How to Configure and Use NordVPN on pfSense 2.5

pfSense 2.5 firmware-based routers now provide support for WireGuard VPN clients. But it won’t help you configure NordVPN on it as NordLynx is only available on NordVPN clients for desktop and mobile devices. But fret not, you can configure the OpenVPN client of NordVPN on your pfSense router and encrypt your complete web connection. Go through the following steps to learn how.

Note

If you’re using pfSense 2.4.4 or 2.4.5, check our separate guides.

1. First, visit the NordVPN website.

2. Next, click the Grab the Deal button and choose a subscription plan on the Next page.

3. You have to fill in the required details now to complete your purchase.

4. When done, wait for a confirmation on your subscription and visit your router’s login page from your browser.

5. Next, move to System> Certificate Manager> CAs and choose the +Add button.

6. To perform the rest of the steps, you need to obtain the hostname of the VPN server you want to connect to in your preferred location.

7. For that, first click here and select the VPN server in your preferred location, and take a note of the hostname.

8. Once done, enter the details on your router’s web page as mentioned below.

Descriptive Name: Any name
Method: Choose Import an existing Certificate Authority
Trust Store: Uncheck
Randomize Serial: Uncheck
Certificate data:

9. Click Save now and navigate to VPN> OpenVPN> Clients and choose +Add.

10. Now fill in the below details-

Disable this client: Uncheck
Server mode: Peer to Peer (SSL/TLS)
Protocol: UDP on IPv4 only (alternatively, you can use TCP)
Device mode: tun – Layer 3 Tunnel Mode
Interface: WAN
Local port: Blank
Server host or address: The hostname of the server you've picked
Server port: 1194 (use 443 in case of TCP)
Proxy host or address: Blank
Proxy port: Blank
Proxy Authentication: None
Description: Any name

Use Authentication Settings

Username:
Password:

Note

You'll get your username and password in your online NordVPN account dashboard under the Advanced Configuration tab.

Authentication Retry: Uncheck

Cryptographic Settings

TLS Configuration: Check the Use a TLS Key option; Uncheck the Automatically generate a TLS key option
TLS Key:

-----BEGIN OpenVPN Static key V1-----
e685bdaf659a25a200e2b9e39e51ff03
0fc72cf1ce07232bd8b2be5e6c670143
f51e937e670eee09d4f2ea5a6e4e6996
5db852c275351b86fc4ca892d78ae002
d6f70d029bd79c4d1c26cf14e9588033
cf639f8a74809f29f72b9d58f9b8f5fe
fc7938eade40e9fed6cb92184abb2cc1
0eb1a296df243b251df0643d53724cdb
5a92a1d6cb817804c4a9319b57d53be5
80815bcfcb2df55018cc83fc43bc7ff8
2d51f9b88364776ee9d12fc85cc7ea5b
9741c4f598c485316db066d52db4540e
212e1518a9bd4828219e24b20d88f598
a196c9de96012090e333519ae18d3509
9427e7b372d348d352dc4c85e18cd4b9
3f8a56ddb2e64eb67adfc9b337157ff4
-----END OpenVPN Static key V1-----

TLS Key Usage Mode: TLS Authentication
TLS keydir direction: Use default direction
Peer certificate authority: NordVPN_CA
Peer Certificate Revocation list: No need to define
Client certificate: webConfigurator default (59f92214095d8) (Server: Yes, In Use)
Data Encryption Negotiation: Check
Data Encryption Algorithms: AES-256-GCM and AES-256-CBC
Fallback Data Encryption Algorithm: AES-256-CBC
Auth digest algorithm: SHA512 (512-bit)
Hardware Crypto: No Hardware Crypto Acceleration

NordVPN Cryptographic Settings on pfSense

Tunnel Settings

IPv4 tunnel network: Leave blank
IPv6 tunnel network: Leave blank
IPv4 remote network(s): Leave blank
IPv6 remote network(s): Leave blank
Limit outgoing bandwidth: Leave blank
Allow Compression: Refuse any non-stub compression (Most Secure)
Topology: Subnet – One IP address per client in a common subnet
Type-of-Service: Uncheck
Don’t pull routes: Uncheck
Don’t add/remove routes: Check

Advanced Configuration

Custom Options:

tls-client;
remote-random;
tun-mtu 1500;
tun-mtu-extra 32;
mssfix 1450;
persist-key;
persist-tun;
reneg-sec 0;
remote-cert-tls server;

UDP FAST I/O: Uncheck
Exit Notify: Disabled
Send/Receive Buffer: Default
Gateway creation: IPv4 only
Verbosity level: 3 (recommended)

11. Move to Interfaces> Interface Assignments now Add the NordVPN interface.

12. Choose the OPT1 at the left of your recently assigned interface and enter the below information.

Enable: Check
Description: NordVPN
Mac Address: Leave blank
MTU: Leave blank
MSS: Leave blank

13. Next, press Save and navigate to Services> DNS Resolver> General Settings and fill in the below mentioned details-

Enable: Check
Listen port: Leave as is
Enable SSL/TLS Service: Uncheck
SSL/TLS Certificate: webConfigurator default (59f92214095d8) (Server: Yes, In Use)
SSL/TLS Listen Port: Leave it unchanged
Network Interfaces: All
Outgoing Network Interfaces: NordVPN
System Domains Local Zone Type: Transparent
DNSSEC: Uncheck
Python Module: Uncheck
DNS Query Forwarding: Check the Enable forwarding mode, and Uncheck Use SSL/TLS for outgoing DNS Queries to Forwarding Servers
DHCP Registration: Check
Static DHCP: Check
OpenVPN Clients: Uncheck

14. Click the Save button next.

15. Move to DNS Resolver now and choose Advanced Settings.

16. Then, enter the information mentioned below-

Advanced Privacy Options:

Hide Identity: Check
Hide Version: Check
Query Name Minimization: Uncheck
Strict Query Name Minimization: Uncheck

Advanced Resolver Options:

Prefetch Support: Check
Prefetch DNS Key Support: Check
Harden DNSSEC Data: Uncheck

17. Next, click Save and move to Firewall> NAT> Outbound.

18. Choose Manual Outbound NAT rule generation after that and click Save.

19. Now, all the six IPv6 rules will appear, delete all of those and add a new one.

20. For that, set Interface as NordVPN, Address Family as IPv4, and Source as your LAN subnet, e.g., 192.168.2.0/24.

21. Click Save finally and move to Firewall> Rules> LAN.

22. Here you have to delete the IPv6 rule and edit the IPv4 rule.

23. For that, click Display Advanced first and change the Gateway to NordVPN.

24. Next, click Save.

25. Once done, move to System and choose General Setup.

26. Now, fill in the details as mentioned-

DNS Server 1: 103.86.96.100; none
DNS Server 2: 103.86.99.100; NordVPN_VPNV4 - opt1 - ...

27. Press Save next.

28. Once done, move to Status> OpenVPN, and the services should be 'up.'

That's all! Now you know how to configure and use NordVPN on pfSense 2.5 routers. If you've further queries, drop us a comment through the below button. Thanks for reading!