How to Install a VPN on FRITZ!Box: Complete 2024 Guide

Raven Wu
Updated on: July 23, 2024 Writer

It’s tricky to configure a VPN on a FRITZ!Box because the router doesn’t work with VPNs. The good news is there are a couple of ways to connect your FRITZ!Box to a VPN.

The first method is to directly set up the VPN manually on FRITZ!Box. However, this works as long as the VPN supports manual WireGuard setup — unfortunately, many providers don’t offer this process. If your VPN lacks manual WireGuard setup, you need to configure the software on a separate, VPN-compatible router, which you can connect to your FRITZ!Box.

I put together this guide on how to set up a VPN on FRITZ!Box to simplify the task for you, as well as explain the benefits of using a VPN with FRITZ!Box. I also review the best VPNs for FRITZ!Box — I recommend Surfshark as it supports manual WireGuard setup, includes top-notch security, and offers troubleshooting tips for the setup process.

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What Are the Benefits of Installing a VPN on FRITZ!Box?

The main benefit of configuring a VPN on your FRITZ!Box is better security and privacy. A VPN secures your online activities by encrypting your internet connection and masking your IP address, which provides you with added privacy.

The encryption also helps you stay anonymous by preventing third parties (including your ISP and your government) from tracking your online activities or targeting you with ads. Plus, all of the VPNs on my list have strict no-logs policies, so you can trust that they don’t record your online activities either.

By masking your IP address, a VPN can make it seem as if you’re in a different location. This way, no one online can see where you live — it’s a great privacy tool for social media websites, messaging apps, and torrenting.

Finally, VPNs are great to use in restrictive countries. In addition to protecting your online activities from the prying eyes of the government, some VPNs use obfuscation technology that lets you get around VPN blocks that are common in censorship-heavy countries. Keep in mind that using a VPN in some locations may be illegal, so I recommend checking local rules and regulations before connecting your FRITZ!Box to a VPN.

Best VPNs for FRITZ!Box in 2024

Editors' Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.

How to Install a VPN on FRITZ!Box (Step-By-Step Guides)

FRITZ!Box devices only support WireGuard configuration, so if you want to directly set up the VPN on your device, your VPN provider should allow you to download WireGuard configuration files. Only a few VPNs allow you to do that (like Surfshark). If your VPN provider doesn’t give you that option, you can configure the VPN on a regular router and then physically connect it to your FRITZ!Box.

Direct Manual VPN Setup on FRITZ!Box

1. Check WireGuard compatibility. Only VPNs that allow manual WireGuard configurations can be set up on FRITZ!Box. You can check to see whether your VPN allows this by visiting the provider’s website. Surfshark can be set up on FRITZ!Box directly and has an excellent guide on its website for doing so.
2. Configure the VPN on your FRITZ!Box. The specific steps you have to take will differ from VPN to VPN, so it’s best to look for a setup tutorial on your VPN provider’s website. If that’s not an option, there are guides on FRITZ!Box’s provider’s website. Alternatively, you can contact the customer support team for assistance.

Dual Router Setup

1. Get a VPN-compatible router. You can check to see if a router is compatible with a VPN by visiting the VPN provider’s website.
2. Set up the VPN on your router. The process differs slightly from router to router, so your best bet is to head to your VPN’s website and find the appropriate setup tutorial. ExpressVPN is one of the few VPNs with a dedicated router app, and it makes this process a lot simpler. You can skip this set if you purchase a pre-configured VPN router.
3. Connect your VPN router to your FRITZ!Box. You can do this with an Ethernet cable. This connection allows the secondary router to get its internet connection from the FRITZ!Box and route all outbound internet traffic through the VPN. That’s it!

Tried Installing a VPN on FRITZ!Box, But It’s Not Working? Try These Troubleshooting Steps

• Make sure your VPN supports manual configurations with WireGuard. You can only set up a VPN on FRITZ!Box directly using WireGuard, so the VPN you’re using must allow you to download and use WireGuard configuration files.
• Check to see if your VPN is compatible with your router. Not every VPN works with every router, so if you’re using the dual router setup, make sure your VPN is compatible with your router by visiting the VPN provider’s official website.
• Check your internet connection. Turn your VPN off and check to see if your base internet connection works. If not, resolve any underlying connectivity issues first.
• Restart your router and/or FRITZ!Box. Sometimes, simply restarting your router and/or FRITZ!Box can resolve connection issues by refreshing its network settings.
• Update to the latest version of FRITZ!OS. A more recent version of the firmware may address your particular issue. To do this, open the user interface on your FRITZ!Box, enter “fritz.box” into the address bar, log in with your account credentials, select Wizards, and then click Update/Update Firmware.
• Test with a different VPN server. Your issue may be server-specific. Try connecting to a different server location on your VPN and see if the issue persists.
• Reconfigure your VPN settings. It’s easy to make mistakes during the setup process. Review each step to ensure that all configurations are correct.
• Contact customer support. If all else fails, reach out to your VPN’s customer service for more personalized assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does FRITZ!Box support VPNs?

Yes, FRITZ!Box supports VPN connections. If you want to configure a third-party VPN, you’ll have to either manually set it up with WireGuard configuration files from your VPN provider or configure the VPN on a separate router that you then physically connect to your FRITZ!Box device.

Additionally, you can manually set up a VPN connection between different FRITZ!Box devices to securely access all devices in your home network and connect your FRITZ!Box to your company’s VPN server to access devices and data in the company’s network.

How do I set up a VPN on FRITZ!Box?

There are 2 main methods to set up a VPN on FRITZ!Box. You can manually set up your VPN on your FRITZ!Box via a WireGuard configuration, or you can set up a VPN on a second router and connect it to your FRITZ!Box.

Why isn’t my VPN working with FRITZ!Box?

There are a number of reasons why you might be experiencing issues getting your VPN to work with FRITZ!Box. Some simple troubleshooting steps you can try are restarting your FRITZ!Box, router, and VPN client, checking your VPN configurations on your FRITZ!Box or router to make sure that you didn’t make any mistakes when entering information, and trying to connect to a different VPN server. If none of the troubleshooting steps solve your problem, you should consider contacting your VPN provider’s customer support team for more personalized assistance.

Does FRITZ!Box support OpenVPN?

The short answer is no. FRITZ!Box only supports manual configurations using the WireGuard protocol, so if you intend to set up a VPN on FRITZ!Box directly, it’s very important to check that your VPN offers WireGuard.

The only way to use the OpenVPN protocol with FRITZ!Box is to set up your VPN with OpenVPN configuration files on a second router and then connect that router to your FRITZ!Box.