next to Current Config File after doing so.
6. Enter your IPVanish account login email and password that you obtained earlier in the Username and Password.
7. Click Save & Apply at the bottom of the page.
In some cases you may notice that the location is not showing the same location as the server you have input in your router settings; this is because geo tracking tools are often tricked by VPN connections. As long as you see an IP address that is not the same as your normal Internet IP address then you are indeed connected to IPVanish.
If you are not already a PIA user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the PIA website.
2. Successfully log in with your account information then go to PIA’s OpenVPN Config Generator.
3. On the OpenVPN Configuration Generator select the following:
OpenVPN Version: OpenVPN 2.4 or newer
Select Platform: Linux
Select Region: Choose the server location you’d like to connect to
Select Port: Typically we recommend UDP/1198 RSA-2048 AES-128-CBC SHA1 for best speeds but feel free to select the one you want to use.
4. Click Generate to download the .ovpn file. Do not open this file once it is downloaded.
Login to Cudy firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the Cudy FlashRouter’s network.
1. Click General Settings.
2. Click VPN.
3. Toggle the Enable switch to On.
4. Select OpenVPN Client from the Protocol dropdown.
5. Click Browse and select the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier. You should see the server file name listed next to Current Config File after doing so.
6. Enter your PIA account login username and password in the Username and Password.
7. Click Save & Apply at the bottom of the page.
In some cases you may notice that the location is not showing the same location as the server you have input in your router settings; this is because geo tracking tools are often tricked by VPN connections. As long as you see an IP address that is not the same as your normal Internet IP address then you are indeed connected to PIA.
We do NOT offer phone support here at FlashRouters. You will not receive a phone call to begin your session. Please read the information below for how to get connected during your session time.
A Teamviewer session is the most hands on method of receiving support from FlashRouters.
A support agent will connect directly to your computer and proceed to configure or troubleshoot your FlashRouter with you present.
We use Teamviewer sessions to troubleshoot any issue an eligible customer may have with a FlashRouter that was purchased from us or to configure a compatible router that your purchased independently along with a FlashRouters Support Plan.
In the session a chat window will appear so we can communicate directly with you in real time.
If you follow the information below prior to your session and all goes smoothly a Teamviewer session typically takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.
When purchasing a FlashRouter you are able to select a Quarterly or Yearly Bronze, Silver or Gold subscription plan.
Silver Yearly plan comes with one Teamviewer remote support session a year.
Gold Quarterly and Yearly plans come with one session per quarter.
If you support plan has expired or you are signed up for Bronze and you’d like to receive Teamviewer remote support assistance please email support@flashrouters.com
We are available for scheduled Teamviewer sessions from 10AM – 6:00PM ET Monday through Saturday.
To schedule a session with us open a support ticket or contact us via our live chat. We do not perform sessions that are not scheduled.
If we are available off hours we do our best to accommodate off hours session times with at least 24 hours notification.
Teamviewer sessions can not be performed on phones or tablets at this time. We require a Windows or Mac computer to successfully connect and configure your FlashRouter.
Below are the different scenarios from most ideal to least ideal.
If you have an available wireless network NOT coming from the FlashRouter and have a computer that has wireless AND Ethernet capabilities you should be setup as follows:
If you have an available wireless network NOT coming from the FlashRouter and have a computer that has wireless only you should be setup as follows:
Session disconnects may occur with no backup Internet connection.
If the FlashRouter is your only wireless network and your computer has wireless and Ethernet capabilities you should be setup as follows:
If the FlashRouter if your only wireless network and your computer is wireless only you should be setup as follows:
Session disconnects may occur with no backup Internet connection.
About 15 minutes before your scheduled session time update your support ticket e-mail the User ID and Password to your existing email thread, or send via our live chat.
Enter custom DNS servers in your Asus Merlin firmware to avoid using your ISP DNS, which will steal and collect your browsing data.
Login to Asus Merlin firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device.
1. Under Advanced Settings select LAN.
2. Click the DHCP Server tab.
3. In the DNS Server 1 and DNS Server 2 fields enter the DNS server that you wish to use.
4. Click Apply and then reboot the router and reconnect to the network.
Changing the VPN protocol your ExpressVPN FlashRouter is using can help with obtaining faster speeds while connected to VPN and connectivity issues in some regions of the world. A great advantage of using ExpressVPN firmware is the ability to use multiple protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2, and ExpressVPN’s own protocol Lightway.
1. Connect to the FlashRouter’s network via ethernet cable or wireless.
2. Open your web browser and enter expressvpnrouter.com or 192.168.132.1 in the URL.
3. Login with your ExpressVPN FlashRouter admin password.
4. Select VPN Options on the left hand side of the menu.
5. Select VPN Preferences on the left hand side of the menu.
6. Choose the VPN protocol that best suits your needs. We typically see the fastest speeds while using the Lightway – UDP or IKEv2 protocols. Click Save.
7. Click OK and then select Dashboard.
8. Click Disconnect to turn the VPN connection off.
9. Click Connect to turn the VPN connection back on so it is using the new Protocol you selected.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
Use these steps to connect to Privacy Hero’s own WireGuard VPN servers. You will automatically be connected to the ideal USA or Canada server based on your location.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
If you have not created your Privacy Hero account yet please follow these instructions.
3. Click the VPN symbol.
4. Set the VPN toggle to On.
5. Connect to the Privacy Hero’s via wireless or ethernet connection on your device and visit What is my IP Address from a private/incognito browser to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
Privacy Hero’s cloud based router settings access makes it so you can change settings while not connected to the Privacy Hero network so if your IP Address has not changed be sure to double check that you are indeed connected to the Privacy Hero network on the device you are checking your IP from.
Keep in mind that the VPN connection will not change the location of the streaming services listed in the Streaming Relocation area of the Privacy Hero settings.
Static network settings set on a device from a previous connection will interfere with the FlashRouter’s network. Typically the FlashRouter’s network performs best when connected devices are set to automatically use the FlashRouter’s IP Address and DNS.
Make sure you are connected to the FlashRouter’s network via ethernet or WiFi. Keep in mind these instructions may vary based on your current software version.
1. Open the Window search box, and search “Network Status”
2. Select “Change adapter optons”
3. Right click on the WiFi and/or ethernet adapter and select Properties.
4. Highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
5. Delete the values entered for IP address, Subnet mask, Default gateway, Preferred DNS server, and Alternate DNS server.
6. Select Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically.
7. Click OK.
1. Open System Preferences, and select Network.
2. Select the adapter that is connected via ethernet or wireless. This will vary based on your current connection.
3. Select Advanced.
4. Select the TCP/IP tab.
5. Set Configure IPv4 to Automatically.
6. Select the DNS field and highlight any DNS servers you see there. If they can be removed you should click the minus symbol below.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Apply.
1. Open Settings 
2. Select WiFi, and select the blue icon next to your current connection.
3. Make sure Configure IP is set to Automatically.
1. From the top of the screen, swipe down to display settings.
2. Select WiFi.
3. Select your current network.
4. Select Advanced.
5. Make sure that IP settings is set to DHCP.
[zendesk_request_form]
By default ExpressVPN firmware bonds the 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless networks to a single wireless network name. Your device will automatically choose which one will provide the best connection. You can separate these networks to have unique Wi-Fi names so you can control which network your devices will use.
1. Connect to the FlashRouter’s network via ethernet cable or wireless.
2. Open your web browser and enter expressvpnrouter.com or 192.168.132.1 in the URL.
3. Login with your ExpressVPN FlashRouter admin password.
4. Select Network Settings on the left hand side of the menu.
5. Select Wi-Fi Settings on the left hand side of the menu.
6. Click the toggle for Separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi.
7. Separate Wi-Fi details for the 5GHz band will now display. You can change the name and password if you so choose or leave it with the default name and password with “-5GHz” added to the name. Click Save. Click Continue.
Follow this guide to change the Wi-Fi name and password on your TP-Link FlashRouter.
1. Connect your computer, phone, or tablet to the TP-Link router via wireless (FlashRouter24 / FlashRouter50) or via ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports on the router.
The FlashRouter WiFi password is printed on the sheet that came with the router and is set to Wireless#[First 5 characters of your router MAC]. The router MAC can be found on the bottom of your router if you cannot locate the sheet. For e.g. if your MAC is 1459C07E70A8 then your WiFi password is Wireless#1459C
Be sure to capitalize the W.
2. Once connected via wireless or ethernet on your device open your browser and go to the TP-Link firmware settings.
3. Enter tp-link as the admin password to access the TP-Link firmware settings.
4. Click Wireless.
5. Change the Network Name (SSID) and Password fields to what you want to use. The SSID should be unique and NOT a duplicate of an existing network. Click Save.
If you want both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks to be bonded and have the same name click the Smart Connect checkbox.
6. Connect your devices to the new wireless network.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com.
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
3. Click the VPN symbol.
4. Click the Change button and select Private Internet Access from the dropdown.
5. Enter your correct PIA account login username and password and click Save.
6. Click Save if you want to automatically connect to the ideal server location as recommended by Private Internet Access.
Or, connect to a specific server location click Advanced Options and then type in the PIA server name you would like to use. (All server names are noted below).
Then click Save.
bahamas.privacy.network
ca-ontario.privacy.network
ca-toronto.privacy.network
ca-vancouver.privacy.network
ca-montreal.privacy.network
greenland.privacy.network
gt-guatemala-pf.privacy.network
mexico.privacy.network
panama.privacy.network
sanjose.privacy.network
us-alabama-pf.privacy.network
us-alaska-pf.privacy.network
us-arkansas-pf.privacy.network
us-atlanta.privacy.network
us-california.privacy.network
us-chicago.privacy.network
us-connecticut-pf.privacy.network
us-denver.privacy.network
us-florida.privacy.network
us-houston.privacy.network
us-idaho-pf.privacy.network
us-indiana-pf.privacy.network
us-iowa-pf.privacy.network
us-kansas-pf.privacy.network
us-kentucky-pf.privacy.network
us-lasvegas.privacy.network
us-louisiana-pf.privacy.network
us-maine-pf.privacy.network
us-massachusetts-pf.privacy.network
us-michigan-pf.privacy.network
us-minnesota-pf.privacy.network
us-mississippi-pf.privacy.network
us-missouri-pf.privacy.network
us-montana-pf.privacy.network
us-nebraska-pf.privacy.network
us-new-hampshire-pf.privacy.network
us-new-mexico-pf.privacy.network
us-newyorkcity.privacy.network
us-north-carolina-pf.privacy.network
us-north-dakota-pf.privacy.network
us-ohio-pf.privacy.network
us-oklahoma-pf.privacy.network
us-oregon-pf.privacy.network
us-pennsylvania-pf.privacy.network
us-rhode-island-pf.privacy.network
us-seattle.privacy.network
us-siliconvalley.privacy.network
us-south-carolina-pf.privacy.network
us-south-dakota-pf.privacy.network
us-texas.privacy.network
us-tennessee-pf.privacy.network
us-vermont-pf.privacy.network
us-virginia-pf.privacy.network
us-washingtondc.privacy.network
us-west-virginia-pf.privacy.network
us-wisconsin-pf.privacy.network
us-wyoming-pf.privacy.network
us3.privacy.network
us-baltimore.privacy.network
us-honolulu.privacy.network
us-newjersey.privacy.network
us-saltlakecity.privacy.network
us-streaming-2.privacy.network
us-streaming.privacy.network
us-wilmington.privacy.network
ar.privacy.network
bo-bolivia-pf.privacy.network
bogota.privacy.network
br.privacy.network
ec-ecuador-pf.privacy.network
pe-peru-pf.privacy.network
santiago.privacy.network
uy-uruguay-pf.privacy.network
venezuela.privacy.network
al.privacy.network
ad.privacy.network
austria.privacy.network
brussels.privacy.network
ba.privacy.network
sofia.privacy.network
zagreb.privacy.network
czech.privacy.network
de-berlin.privacy.network
de-frankfurt.privacy.network
denmark.privacy.network
denmark-2.privacy.network
spain.privacy.network
es-valencia.privacy.network
ee.privacy.network
fi.privacy.network
fi-2.privacy.network
france.privacy.network
gr.privacy.network
hungary.privacy.network
italy.privacy.network
italy-2.privacy.network
is.privacy.network
ireland.privacy.network
man.privacy.network
lv.privacy.network
liechtenstein.privacy.network
lt.privacy.network
lu.privacy.network
malta.privacy.network
md.privacy.network
monaco.privacy.network
montenegro.privacy.network
nl-amsterdam.privacy.network
mk.privacy.network
no.privacy.network
poland.privacy.network
pt.privacy.network
ro.privacy.network
sweden.privacy.network
sweden-2.privacy.network
rs.privacy.network
sk.privacy.network
slovenia.privacy.network
swiss.privacy.network
tr.privacy.network
uk-london.privacy.network
uk-manchester.privacy.network
uk-southampton.privacy.network
uk-2.privacy.network
ua.privacy.network
ae.privacy.network
bangladesh.privacy.network
cambodia.privacy.network
china.privacy.network
cyprus.privacy.network
georgia.privacy.network
hk.privacy.network
in.privacy.network
israel.privacy.network
jakarta.privacy.network
japan.privacy.network
japan-2.privacy.network
kazakhstan.privacy.network
kr-south-korea-pf.privacy.network
kualalumpur.privacy.network
macau.privacy.network
mongolia.privacy.network
np-nepal-pf.privacy.network
philippines.privacy.network
qatar.privacy.network
saudiarabia.privacy.network
sg.privacy.network
srilanka.privacy.network
taiwan.privacy.network
vietnam.privacy.network
yerevan.privacy.network
au-adelaide-pf.privacy.network
au-australia-so.privacy.network
au-brisbane-pf.privacy.network
aus-melbourne.privacy.network
aus-perth.privacy.network
au-sydney.privacy.network
nz.privacy.network
dz.privacy.network
egypt.privacy.network
morocco.privacy.network
nigeria.privacy.network
za.privacy.network
8. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your PIA VPN server!
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com.
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
3. Click the VPN symbol.
4. Click the Change button and select Custom from the dropdown and choose the OpenVPN option.
5. Enter your PIA Account login as the Username and Password.
6. Now log in to your PIA Account page.
7. Go to the Downloads section.
8. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and go to OpenVPN Configuration Generator.
9. Choose OpenVPN 2.4 or newer and Linux.
10. From the Select Port section, choose UDP/1198 AES-128-CBC for a faster connection or choose UDP/1197 AES-256-CBC for stronger security as shown in the image below then Click Generate to download the server configuration file.
11. Drag and drop or click to Upload the server file into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page then click Save.
12. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your PIA VPN server!
Privacy Hero’s cloud based router settings access makes it so you can change settings while not connected to the Privacy Hero network. Visit the Private Internet Access IP Check to verify your VPN IP address. If it has not changed be sure to double check that you are indeed connected to the Privacy Hero network.
Keep in mind that the VPN connection will not change the location of the streaming services listed in the Streaming Relocation area of the Privacy Hero settings.
Follow this guide to change the Wireless channel on your TP-Link FlashRouter.
1. Connect your computer, phone, or tablet to the TP-Link router via wireless (FlashRouter24 / FlashRouter50) or via ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports on the router.
The FlashRouter WiFi password is printed on the sheet that came with the router and is set to Wireless#[First 5 characters of your router MAC]. The router MAC can be found on the bottom of your router if you cannot locate the sheet. For e.g. if your MAC is 1459C07E70A8 then your WiFi password is Wireless#1459C
Be sure to capitalize the W.
2. Once connected via wireless or ethernet on your device open your browser and go to the TP-Link firmware settings.
3. Enter tp-link as the admin password to access the TP-Link firmware settings.
4. Click Wireless.
5. Change the Channel setting to the number that you want to use. Click Save.
6. Connect your devices to the wireless network again as they may have been disconnected when making this change.
Your TP-Link router broadcasts a 2.4GHz and a 5GHz Wi-Fi network. These can be separated to allow you to assign your devices to the network that best suits them or merged into a single network so your devices automatically select the best band to use. Follow this guide to separate or merge your Wi-Fi bands.
1. Connect your computer, phone, or tablet to the TP-Link router via wireless (FlashRouter24 / FlashRouter50) or via ethernet cable to one of the LAN ports on the router.
The FlashRouter WiFi password is printed on the sheet that came with the router and is set to Wireless#[First 5 characters of your router MAC]. The router MAC can be found on the bottom of your router if you cannot locate the sheet. For e.g. if your MAC is 1459C07E70A8 then your WiFi password is Wireless#1459C
Be sure to capitalize the W.
2. Once connected via wireless or ethernet on your device open your browser and go to the TP-Link firmware settings.
3. Enter tp-link as the admin password to access the TP-Link firmware settings.
4. Click Wireless.
5. Check the Smart Connect checkbox to merge the two Wi-Fi bands. Uncheck the Smart Connect checkbox to separate the two Wi-Fi bands. If you have the two Wi-Fi bands separated make sure the Network Name (SSID) fields have different names for 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Click Save.
6. Connect your devices to the new wireless network.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
Use these steps to enable Privacy Hero’s adblocking, malware, and phishing prevention settings to add extra security to your network.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
If you have not created your Privacy Hero account yet please follow these instructions.
3. Click the VPN symbol.
4. Toggle the Adblocking and Malware & Phishing switches to On.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
Use these steps to enable Privacy Hero’s VPN Kill Switch to make sure that no traffic goes through your router unless it is connected to VPN.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
If you have not created your Privacy Hero account yet please follow these instructions.
3. Click the VPN symbol.
4. Toggle the VPN Kill Switch setting to On.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
Use these steps to connect to ExpressVPN OpenVPN servers. First you will need to gather your unique OpenVPN login credentials and download the correct .ovpn file from the ExpressVPN website.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
3. Click the VPN symbol.
4. Click the Change button and select Custom from the dropdown.
5. In a new tab login to your ExpressVPN account.
6. Select Manual Configuration from the menu options.
7. Copy and paste the username and password from the blue boxes into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page.
8. Download a server file from any of the available regions shown in the ExpressVPN Manual Configuration section (Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, etc)
9. Drag and drop or click to Upload the server file into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page and then you will need to add one line to the top of the configuration.
10. At the top of your OpenVPN configuration add in the following line as shown in the picture above
proto udp
Now click the Save button.
11. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your ExpressVPN server.
12. Connect to the Privacy Hero via WiFi or ethernet connection on your device and visit an IP checker from a private/incognito browser to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
Privacy Hero’s cloud based router settings access makes it so you can change settings while not connected to the Privacy Hero network so if your IP Address has not changed be sure to double check that you are indeed connected to the Privacy Hero network on the device you are checking your IP from.
Keep in mind that the VPN connection will not change the location of the streaming services listed in the Streaming Relocation area of the Privacy Hero settings if the Streaming Relocation feature is Enabled.
If you are not already a Surfshark user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the Surfshark website.
2. Click VPN Manual Setup.
3. Select Router as the Setup method.
4. Select WireGuard as the Protocol.
5. Select I don’t have a key pair.
6. Enter FlashRouter as the name of the connection and click Next.
7. Click Generate a new key pair.
8. Click Choose a location.
9. Select the server location you want to connect to. Unless you need a specific location we recommend using Surfshark’s recommended Fastest server. Click Download to download the .conf file for this Surfshark server location.
Login to TP-Link firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the FlashRouter’s network.
1. Navigate to the Advanced tab.
2. Navigate to the VPN Client tab.
3. Check the Enable box next to VPN Client. Then click Save at the bottom of the page.
4. Click the Add button in the Server List area.
5. In the Description field enter in the name you’d like to use for this WireGuard Client profile. We typically advise entering in the location. Our example server was New York so I have entered in Surfshark New York.
Set the VPN Type to WireGuard.
Click Browse and select the .conf file you downloaded earlier. Then click Save.
By default no devices will be assigned to the VPN Tunnel. With TP-Link firmware you must manually assign the devices that you want connected to the VPN tunnel. Proceed with the next steps to do so for all devices you want connected to VPN.
6. Click the Add button in the Device List area.
7. A list of devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network will appear. Check the devices that you want to connect to VPN. Then click OK.
8. Now that the devices have been assigned to the VPN connection click the Enable toggle in the Server List area.
In some cases you may notice that the location is not showing the same location as the server you have input in your router settings; this is because geo tracking tools are often tricked by VPN connections. As long as you see an IP address that is not the same as your normal Internet IP address then you are indeed connected to Surfshark.
If you are not already a Surfshark user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the Surfshark website.
2. Click VPN Manual Setup.
3. Select Router as the Setup method.
4. Select OpenVPN as the Protocol.
5. Copy and paste your Surfshark manual username and password to a secure location. This is the username and password you will enter into the router settings to connect to Surfshark.
6. Click Location and select the server location you want to connect to. Unless you need a specific location we recommend using Surfshark’s recommended Fastest server. Click Download to download the UDP .ovpn file for this Surfshark server location.
Login to TP-Link firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the FlashRouter’s network.
1. Navigate to the Advanced tab.
2. Navigate to the VPN Client tab.
3. Check the Enable box next to VPN Client. Then click Save at the bottom of the page.
4. Click the Add button in the Server List area.
5. In the Description field enter in the name you’d like to use for this OpenVPN Client profile. We typically advise entering in the location. Our example server was New York so I have entered in Surfshark New York.
Set the VPN Type to OpenVPN.
In the Username and Password fields paste in the Surfshark username and password we obtained earlier.
Click Browse and select the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier. Then click Save.
By default no devices will be assigned to the VPN Tunnel. With TP-Link firmware you must manually assign the devices that you want connected to the VPN tunnel. Proceed with the next steps to do so for all devices you want connected to VPN.
6. Click the Add button in the Device List area.
7. A list of devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network will appear. Check the devices that you want to connect to VPN. Then click OK.
8. Now that the devices have been assigned to the VPN connection click the Enable toggle in the Server List area.
In some cases you may notice that the location is not showing the same location as the server you have input in your router settings; this is because geo tracking tools are often tricked by VPN connections. As long as you see an IP address that is not the same as your normal Internet IP address then you are indeed connected to Surfshark.
ExpressVPN offers a SmartDNS service known as MediaStreamer for unblocking geo-restricted content without the encryption of a VPN service. SmartDNS routes DNS servers to different regions which “tricks” the website to allow access to previously restricted content.
SmartDNS does not change your IP Address or provide the encryption that a VPN connection does. This can result in faster speeds and unblocked content.
SmartDNS and VPN should not both be configured at the same time. When using a SmartDNS connection make sure to disable your VPN connection on the FlashRouter.
If you are not already a ExpressVPN user Sign Up Now.
Visit ExpressVPN website login page and successfully login.
Navigate to the DNS Settings tab on top right of the ExpressVPN Dashboard.
Click on Register my IP address.
Navigate to the ExpressVPN Dashboard.
Click on Set Up on More Devices.
Scroll down and click on MediaStreamer and note the DNS servers that appear on the right side of the page.
Navigate to Setup > Basic Setup
Once the FlashRouter has fully rebooted, you can now access your desired regional content on any device that connects to the FlashRouter’s network.
Your Privacy Hero router uses Cloud Based router management which means you can access the router settings from anywhere on any device that has an internet connection. You can follow these steps while connected to your phone, other Wi-Fi network, or the Privacy Hero network.
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Enter your Privacy Hero account email and password. Click Login.
If you have not created your Privacy Hero account yet please follow these instructions.