VPN routers

VPN routers

VPN. Virtual Private Network) is a powerful technology that allows you to quickly and securely connect remote computers and even entire networks . Thanks to it, while on a business trip or on vacation, you can connect to your home network or bundle distant company offices into one and share network drives or printers.

VPN Router

At the heart of the virtual private network is the VPN server, which checks the party's credentials (access keys), sets up tunnel connections on the public Internet and takes care of their security on the fly by encrypting the data.

So a VPN router is a router with a VPN server implemented right into the device. All currently available FRITZ routers!Box are VPN routers, supporting up to 12 simultaneous connections to single remote computers or other networks, equipped with a router with VPN.

From software version FRITZ!OS 7.50 any FRITZ router with VPN server! supports two of the most popular VPN protocols: the widely used and well-established IPSec and the newer, gaining followers WireGuard.

A comparison of the performance of the two protocols falls in favor of WireGuard, which in tests typically shows an advantage of several percent in speed achieved and one-fifth lower latency. This performance is due to WireGuard's optimized algorithm code, which translates into lower CPU utilization.

In addition, WireGuard offers better security, which is "factory-set" at a high level in this protocol, without the possibility of extensive user intervention, reducing potential configuration errors.

Examples of VPN connection scenarios

PC-to-LAN

In the conditions of individual users, the most popular way to use vpn on a router at home is to be able to connect to the home network from anywhere in the world.

For example, when going on vacation, we don't need to take an external drive with our favorite movies, music, or photos and occupy our computer memory with them. All you need to do is connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi, establish a secure connection to your home network through the VPN router installed there, and you're ready to download data from your home network drive. If our Internet connection at home and at the hotel is fast, you can even play the video smoothly directly, without having to download the file first, just as if you were at home.

There's also nothing stopping you from printing something on your home printer while you're away, checking who's logged into your home Wi-Fi, or viewing your surveillance cameras.

What's more, the VPN connection can be set up using both a PC and a phone or tablet. In this way, we can use a private, free cloud whose capacity is limited only by the size of the home network drive.

LAN-to-LAN

In a similar way, we can also set up a connection between two (or more) remote networks, as long as a router with VPN is installed in each of them. In this way, you can easily build a family or neighborhood private network and share its resources, such as drives or network printers.

Such possibilities will be especially appreciated by those who run a company with branches in different cities or remote stores.