How to Install a VPN on a DD-WRT Router?

Your VPN’s software can be installed directly on your DD-WRT router, but keep in mind that there are VPN services that are not compatible with the DD-WRT firmware. Therefore, the very first step in installing a VPN on your router is to make sure that the VPN service you signed up for is compatible with DD-WRT.

LimeVPN is one of the few VPN services that have seen the need for optimizing your router through the DD-WRT firmware, so LimeVPN’s software is made to be well-suited with DD-WRT.

Most people choose to purchase a pre-flashed DD-WRT router as installing the firmware manually is quite risky. As a matter of fact, if the installation and setup are done in the wrong way, the router can be bricked, rendering it useless. Attempting to install the DD-WRT firmware on your router can also void your warranty, and not many people would want to run this risk.

With this in mind, this guide assumes that you already have a DD-WRT flashed router, and want to install a VPN software on it. This guide is also for OpenVPN since it is the most secure form of VPN protocol, and it is the most widely used by VPN services.

Installing a VPN on Your DD-WRT Router

1. Download the .ovpn setup file for the specific server you prefer.

2. Open the setup file in Notepad or Notepad++.

3. In the DD-WRT WebGUI, go to Services > VPN. The WebGUI can be accessed through your browser, by typing the default DD-WRT router address which is http://192.168.1.1.

4. Click on the Enable radio button labelled Start OpenVPN Client. The OpenVPN configuration panel page will open.

5. If your DD-WRT version has User Pass Authentication, enter the following settings:

1. Server IP/Name – this is provided by your VPN provider.
2. Username – this information might not be the same as your VPN login name.
3. Password – this information might not be the same as your VPN login name.

6. If your DD-WRT version doesn’t have User Pass Authentication, do the following:

1. Go to the Additional Config text box and enter this command: auth-user-pass /tmp/auth.txt
2. Get the Server IP/Name which is the address of the VPN server you want to connect to. You can get this information from the .ovpn setup file. You can also get the Port from the same file.

7. In the WebGUI of your router, go to the Services > VPN tab.

8. You can leave the other options blank

9. Click on Save  and then Apply Settings.

10. Go to Setup > Basic Setup and look for the Network Address Server Settings (DHCP) section.

11. Enter the Google DNS settings 8.8.8.8 for Static DNS 1 and 8.8.4.4 for Static DNS 2. However, if the VPN provider has provided their own server details, use them instead.

12. Click on Save and then Apply Settings.

13. Go to Status > OpenVPN and make sure that all fields are filled out. If there are blank fields, this could mean that you need to go back to some of the steps above to set up VPN correctly and completely. A screen that says that the connection is successful will be displayed. Datalog and statistics about your connection will also be available.

Installing a VPN on a DD-WRT Router ‑ Conclusion

Installing a VPN on your DD-WRT Router will ensure that all devices that connect to your network are protected by the encryption that comes with a VPN. This is another useful feature of a DD-WRT router, and as you can see in this guide, you don’t need a lot of technical knowledge to successfully complete the process.

However, if you do encounter some problems, contact the VPN service provider. LimeVPN has a customer service department that can assist with your technical inquiries 24/7.

In addition, it is advisable to get a very powerful router if you plan on running a VPN client on your router as a VPN will need a lot of processing power.