Can I set up a VPN client in the router?

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This may be a silly question, but is it possible to install the VPN client in the router and then ALL traffic will go through this VPN?

I constantly receive ads about securing my Internet connection using paid or free VPN services all around the world. But, the thing is I don't want to go through the hassle of installing and updating software in all laptops, tablets, etc. at my home.

Solution 1:

This may be a silly question, but is it possible to install the VPN client in the router and then ALL traffic will go through this VPN?

Yes and no, but more towards the "no". A router can be a VPN client in general, but you won't be able to install provider-specific client apps on a router.

In general, a router can certainly act as a VPN client (and/or a server), enterprise routers use site-to-site VPN connections daily, and various home routers also support this function using common VPN protocols – for example, IPsec or PPTP are often seen.

However, it extremely depends on the specific router model that you have, as it's not a "standard" feature to be included in consumer devices, it's an extra that may or may not be present.

It also extremely depends on the VPN provider – even if your router can be a VPN client in general, it might not support the specific VPN protocol that your chosen service uses (of which there are many), or be very outdated in its capabilities. (It seems that they tend to only support PPTP that was standard ~15 years ago, but not WireGuard that's standard today, and might "support" OpenVPN in the same way that Windows 95 "supports" HTTPS.)

Also, many commercial VPN services use their own proprietary protocols (or at least, custom additions to standard ones) which practically require the use of their app – and you won't be able to install a Windows or Android app on a home router that runs neither of those. Fortunately, there are just as many providers that'll let you use a standard protocol like OpenVPN and will just give you the config file – but it's something to pay attention to.

So let's say you're getting a new router with VPN support, pay good attention to what protocols it can handle; e.g. if it claims to support OpenVPN or IKEv2, then you'd need a VPN service that specifically does OpenVPN or IKEv2.

Really, it might be more feasible to do the opposite: turn a computer into a router; e.g. if the VPN service supports Linux clients, then something like Pi-Hole (or just any Linux in general) could be set up to perform the job of the LAN's router, running the latest version of OpenVPN or even the provider's custom Linux app if there's one.

I constantly receive ads about securing my Internet connection using paid or free VPN services all around the world.

An easier solution is to use an adblocker plugin.

Keep in mind that VPNs (whether commercial or enterprise or any other kind) fundamentally just let you borrow access to another network. While connected to a VPN, your local ISP won't see your data – but the VPN network will see exactly the same data.

Solution 2:

Yes. you certainly can do this if the router supports it - this is not a common feature set on cheap routers, but has been available on prosumer gear for a long time - if your router supports dd-wet, flashing that will enable vpn connectivuty.

You may need to keep in mind there are different vpn protocols - openvpn is often supported on prosumer gear and vpn providers. Be aware that routers typically dont have silicon to handle encryption/decryption, so throughput can suffer.