How to Put a VPN on Your Router

You spend a lot of time at home, which means it’s the perfect opportunity to get some work done while also being comfortable in your own company. However, without the right equipment and safeguards, all that productivity could be at risk. That’s why it’s vital to implement a VPN on your router. Doing so will encrypt all of your internet traffic and secure all of your personal data whenever you use public wi-fi networks, like those provided by coffee shops and hotels.

Here are the top 5 reasons why you need a VPN on your router and how to properly set one up.

Reason #1: To Have A More Stable Connection

You’ve probably heard (or are about to hear) that the internet is always shifting and changing, and that can make it really difficult to access websites and online services whenever you want. Changing network environments are common, which leads to a disconnect for anyone who is not prepared for such occurrences. Imagine trying to game on a mobile phone network during a massive network upgrade. It’s not going to work out well for anybody.

VPNs stop the internet from changing, which means you always have a stable connection, regardless of what’s happening around you. The internet stays the same, so even if your internet connection drops, you can always connect again to continue where you left off. This is a very useful feature when you want to stay productive remotely.

This is one of the main reasons why you need a VPN on your router. You may also want to consider getting one for your desktop or laptop computer, as well. Having a VPN open on all of your devices will ensure that whenever you’re on the move, you can continue your internet session wherever you go. You won’t get that same level of security from simply connecting to a public network, which is often times unprotected and open to the public.

Reason #2: To Ensure That No One Snatches Your Personal Data

Believe it or not, the majority of internet traffic is still not protected by encryption. This means that large amounts of your personal data are actually insecure, which makes it easily accessible to hackers and other malicious actors. When you’re on a public wi-fi network, at a coffee shop or hotel, for example, anyone who gets a hold of your computer or mobile device could potentially access your personal data. They don’t need to see your password to do so.

The simple act of connecting to a public network is enough for someone to be able to snoop on your personal data. Your personal information could be anything from email address to credit card numbers. It really is anyone’s data, and that’s the issue. Having a VPN on your router will stop anyone from snooping on your personal data. Even if they see that you’re remotely accessing a website that they shouldn’t have access to, they still won’t be able to see your personal information. Your data is still secure.

This is one of the biggest reasons why you need a VPN on your router. You may also want to think about getting one for your desktop or laptop computer as well, as it provides the same level of security when connected to public wi-fi networks, like those found at coffee shops and hotels.

Reason #3: To Ensure That No One Interferes With Your Internet Connection

Sometimes, things happen that cause your internet connection to become unstable or slow. This could be because of a number of things, including but not limited to, heavy internet usage, a website that is overcrowded or poorly designed, malware, or a virus. In any case, when this happens it is usually not a favorable situation. Especially if you’re not near a computer or device that you can use to connect to a VPN, it can be extremely frustrating to not be able to access the websites that you want to visit because of interference from someone or something else.

VPNs stop anyone from interfering with your internet connection, which means that even if some other device or person on the network wants to connect to your wireless network and try to access your personal data or other devices on your network, they will not be able to do so without your permission. This is extremely useful if you’re not comfortable sharing your personal data or other devices on your network with anyone, including the hotel staff, coffee shop employees, or other guests.

This is another important reason why you need a VPN on your router. It ensures that your internet connection is only accessible to you and those that you allow to connect. If you’re at a hotel and they decide to connect their guest device or computer to your network to access the internet, you can be sure that you’re the only one who will see the benefits of having a VPN.

Reason #4: To Keep Your Communications Private

Whether you’re at home, at a coffee shop or hotel, or anywhere else in between, your communications are never private. This is because all of your communications, whether it’s over the internet or not, are technically public. If someone else is able to listen in on your conversations, they don’t necessarily have to be malicious. Often, it’s simply because they’re using the same technology that you are to hear your conversations. This is called “listening in” and it happens all the time. Even when you’re not connected to a public network, your personal data is still floating around in the ether, accessible to anyone with the right equipment.

However, in most cases, someone has to be intentionally listening in on your conversations in order to gather your personal data. The more devices that are connected to your network, the easier it is for someone to snoop on your communications. If you’re at home, your computer or mobile device is automatically connecting to your home network every time you connect to the internet. This means that your personal data is readily available to anyone who gets a hold of it. Even if you don’t want to share your data with anyone, it’s still being collected by devices that you didn’t even know were connected to your network.

To stop this from happening, you need to put a VPN on your router. When a device connects to your router, it can’t automatically access your personal data, regardless of whether or not you’re online. This means that even when you’re not near a computer, you can be sure that your personal data is still secure because it has not been collected yet by any device.

Once you’ve got a VPN set up on your router, you’re free to roam around as you please without worrying about your personal data being accessed. This is also why you need a VPN when you’re at a coffee shop or hotel, since these are often times shared networks. Even if you don’t plan on being online while you’re there, you still want to be sure that your data is secure because the chance of your personal data being intercepted when connected to a public network is very high. Especially when you’re not near a device that you can connect to a VPN, this is a hassle that you really don’t need. Especially when you’re not even sure that the network that you’re connecting to is protected or not.

Reason #5: To Ensure That Your Internet Speed Is Not Affected

If you’re someone who regularly does heavy browsing or downloads large files, you know how crucial it is to have a stable and fast internet connection. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, especially when you’re connected to a public network. Sometimes, the internet can slow down or even go missing for periods of time. You don’t want to be without internet access for long, so setting up a VPN on your router is very useful in these situations.

It’s not just about having a stable connection though. Having a VPN opens up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to your internet speed. When you’re not connected to a VPN, your internet speed is often slow because everything has to travel through the public network, which is inherently slow. However, once you connect to a VPN, all of that changes. Your internet will be decrypted and sent directly to the device that you’re connected to. This will result in much faster speeds than you may get from a public network.

Even if you don’t download or surf the internet often, having a VPN still speeds things up significantly because everything is encrypted. In theory, at least.

These are the top 5 reasons why you need a VPN on your router. Essentially, a VPN stops the majority of the problems that you may come across while using public networks, like coffee shops and hotels. For the best possible security and speed, it’s recommended that you get a hardware VPN, rather than relying on software that is designed to be run from a removable device, like a USB drive.