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NordVPN Merlin OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for NordVPN Merlin Setup
Obtain your NordVPN manual Username and Password
If you are not already an NordVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the NordVPN website.
2. Click NordVPN on the left hand side and then click Setup NordVPN manually.
3. Enter in the verification code that was sent to your email.
4. Copy and paste your NordVPN manual username and password to a secure location. This is the username and password you will enter into the router settings to connect to NordVPN.
Download your NordVPN .ovpn file
1. There are two options for obtaining the .ovpn file. The first and recommended is to navigate to NordVPN’s server recommendation page. Click Recommended Server to display the fastest server based on your actual location. You can adjust the country if you don’t want to connect to the recommended country.
Then click Show Available Protocols. Click Download Config next to OpenVPN UDP. This will download the .ovpn file to your computer for this server. Do not open this file.
The second method to obtain a server is for connecting to a specific server number that you know you want to use. This applies to NordVPN Dedicated IP servers if you are signed up for that service. Go to NordVPN’s .ovpn file page. Then search for the server number that you want to use and click Download UDP.
Merlin Router Setup for NordVPN
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 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 or server number here. Our example server was in us5835.nordvpn.com so I have entered in NordVPN us5835.
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 NordVPN username and password that you obtained earlier in the Username and Password. Note that these are different from your NordVPN email login and password.
8. Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
9. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
Verify a successful NordVPN connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit NordVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 NordVPN.
How to change the NordVPN server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
NordVPN Setup for AsusWRT Firmware Routers
You can connect to NordVPN on your AsusWRT router using NordLynx, OpenVPN, or a Dedicated IP.
Quick Options
-
NordLynx: Choose your preferred country from NordVPN’s server list
-
OpenVPN: Choose your preferred city or country from NordVPN’s server list.
-
Dedicated IP (optional): Enter your unique configuration file if you’ve been assigned a static NordVPN IP.
If you are not already a NordVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Get your NordVPN Access Token for NordLynx connections. Log in to your NordVPN account and select NordVPN from your list of Services.
2. At the bottom of the page click Get Access token and you will receive a code via email. Enter this code to proceed.
3. After you enter the email code select Generate new token and set it to Doesn’t expire. Copy this token.
4. Log in to the Asus settings page by connecting to the Asus router’s WiFi (or wired LAN) on your computer. Then, enter 192.168.50.1 or asusrouter.com in the browser.
View our guide for more instructions on how to access AsusWRT firmware settings.
5. Navigate to the VPN tab and then select the VPN Fusion tab, then click Add profile.
6. Fill in your NordVPN information, then click Apply and Enable.
- Connection Name: Choose a name for your NordLynx connection.
- VPN Type: Select NordVPN
- Region: Choose your VPN server location
- Token: Copy and paste your NordVPN token.
6. You should now see the Profile say Connected, indicating that the NordVPN server is successfully connected to your router!
7. The VPN connection is automatically set to Apply to all devices.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the VPN, then turn off the VPN connection and switch off Apply to all devices.
Now click the pencil next to the Device section and select the devices (computer, phone, etc.) that you want to connect to VPN. Click OK and then click Apply all settings.
1. Get your NordVPN manual service credentials for OpenVPN connections. Log in to your NordVPN account and select NordVPN from your list of Services.
2. At the bottom of the page in the Manual Setup section click Setup NordVPN manually then under the Configuration section go to Service credentials. Click Verify email to receive a code via email and enter the code to view and copy your credentials.
3. Click on OpenVPN config files. Search and download the server file for your preferred NordVPN location, UDP is recommended.
4. Log in to the Asus settings page by connecting to the Asus router’s WiFi (or wired LAN) on your computer. Then, enter 192.168.50.1 or asusrouter.com in the browser.
View our guide for more instructions on how to access AsusWRT firmware settings.
5. Navigate to the VPN tab and then click on the VPN Fusion tab, then click Add Profile.
6. Fill in your NordVPN information then click Apply and Enable.
- Connection Name: Choose a name for your NordVPN OpenVPN connection.
- VPN Type: Select OpenVPN
- Import .ovpn File: Upload the OpenVPN file that you downloaded.
- Username and Password: Copy and paste your NordVPN manual service credentials.
6. You should now see the Profile say Connected, indicating that the NordVPN server is successfully connected to your router!
7. The VPN connection is automatically set to Apply to all devices.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the VPN, then turn off the VPN connection and switch off Apply to all devices.
Now click the pencil next to the Device section and select the devices (computer, phone, etc.) that you want to connect to VPN. Click OK and then click Apply all settings.
1. Get your NordVPN manual service credentials for OpenVPN connections. Log in to your NordVPN account and select NordVPN from your list of Services.
2. At the bottom of the page in the Manual Setup section click Setup NordVPN manually then under the Configuration section go to Service credentials. Click Verify email to receive a code via email and enter the code to view and copy your credentials.
3. Now download your Dedicated IP configuration file from the NordVPN website.
4. Log in to the Asus settings page by connecting to the Asus router’s WiFi (or wired LAN) on your computer. Then, enter 192.168.50.1 or asusrouter.com in the browser.
View our guide for more instructions on how to access AsusWRT firmware settings.
5. Navigate to the VPN tab then click on the VPN Fusion tab, then click Add Profile.
6. Fill in your NordVPN information then click Apply and Enable.
- Connection Name: Choose a name for your NordVPN Dedicated IP connection.
- VPN Type: Select OpenVPN
- Import .ovpn File: Upload the Dedicated IP OpenVPN file that you downloaded.
- Username and Password: Copy and paste your NordVPN manual service credentials.
6. You should now see the Profile say Connected, indicating that the NordVPN server is successfully connected to your router!
7. The VPN connection is automatically set to Apply to all devices.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the VPN, then turn off the VPN connection and switch off Apply to all devices.
Now click the pencil next to the Device section and select the devices (computer, phone, etc.) that you want to connect to VPN. Click OK and then click Apply all settings.
- Connect your devices to the Asus router network and visit the NordVPN website, at the top it should display Your Status: Protected.
- Visit NordVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
🚫📱Do not run NordVPN apps on devices connected to your NordVPN router. Using the app at the same time as the router VPN may cause conflicts and connection issues.
NordVPN Setup on Roqos
Preparing for NordVPN Setup
Obtain your NordVPN manual Username and Password
If you are not already a NordVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the NordVPN website.
2. Click NordVPN on the left hand side and then click Setup NordVPN manually.
3. Enter in the verification code that was sent to your email.
4. Copy and paste your NordVPN manual username and password to a secure location. This is the username and password you will enter into the router settings to connect to NordVPN.
Connecting to NordVPN in the Roqos Core
Access the Roqos Core UI
1. Login to the Roqos Core web app in a browser on any computer or smart device.
2. Click VPN from the navigation menu and then click VPN OUT.
3. Click the Connect to box.
4. In the Connect dropdown choose 3rd Party VPN Providers and for the VPN Provider dropdown choose NordVPN.
Enter your NordVPN information
In the Username and Password field enter the NordVPN OpenVPN Username and Password that you obtained.
Select a NordVPN server
Navigate to NordVPN server recommendation page. Click Recommended server and select the country you want to connect to and note the server number that appears.
Click the Location dropdown and type in or scroll to the preferred server country.
Click the Server dropdown and type in or scroll to the server number that was recommended. Select the UDP version of the server.
Click the Save button.
Connect to NordVPN
Once you click Save you will be returned to the VPN OUT menu.
Click the Connect button to start your NordVPN connection. Please be patient as the router connects your entire network through VPN.
Assign devices to connect to VPN
By default there are no devices assigned to the VPN tunnel. Click Included Devices. From this page you can choose if all devices should connect to NordVPN or only certain devices.
From the dropdown select Include all devices if you want every device that connects to the Roqos to connect to NordVPN. Then click Save.
If you only want specific devices to connect to NordVPN while others bypass the VPN connection select Include selected devices from the dropdown and then toggle the sliders for the devices you want connected to VPN. Click Save.
Verify a successful NordVPN connection
Make sure you are connected to the Roqos network via WiFi or ethernet connection on your device.
Visit NordVPN’s website to verify your new IP Address and Protected Status at the top of the page.
You should see Connected at the top of the page underneath NordVPN.
Connect to a different NordVPN server
To change your server click Disconnect on the VPN OUT page then return to the Connect To section to select a new server from the Server dropdown and click Save. Now click Connect once again on the VPN Out page.
Disconnect from NordVPN
To disconnect from NordVPN click the Disconnect button.
How do I read my Wireless status?
The wireless status page is very helpful in diagnosing where a wireless issue stems from. Make sure the settings displayed on this page match the actual settings you have set in the DD-WRT Wireless settings. Review our recommended wireless settings for your FlashRouter if you are not getting accurate readouts.
Navigate to Status > Wireless
Interface
Select from the wireless interface that you want to view the readouts for.
MAC Address
Used to identify the wireless interface.
Chipset
Displays the wireless hardware that your FlashRouter uses.
Radio
Should always be set to Radio is On unless you have intentionally disabled the wireless on the FlashRouter. If this is displaying Radio is Off for certain wireless interfaces we recommend adjusting the Wireless Channel on the Wireless > Basic Settings page.
Mode
This should read as AP unless you are using an Advanced Wireless setup such as a Repeater, Client, or Repeater Bridge.
Network
Displays the wireless network mode that you have set for a specific wireless interface.
SSID
Displays the wireless network name that you have set for a specific wireless interface.
Channel
Displays the channel that you have set for a specific wireless interface. If this reads as Unknown it is best to select a new wireless channel or reboot the FlashRouter and check again.
TX Power
Displays the wireless transmit power that you have set for a specific wireless interface. If this reads as Unknown it is best reboot the FlashRouter and check again.
Rate
Displays an approximation of the max wireless speed available on a wireless band.
ACK Timing
Displays the ACK Timing that you have set for a specific wireless interface. If this reads as Unknown it is best reboot the FlashRouter and check again.
Encryption
Should always read as Enabled, WPA2 Personal.
Received (RX)
If this appears as 0% and there are no errors then it means that no devices have connected to the wireless interface yet. If this appears as 0% and the errors match the amount of OK packets you will need to adjust the wireless settings on the Wireless > Basic Settings page.
Transmitted (TX)
If this appears as 0% you will need to adjust the wireless settings on the Wireless > Basic Settings page.
IPVanish Merlin OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for IPVanish Merlin Setup
Download your IPVanish .ovpn file
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.
Merlin Router Setup for IPVanish
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 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 nyc-a50 so I have entered in IPVanish a-50.
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 IPVanish account email/username and password.
8. Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
9. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
Verify a successful IPVanish connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit IPVanish’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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.
How to change the IPVanish server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
ExpressVPN Setup on Roqos
Preparing for ExpressVPN Setup
Obtain your ExpressVPN login information
If you are not already an ExpressVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Visit ExpressVPN’s website login page.
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.
Connecting to ExpressVPN in the Roqos Core
Access the Roqos Core UI
1. Login to the Roqos Core web app in a browser on any computer or smart device.
2. Click VPN from the navigation menu and then click VPN OUT.
3. Click the Connect to box.
4. In the Connect dropdown choose 3rd Party VPN Providers and for the VPN Provider dropdown choose ExpressVPN.
Enter your ExpressVPN information
In the Username and Password field enter the ExpressVPN OpenVPN Username and Password that you obtained.
Select an ExpressVPN server
Click the Server dropdown and type in or scroll to your preferred server location.
Click the Save button.
Connect to ExpressVPN
Once you click Save you will be returned to the VPN OUT menu.
Click the Connect button to start your ExpressVPN connection. Please be patient as the router connects your entire network through VPN.
Assign devices to connect to VPN
By default there are no devices assigned to the VPN tunnel. Click Included Devices. From this page you can choose if all devices should connect to ExpressVPN or only certain devices.
From the dropdown select Include all devices if you want every device that connects to the Roqos to connect to ExpressVPN. Then click Save.
If you only want specific devices to connect to ExpressVPN while others bypass the VPN connection select Include selected devices from the dropdown and then toggle the sliders for the devices you want connected to VPN. Click Save.
Verify a successful ExpressVPN connection
Make sure you are connected to the Roqos network via WiFi or ethernet connection on your device.
Visit ExpressVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP Address and virtual location.
You should see Connected at the top of the page underneath ExpressVPN.
Connect to a different ExpressVPN server
To change your server click Disconnect on the VPN OUT page then return to the Connect To section to select a new server from the Server dropdown and click Save. Now click Connect once again on the VPN Out page.
Disconnect from ExpressVPN
To disconnect from ExpressVPN click the Disconnect button.
ProtonVPN Merlin WireGuard Setup
Preparing for ProtonVPN Merlin Setup
Download your ProtonVPN .conf file
If you are not already an ProtonVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the ProtonVPN website.
2. Click Downloads.
3. Scroll down to WireGuard configuration and name the device FlashRouter.
4. Select Router as the platform.
5. Select the VPN options that best fit your needs. We typically use the settings as seen in the screenshot here if you are unsure.
6. Next select the server that you would like to connect to and click Create. At the top of the page you’ll see ProtonVPN’s recommended server which we recommend using unless you need to connect to a specific location.
If you need a specific server location find it in the list and click Create.
7. After clicking Create a new window will appear. Click Download to download the .conf file to your computer.
Merlin Router Setup for ProtonVPN
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. Select WireGuard as the VPN Protocol.
4. Click Choose file and select the .conf file you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
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 here. Our example server was in US-NY#61 so I have entered in ProtonVPN NY-61.
6. Set Enable WireGuard to Yes.
7. Click Apply at the bottom of the page and you should then see a Connected message appear.
8. By default no devices are assigned to the new active WireGuard connection profile. Click the VPN Director tab to assign specific devices to the new WireGuard profile. Your IP will not be changed on your devices yet.
9. On the VPN Director page click the + symbol next to Add new rule.
10. Select the new WireGuard profile in the Interface dropdown.
11. In the Local IP field enter in 192.168.50.0/24 if you want ALL devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network to use the WireGuard VPN connection. Click OK.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the WireGuard Client profile you have setting up instead of all the devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network please complete the instructions on our VPN Director guide.
12. Then click Apply at the bottom of the page.
Verify a successful ProtonVPN connection
Visit ProtonVPN’s IP Check from a private/incognito browsing window to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 ProtonVPN.
How to change the ProtonVPN server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .conf file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
PrivateInternetAccess (PIA) Setup on Roqos
Preparing for PIA Setup
Obtain your PIA login information
If you are not already an PIA user Sign Up Now.
1. Visit PIA’s website login page.
2. Successfully log in with your account information.
Connecting to PIA in the Roqos Core
Access the Roqos Core UI
1. Login to the Roqos Core web app in a browser on any computer or smart device.
2. Click VPN from the navigation menu and then click VPN OUT.
3. Click the Connect to box.
4. In the Connect dropdown choose 3rd Party VPN Providers and for the VPN Provider dropdown choose Private_Internet_Access.
Enter your PIA information
In the Username and Password field enter the PIA Username and Password that you logged in with.
Select a PIA server
Click the Server dropdown and type in or scroll to your preferred server location.
Click the Save button.
Connect to PIA
Once you click Save you will be returned to the VPN OUT menu.
Click the Connect button to start your PIA connection. Please be patient as the router connects your entire network through VPN.
Assign devices to connect to VPN
By default there are no devices assigned to the VPN tunnel. Click Included Devices. From this page you can choose if all devices should connect to PIA or only certain devices.
From the dropdown select Include all devices if you want every device that connects to the Roqos to connect to PIA. Then click Save.
If you only want specific devices to connect to PIA while others bypass the VPN connection select Include selected devices from the dropdown and then toggle the sliders for the devices you want connected to VPN. Click Save.
Verify a successful PIA connection
Make sure you are connected to the Roqos network via WiFi or ethernet connection on your device.
Visit PIA’s IP Check to verify your new IP Address and virtual location.
You should see Connected at the top of the page underneath Private_Internet_Access.
Connect to a different PIA server
To change your server click Disconnect on the VPN OUT page then return to the Connect To section to select a new server from the Server dropdown and click Save. Now click Connect once again on the VPN Out page.
Disconnect from PIA
To disconnect from PIA click the Disconnect button.
ProtonVPN Setup Guide for Privacy Hero
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 Custom from the dropdown and choose the Wireguard option.
5. In a new tab login to your ProtonVPN account.
6. Go to the Downloads section of your ProtonVPN account page.
7. Scroll down to find the WireGuard configuration section. Name your configuration and then select Router as the platform, and select Standard server configs.
8. Click on the country name that you want to choose, and Download any of the available server files from the list.
9. Drag and drop or click to Upload the server file into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page. Then press Save.
10. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your ProtonVPN 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. In a new tab login to your ProtonVPN account.
6. Navigate to the Account tab and find your OpenVPN specific Username and Password.
7. Copy and paste the username and password from previous step into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page.
8. Go to the Downloads section of your ProtonVPN account page.
9. Scroll down to find the OpenVPN Configuration Files section. Then select “Router” as the platform, and select “Standard Server Configs.”
10. Click on the country name that you want to choose, and Download any of the available server files from the list.
11. Drag and drop or click to Upload the server file into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page. Then press Save.
12. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your ProtonVPN 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 ProtonVPN 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 if the Streaming Relocation feature is Enabled.
Surfshark VPN Setup Guide for Privacy Hero
Your Privacy Hero NordVPN Router uses cloud-based management, which means you can securely access and adjust your router settings from anywhere, on any device with an internet connection. Whether you’re connected through your phone, another Wi-Fi network, or directly to the Privacy Hero network, setup and management are always within reach.
Follow the steps below to connect your Privacy Hero to Surfshark WireGuard® or OpenVPN servers.
Don’t have a Privacy Hero yet? Get your Privacy Hero Router for Surfshark here
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 Wireguard option.
5. In a new tab login to your Surfshark account.
6. Navigate to the VPN > Manual Setup tab.
7. Now choose Wireguard and go to the Router section.
8. Now go to Locations, and click on the server location you wish to use. Then, download the server file.
9. Drag and drop or click to Upload the server file into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page. Then press Save.
10. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your Surfshark 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. In a new tab login to your Surfshark account.
6. Navigate to the VPN > Manual Setup tab.
7. Now choose OpenVPN and go to the Router section.
8. Now go to Credentials and find your OpenVPN specific Username and Password.
9. Copy and paste the username and password from previous step into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page.
10. Now go back to the Surfshark account page, and press Locations.
11. Click on the country name that you want to choose, and Download any of the available server files from the list. (We recommend download the UDP version of the server file).
12. Drag and drop or click to Upload the server file into the Custom box on your Privacy Hero settings page. Then press Save.
13. Your Privacy Hero settings should now show a Connected message, indicating you have successfully signed in to your Surfshark 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 Surfshark 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 if the Streaming Relocation feature is Enabled.
IPVanish AsusWRT OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for IPVanish AsusWRT Setup
Download your IPVanish .ovpn file
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.
AsusWRT Router Setup for IPVanish
Login to AsusWRT firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the AsusWRT FlashRouter’s network.
1. Navigate to the VPN tab.
2. Navigate to the VPN Fusion tab.
3. Click Add profile.
4. In the Connection Name field enter in the name you’d like to use for this OpenVPN Client profile. We typically advise entering in the location or server number here. Our example server was in New York so I have entered in IPVanish New York.
5. In the VPN Type dropdown select OpenVPN.
6. Click Import .ovpn file and select the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
7. In the Username and Password fields paste in the IPVanish email and password you use to successfully login to your IPVanish website account.
8. Click Apply and Enable at the bottom of the page.
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 click into the profile and disable Apply to all devices. Then click Devices and select the devices that you want to connect to VPN.
9. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
Verify a successful IPVanish connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit IPVanish’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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.
How to change the IPVanish server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
ExpressVPN Merlin OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for ExpressVPN Merlin Setup
Obtain your ExpressVPN OpenVPN Information
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.
Merlin Router Setup for ExpressVPN
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 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 or server number here. Our example server was in New York so I have entered in ExpressVPN New York.
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 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.
8. Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
9. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
Verify a successful ExpressVPN connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit ExpressVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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.
How to change the ExpressVPN server
- Copy the new ExpressVPN server address from the below server list.
- Paste the server into the Server Address field.
- Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
ExpressVPN Server Addresses
Americas
usa-atlanta-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-boston-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-chicago-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-dallas-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-dallas-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-denver-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-kansascity-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-losangeles-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-losangeles-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-losangeles-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-losangeles-3-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-los-angeles-4-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-miami-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-miami-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-minneapolis-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-newjersey-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-newjersey-3-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-newyork-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
us-new-york-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-phoenix-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-saltlakecity-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-sanfrancisco-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-sanjose-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-seattle-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-tampa-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-virginia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-washingtondc-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
usa-washingtondc-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
canada-montreal-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
canada-toronto-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
canada-toronto-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
canada-vancouver-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
mexico-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
argentina-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
brazil-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
brazil-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
chile-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
colombia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
costarica-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
ecuador-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
guatemala-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
panama-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
peru-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
uruguay-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
venezuela-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
Europe
uk-berkshire-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
uk-berkshire-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
uk-docklands-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
uk-east-london-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
uk-kent-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
uk-london-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
france-paris-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
france-paris-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
france-strasbourg-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
germany-darmstadt-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
germany-frankfurt-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
germany-frankfurt-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
germany-nuremberg-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
italy-cosenza-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
italy-milan-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
netherlands-amsterdam-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
netherlands-rotterdam-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
netherlands-thehague-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
spain-barcelona-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
spain-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
sweden-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
sweden-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
switzerland-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
switzerland-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
albania-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
andorra-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
armenia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
austria-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
azerbaijan-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
belarus-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
belgium-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
bosniaandherzegovina-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
bulgaria-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
croatia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
cyprus-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
czechrepublic-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
denmark-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
estonia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
finland-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
georgia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
greece-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
hungary-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
iceland-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
ireland-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
isleofman-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
jersey-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
latvia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
liechtenstein-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
lithuania-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
luxembourg-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
macedonia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
malta-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
moldova-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
monaco-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
montenegro-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
norway-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
poland-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
portugal-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
romania-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
serbia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
slovakia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
slovenia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
ukraine-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
Asia Pacific
australia-brisbane-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
australia-melbourne-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
australia-perth-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
australia-sydney-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
australia-sydney-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
australia-sydney-3-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
hongkong-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
hongkong4-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
hongkong-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
japan-tokyo-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
japan-tokyo-2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
india-chennai-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
india-mumbai-1-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
singapore-cbd-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
singapore-jurong-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
southkorea-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
southkorea2-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
bangladesh-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
bhutan-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
brunei-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
cambodia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
indonesia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
kazakhstan-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
kyrgyzstan-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
laos-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
macau-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
malaysia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
mongolia-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
myanmar-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
nepal-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
newzealand-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
pakistan-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
ph-via-sing-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
srilanka-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
taiwan-3-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
thailand-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
vietnam-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
Middle East and Africa
algeria-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
israel-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
kenya-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
southafrica-ca-version-2.expressnetw.com
PureVPN Manual OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for Manual PureVPN Setup
Verify your PureVPN login information
If you are not already an PureVPN user Sign Up Now.
Log in to your account on the PureVPN website.
Navigate to the Home page and note the VPN username on this page. You will need this specific username later on in the configuration process.
Ex: purevpn0s1234567
PureVPN Server Addresses
View a full list of PureVPN servers.
United States
Miami:
usfl1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Seattle:
ussa-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Houston:
ustx1-ovpn-tcp.pointtoserver.com
Georgia:
usga1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
New Jersey:
usnj1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Washington:
uswdc1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Chicago:
usil1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Phoenix:
usphx1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Los Angeles:
usla1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Virginia:
vlbr-usvc1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
San Francisco:
vlsa-ussf1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
New York:
usny1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Ohio:
vleu-usoh1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
United Kingdom
London:
ukl1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Gosport:
ukg1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Maidenhead:
ukm1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Manchester:
vlus-uk-man1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
Leicester:
vlap-ukle1-ovpn-udp.pointtoserver.com
DD-WRT Router Setup for PureVPN
Navigate to Services > VPN
Enter PureVPN settings
OpenVPN Client
Start OpenVPN Client
If you wish to disable your VPN connection simply set this to Disable at any time and click Apply Settings.
Server IP/Name
Copy and paste the server you would like to connect to from the server list above. Be sure there are no extra spaces or characters.
If you wish to change PureVPN connection locations, THIS IS THE ONLY FIELD YOU NEED TO CHANGE.
Port
53
Tunnel Device
TUN
Tunnel Protocol
UDP
Encryption cipher
AES-256-CBC
Hash Algorithm
SHA1
Userpass Authentication
Enable
Username
Enter the Username you noted from the Home page above.
Ex: purevpn0s1234567
Password
Enter the Password you successfully logged in to your PureVPN account with.
Advanced Options
Enable
TLS Cipher
None
LZO Compression
Adaptive
NAT
Enable
Firewall Protection
Enable
TLS Auth Key
-----BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1----- e30af995f56d07426d9ba1f824730521 d4283db4b4d0cdda9c6e8759a3799dcb 7939b6a5989160c9660de0f6125cbb1f 585b41c074b2fe88ecfcf17eab9a33be 1352379cdf74952b588fb161a93e13df 9135b2b29038231e02d657a6225705e6 868ccb0c384ed11614690a1894bfbeb2 74cebf1fe9c2329bdd5c8a40fe882062 4d2ea7540cd79ab76892db51fc371a3a c5fc9573afecb3fffe3281e61d72e915 79d9b03d8cbf7909b3aebf4d90850321 ee6b7d0a7846d15c27d8290e031e951e 19438a4654663cad975e138f5bc5af89 c737ad822f27e19057731f41e1e254cc 9c95b7175c622422cde9f1f2cfd3510a dd94498b4d7133d3729dd214a16b27fb -----END OpenVPN Static key V1-----
Additional Config
tls-cipher “DEFAULT:@SECLEVEL=0”
Policy Based Routing
This field can be used for split VPN and Dual Gateway routing.
CA Cert
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- MIIEoTCCA4mgAwIBAgIJANysBdFD6U2oMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBQUAMIGRMQswCQYD VQQGEwJISzELMAkGA1UECBMCSEsxETAPBgNVBAcTCEhvbmdLb25nMRAwDgYDVQQK EwdQdXJlVlBOMQswCQYDVQQLEwJJVDEQMA4GA1UEAxMHUHVyZVZQTjEQMA4GA1UE KRMHUHVyZVZQTjEfMB0GCSqGSIb3DQEJARYQbWFpbEBob3N0LmRvbWFpbjAeFw0x NDA0MTAwNzI5NDlaFw0yNDA0MDcwNzI5NDlaMIGRMQswCQYDVQQGEwJISzELMAkG A1UECBMCSEsxETAPBgNVBAcTCEhvbmdLb25nMRAwDgYDVQQKEwdQdXJlVlBOMQsw CQYDVQQLEwJJVDEQMA4GA1UEAxMHUHVyZVZQTjEQMA4GA1UEKRMHUHVyZVZQTjEf MB0GCSqGSIb3DQEJARYQbWFpbEBob3N0LmRvbWFpbjCCASIwDQYJKoZIhvcNAQEB BQADggEPADCCAQoCggEBAJYqtUkQTlf/pHcGXuuII8S3pfI0fwFbs7l/1RP3nX3n v1vyuvLi7h0jWsgJU0XM7LJywiRFJ8zsMLH7KZnIg7bscb50GY75WIq7C2NnWnnS 7zzyCCm2XD/2xZPym2lVRytpnWJbpemSS6Hdz7xI3q2FmixuBa1t5FeKsXfeaGGg +ohwLvamnGHJYUYu3Nu0EWVzzy5wgT0c2C5jleGxl3kxRimD8FpnlAVdqyt0ib/f f9XanaotSopIHUZmpYjT+udRC2+harlNKvOXYgDRl1mpimCvlzEWpZAo8dyBCxWl xlBIT8OA8rimGi1XviknuOlWu2cGi13Ug8mCG0MjOQ0CAwEAAaOB+TCB9jAdBgNV HQ4EFgQUt+1vJ2X2ho12PUDhdo2CsSHYXbYwgcYGA1UdIwSBvjCBu4AUt+1vJ2X2 ho12PUDhdo2CsSHYXbahgZekgZQwgZExCzAJBgNVBAYTAkhLMQswCQYDVQQIEwJI SzERMA8GA1UEBxMISG9uZ0tvbmcxEDAOBgNVBAoTB1B1cmVWUE4xCzAJBgNVBAsT AklUMRAwDgYDVQQDEwdQdXJlVlBOMRAwDgYDVQQpEwdQdXJlVlBOMR8wHQYJKoZI hvcNAQkBFhBtYWlsQGhvc3QuZG9tYWluggkA3KwF0UPpTagwDAYDVR0TBAUwAwEB /zANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFAAOCAQEAAhLQQmkKWJdyGqgMSKOWXSKN2WXTDjIdb9bK Q8uHeq0LYCcPoRh8VYJg2X4UWR/KO9pKaG+iZJw4Jqz4GQJjjJLKHfsWwj790ay0 7U5KT08qmxFaxZUYn663H9b0+Zud1spTsTJjVe1eoRk6IDbbB4OMUzN9zyWEn6er xi6llIAjQX1qtlBQasmTAbRtbSsCsZAxL2kXysULIdLrQP0iTgMQqqkv5zvpdEKN 3ciKCd8OHEhHOlAwA0/DNy3dg3Et0F2hNMDJhqMpxXsbKtGJ/rzGXQF2geEVzLZA o42I1wBOSZLTX1fO1gl3gAGS9aYg5o31rrpBKzQewitJgIuc+Q== -----END CERTIFICATE-----
CLICK APPLY SETTINGS
Leave all settings not mentioned above as their default setting.
Verify a successful PureVPN connection
Navigate to Status > OpenVPN
- You should now see a CONNECTED SUCCESS message.
- Visit PureVPN’s website to verify your new IP address, virtual location, and status as Protected at the top 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 PureVPN.
Back up your settings
Navigate to Administration > Backup
- Click the Backup button.
- A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
- You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.
How to change the PureVPN server
- Copy the new PureVPN server address from the above server list.
- Paste the server into the Server IP/Name field.
- Click Apply Settings.
PrivateInternetAccess (PIA) Merlin OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for PIA Merlin Setup
Download your PIA .ovpn file
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.
Merlin Router Setup for PIA
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 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 US East Streaming so I have entered in PIA US East Streaming.
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 PIA account username and password.
8. Click Apply at the bottom of the page.
9. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
Verify a successful PIA connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit PIA’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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.
How to change the PIA server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
NordVPN Cudy OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for NordVPN Cudy Setup
Obtain your NordVPN manual Username and Password
If you are not already an NordVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the NordVPN website.
2. Click NordVPN on the left hand side and then click Setup NordVPN manually.
3. Enter in the verification code that was sent to your email.
4. Copy and paste your NordVPN manual username and password to a secure location. This is the username and password you will enter into the router settings to connect to NordVPN.
Download your NordVPN .ovpn file
1. There are two options for obtaining the .ovpn file. The first and recommended is to navigate to NordVPN’s server recommendation page. Click Recommended Server to display the fastest server based on your actual location. You can adjust the country if you don’t want to connect to the recommended country.
Then click Show Available Protocols. Click Download Config next to OpenVPN UDP. This will download the .ovpn file to your computer for this server. Do not open this file.
The second method to obtain a server is for connecting to a specific server number that you know you want to use. This applies to NordVPN Dedicated IP servers if you are signed up for that service. Go to NordVPN’s .ovpn file page. Then search for the server number that you want to use and click Download UDP.
Cudy Router Setup for NordVPN
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 NordVPN username and password that you obtained earlier in the Username and Password. Note that these are different from your NordVPN email login and password.
7. Click Save & Apply at the bottom of the page.
Verify a successful NordVPN connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit NordVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 NordVPN.
How to change the NordVPN server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
Surfshark Merlin WireGuard Setup
Preparing for Surfshark Merlin Setup
Download your Surfshark .conf file
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.
Merlin Router Setup for Surfshark
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. Select WireGuard as the VPN Protocol.
4. Click Choose file and select the .conf file you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
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 here. Our example server was in New York so I have entered in Surfshark New York.
6. Set Enable WireGuard to Yes.
7. Click Apply at the bottom of the page and you should then see a Connected message appear.
8. By default no devices are assigned to the new active WireGuard connection profile. Click the VPN Director tab to assign specific devices to the new WireGuard profile. Your IP will not be changed on your devices yet.
9. On the VPN Director page click the + symbol next to Add new rule.
10. Select the new WireGuard profile in the Interface dropdown.
11. In the Local IP field enter in 192.168.50.0/24 if you want ALL devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network to use the WireGuard VPN connection. Click OK.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the WireGuard Client profile you have setting up instead of all the devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network please complete the instructions on our VPN Director guide.
12. Then click Apply at the bottom of the page.
Verify a successful Surfshark connection
Visit Surfshark’s IP Check from a private/incognito browsing window to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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.
How to change the Surfshark server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .conf file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
StrongVPN WireGuard Setup
DD-WRT Router Setup for StrongVPN WireGuard
StrongVPN Wireguard DD-WRT setup is now officially supported by FlashRouters. Follow the steps below to gather all the required information to complete your Wireguard router setup.
Navigate to Security > Firewall
Set SPI Firewall to Disable.
Click Save at the bottom of the page.
Select your actual time zone for you physical location from the dropdown and enter 1.pool.ntp.org in the Server IP/Name dropdown.
Click Apply Settings at the bottom of the page.
Preparing for StrongVPN WireGuard Setup
Obtain your StrongVPN WireGuard Information
If you are not already a StrongVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the StrongVPN website.
2. Select Router icon as the Platform
3. Select the Advanced Options dropdown and then check Exclude LAN Traffic and set any value between 52000 and 60000 in the Custom Port field.
4. Select the Server Location from the dropdown that you would like to connect to.
5. Select the Generate at the bottom of the page.
6. Click the DD-WRT installer script box to copy.
Enter StrongVPN WireGuard Script
Navigate to Administration > Commands
Paste the StrongVPN Script that was copied in the empty Commands Shell.
Delete the very last line sleep 8 && reboot.
Click Save Custom (or Save Custom Script may appear depending on your firmware build, they are the same thing)
Copy the line below and paste into the empty Commands Shell.
sh /tmp/.rc_custom
Click Run Commands.
Wait two minutes and then power the FlashRouter off and back on. Reconnect to the FlashRouter’s network when it has booted back up.
Verify a successful StrongVPN WireGuard connection
Navigate to Setup > Tunnels
- You should now see that page filled in with WireGuard info.
- Visit StrongVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
Back up your settings
Navigate to Administration > Backup
- Click the Backup button.
- A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
- You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.
IVPN WireGuard Setup
Preparing for IVPN WireGuard Setup
Verify your IVPN login information
If you are not already a IVPN user Sign Up Now.
Log in to your account on the IVPN website.
DD-WRT Router Setup for IVPN WireGuard
Navigate to Setup > Tunnels
Enter IVPN WireGuard settings
1. Click Add Tunnel.
2. Set Tunnel to Enable.
3. Select Wireguard from the dropdown.
3. Set MTU to 1412.
4. Click Generate Key.
9. Copy the Local Public Key.
10. In a new tab (leave the DD-WRT settings opened), go to your IVPN Account and click WireGuard and then click WireGuard Key Management.
11. Click Add New Key.
12. Paste the copied Local Public key to the Public Key field and click Add Key.
13.Copy the IP Address assigned to your public key and add it to the IP Addresses/Netmask(CIDR) field followed by a /32 subnet mask.
Certain DD-WRT builds will show two separate fields here: IP Address and Subnet Mask. If that is the case set the IP Address field to the Address without the /32 added and set the Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.255
14. Click Add Peer.
15. Set the Peer Tunnel IP to 0.0.0.0. Set Peer Tunnel DNS to 172.16.0.1
16. Set Endpoint to Enable.
17. Go to the IVPN Server Status page and copy the server name for the WireGuard server location you want to connect to.
Be sure to copy the WireGuard server address and not the OpenVPN server address.
18. Paste the server name you copied into the Endpoint Address field and set the Port to 2049.
19. On the IVPN Server Status page copy the Public Key of the server location you entered. Paste the Public Key into the Peer Public Key field.
20. Leave Allowed IPs as 0.0.0.0/0. Set Router Allowed IP’s via tunnel to Enable. Set Persistent Keep Alive to 25.
21. At the bottom of the page click Save and then click Apply Settings.
Set IVPN DNS servers
Navigate to Setup > Basic Setup
Set Static DNS 1 to 172.16.0.1
Set Static DNS 2 to 198.245.51.147
Click Apply Settings.
Reboot the FlashRouter
Navigate to Administration > Management
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the red Reboot Router button. Wait for the FlashRouter to reboot and then reconnect.
Verify a successful IVPN connection
Navigate to Setup > Tunnels
- You should Endpoint, Latest handshake, and Transfer in the WireGuard status area.
- Visit IVPN’s website to verify your status as using IVPN.
Back up your settings
Navigate to Administration > Backup
- Click the Backup button.
- A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
- You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.
NordVPN TP-Link OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for NordVPN TP-Link Setup
Obtain your NordVPN manual Username and Password
If you are not already an NordVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the NordVPN website.
2. Click NordVPN on the left hand side and then click Setup NordVPN manually.
3. Enter in the verification code that was sent to your email.
4. Copy and paste your NordVPN manual username and password to a secure location. This is the username and password you will enter into the router settings to connect to NordVPN.
Download your NordVPN .ovpn file
1. There are two options for obtaining the .ovpn file. The first and recommended is to navigate to NordVPN’s server recommendation page. Click Recommended Server to display the fastest server based on your actual location. You can adjust the country if you don’t want to connect to the recommended country.
Then click Show Available Protocols. Click Download Config next to OpenVPN UDP. This will download the .ovpn file to your computer for this server. Do not open this file.
The second method to obtain a server is for connecting to a specific server number that you know you want to use. This applies to NordVPN Dedicated IP servers if you are signed up for that service. Go to NordVPN’s .ovpn file page. Then search for the server number that you want to use and click Download UDP.
TP-Link Router Setup for NordVPN
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 or server number here. Our example server was us6821 so I have entered in NordVPN us6821.
Set the VPN Type to OpenVPN.
In the Username and Password fields paste in the NordVPN 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.
Verify a successful NordVPN connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit NordVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 NordVPN.
How to change the NordVPN server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
PureVPN Merlin WireGuard Setup
Preparing for PureVPN Merlin Setup
Download your PureVPN .conf file
If you are not already an PureVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the PureVPN website.
2. Select Manual Configuration.
3. Select the Server Location you want to connect to and then click Download.
4. In the Select Protocol dropdown choose WireGuard.
5. In the Select Device dropdown choose DD-WRT. Then click Generate Configuration. This will save a .conf file to your computer.
Merlin Router Setup for PureVPN
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. Select WireGuard as the VPN Protocol.
4. Click Choose file and select the .conf file you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
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 here.
6. Set Enable WireGuard to Yes.
7. Click Apply at the bottom of the page and you should then see a Connected message appear.
8. By default no devices are assigned to the new active WireGuard connection profile. Click the VPN Director tab to assign specific devices to the new WireGuard profile. Your IP will not be changed on your devices yet.
9. On the VPN Director page click the + symbol next to Add new rule.
10. Select the new WireGuard profile in the Interface dropdown.
11. In the Local IP field enter in 192.168.50.0/24 if you want ALL devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network to use the WireGuard VPN connection. Click OK.
If you only want certain devices to connect to the WireGuard Client profile you have setting up instead of all the devices connected to the FlashRouter’s network please complete the instructions on our VPN Director guide.
12. Then click Apply at the bottom of the page.
Verify a successful PureVPN connection
Visit PureVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 PureVPN.
How to change the PureVPN server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .conf file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
Sales FAQs
Sales FAQs
Can My Router Be Preconfigured With My VPN Information?
Plug and Play VPN Support
Yes you can!
To receive a plug and play with VPN device, you will need to provide our team with the credentials from your VPN provider subscription.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not required but recommended for users who wish to have the simplest, most seamless experience when the FlashRouter arrives. You can always change the password when the device arrives if you wish as well.
To have your router VPN preconfigured:
- Check the “Connect To VPN For Me” box under VPN – Preconfiguration on the Product Page during check out.
- Select your VPN provider. If you don’t see your VPN listed select “Other” and you will see an additional field to input who your provider is.
- You’ll receive an email after purchase with detailed instructions. If you have any questions our team is happy to help!
Please note: If you do give a server location, we will automatically start the device with the closest/optimal server for the location we are shipping the device by default. A location has to be added to the initial configuration for plug and play encryption security to occur on the device.
Privacy Hero 2 Only:
While our team isn’t able to pre-configure the Privacy Hero 2 VPN Router before shipping it out since you’ll have to make a Privacy Hero user account and register your router, we can assist you with the VPN set up process once you receive the router and create your Privacy Hero user account via 1-on-1 remote session, email, or live chat on our site.
You can also use our step-by-step Privacy Hero VPN Router Setup Guide to complete the process.
Can I Use My Dedicated IP Address With A FlashRouter?
Dedicated IP Addresses from NordVPN, SurfShark, & TorGuard are supported on almost all of our FlashRouter options.
Check out our Dedicated IP Addresses Blog Post for more details!
Can I Use A FlashRouter With My Current Mesh System?
Yes!
You will be able to connect the FlashRouter of your choosing to your current mesh router via ethernet port as shown below:
ISP Modem/Router —- FlashRouter (VPN) —- Main Mesh Router (VPN from FlashRouter)
This setup will allow you to keep your mesh network with added VPN protection, as well as add the FlashRouter wireless network for your devices.
You can disable the wifi on the FlashRouter also if you only wanted to use the mesh network for wifi.
Can You Flash My Router and Connect me to VPN?
At FlashRouters, we offer expert router flashing and VPN configuration services through our Flash My Router plans. Whether your router needs custom firmware flashing or just a VPN configuration, we ensure it’s set up for maximum security, privacy, and streaming performance with your chosen VPN provider.
The appointment will take place via remote software. During the appointment, our team will also answer any questions you may have about using the VPN on the router. Flashing is done out of the East Coast of the United States – we will do our best to accommodate your time zone difference if you are located in another part of the United States or another country.
👉 Explore our Flash My Router plans:
🔗 Flash My Router Plans
🔹 How It Works
✅ Flashing vs. Configuration: Some routers require custom firmware (flashing) to enable VPN, while others can be configured without flashing.
✅ Fully Optimized: Our team ensures your router is ready to securely connect to your VPN, block ISP tracking, and enhance your streaming experience.
✅ Remote Assistance Available: Get expert help setting up your VPN connection remotely if needed.
Flashing vs. Configuration: Router Compatibility
At FlashRouters, we handle VPN setup differently based on your router brand and model. Some routers require flashing custom firmware (like DD-WRT or AsusWRT-Merlin), while others can be configured without flashing.
🛠 Router Setup Types by Brand
🔹 Flashing Required (Custom Firmware Installation)
These routers require firmware flashing (DD-WRT or AsusWRT-Merlin) to enable VPN compatibility.
- Asus – Flashed with AsusWRT-Merlin or updated to the latest AsusWRT build. Some models only require configuration.
- Linksys – Flashed with DD-WRT firmware.
- Netgear – Flashed with DD-WRT firmware.
🔹 Configuration Only (No Flashing Required)
These routers have built-in VPN support and only require proper setup.
- TP-Link – Configured without flashing.
- GL.iNet – Configured without flashing.
- Cudy – Configured without flashing.
📌 Other brands are not supported at this time. If you have a different router, we recommend checking out our pre-flashed router options.
✅ Supported VPN Providers
We work with a wide range of VPN providers, including:
- NordVPN
- ExpressVPN
- Surfshark
- CyberGhost
- IPVanish
- Private Internet Access (PIA)
- VyprVPN
- ProtonVPN
- PureVPN
- Windscribe
- IVPN
- Mullvad
- StrongVPN
- AzireVPN
- AstrillVPN
- HotspotShield VPN
(If your provider isn’t listed, reach out – we may still be able to support it!)
🔗 Get Started Today!
👉 Explore our Flash My Router plans:
🔗 Flash My Router Plans
🔹 Need help selecting the right option? Contact our support team! We’re happy to assist.
How Can I Add The 1 Year NordVPN Service From My FlashRouters.com Order To My Current NordVPN Account?
You can easily combine the free 1 year of NordVPN included with your FlashRouter purchase once you receive the NordVPN Activation Code Email from FlashRouters.com. The email is typically received within 24 hours of order completion and will contain a link as well as an activation code.
This code can be entered at nordvpn.com/activate with the email address associated with your current NordVPN account to add the 1 year of free service to your existing service.
Privacy Hero 2 Only:
You can easily combine the free 1 year of NordVPN included with the Privacy Hero 2 VPN Router during the router activation process.
After activating the router, you’ll receive a NordVPN activation code within your privacy hero account dashboard. This code can be entered at nordvpn.com/activate with the email address associated with your current NordVPN account to add the 1 year of free service to your existing service.
What Are the Differences Between New, Recertified, And Open Box FlashRouters?
New
- Direct from manufacturer, in new box.
- Custom flashed on demand at time of the order.
- 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee / 1 Year Warranty.
Recertified (RM)
- Direct from manufacturer/reseller, may be reboxed.
- Custom flashed on demand at time of the order.
- Specialists tested to guarantee same functionality as NEW routers.
- 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee / 1 Year Warranty.
Open Box
- Limited quantity, discount items reboxed that may have cosmetic imperfections.
- Same testing and functionality level and New and RM.
- 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee / No Warranty.
Will a FlashRouter Work With My Internet Service Provider?
US Customers (Single Router Solution):
Almost all Internet Service Providers(ISPs) require a modem in place to establish a connection to their service, however a modem by itself doesn’t provide the wifi connectivity needed in the home or office. A FlashRouter can connect directly to all known modems provided by major ISPs to create a wireless network so long as there is an Ethernet port on the modem to connect to the FlashRouter Internet port.
US Customers (Dual Router Solution):
Yes, FlashRouters are compatible with your ISP in what is called a Dual Router Set Up.
For this type of setup, you would use your current router or modem router to connect to your local ISP while using a FlashRouter to connect to your VPN. This is recommended as you will not overhaul your network with a new router, and you will be able to use your selected VPN service on the devices you wish to use it with.
This set up would result in the creation of two networks, which can be seen as the “Local Network” and the “FlashRouter Network”. All devices connected to the FlashRouter Network will go through the VPN service.
For any device you would prefer to use without a VPN, you can connect to the local network. The chain of devices would be connected from LAN ton your modem or modem/router to WAN on the FlashRouter, with your current router connected to the FlashRouter via Ethernet cable.
International Customers (Single Router Solution):
Almost all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) require a modem in place to establish a connection to their service, however a modem by itself doesn’t provide the wifi connectivity needed in the home or office. A FlashRouter can connect directly to all known modems provided by major ISPs to create a wireless network so long as there is an Ethernet port on the modem to connect to the FlashRouter Internet port.
International Customers (Dual Router Solution):
ISPs should all be compatible. Some providers require VLAN tagging/VID settings when wiring directly from modem to FlashRouter.
For this type of setup, you would use your current router or modem router to connect to your local ISP while using a FlashRouter to connect to your VPN. This is recommended as you will not overhaul your network with a new router, and you will be able to use your selected VPN service on the devices you wish to use it with.
This set up would result in the creation of two networks, which can be seen as the “Local Network” and the “FlashRouter Network”. All devices connected to the FlashRouter Network will go through the VPN service.
For any device you would prefer to use without a VPN, you can connect to the local network. The chain of devices would be connected from LAN ton your modem or modem/router to WAN on the FlashRouter, with your current router connected to the FlashRouter via Ethernet cable.
What Stock Firmware Features Will I Lose If I Flash My Router
Open Source firmware like DD-WRT or Assu Merlin has many features equivalent to what stock firmware has, in addition to adding new features to a router. However, some features are lost from the stock firmware when a router is flashed.
These are typically features that are put into the stock firmware by the manufacturers themselves. Things like the Linksys App and the NetGear Genie are examples of what would not be available or compatible on the router after flashing.
Most routers also have a WPS button. By default, the WPS button’s functionality is disabled when a router is flashed as it can be vulnerable and a security risk. It can be re-enabled by following this guide but we do not recommend it.
Does a FlashRouter or Service Plan Purchase Include a VPN Subscription?
A subscription to a VPN does not come with a FlashRouter or Service plan. If you are planning to use a VPN, you would need to sign up for one separately, directly from a provider.
Need assistance in finding a VPN Provider? Please visit our recent VPN Provider Best Seller List.
Plug and Play VPN Support
Unlike other VPN Router providers, FlashRouters is proud to offer free VPN service integration with any purchase.
To receive a plug and play with VPN device, you will need to provide our team with the credentials from your VPN provider subscription.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is not required but recommended for users who wish to have the simplest, most seamless experience when the FlashRouter arrives. You can always change the password when the device arrives if you wish as well.
To have your router VPN pre-configured:
- Select Yes from the “Want Your Router Preconfigured?” on the Payment Page during checkout.
- Select your VPN provider. If you don’t see your VPN listed select “Other” and you will see an additional field to input who your provider is.
- Enter your your VPN username and password
- For ExpressVPN Firmware Routers there will be an additional box for your activation code.
Please note: If you do not enter a server location request in “Order Comments”, we will automatically start the device with the closest/optimal server for the location we are shipping the device by default. A location has to be added to the initial configuration for plug and play encryption security to occur on the device.
Can I Use A FlashRouter To Work From Home?
Yes! A large number of our customers use their FlashRouters to “work from home” no matter where your travels take you. Check out our Working Remotely Blog Post for more details.
What is the Difference Between Business VPNs and VPN Services?
Location: VPN Services offer many server locations to encrypt your traffic through. They are located in several countries worldwide for creating a private VPN tunnel for your online activities. A business VPN connects to specific central servers for data or directly to your office, creating a direct tunnel for accessing sensitive work documents and information.
Logging: Most VPN services offer log-free connections for total anonymity and security when connected (it is important to check out their terms of service and privacy policy for full details). A business VPN is monitored and maintained by employers such as corporations, hospitals or universities.
Protection: VPN services secure your family’s personal data while using computers, SmartTVs and various Internet of Things devices. Business VPNs protect the data of the company while you are tunneling into work.
Are There VPN Service Providers That Offer VPN for Business?
There are in fact several trusted VPN providers that have services specially tailored for business use. NordVPN Teams and VyprVPN for Business offer a full suite of solutions like user management tools, dedicated IPs, personal product managers, global server access, business pricing, and more.
These solutions allow you to quickly deploy a safe and secure corporate network without building and maintaining your own servers. If you are a small business looking to quickly secure remote workers as they shift to work from home, and you do not have an in-house IT expert, then you should consider NordVPN Teams or VyprVPN for Business.
Even better, when choosing a business VPN provider like NordVPN or VyprVPN, employees can use routers with direct NordVPN and VyprVPN integration already included through the FR Privacy App. Meaning that a full network kill switch, routing by device, automatic connections, and more are all included as features with your business VPN connection.
Can I use a VPN on a FlashRouter With My Work/Corporate VPN?
Many of our customers have found that they can connect to both their corporate and personal VPN, however due to the variables beyond our control, we cannot guarantee this for every unique situation.
Using two VPNs at once can lead to unpredictable results. Bouncing your network traffic to multiple servers before finally arriving at it’s intended destination can sometimes introduce speed and connection issues.
Please consider that some employers and agencies are more vigilant regarding third party VPN use than others. There are tools readily available that detect the use of VPN services.
While these tools cannot decrypt and view your network traffic, they can tell your employer that you are potentially using a VPN, which can be against company policy.
If your corporate and personal VPN do not work together, then you can always set the computer using your work VPN to bypass the FlashRouter’s VPN tunnel by accessing the router admin panel for your device.
This way, your computer would only use the work VPN. Keep in mind however, your location would appear as your actual location to your work.
Every FlashRouter also comes with a 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee.
If in the event you determine the FlashRouter is not working out for you, you can return the device within the first 30 Days. A $25 restocking fee does apply.
Can I Use a FlashRouter to Connect to a Dedicated Business VPN Network?
Of course! If you have an OpenVPN server running on a local machine or hosted on a cloud provider like Amazon Web Services (AWS), FlashRouters can create a custom router client configuration to connect the entire router and all connected devices to your OpenVPN server. Instead of employees connecting device-by-device, a router-based VPN connection allows for always-on secure VPN tunneling.
Our service team is here to work with you to test and ensure compatibility before purchasing. Interested in a router based custom client VPN solution for your remote workers? Please do not hesitate to contact us.
And, if you’re looking for a specific router, take a look at some of our most popular options!
How can I Reset the Password for My FlashRouters.com Customer Account?
To reset your password, you’ll want to click the “Account” icon in the upper right hand corner on our main website (Flashrouters.com). Once clicked, a menu will open where you can enter your login information, or select the “Forgot Password” button to trigger a reset email.
If you’re still having issues accessing your FlashRouters.com customer account after attempting a password reset, please reach out to us at support@flashrouters.com for further assistance.
What Payment Methods does FlashRouters Accept?
We accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, and all major cred/debit card providers on our payment method options page during checkout.
If you’d like to complete a purchase using PayPal as a payment method, please contact our team at support@flashrouters.com to request an invoice.
Can I Make Change/Update/Cancel My Order?
We strive to process and ship all orders within one business day. If you wish to make changes or cancellations, please contact us within 24 hours of placing your order at support@flashrouters.com with your order number and the changes you’d like to make.
While we will do our best to accommodate your request, please note that we cannot guarantee changes or cancellations.
Please note that if you need to update the shipping address, the order will require reapproval through our fraud prevention system with the new address.
Trouble Checking Out
Some customers have found that trying the methods below have helped solve any checkout errors they may have encountered:
⚡️Clearing cache
⚡️Refreshing web page
⚡️Switching web browsers
⚡️Using an incognito/private window
⚡️Confirming all billing information is accurate
⚡️Disable VPN if one is enabled
⚡️Disable Ad & Script Blockers if enabled
⚡️If you’re using a mobile device, switching to a computer or laptop would be ideal.
How to Access Your AsusWRT FlashRouter Settings
This quick guide will walk you through connecting to your AsusWRT FlashRouter and logging into the admin settings page. You’ll use either WiFi or an Ethernet cable, then access the router dashboard through your browser.
Step 1. Connect Your Device to the Router
You can connect by WiFi or Ethernet:
- WiFi: Look for a network name like FlashRouter24 or FlashRouter50.
- The WiFi password is set to: Wireless#[First 5 characters of your router’s MAC]
- Example: If your MAC is CC28A07E70A8, your WiFi password is Wireless#CC28A.
- ⚠️ Be sure to capitalize the “W” in Wireless.
- Ethernet: Plug an Ethernet cable from your computer into one of the router’s LAN ports (usually marked or color-coded differently from the WAN port).
👉 Pro tip: Disconnect from any other WiFi networks during setup.
Step 2. Open the Router Login Page
- Open a web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge).
- In the address bar, type: 192.168.50.1 or go to asusrouter.com
- Press Enter.
This is the local router dashboard address (not a public website). If the page doesn’t load:
- Try a different browser.
- Clear your cache.
- Ensure your device is connected to the FlashRouter network.
Step 3. Log In to the Router Settings
- Default username:
flashrouter - Default password:
asuswrt-admin1 - Some older devices may use:
asuswrt1orasuswrt - This is the factory default for AsusWRT routers shipped by FlashRouters.
💡 Once you’re in, you can update your admin password in the settings for extra security.
Next Steps
Now that you’ve accessed your AsusWRT FlashRouter, you can:
- Set up your VPN service
- Customize your WiFi name and password
- Adjust device controls and security settings
Check our support library for your specific VPN setup guide.
CyberGhost AsusWRT OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for CyberGhost Setup
Obtain your CyberGhost OpenVPN information
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.
AsusWRT Router Setup for CyberGhost
Login to AsusWRT firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the AsusWRT FlashRouter’s network.
1. Navigate to the VPN tab.
2. Navigate to the VPN Fusion tab.
3. Click Add profile.
4. In the Connection Name field enter in the name you’d like to use for this OpenVPN Client profile. We typically advise entering in the location or server number here. Our example server was in USA so I have entered in CyberGhost USA.
5. In the VPN Type dropdown select OpenVPN.
6. Click Import .ovpn file and select the openvpn.ovpn file from the folder you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
7. In the Username and Password fields enter in the CyberGhost assigned username and password that you obtained earlier.
8. After uploading the openvpn.ovpn file you will get a message that says “Complete, Lack of Client Key!, Lack of Client Certificate, Lack of Certificate Authority”. For CyberGhost you need to enter in these details manually. Click Import the CA file or edit the .ovpn file manually and then click the edit icon next to Content modification of Keys and Certificate.
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).
Then click OK.
8. Click Apply and Enable at the bottom of the page.
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 click into the profile and disable Apply to all devices. Then click Devices and select the devices that you want to connect to VPN.
9. At the top of the page set the Service State toggle to ON to activate the VPN connection.
Verify a successful CyberGhost connection
- You should now see a CONNECTED message.
- Visit What is my IP Address from a private/incognito browser to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 CyberGhost.
How to change the CyberGhost server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to create a new CyberGhost location profile in your account.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
IVPN Manual OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for Manual IVPN Setup
Verify your IVPN login information
If you are not already an IVPN user Sign Up Now.
Log in to your account on the IVPN website.
Locate and Copy the Username displayed on the VPN Accounts page.
IVPN Server Addresses
View a full list of IVPN servers.
United States
Atlanta:
us-ga.gw.ivpn.net
Dallas:
us-tx.gw.ivpn.net
Los Angeles:
us-ca.gw.ivpn.net
Miami:
us-fl.gw.ivpn.net
New Jersey:
us-nj.gw.ivpn.net
Salt Lake City:
us-ut.gw.ivpn.net
DD-WRT Router Setup for IVPN
Navigate to Services > VPN
Enter IVPN settings
OpenVPN Client
Start OpenVPN Client
If you wish to disable your VPN connection simply set this to Disable at any time and click Apply Settings.
Server IP/Name
Copy and paste the server you would like to connect to from the server list above. Be sure there are no extra spaces or characters.
If you wish to change PureVPN connection locations, THIS IS THE ONLY FIELD YOU NEED TO CHANGE.
Port
443 for TCP
2049 for UDP
Tunnel Device
TUN
Tunnel Protocol
TCP or UDP
Encryption cipher
AES-256-CBC
Hash Algorithm
SHA1
User Pass Authentication
Enable
Username
Enter the Username you noted from the Home page above.
eg. ivpn1234567
Password
Enter the Password you successfully logged in to your IVPN account with.
Advanced Options
Enable
TLS Cipher
None
LZO Compression
Adaptive
NAT
Enable
Firewall Protection
Enable
TLS Auth Key
-----BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1----- ac470c93ff9f5602a8aab37dee84a528 14d10f20490ad23c47d5d82120c1bf85 9e93d0696b455d4a1b8d55d40c2685c4 1ca1d0aef29a3efd27274c4ef09020a3 978fe45784b335da6df2d12db97bbb83 8416515f2a96f04715fd28949c6fe296 a925cfada3f8b8928ed7fc963c156327 2f5cf46e5e1d9c845d7703ca881497b7 e6564a9d1dea9358adffd435295479f4 7d5298fabf5359613ff5992cb57ff081 a04dfb81a26513a6b44a9b5490ad265f 8a02384832a59cc3e075ad545461060b 7bcab49bac815163cb80983dd51d5b1f d76170ffd904d8291071e96efc3fb777 856c717b148d08a510f5687b8a8285dc ffe737b98916dd15ef6235dee4266d3b -----END OpenVPN Static key V1-----
Additional Config
tls-client
tls-cipher TLS-DHE-RSA-WITH-AES-256-CBC-SHA
resolv-retry infinite
keepalive 10 60
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
persist-remote-ip
verb 3
Policy Based Routing
This field can be used for split VPN and Dual Gateway routing.
CA Cert
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- MIIGoDCCBIigAwIBAgIJAJjvUclXmxtnMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBCwUAMIGMMQswCQYD VQQGEwJDSDEPMA0GA1UECAwGWnVyaWNoMQ8wDQYDVQQHDAZadXJpY2gxETAPBgNV BAoMCElWUE4ubmV0MQ0wCwYDVQQLDARJVlBOMRgwFgYDVQQDDA9JVlBOIFJvb3Qg Q0EgdjIxHzAdBgkqhkiG9w0BCQEWEHN1cHBvcnRAaXZwbi5uZXQwHhcNMjAwMjI2 MTA1MjI5WhcNNDAwMjIxMTA1MjI5WjCBjDELMAkGA1UEBhMCQ0gxDzANBgNVBAgM Blp1cmljaDEPMA0GA1UEBwwGWnVyaWNoMREwDwYDVQQKDAhJVlBOLm5ldDENMAsG A1UECwwESVZQTjEYMBYGA1UEAwwPSVZQTiBSb290IENBIHYyMR8wHQYJKoZIhvcN AQkBFhBzdXBwb3J0QGl2cG4ubmV0MIICIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAg8AMIIC CgKCAgEAxHVeaQN3nYCLnGoEg6cY44AExbQ3W6XGKYwC9vI+HJbb1o0tAv56ryvc 6eS6BdG5q9M8fHaHEE/jw9rtznioiXPwIEmqMqFPA9k1oRIQTGX73m+zHGtRpt9P 4tGYhkvbqnN0OGI0H+j9R6cwKi7KpWIoTVibtyI7uuwgzC2nvDzVkLi63uvnCKRX cGy3VWC06uWFbqI9+QDrHHgdJA1F0wRfg0Iac7TE75yXItBMvNLbdZpge9SmplYW FQ2rVPG+n75KepJ+KW7PYfTP4Mh3R8A7h3/WRm03o3spf2aYw71t44voZ6agvslv wqGyczDytsLUny0U2zR7/mfEAyVbL8jqcWr2Df0m3TA0WxwdWvA51/RflVk9G96L ncUkoxuBT56QSMtdjbMSqRgLfz1iPsglQEaCzUSqHfQExvONhXtNgy+Pr2+wGrEu SlLMee7aUEMTFEX/vHPZanCrUVYf5Vs8vDOirZjQSHJfgZfwj3nL5VLtIq6ekDhS AdrqCTILP3V2HbgdZGWPVQxl4YmQPKo0IJpse5Kb6TF2o0i90KhORcKg7qZA40sE bYLEwqTM7VBs1FahTXsOPAoMa7xZWV1TnigF5pdVS1l51dy5S8L4ErHFEnAp242B DuTClSLVnWDdofW0EZ0OkK7V9zKyVl75dlBgxMIS0y5MsK7IWicCAwEAAaOCAQEw gf4wHQYDVR0OBBYEFHUDcMOMo35yg2A/v0uYfkDE11CXMIHBBgNVHSMEgbkwgbaA FHUDcMOMo35yg2A/v0uYfkDE11CXoYGSpIGPMIGMMQswCQYDVQQGEwJDSDEPMA0G A1UECAwGWnVyaWNoMQ8wDQYDVQQHDAZadXJpY2gxETAPBgNVBAoMCElWUE4ubmV0 MQ0wCwYDVQQLDARJVlBOMRgwFgYDVQQDDA9JVlBOIFJvb3QgQ0EgdjIxHzAdBgkq hkiG9w0BCQEWEHN1cHBvcnRAaXZwbi5uZXSCCQCY71HJV5sbZzAMBgNVHRMEBTAD AQH/MAsGA1UdDwQEAwIBBjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQsFAAOCAgEAABAjRMJy+mXFLezA Z8iUgxOjNtSqkCv1aU78K1XkYUzbwNNrSIVGKfP9cqOEiComXY6nniws7QEV2IWi lcdPKm0x57recrr9TExGGOTVGB/WdmsFfn0g/HgmxNvXypzG3qulBk4qQTymICds l9vIPb1l9FSjKw1KgUVuCPaYq7xiXbZ/kZdZX49xeKtoDBrXKKhXVYoWus/S+k2I S8iCxvcp599y7LQJg5DOGlbaxFhsW4R+kfGOaegyhPvpaznguv02i7NLd99XqJhp v2jTUF5F3T23Z4KkL/wTo4zxz09DKOlELrE4ai++ilCt/mXWECXNOSNXzgszpe6W As0h9R++sH+AzJyhBfIGgPUTxHHHvxBVLj3k6VCgF7mRP2Y+rTWa6d8AGI2+Raey V9DVVH9UeSoU0Hv2JHiZL6dRERnyg8dyzKeTCke8poLIjXF+gyvI+22/xsL8jcNH i9Kji3Vpc3i0Mxzx3gu2N+PL71CwJilgqBgxj0firr3k8sFcWVSGos6RJ3IvFvTh xYx0p255WrWM01fR9TktPYEfjDT9qpIJ8OrGlNOhWhYj+a45qibXDpaDdb/uBEmf 2sSXNifjSeUyqu6cKfZvMqB7pS3l/AhuAOTT80E4sXLEoDxkFD4C78swZ8wyWRKw sWGIGABGAHwXEAoDiZ/jjFrEZT0= -----END CERTIFICATE-----
CLICK APPLY SETTINGS
Leave all settings not mentioned above as their default setting.
Verify a successful IVPN connection
Navigate to Status > OpenVPN
- You should now see a CONNECTED SUCCESS message.
- Visit WhatIsMyIPAddress to verify your new IP address, virtual location, and status as Protected at the top 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 IVPN.
Back up your settings
Navigate to Administration > Backup
- Click the Backup button.
- A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
- You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.
How to change the IVPN server
- Copy the new IVPN server address from the above server list.
- Paste the server into the Server IP/Name field.
- Click Apply Settings.
Privacy Hero Activation and Setup
Follow this article when you receive your new Privacy Hero router to create your Privacy Hero account, connect your Privacy Hero to the Internet, and customize your network so it is ready to use.
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 or your other Wi-Fi network.
Create your Privacy Hero account
1. From any device that has a browser such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet visit app.privacyhero.com
2. Select Create Account.
3. Enter the Email address you want to set for your Privacy Hero account. This will be your login to the Privacy Hero settings moving forward. Click Create Account.
4. Go to your Email inbox and check for an email from Privacy Hero and click the Confirm email address link. This email may be in your Promotions or Spam inbox if it is not appearing in your main inbox.
5. Enter the password that you want to use for your Privacy Hero account. Be sure to note this in a secure location so you do not forget. Click Submit.
6. You have now created your Privacy Hero account. You will use this login to access the Privacy Hero router settings.
Activate your Privacy Hero Internet and setup Wi-Fi
1. You will then be taken to the Router Activation steps. Connect the ethernet cable that the Privacy Hero came with from an open Ethernet port on your ISP modem or other router to the WAN/Internet (blue) port of the Privacy Hero.
Then power the Privacy Hero device on by connecting the power supply. This is shown in the video on the page as well. Wait about a minute or so for the Privacy Hero router to fully boot up and then click I’m Connected.
2. The next page may say Router Found or ask you to enter the Activation Code. If it asks for the Activation Code that will be the code printed on the bottom of the Privacy Hero. Enter this code and click Next.
3. Set the Wi-Fi name and password for connecting your devices to the Privacy Hero network. Make sure it is not a duplicate name of an existing Wi-Fi network. Click Next.
4. To activate your 1 Year NordVPN code:
Click on Claim NordVPN 1 Year Code Now
Go to the Account section of your router settings.
Copy the NordVPN code shown under Claim NordVPN 1 Year Code.
Go to the NordVPN activation page.
This code can be used with a new or existing NordVPN account.
5. You are now all set to begin joining your devices to the new Privacy Hero network with the Wi-Fi name and password you entered and setting up some of the Privacy Hero features.
NordVPN Asus AX1800S OpenVPN Setup
Preparing for NordVPN Asus AX1800S Setup
Obtain your NordVPN manual Username and Password
If you are not already an NordVPN user Sign Up Now.
1. Log in to your account on the NordVPN website.
2. Click NordVPN on the left hand side and then click Setup NordVPN manually.
3. Enter in the verification code that was sent to your email.
4. Copy and paste your NordVPN manual username and password to a secure location. This is the username and password you will enter into the router settings to connect to NordVPN.
Download your NordVPN .ovpn file
1. There are two options for obtaining the .ovpn file. The first and recommended is to navigate to NordVPN’s server recommendation page. Click Recommended Server to display the fastest server based on your actual location. You can adjust the country if you don’t want to connect to the recommended country.
Then click Show Available Protocols. Click Download Config next to OpenVPN UDP. This will download the .ovpn file to your computer for this server. Do not open this file.
The second method to obtain a server is for connecting to a specific server number that you know you want to use. This applies to NordVPN Dedicated IP servers if you are signed up for that service. Go to NordVPN’s .ovpn file page. Then search for the server number that you want to use and click Download UDP.
Asus AX1800S Router Setup for NordVPN
Login to Asus firmware settings in a browser on any computer or smart device connected to the FlashRouter’s network.
1. Navigate to the VPN tab.
2. Navigate to the VPN Client tab.
3. Click Add Profile.
4. Click Choose file and select the .ovpn file you downloaded earlier. Then click Upload.
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 or server number here.
6. Enter your NordVPN username and password that you obtained earlier in the Username and Password. Note that these are different from your NordVPN email login and password. Click OK.
7. Click the Activate button.
Verify a successful NordVPN connection
- You should now see a check mark in the Connection Status area.
- Visit NordVPN’s IP Check to verify your new IP address and virtual location.
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 NordVPN.
How to change the NordVPN server
- Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
- Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.
- Be sure to deactivate a previously active connection before activating the new one. You do not want to connect to two at the same time.
Mullvad WireGuard Setup
Preparing for Mullvad WireGuard Setup
Verify your Mullvad login information
If you are not already a Mullvad user Sign Up Now.
Log in to your account on the Mullvad website.
Select Manage ports and WireGuard Keys displayed on the account page.
DD-WRT Router Setup for Mullvad WireGuard
Navigate to Setup > Tunnels
Enter Mullvad WireGuard settings
1. Click Add Tunnel.
2. Set Tunnel to Enable.
3. Select Wireguard from the dropdown.
4. Click Add Peer.
5. Set Endpoint to Enable.
6. Set Router Allowed IP’s via tunnel and Use Pre-shared Key to Disable.
7. Click Generate Key.
8. Set Advanced Settings to Enable.
9. Copy the Local Private Key.
10. In a new tab (leave the DD-WRT settings opened), go to your Mullvad Account and click Manage Ports and WireGuard Keys.
11. Click WireGuard configuration file.
12. Select Linux as your Platform.
13. Click Manage Keys.
14. Paste the copied Local Private key to the Manage WireGuard Keys field and click Import Keys.
15. Select your Country, City, and Server number that you want to connect to.
16. Click Advanced Settings.
17. Set the Tunnel Traffic to Only IPv4.
18. Click Download File.
19. Open the config file that was downloaded to your computer with NotePad or Notepad++ for Windows or TextEdit for Mac.
20. In the downloaded config file under [Interface] enter the Address into the IP Addresses/Netmask(CIDR) field in the DD-WRT settings.
Certain DD-WRT builds will show two separate fields here: IP Address and Subnet Mask. If that is the case set the IP Address field to the Address without the /32 added and set the Subnet Mask to 255.255.255.255
21. In the config file under [Peer] copy the PublicKey and paste it into the Peer Public Key field in the DD-WRT Settings.
22. In the config file under [Peer] copy the Endpoint and paste it into the Endpoint Address field.
23. At the bottom of the page click Save and then click Apply Settings.
Enter Mullvad WireGuard Commands
Navigate to Administration > Commands
1. Copy and paste the text below and click Save Startup.
sleep 30 echo "Update route table on startup..." WGSERVER=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get oet1_rem0) WANGW=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get wan_gateway) WANIF=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get wan_iface) route add -host $WGSERVER gw $WANGW dev $WANIF route del default route add default dev oet1 ip route flush cache mkdir -p /tmp/etc/config ln -s /tmp/custom.sh /tmp/etc/config/wg-route-fix.wanup echo "... Done route table update."
2. Copy and paste the text below and click Save Custom.
#!/bin/sh sleep 5 echo "Update route table on wanup ..." WGSERVER=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get oet1_rem0) WANGW=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get wan_gateway) WANIF=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get wan_iface) route add -host $WGSERVER gw $WANGW dev $WANIF route del default route add default dev oet1 ip route flush cache echo "... Done route table update."
3. Copy and paste the text below and click Save Firewall.
WANIF=$(/usr/sbin/nvram get wan_iface)
iptables -t nat -I POSTROUTING -o oet1 -j MASQUERADE
iptables -I FORWARD -i br0 -o $WANIF -m state –state NEW -j REJECT –reject-with icmp-host-prohibited
iptables -I FORWARD -i br0 -p tcp -o $WANIF -m state –state NEW -j REJECT –reject-with tcp-reset
Set Mullvad DNS servers
Navigate to Setup > Basic Setup
Set Static DNS 1 to 10.64.0.1
Set Static DNS 2 to 193.138.218.74
Click Apply Settings.
Reboot the FlashRouter
Navigate to Administration > Management
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the red Reboot Router button. Wait for the FlashRouter to reboot and then reconnect.
Verify a successful Mullvad connection
Navigate to Setup > Tunnels
- You should see Endpoint, Latest handshake, and Transfer in the WireGuard status area.
- Visit Mullvad’s IP Check to verify your status as using Mullvad.
Back up your settings
Navigate to Administration > Backup
- Click the Backup button.
- A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
- You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.
ExpressVPN MediaStreamer SmartDNS Setup
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.
Login to ExpressVPN
If you are not already a ExpressVPN user Sign Up Now.
Visit ExpressVPN website login page and successfully login.
Register your IP with ExpressVPN
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.
Enter MediaStreamer SmartDNS servers on your FlashRouter
Navigate to Setup > Basic Setup
- Scroll down to Network Address Server Settings (DHCP).
- Enter in the MediaStreamer SmartDNS servers you noted into Static DNS fields 1 and 2.
- Click Apply Settings at the bottom of the page.
- Reboot the FlashRouter.
Once the FlashRouter has fully rebooted, you can now access your desired regional content on any device that connects to the FlashRouter’s network.
My 5.0GHz network is not showing up
Verify the device supports 5GHz
5.0GHz networks are not compatible with all devices so first make sure that you device’s wireless adapter supports 5GHz wireless frequencies.
If you are not sure, find out if your device support 5 GHz via Google search or by looking in the wireless hardware details in the device’s network settings. If you see Wireless a/b/g/n support then you have a compatible device. If you are missing the Wireless a then this means there is no 5 GHz support.
Enter the recommended wireless settings
Our team has tested the wireless functionality for each FlashRouter that we offer and shared our recommended wireless settings in our Wifi Setup area. Replicate the settings for your FlashRouter model found on that page.
Lower the wireless channel
Some devices do support 5.0GHz connections but not the higher channels that DD-WRT firmware offers.
Navigate to Wireless > Basic Settings
Lower the wireless channel setting for the 5.0GHz band that is not showing. Based on our tests the most broadly compatible channels are 36, 48 and 161.
CLICK APPLY SETTINGS
Refresh your device's network adapter
The easiest way to accomplish this is by rebooting your device as the settings to reset your adapter may vary on all types of internet connected devices.
Review wireless Status
Navigate to Status > Wireless
The readouts on this page can help tell if there are errors with the FlashRouter’s wireless. View our article on how to read the Wireless Status page for more information.