How I upgraded my home Wi-Fi with a VPN-ready router (and why it makes such a big difference)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Privacy Hero 2, a $189 router disposable connected FlashRouters, supports NordVPN and Surfshark alongside assorted VPN protocols.
• It comes with 1 twelvemonth of entree to Privacy Hero Wireguard VPN and, with a existent promotion, 1 twelvemonth of NordVPN.
• The institution should amended the physique prime and beryllium much generous with the Ethernet cable's length.

Right now, you tin bargain the Privacy Hero 2 VPN router for $189 ($60 disconnected retail price), a fantastic woody connected a well-tested product.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are fantabulous tools for improving online privateness and security. Most radical motion up with a VPN provider and past instal their accompanying autochthonal applications connected their PCs, tablets, and smartphones. 

However, there's different option: installing a VPN connected your router. This method provides broad sum for immoderate instrumentality connected to the router's Wi-Fi, allowing you to circumvent transportation fig restrictions and redeeming you the legwork of installing a VPN app connected each instrumentality you privation to protect. 

Also: Should you upgrade to Wi-Fi 7? Here's my verdict aft investigating this next-gen router astatine home

It's not ever a speedy task, though. Many routers connected the marketplace enactment third-party VPNs, but you whitethorn request tenable method cognition and beryllium consenting to tamper with interior settings to marque everything work. 

Alternatively, immoderate VPN providers connection VPN-ready hardware; 1 specified exemplary is the taxable of this review. The Privacy Hero 2, a $180 router disposable connected FlashRouters, supports NordVPN and Surfshark (both owned by Nord Security) alongside a scope of VPN protocols. It comes with 1 twelvemonth of entree to Privacy Hero Wireguard VPN and, with a existent promotion, 1 twelvemonth of NordVPN.

Let's dive into this VPN-ready router's build, installation, benefits, and disadvantages.

How's the physique quality?

Once you unbox the Privacy Hero 2, you're met with a lightweight, compact router. It's lighter than astir routers I've tried oregon reviewed (except for question routers) and has a integrative feel. The physique prime is acceptable for a $180 router, though I felt I had to grip it carefully. 

Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

The Privacy Hero 2 comes with an A/C powerfulness supply, Ethernet cable, and installation guide. The size of the 4 outer antennae seemed odd, astir apt due to the fact that they were somewhat bulky compared to the router's tiny body. Overall, the physique is reasonable, and my lone existent ailment is the abbreviated magnitude of the Ethernet cable. 

Installation process

I've tested a assortment of Wi-Fi routers -- traditional, mesh, and VPN-supporting -- implicit the years and recovered that installation complexity varies. The Privacy Hero 2 was very casual to acceptable up. The router comes with a booklet and online installation guides, including a abbreviated video that helps users with the hardware broadside of the installation. After I plugged the router in, it took astir 10 minutes to update.

Once the router is ready, you indispensable motion up for a escaped Privacy Hero account, which gives you web entree to the router's dashboard. 

You volition spot this connection erstwhile the installation is complete.

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

The adjacent measurement is creating your Wi-Fi network. There are 2 options:

1. You tin acceptable the web sanction to the aforesaid sanction and password arsenic your existing network, truthful you won't person to reconnect your devices individually to the caller one. This enactment requires you to crook disconnected your ISP's router Wi-Fi signal. 
2. Alternatively, you tin make a caller web name. As I mean to discontinue my aging TP-Link exemplary that has served arsenic an IoT instrumentality hub until now, this was the enactment I chose -- with the sanction Privacy Hero. 

You tin research the Privacy Hero dashboard present that you're acceptable up. I similar the layout; it's clean, simple, and fuss-free.

Also: Best password managers of 2025 

You tin spot the presumption of your caller router connected the Home surface arsenic good arsenic alteration its sanction oregon timezone.

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Under the Wi-Fi tab, you tin cheque that your caller networks are operating properly, oregon disable them if you wish.

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

I'll absorption connected the VPN tab, arsenic these are the main settings you'd astir apt privation to change. You volition spot assorted options: VPN, VPN Kill Switch, Malware & Phishing, and Ad Blocking. 

Also: I switched to an affordable Wi-Fi 7 router, and it solved my biggest net issue

If you click the archetypal tab, you tin take betwixt antithetic VPN services. In this review, we'll use NordVPN.  

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

This portion was the astir awkward portion of the installation process. The router comes with a escaped year of NordVPN service, truthful you indispensable spell to the relationship tab, find your voucher, validate it connected NordVPN, make your account, and past make an entree token. 

Once you person the entree token, you indispensable taxable it successful the Privacy Hero dashboard. Due to timeout failures, my token was not accepted until aft 3 attempts. 

NordVPN past launched connected the router with a UK server arsenic default. If you privation to alteration your country, click connected the transportation and alteration the server yourself. Visit NordVPN's OpenVPN configuration record list and transcript and paste the server sanction you privation to link to. 

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Ensure you person besides enabled the Kill Switch, Malware & Phishing, and Ad Blocking options. The termination power volition support your privateness if your net transportation abruptly drops by stopping the router from leveraging your standard, unencrypted ISP connection. The different settings volition trim your vulnerability to tracking and cyber threats. 

For further protection: Best antivirus & best malware removal software

Let's commencement streaming 

My favourite diagnostic is nether the Streaming tab. Dubbed "Relocation," it enables you to prime the state transportation done which your VPN volition effort to way your postulation without perpetually changing your setup. 

Also: NordVPN vs. Surfshark: Which VPN is close for you?

If a streaming work is disposable successful lone 1 state -- for example, BBC iPlayer successful the UK -- it won't beryllium shown, arsenic the enactment volition automatically nonstop your postulation via a UK relocation connection. If, however, a work is disposable successful aggregate countries, you person options. Netflix, for example, tin beryllium acceptable to the UK, Canada, oregon the US. 

You volition inactive request an progressive subscription; immoderate streaming services necessitate a subscription from your people country. 

Testing streaming services

I spent implicit an hr investigating assorted connections and configuring the router to my liking. That's not to accidental you request to walk the aforesaid magnitude of clip doing so, arsenic the router is astir arsenic "out of the box" arsenic possible. 

NordVPN worked from the start, and I experienced nary transportation issues with my Samsung smartphone, Samsung TV, oregon Apple MacBook Pro. However, mounting up streaming services was much challenging.

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

I spent respective hours investigating which geo-blocked streaming libraries I could entree done my caller Wi-Fi connection. I tested the Privacy Hero 2 with Disney+, Netflix, and the anime streaming work Crunchyroll. 

Also: TunnelBear VPN review: An affordable, easy-to-use VPN with a fewer notable pitfalls

My archetypal trial was accessing my location UK libraries, which I could bash without a problem. I past enabled Privacy Hero 2's relocation diagnostic for the aforementioned streaming platforms portion keeping the archetypal transportation connected a UK server, wherever I faced respective challenges. At first, I had nary occurrence -- lone my UK room was available. I powered down the TV, Sky outer TV box, ISP-issued router, and Privacy Hero 2 and waited for everything to reboot. 

I past tried to entree US streaming work libraries connected Disney+, Netflix, and Crunchyroll. Despite the relocation options, this didn't enactment straight done the Samsung TV's Tizen hub erstwhile the UK was acceptable arsenic the cardinal server. However, it worked for Netflix and Disney+ erstwhile I tested 3 US-based servers alternatively with relocation enabled. 

Accessing these libraries done a third-party app, successful this case, Sky, worked champion connected my TV for Netflix and Disney+. When I chose this route, it didn't substance what state my archetypal transportation was acceptable to. 

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When I tested Netflix and Disney+ connected my laptop, I could entree US libraries without issues. (I received a login email from Netflix confirming that an relationship was being utilized successful the US; the relocation relation was moving correctly.) Unfortunately, Crunchyroll did not enactment connected my astute TV, but I could entree its US room connected my laptop. 

Screenshot by Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

I besides attempted to entree Canadian libraries and had akin levels of success. Accessing antithetic geo-blocked libraries for investigating purposes was much palmy than I expected, though you whitethorn person to effort antithetic configurations. 

Lastly, I performed a velocity trial portion connected to Privacy Hero 2 compared to my emblematic ISP router connection. I experienced a download velocity nonaccomplishment of astir 16% and an upload velocity nonaccomplishment of 6.6%. For a VPN, I can't complain.   

About those ads...

While a VPN's streaming capabilities are beauteous popular, different diagnostic galore VPN providers connection is advertisement blocking. 

Ad blocking tin beryllium arsenic overmuch of a cat-and-mouse crippled arsenic streaming services blocking VPN IP addresses. YouTube, for example, has declared war connected third-party advertisement blockers and is attempting to halt viewers from being capable to bypass oregon skip advertisement breaks. 

I didn't expect much, considering that astir of the time, erstwhile I usage a VPN and ticker a YouTube video, there's precise small quality successful however galore ads are displayed vs. erstwhile I usage a modular Wi-Fi connection. However, I was pleasantly amazed astatine my last router and server setup results. 

I tested my setup utilizing a cooking transmission I'm subscribed to; portion I emotion its content, the frequence of commercialized interruptions makes it astir unwatchable. 

Also: Is your unrecorded TV streaming work inactive worthy it? I reassessed the options for america both

On a modular laptop connection, portion connected to the default UK VPN server, the archetypal advertisement connected videos and a fistful of ads were displayed, but less than usual. I compared watching the aforesaid YouTube video connected my astute TV with Privacy Hero 2, with the aforesaid results. I past decided to effort changing the router's archetypal server to a state wherever YouTube doesn't monetize ads. Lo and behold, each of the advertisement breaks wrong the video were disabled.

I usage an past MacBook Air to ticker YouTube oregon to perceive to audiobooks astatine night, and there's thing worse than an advertisement interruption startling you awake. To guarantee this wasn't a fluke, I changed this laptop's Wi-Fi transportation to Privacy Hero 2, and the effect was the same: nary ads. 

There is simply a caveat: Speeds were impacted, truthful depending connected what server you prime and the velocity of your archetypal broadband connection, you mightiness beryllium trading buffering for an ad-free experience. 

ZDNET's buying advice

Regarding the carnal plan of the Privacy Hero 2, the institution should amended the physique prime and beryllium much generous with the Ethernet cable's length. However, installation is casual and user-friendly. This VPN router is the champion I've tried to date, and it volition beryllium a semipermanent fixture successful my household. 

I person antecedently installed VPNs connected third-party, supporting routers, but the Privacy Hero 2 is acold little analyzable to acceptable up and requires precise small method knowledge. The dashboard is casual to navigate and keeps method jargon to a minimum.

Also: The champion astute TV VPNs of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

If you privation to alteration the archetypal server connection, you'll request to enactment retired the OpenVPN configuration record names. I would similar to spot NordVPN supply a streamlined database of servers that identifies which server belongs to which country. A dropdown database close successful the dashboard would beryllium useful.  

My favourite diagnostic is the streaming determination option. While galore streaming channels are presently constricted to the UK, US, and Canada (something I would similar to spot expanded wherever possible), toggling betwixt them without uncovering servers yourself is highly convenient. 

If you privation to effort retired the Privacy Hero 2, you tin bargain it from Flashrouters for $180. You'll person a escaped one-year NordVPN subscription with your purchase.

Specifications

• VPN protocols: Wireguard
• Wi-Fi standard: Wi-Fi 6 - Wireless AX
• Wireless speed: 3000Mbps
• Wi-Fi bands: Dual Band
• Ethernet port: Type 4 Gigabit
• Antenna type: 4 External
• Processor: MediaTek
• Processor speed: 1.3GHz
• RAM: 512 MB / 128 MB
• Power supply: 100-240V

Along with Wireguard, this router besides supports NordLynx, which combines Wireguard with NordVPN information features. 

This nonfiction was primitively published connected January 15, 2025, and was updated connected July 1, 2025.