FlashRouters Support Portal

Prioritizing Privacy

Search Results for: want connect to

PrivateInternetAccess (PIA) Cudy OpenVPN Setup

· ·

Preparing for PIA Cudy 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.

PIA login

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.

PIA Generate .ovpn file

Cudy Router Setup for PIA

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.

Cudy General Settings

2. Click VPN.

Cudy VPN Tab

3. Toggle the Enable switch to On.

Cudy enable VPN

4. Select OpenVPN Client from the Protocol dropdown.

Cudy select OpenVPN Client

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.

Cudy OpenVPN Browse button

6. Enter your PIA account login username and password in the Username and Password.

Cudy PIA enter username and password

7. Click Save & Apply at the bottom of the page.

Verify a successful PIA connection

  1. You should now see a CONNECTED message.
  2. 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

  1. Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
  2. Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Still having issues? Visit the VPN Troubleshooting section.

Troubleshoot Here

NordVPN Manual OpenVPN Setup

· ·

Preparing for Manual NordVPN Setup

Verify your NordVPN login information

If you are not already an NordVPN user Sign Up Now.

Log in to your account on the NordVPN website.

NordVPN Server Addresses

For a NordVPN server recommendation visit their Recommend Server page.

Once you have selected the server you want to connect to, download the UDP .ovpn file containing the Server IP Address, TLS Auth Key, and CA Cert referenced below.

Open the .ovpn file that is downloaded to your computer with NotePad++ for Windows or TextEdit for Apple. You will only need the Server IP Address, TLS Auth Key, and CA Cert from this file. All NordVPN servers and .ovpn files have different IP Addresses, keys, and certificates.

DD-WRT Router Setup for NordVPN

Navigate to Services > VPN

Enter NordVPN 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

At the top of the .ovpn file you downloaded above, there is a line e.g.:
remote 206.226.72.27 1194
206.226.72.27 is your NordVPN server IP address. Enter the IP Address in this field.

Port

1194

Tunnel Device

TUN

Tunnel Protocol

UDP

Encryption cipher

AES-256-CBC

Hash Algorithm

SHA512

Userpass Authentication

Enable

Username

Enter the Username you successfully logged in to your NordVPN account with.

Password

Enter the Password you successfully logged in to your NordVPN account with.

Advanced Options

Enable

TLS Cipher

None

LZO Compression

Adaptive

NAT

Enable

Firewall Protection

Enable

TLS Auth Key

In the .ovpn file copy and paste all contents in between the <tls-auth> and </tls-auth> lines from your .ovpn file starting and ending with:
—–BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1—–
…
—–END OpenVPN Static key V1—–

Additional Config

tun-mtu-extra 32
mssfix 1450
persist-key
persist-tun

Policy Based Routing

This field can be used for split VPN and Dual Gateway routing.

CA Cert

In the .ovpn file Copy and Paste all contents in between the <ca> and </ca> lines from your .ovpn file starting and ending with:
—–BEGIN CERTIFICATE—–
…
—–END CERTIFICATE—–

CLICK APPLY SETTINGS

Leave all settings not mentioned above as their default setting.

Verify a successful NordVPN connection

Navigate to Status > OpenVPN

  1. You should now see a CONNECTED SUCCESS message.
  2. Visit NordVPN’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 NordVPN.

Back up your settings

Navigate to Administration > Backup

  1. Click the Backup button.
  2. A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
  3. You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.

How to change the NordVPN server

  1. Download and open a new .ovpn file from NordVPN.
  2. Copy and paste the server IP Address into the Server IP/Name field.
  3. Copy and paste the TLS Auth Key into the TLS Auth Key field.
  4. Copy and paste the CA Cert into the CA Cert field.
  5. Click Apply Settings.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Still having issues? Visit the VPN Troubleshooting section.

Troubleshoot Here

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.

IVPN website login

DD-WRT Router Setup for IVPN WireGuard

Navigate to Setup > Tunnels 

Enter IVPN WireGuard settings

1. Click Add Tunnel.

2. Set Tunnel to Enable.

Setup - Tunnel - Enable Tunnel

3. Select Wireguard from the dropdown.

Setup - Tunnel - Select Wireguard

3. Set MTU to 1412.

IVPN Wireguard MTU setting

4. Click Generate Key.

Setup - Tunnel - Generate Key

9. Copy the Local Public Key.

IVPN Wireguard 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.

IVPN Wireguard Key Management

11. Click Add New Key.

IVPN Wireguard Add New Key

12. Paste the copied Local Public key to the Public Key field and click Add Key.

IVPN Wireguard Paste Public 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.

IVPN Wireguard copy IP Address
IVPN Wireguard paste IP Address

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.

Setup - Tunnel - Add Peer

15. Set the Peer Tunnel IP to 0.0.0.0. Set Peer Tunnel DNS to 172.16.0.1

IVPN Wireguard Peer Tunnel IP and DNS

16. Set Endpoint to Enable.

IVPN Wireguard Enable Endpoint

17. Go to the IVPN Server Status page and copy the server name for the WireGuard server location you want to connect to.

IVPN Wireguard Endpoint server

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.

IVPN Wireguard Endpoint Address

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.

IVPN Wireguard copy server Public Key
IVPN Wireguard enter Peer Public Key

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.

IVPN Wireguard Peer settings

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

IVPN Wireguard Static DNS

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

  1. You should Endpoint, Latest handshake, and Transfer in the WireGuard status area.
  2. Visit IVPN’s website to verify your status as using IVPN.

Back up your settings

Navigate to Administration > Backup

  1. Click the Backup button.
  2. A file named nvrambak.bin will be saved to your computer.
  3. You can load nvrambak.bin to restore your settings in the event of a reset.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Still having issues? Visit the VPN Troubleshooting section.

Troubleshoot Here

Using Device Groups to bypass VPN on ExpressVPN/Aircove firmware

· ·

Bypassing the ExpressVPN tunnel on certain devices allows you to have multiple IP Addresses while connected to the same router. This feature is very helpful with certain websites where VPN is blocked such as streaming services and banking information.

1. Connect to the FlashRouter’s network via ethernet cable or wireless.

2. Open your web browser and enter expressvpnrouter.com or 192.168.132.1 in the URL.

ExpressVPNrouter.com
192.168.132.1

3. Login with your ExpressVPN FlashRouter admin password.

ExpressVPN Router admin login

4. Select VPN Off on the right hand side of the menu.

ExpressVPN select No VPN

5. Click and drag the device that you want to bypass the VPN tunnel to the No VPN area.

ExpressVPN No VPN select device
ExpressVPN No VPN select device 2

The devices assigned to No VPN will now correct directly to your ISP internet while the devices in the VPN group will remain connected to the VPN server.

Surfshark Setup for Privacy Hero

· ·

Privacy Hero supports Surfshark through WireGuard and OpenVPN using the Custom VPN provider option.

WireGuard is recommended for most users. It requires a Surfshark WireGuard key pair and a downloaded server configuration file. OpenVPN uses a downloaded .ovpn file and Surfshark’s separate Manual Setup credentials, not your usual Surfshark login email and password.

Privacy Hero is cloud-managed. You can change these settings from any computer, smartphone, or tablet with an internet connection; you do not need to be on the Privacy Hero WiFi to configure the VPN.

Surfshark WireGuard Setup (Recommended)

WireGuard uses a key pair for authentication. A separate Surfshark username and password is not needed for the WireGuard configuration.

Create or Select Your Surfshark WireGuard Key Pair

  1. Sign in to your Surfshark account.
  2. Open VPN → Manual Setup, choose the Router setup option, and select WireGuard.
  3. If you already registered a key pair with Surfshark, select I have a key pair and follow the prompts to register your public key. Otherwise, select I don’t have a key pair.
  4. If generating a new key pair, enter a name and choose Generate a new key pair. Save the generated keys securely when prompted.

Important: Your WireGuard private key is sensitive. Do not publish or send it in a support ticket. Surfshark notes that you may not be able to view the generated keys again after leaving that screen.

Download a Surfshark WireGuard Server File

  1. After setting up the key pair, select Choose a location or open the Locations section.
  2. Choose an available Surfshark server and download its WireGuard configuration file to your device.

Do not download the WireGuard configuration before setting up the key pair. Surfshark warns that a file downloaded too early can be missing the required key information. For more detail, see Surfshark’s manual WireGuard router instructions.

Upload WireGuard to Privacy Hero

  1. Open app.privacyhero.com and log in to your Privacy Hero account.
  2. Open the VPN section, click Change, and choose Custom as the VPN provider.
  3. Select WireGuard and upload the Surfshark WireGuard configuration file you downloaded.
  4. Click Save and allow Privacy Hero to establish the connection. Confirm the VPN status shows Connected.
Privacy Hero Custom WireGuard configuration and file upload panel

Surfshark OpenVPN Setup

OpenVPN is an alternative to WireGuard. It requires a Surfshark Manual Setup username and password and a downloaded OpenVPN configuration (.ovpn) file.

Get Your Surfshark OpenVPN Credentials

  1. Sign in to your Surfshark account.
  2. Open VPN → Manual Setup, choose Router, and select OpenVPN.
  3. Open the Credentials tab. If credentials are not yet available, select Generate credentials.
  4. Copy the Manual Setup username and password, or keep the tab open to enter them into Privacy Hero later.

Important: These are not your regular Surfshark website email and password. Keep the service credentials private.

Download a Surfshark OpenVPN Server File

  1. In Surfshark’s OpenVPN Manual Setup area, open the Locations tab.
  2. Select a country or server and download its UDP .ovpn configuration file. UDP is the recommended starting option; a TCP configuration may be worth trying later if needed.

Download a new .ovpn file whenever you want to switch to a different Surfshark server location. See Surfshark’s manual server selection instructions.

Upload OpenVPN to Privacy Hero

  1. Open app.privacyhero.com, sign in, and select the VPN section.
  2. Click Change, select Custom, and choose OpenVPN.
  3. Upload the Surfshark UDP .ovpn file you downloaded.
  4. Enter the Surfshark Manual Setup username and password into the Custom OpenVPN fields.
  5. Click Save, then confirm the VPN status shows Connected.
Privacy Hero Custom OpenVPN screen with configuration file upload and username and password fields

Verify Your Surfshark Connection

Privacy Hero showing Connected confirms the router connection status. Test a device on the Privacy Hero network to confirm it is using Surfshark.

  1. Connect your device to the Privacy Hero WiFi or LAN.
  2. Disconnect the Surfshark app or any other VPN app running directly on the testing device.
  3. Open a fresh private/incognito browser window.
  4. Visit Surfshark’s IP address checker.
  5. Confirm the displayed public IP and approximate location correspond to your selected Surfshark server.

You can change Privacy Hero settings while using another WiFi network or cellular data, but the device performing this VPN IP test must be connected to Privacy Hero. Avoid running a separate VPN app on the same testing device, as that creates a double-VPN connection.

Streaming Relocation and Your VPN Location

When Streaming Relocation is enabled for a supported streaming service, that service may use its Streaming Relocation region instead of the Surfshark VPN server region. See Privacy Hero Streaming Relocation.

Surfshark Not Connecting?

If Privacy Hero displays Failed, remains on Connecting, or reports a timeout, try these steps:

  1. Confirm your Surfshark subscription is active and that Custom is selected as the VPN provider in Privacy Hero.
  2. If using WireGuard, confirm that the key pair was created or registered before downloading the server file. If necessary, generate a new key pair, download a fresh configuration, and upload it again.
  3. If using OpenVPN, double-check your separate Surfshark Manual Setup username and password, not your regular website login.
  4. Download a fresh server configuration for another available Surfshark location and try again.
  5. If OpenVPN UDP continues to fail, try a Surfshark TCP .ovpn configuration file to check for a protocol-specific issue.
  6. Temporarily disable the VPN Kill Switch while checking whether internet access works without the VPN, then restore your preferred Kill Switch setting.

No Internet After Surfshark Disconnects?

The VPN Kill Switch may intentionally block normal internet traffic when the VPN connection is unavailable. See Privacy Hero VPN Kill Switch: No Internet or WiFi Troubleshooting.

VPN Connected but One Device Shows the Wrong IP?

If other Privacy Hero devices display the expected Surfshark VPN IP, review the affected device for VPN apps, iCloud Private Relay, Private DNS, proxy settings, antivirus filtering, or other security software. See Device Settings That Can Interfere With Your Router VPN.

Related Privacy Hero Guides

Change Wireless Channels on ExpressVPN/Aircove firmware

· ·

Changing the wireless channel on your ExpressVPN FlashRouter can help with WiFi stability and allows you to use a wireless channel with less traffic in your local environment.

1. Connect to the FlashRouter’s network via ethernet cable or wireless.

2. Open your web browser and enter expressvpnrouter.com or 192.168.132.1 in the URL.

ExpressVPNrouter.com
192.168.132.1

3. Login with your ExpressVPN FlashRouter admin password.

ExpressVPN Router admin login

4. Select Network Settings on the left hand side of the menu.

ExpressVPN Network Settings

5. Select Wi-Fi Settings on the left hand side of the menu.

ExpressVPN WiFi Settings

6. Select Advanced Settings.

ExpressVPN WiFi Advanced Settings

7. Select the Channel Width and Main Channel you want your ExpressVPN FlashRouter to use. Note that higher 5GHz Wi-Fi channels will not be compatible with older devices. Click Save. Click Continue.

ExpressVPN WiFi Channels

Router FAQs

· ·

Router FAQs

What is an IP Address?

An IP (Internet Protocol) Address is a numerical assignment for each device (cell phone, iPad, laptop computer, printer etc) inside a network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. Internet Protocol is responsible for routing information packets across network boundaries. It is the main protocol establishing the Internet.

An IP address serves two predominant functions. First is to host or network interface identification. Second, it provides location addressing. To put it bluntly, an IP address tells wherever you are connecting, to whom you are visiting, and where you are located.

What is DNS?

DNS (Domain Name System) is a protocol within the TCP/IP protocol that uses a set of standards for how computers exchange data on the Internet and on many private networks.

The basic job of DNS is to convert a user-friendly domain name into an IP address that computers use to identify one another. Think of DNS like your cellphone contact list; you tap the name and the phone contacts to a phone number.

It is easier to remember flashrouters.com, rather than its IP address. Imagine if you had to remember all of the IP addresses of your favorite websites!

What is DNSMasq?

DNSMasq is a local DNS server that speeds up host-name searches from your computer/Internet connection after pressing enter.

Basically, DNSMasq gives the router some advanced enterprise functionality – caching DNS records locally so you have a faster browsing experience. Your computer only has to go to the router instead of repeatedly scouring the web for a commonly visited site.

What is Throughput and How Do I Improve it?

Throughput is the average rate of successful delivery of messages through a network. Simply put, throughput measures the speed of message delivery inside a network. If you think about it in relationship to networks and Internet connections, throughput defines the user experience. The key to a pleasing user experience is uninterrupted service and smooth data transfer.

In order to improve throughput,  you should get a router with more memory. If you notice that your network is running slowly due to congestion, you could probably benefit by upgrading your router to one with more memory. FlashMemory and RAM on a router add more room to prevent network congestion and improve throughput.

Most of FlashRouters‘ high-end units come with at least 8 MB of Flash memory and 64 MB of RAM which should be more than capable for providing for the average home users’ or small business will need in the future.

What is PPPoE?

PPPoE stands for Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet, a network protocol for encapsulating Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) frames inside Ethernet frames. It is used mainly with DSL services where individual users connect to a DSL modem over Ethernet.

With PPPoE, users virtually “dial” from one machine to another over an Ethernet network, establish a point-to-point connection and then data packets are securely transported through the connection.

PPPoE offers an Internet service provider (ISP) an easier way to track exactly how much bandwidth you are using in case they want to charge for it in the future.

What is the Difference Between VPN Encryption and Wireless Network Security?

VPN Encryption: If you are connected to the VPN on your home network, then any data that flows over the Internet is entirely encrypted whether you are connected to the Internet either wired or wirelessly. This means that if your Local ISP was trying to see what you are browsing or downloading, they would not be able to see your data.

Wireless Network Security: If you leave your wireless network open or insecure, it does not matter whether Internet traffic is encrypted, because someone can directly see what you are doing on your network, or even worse, can go in and put a wireless password on your network, locking you out. They may also be able to access folders and files on your computer without your control.

Best thing to do is protect your wireless network with a WPA secured password along with your VPN connection.

Are FlashRouters Affected By the Shellshock Bug?

No.

According to our in-house testing and multiple DD-WRT community reports, we have found that the Shellshock vulnerability will not work on with DD-WRT or TomatoUSB installed router. The vulnerability is based on a shell called BASH (Bourne Again Shell) but DD-WRT & Tomato firmware use BusyBox which is confirmed to not have this issue.

Please be advised that if you are using Optware on your DD-WRT router there is a chance that implementation is BASH based. Only used trusted optware on your router.

IPVanish Cudy OpenVPN Setup

· ·

Preparing for IPVanish Cudy 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.

IPVanish login

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.

IPVanish download ovpn

Cudy Router Setup for IPVanish

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.

Cudy General Settings

2. Click VPN.

Cudy VPN Tab

3. Toggle the Enable switch to On.

Cudy enable VPN

4. Select OpenVPN Client from the Protocol dropdown.

Cudy select OpenVPN Client

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.

Cudy OpenVPN Browse button

6. Enter your IPVanish account login email and password that you obtained earlier in the Username and Password.

Cudy IPVanish enter username and password

7. Click Save & Apply at the bottom of the page.

Verify a successful IPVanish connection

  1. You should now see a CONNECTED message.
  2. 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

  1. Follow the steps at the top of the page to obtain a new .ovpn file.
  2. Then proceed with the settings same as initial setup.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Still having issues? Visit the VPN Troubleshooting section.

Troubleshoot Here