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VPN on your router: put your whole home on TekLan VPN

2 September 2026 · TekLan VPN

Most devices can run the TekLan VPN app. Some can't: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Samsung, LG and Roku TVs, older Chromecasts and most smart-home gear. For those, put TekLan VPN on your router, and the devices you choose go through the VPN without installing anything.

Quick answer

  1. Check your router has a WireGuard or OpenVPN client.
  2. Make a profile for it in the VPN Dashboard.
  3. Import the profile in the router's VPN client and turn it on.
  4. Use the router's VPN policy settings to choose which devices go through the VPN.

What you need

  • A router with a VPN client. Look in its admin pages for a WireGuard or OpenVPN client (not a VPN server). GL.iNet, ASUS, UniFi gateways, OpenWrt, pfSense, TP-Link and Deco, and MikroTik RouterOS 7 all have one on supported models. Many internet-provider routers don't.
  • An active TekLan VPN plan. The router uses one of your plan's connections, however many devices sit behind it.
  • Access to the router's admin page, and about ten minutes.

If your router can't do it, a small travel router, such as many GL.iNet models, plugged into your existing router is a common way to add a VPN client. Our guide to choosing a VPN router goes through what to look for.

Setting it up

  1. Back up the router's settings. Every router has an export or backup option. If anything goes wrong, you can restore it.
  2. Make a profile for the router. Sign in at teklanvpn.com/account, open your VPN service, choose Manage VPN Dashboard, then Add device. Name it after the router.
  3. Choose the protocol. Pick WireGuard if the router has a WireGuard client. Otherwise pick OpenVPN.
  4. Get the file. Download the .conf or .ovpn file onto the computer you use to manage the router, or email it to yourself. For OpenVPN, also choose Show OpenVPN credentials and keep the username and password handy. They're the profile's own details, not your account password.
  5. Import it on the router. Open the router's WireGuard or OpenVPN client, import the file, enter the OpenVPN credentials if asked, then save and turn on the tunnel. Menu names vary between makers; the router guide has the steps for each one.

Choosing which devices use the VPN

Many routers send everything through the VPN once the tunnel is up. That works, but you may not want your work laptop or video calls going through it too. Look for policy routing, VPN policy or per-device rules in the router's VPN settings, and add only the devices you want, such as the TV or the console.

Devices that can run the TekLan VPN app themselves, such as phones, laptops and TV sticks, are usually better on the app. They stay protected away from home, and you can change location from the device.

Checking it works

  1. The router's VPN client shows that it's connected.
  2. On a device that goes through the VPN, open an IP-checking website. The address shown should be the TekLan server's, not your home connection's.
  3. Turn the router's tunnel off and check devices get back online normally. That way you know how to undo it.

For a TV or console with no browser, check the IP from a phone you've added to the same VPN policy for a moment, then restart the TV or console's network connection.

If it doesn't connect

  • Check the router's date and time. A router that has lost its clock can't make encrypted connections.
  • Check you imported the newest profile. If you made a replacement in the Dashboard, the old one no longer works.
  • Remove old VPN clients on the router that use the same policy, then test again.
  • Try the other protocol if the router supports both.

If you're stuck, open a ticket with the router make, model and firmware version, and which protocol you tried.

Frequently asked questions

How many connections does a VPN router use?

One, however many devices you send through it.

Will a VPN on the router slow everything down?

Routers have less processing power than phones or laptops, so the router itself can limit speed. WireGuard is usually lighter than OpenVPN, and sending only the devices that need it through the VPN keeps everything else at full speed.

Can I use WireGuard and OpenVPN on the same router?

Many routers allow it, but use one tunnel at a time for the same devices. Two tunnels fighting over the same devices is a common cause of problems.

Ready to start? Open the router guide for your router's exact steps.

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