Brief Summary
This video provides a comprehensive tutorial on setting up a WiFi 6 wire guard VPN router using the ASUS RT-AX86U Pro. It covers initial router setup, VPN configuration with Surfshark, connecting streaming devices, and selectively routing devices through the VPN. The guide also highlights the benefits of running a VPN on the router for improved streaming speeds and offers tips for managing devices connected to the network.
- Setting up ASUS RT-AX86U Pro router
- Configuring Surfshark VPN with wire guard
- Connecting streaming devices and testing speeds
- Selective routing for VPN protection
Intro
The video introduces the ASUS RT-AX86U Pro router as a powerful solution for users seeking to minimize download speed degradation when using a VPN. Running a VPN directly on the router eliminates the need for VPN apps on individual devices, simplifying network protection. The ASUS router allows users to specify which devices are protected by the VPN and which are not.
Initial Router Setup
The initial router setup involves connecting the ASUS router to the network, either as a primary or secondary router. Connecting via an Ethernet cable from a computer to the router is recommended for a smoother setup process. Accessing the router's control panel is done through a web browser by typing router.asus.com in the address bar. The setup includes creating separate network names for the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, setting passwords, and updating the firmware.
Wireless Settings
In the wireless settings, enabling WiFi 6 mode for both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands is essential to take full advantage of the router's capabilities. WiFi 6 support is a primary reason for using this router, ensuring faster and more efficient wireless connections.
VPN Configuration with Surfshark
The VPN setup utilizes the VPN Fusion feature, which simplifies the configuration process for Surfshark VPN. Users need to log into their Surfshark account and add a new profile in the router's control panel. Selecting Surfshark as the VPN type and choosing a server location closest to the user's physical location is recommended for optimal speeds. A private key is generated from the Surfshark account and pasted into the router's control panel to establish the wire guard connection.
Speed Test and DNS Leak Test
Before enabling the VPN, a speed test is performed to establish a baseline. After enabling the VPN, another speed test confirms minimal speed degradation due to the wire guard protocol. A DNS leak test is conducted to ensure that the VPN connection is secure and that there are no DNS leaks, verifying that the IP address has been changed and is coming from the selected Surfshark server location.
Connecting Streaming Devices and Testing Speeds
The video demonstrates connecting streaming devices, such as the onn 4K Pro and Formuler Z11 Pro Max, to the new Wi-Fi network. The speeds achieved with the VPN running on the router are compared to those when using the Surfshark VPN app directly on the devices. Running the VPN on the router significantly improves speeds, as it offloads the processing from the streaming devices.
Downfalls of Running VPN on Router
Running a VPN on the router has some drawbacks. Features like Clean Web, which blocks ads, trackers, and malware, and Split Tunneling, which allows ignoring certain applications when running the VPN, are not available when using the VPN at the router level.
Selective Routing
The video explains how to selectively route devices through the VPN. By deactivating the "apply to all devices" option, users can specify which devices are protected by the VPN. The devices connected to the router are listed, and users can enable or disable VPN protection for each device based on their local IP address.
Device Identification and Renaming
To help differentiate between devices, the video shows how to rename them in the router's DHCP server settings. This makes it easier to identify and manage devices in the VPN settings. The new names are carried over to every screen within the ASUS wireless router control panel.
ASUS Router Mobile App
The ASUS router comes with mobile applications for Android and Apple devices, allowing users to easily access and adjust VPN settings. This provides a convenient way to manage the VPN without needing to use a computer or web browser.
