There are many benefits to using a VPN. For one, your online activity and data are protected from cybercriminals, ISPs, and any third party that may want to access them. VPNs allow you to access location-restricted content and increase internet and gaming speed. You can even hide your location with a VPN program. So, let’s first learn how to set up a VPN on a Mikrotik router.
VPN providers have software for different devices – Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, etc. If you acquire multiple devices, you’ll have to set up a VPN on them. Thankfully, VPN providers allow this, although there is a limit to the number of devices a single subscription can be used for. You will know once you set up a VPN on your router.
Many people don’t know that setting up a VPN on a router is possible. There are many benefits to doing this, and they’ll be discussed below.
See also: iTop VPN Review | Everything You Need to Know For 2023
Table of Contents
Benefits of Setting Up VPN on Your Router
The most obvious benefit to setting up a VPN on your router is convenience, as you don’t have to set up a VPN on all of your devices. This can also save you money if you have multiple devices. Remember we said VPN providers limit the number of devices you can use on a single subscription? You get to bypass that by using a VPN on your router.
Every gadget you connect to your router is also protected—smart TVs, activity trackers, baby monitors, etc. Your entire internet traffic is encrypted and protected. Check out some free VPNs for Chrome.
With all we’ve mentioned above, it’s always a good thing to set up a VPN on your router. However, some routers, especially the older models, may not work with VPNs. If your router is a more recent model, you should be able to use a VPN on it.
VPN setup on routers can be a bit tricky. You can protect your internet traffic with a single tap after installing a VPN on your Android, iPhone, Windows PC, etc. On routers, it’s not as straightforward. Sometimes, you may need to contact your VPN provider for instructions. Premium VPN providers like SurfShark are known for excellent customer service and will respond to you as quickly as possible.
See Also: The Ultimate VPN Test And Troubleshooting Guide Of 2023
How to Set Up VPN on Mikrotik Router
Mikrotik router is one of the most popular routers due to its excellent combination of affordability and price. If you have a Mikrotik router, you can follow the steps below to set up a VPN.
Requirements
It would help if you had the following:
- Your Mikrotik router.
- An internet connection.
- Access to your VPN account panel. You’ll see your account setup credentials (server address, username, password) on the panel. Contact your VPN provider if you have trouble getting into your account panel.
Below is the default information of your Mikrotik router:
Default router IP address: 192.168.88.1
Username: admin
Password: Leave this field blank as it is not required.
Setup Instructions
Follow the below-mentioned steps to set up a VPN on your Mikrotik router:
Step 1
It would help establish a connection to your Mikrotik router via Ethernet before configuring VPN. Enter this address http://192.168.88.1 (check your router’s manual for the default gateway address if this doesn’t work). Ensure your network connection is set to automatically obtain an IP address whenever you connect to your router through Ethernet.
After inputting the default address, you’ll be prompted to log in and enter a username/password. Here’s the default login information – Username: admin, password: nil (leave it empty). After logging in, navigate to the “PPP.” Select the “+” button and choose “PPTP Client.”
Step 2
Go to the “General” tab. You’ll see the “Name” field; enter any name you want. You’ll see two areas – “Max MTU” and “Max MRU.” Set the latter to 1450 and the former to 1400.
Step 3
Click on the “Dial Out” tab and enter your full server address in the “Connect To” field. You’ll see User” and “Password” fields. Fill these fields with information you obtained from the VPN account panel. Contact your VPN provider if you have trouble getting into your account panel.
Enable the “mschap2” checkbox under the “Allow” section. Then click the “Apply” button.
Step 4
Select ” IP” (you’ll find it in the left-hand side menu) and choose “Firewall.” Click on the NAT tab and then on the “+” icon.
Step 5
In the “General” tab, choose “scant” for “Chain.” and select the name of your VPN connection for “Out. Interface.”
Step 6
Select the “Action” tab and choose “masquerade” from the “Action” field dropdown list. Click “OK.”
Step 7
Go to the “Firewall” window, choose the “Mangle” tab, and click the “+” button. Find the “General” tab and navigate the “Mangle Rule” window. You’ll see the “Chain” field, select “prerouting” for this field. You’ll also see the “Src. Address” field.
Here, you’ll enter the IP address or range you wish to have routed through the VPN connection. For example, you can use the default IP range (192.168.88.2-192.168.88.254) that Mikrotik routers assign to wireless and LAN network devices.
Step 8
Click on the “Action” tab and select “mark routing” for “Action.” Input l2tp or anything you like in the New Routing Mark and checkmark the passthrough tab.
Step 9
Click on “IP” and select “Routes” from the left-side menu. Then click on the “+” icon.
Step 10
Enter “0.0.0.0/0” for “Dst.Address.”
Select the name you used in step 2 for “Gateway.” For “Routing Mark” select the routing name that you created in Step 8. Click “OK.”
Step 11
Select IP and then DNS from the left-hand side menu. Under the DNS, you’ll find the first DNS server and the second DNS server. Enter “8.8.8.8” for the former and “8.8.4.4” for the latter. Click OK.
Step 12
If the MikroTik acts as a DHCP client, ensure the DHCP settings do not overwrite the manually entered DNS.
Go to “IP” (the left-hand side menu), choose “DHCP Client,” uncheck the “Use Peer DNS” option and click “OK.”
Conclusion
If you follow the steps correctly, you’ll configure a VPN on your router in no time. You can fix if your VPN is running slow by clicking here! Remember to contact your VPN provider for help if you are having trouble. Configuring a VPN on your router has several benefits which you should start taking advantage of.
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