Security

How to Set Up a VPN on D-Link Router in 2024

By Novak Bozovic / December 5, 2023

Most D-Link routers support L2TP and PPTP VPN protocols, which are outdated and no longer on offer by most VPNs (especially the top-rated ones). That means you can set up a VPN on a D-Link router only if your device supports DD-WRT firmware. In other words, flashing with DD-WRT is required in that case.

By flashing a D-Link router with DD-WRT, you'll get to set up an OpenVPN connection. The only issue is that only two models support this: DIR-885L and DIR-895L. So, if you have one of those models at hand, let's show you how to get a VPN onto your D-Link router.

As explained above, you'll need to flash your router with DD-WRT to be able to set up a VPN on your D-Link router. Then, you'll access DD-WRT's admin panel and create a new OpenVPN connection. Here are all the steps you need to take:

Warning

Before setting up a VPN on your D-Link router, you'll need to flash it. We highly recommend following DD-WRT's official guide. Keep in mind that installing DD-WRT will void your router's warranty in most cases.

1. Get a VPN that supports DD-WRT routers (we recommend NordVPN).

2. After subscribing, access your router's DD-WRT admin panel.

3. Navigate to Setup > Basic Setup > Network Address Server Settings (DHCP), input the information found just below, and then click 'Save' and 'Apply Settings.'

Setting Up DNS of NordVPN to DD-WRT

4. Navigate to Setup > IPv6 and pick 'Disable,' followed by 'Save' and 'Apply Settings.'

Disabling IPv6 on DD-WRT

5. Navigate to Service > VPN > OpenVPN Client > Start OpenVPN Client > Enable. You'll now see a long list of fields, so fill them out based on the following information:

6. Next, click 'Enable' next to 'Advanced Options,' and use the following information:

7. In the 'Additional Config' box, you can copy/paste the following code:

remote-cert-tls server
remote-random
nobind
tun-mtu 1500
tun-mtu-extra 32
mssfix 1450
persist-key
persist-tun
ping-timer-rem
reneg-sec 0
#log /tmp/vpn.log
#Delete `#` in the line below if your router does not have credentials fields
#auth-user-pass /tmp/openvpncl/user.conf

8. Find the OpenVPN files you downloaded earlier from NordVPN's website. First, open the OVPN configuration file (named 'xxx_nordvpn_com_udp_ovpn) and copy the <ca> part to the 'CA Cert' field.

Copying CA Cert from NordVPN to DD-WRT

9. Next, copy the <ts-auth> part into the 'TLS Auth Key' field. Then, click 'Save' and 'Apply Settings.'

Copying TLS Auth from NordVPN to DD-WRT

10. Return to Status > OpenVPN and look for the 'State' field, where it should say 'Client: Connected Success,' which means your VPN session is now active.

Connection Successful NordVPN on DD-WRT

11. If you wish to create a kill switch, go to Administration > Commands and copy-paste the code from below. Then, click 'Save Firewall' and go to Administration > Management > Reboot Router.

WAN_IF=`nvram get wan_iface`
iptables -I FORWARD -i br0 -o $WAN_IF -j REJECT --reject-with icmp-host-prohibited
iptables -I FORWARD -i br0 -p tcp -o $WAN_IF -j REJECT --reject-with tcp-reset
iptables -I FORWARD -i br0 -p udp -o $WAN_IF -j REJECT --reject-with udp-reset

Final Thoughts

Since D-Link routers mostly support outdated VPN protocols, you're left with limited options on what you can do. As this guide showed you, the only way to set up a VPN on a D-Link router is to have a model compatible with DD-WRT, which gives you access to OpenVPN.

That said, ensure you use a quality VPN to keep your D-Link network at its best. We'll remind you that we highly recommend NordVPN in this case. And, if you wish to set up your VPN on other devices as well, head over to our central guide on how to set up a VPN.

FAQ

Can I Put a VPN on a D-Link Router?

Yes, you can put a VPN on your D-Link router, but only if your router supports DD-WRT.

How Do I Put a VPN on a D-Link Router?

The easiest way to put a VPN on your D-Link router is to flash to using DD-WRT. Then, use any VPN provider (such as NordVPN) to set up a new OpenVPN connection manually.

Should I Use PPTP or L2TP on a D-Link Router?

We don't recommend using PPTP or L2TP on your D-Link router. Those protocols are outdated, and very few VPNs still support them. Instead, go with DD-WRT and OpenVPN.

What is D-Link's Quick VPN?

D-Link's Quick VPN lets you turn your router into a VPN server that uses the L2TP/IPsec protocol. You can access this feature via Features > Quick VPN.

Once you enable the Quick VPN functionality, you'll need to configure your devices to connect to your D-Link router. Here's how that's done.

Which VPN Is Compatible with D-Link Routers?

The best VPN that's compatible with D-Link routers is NordVPN. However, since you need DD-WRT to set up a VPN on a D-Link router, any VPN that supports manual OpenVPN connections should work just fine.

That's all you need to know on how to set up a VPN on your D-Link router. Use the comments section below if you have any questions. Finally, thank you for reading!



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