Updated on: April 4, 2024
Only 3 Steps (Quick + Easy) to Set Up a VPN on FRITZ!Box in 2024:
- Subscribe to a VPN service. My #1 VPN for FRITZ!Box is Surfshark. It supports direct manual configuration on FRITZ!Box, and it provides fast speeds and strong security.
- Set up the VPN. Manually configure the VPN on your FRITZ!Box. There are instructions on the provider’s website.
- Start using the internet. That’s it! Every device in your household that’s connected to your FRITZ!Box is now protected.
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 5 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.
GET SURFSHARK FOR FRITZ!BOX NOW
Best VPNs for FRITZ!Box in 2024
- 🥇1. Surfshark — Best overall VPN for FRITZ!Box (very easy to set up + offers affordable plans).
- 🥈2. Proton VPN — High-end privacy features for configuring FRITZ!Box (really good free plan).
- 🥉3. ExpressVPN — VPN with lightning-fast speeds + a dedicated router app for simple setup on FRITZ!Box.
- 4. Private Internet Access — Great VPN for FRITZ!Box with strong security and excellent torrenting support.
- 5. CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-friendly VPN with good gaming support (with dedicated gaming servers).
🥇1. Surfshark — Best Overall VPN for FRITZ!Box in 2024
Surfshark is one of the only VPNs out there that supports a direct setup on FRITZ!Box because it allows manual configuration for WireGuard — it’s the only way to directly configure a VPN on a FRITZ!Box device. I also like how it has a clear step-by-step guide on its website specifically for setting it up on FRITZ!Box, and the guide comes with plenty of screenshots to make the process as simple as possible. Plus, Surfshark offers excellent 24/7 live chat support, so you can work through any troubleshooting in real time.
This provider maintains very fast speeds while connected to local servers. I tested it by using Surfshark’s quick-connect feature to automatically connect to the fastest nearby server, and there weren’t any noticeable differences in my internet speeds — web pages and HD videos still loaded instantly, and I never experienced any buffering. I did experience some slowdowns on very distant servers, but Surfshark has a very large server network spread out across 100 countries, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a nearby server.
Surfshark is a great VPN for streaming and torrenting. It works with 50+ streaming services, including major platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Max, and BBC iPlayer. It also allows P2P file sharing on every single one of its servers (some VPNs limit you to dedicated torrenting servers) and works flawlessly with top P2P apps, like qBitorrent, Vuze, and Deluge.
Besides the industry-standard VPN security features, Surfshark uses RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy. RAM-only servers wipe any data stored on its servers with every reboot. Perfect forward secrecy, on the other hand, constantly changes the encryption key for every VPN session, so even if a bad actor accesses one key, they won’t be able to see any of your past or future traffic.
Surfshark also protects you against IP leaks. I ran leak tests on servers in 10+ countries and never saw any leaks. That said, Surfshark only offers DNS leak protection — so, to protect yourself from all types of leaks, you’ll have to manually disable IPv6 and WebRTC, which is very easy to do.
Surfshark’s plans start at a low price of $2.29 / month, and it backs all subscriptions with a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try it out risk-free.
Read our full Surfshark review
🥈2. Proton VPN — High-End Privacy Features + Good Free Plan
Proton VPN is a privacy-friendly VPN that supports manual WireGuard configurations, so you can set it up directly on your FRITZ!Box. Unlike Surfshark, it doesn’t have a guide for setting it up on FRITZ!Box specifically, which makes it a bit less convenient. The good news is you can still follow the instructions on Pritz!Box’s provider website to complete the setup. Proton VPN also offers really good live chat support, but it’s not available 24/7 like Surfshark.
Proton VPN offers the best 100% free plan out there. While the free plan comes with just one connection, it allows you to configure the VPN on routers, including FRITZ!Box. The free plan offers servers in 5 locations, has fast speeds, and allows unlimited data. However, it doesn’t come with streaming or torrenting support.
When it comes to security, it has perfect forward secrecy and full disk encryption, which makes the information on its servers unreadable. It also provides built-in protection for DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks.
I’m a fan of Proton VPN’s transparency. Its apps are all open-source, so anyone can inspect them for vulnerabilities, and they’ve all been independently audited and verified for security risks. Additionally, it publishes regular transparency reports that detail the legal requests for user data it received and how it couldn’t comply because it doesn’t keep logs.
Proton VPN maintains great speeds on both local and distant servers. In my tests, on local servers, I was able to browse the web and watch videos with no delays. On distant servers, websites and videos only took a few extra seconds to load, and there was no buffering once the videos started.
It has servers in 91 countries. This is fewer than Surfshark, but Proton VPN has servers on all major continents, so most users will still be able to connect to a nearby server for the fastest possible speeds.
Proton VPN is a good pick for streaming. Its paid plans work with 50+ streaming apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. It’s also a decent VPN for torrenting. It doesn’t allow P2P file sharing on all of its servers, but it has dedicated P2P servers in 59 countries and supports port forwarding, a feature that connects you to more peers to get faster torrenting speed.
Proton VPN’s plans start at $4.99 / month, and it backs every subscription with a 30-day prorated money-back guarantee.
Read our full Proton VPN review
🥉3. ExpressVPN — Lightning-Fast Speeds + Dedicated Router App
ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN on the market thanks to its proprietary Lightway protocol, so it’s a great option for your FRITZ!Box. In my tests, websites and HD videos loaded without delay, and I never encountered any buffering while watching videos or lag during online games.
It’s one of the only VPNs with a dedicated router app, which makes the setup a lot easier. Although ExpressVPN can’t be set up on FRITZ!Box directly, like Surfshark and Proton VPN, it’s easy to configure on FRITZ!Box using a dual router setup — I was able to get it set up on my router in about 8 minutes. I also like that it offers a pre-configured VPN router (Aircove), which you can buy to save yourself the hassle of setting up the VPN yourself.
ExpressVPN’s server network is spread out across 105 countries, so you won’t have any trouble finding a nearby server to connect to minimize latency and maximize speeds. This is especially important given that using a dual-router setup will slow your internet speeds due to the extra distance your data has to travel.
The VPN is highly secure — it uses RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy and offers full leak protection. In addition, both its Lightway protocol and Aircove router have passed independent audits.
This provider is my favorite VPN for streaming. It works with 100+ streaming platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. It’s excellent for torrenting as well. It allows P2P traffic on all of its servers and supports port forwarding on its router app, so you can connect to more peers for faster torrent downloads.
ExpressVPN’s plans start at $6.67 / month and offer excellent value. It backs all of its plans with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full ExpressVPN review
4. Private Internet Access — Secure With Excellent Torrenting Support
Private Internet Access (PIA) includes top security for torrenting with a Fritz!Box device. It has RAM-only servers, perfect forward secrecy, and full leak protection. On top of this, PIA’s apps are open-source and, like Proton VPN, it publishes regular transparency reports.
It can be installed on FRITZ!box through a dual router setup. Unlike ExpressVPN, it doesn’t have a dedicated router app, so to set it up on your router you’ll have to do a manual configuration. Fortunately, PIA’s website contains great guides for top router firmware, including AsusWRT and DD-WRT, that make the setup process pretty straightforward.
This provider is one of the top VPNs for torrenting. It allows P2P traffic on all of its servers, works flawlessly with popular torrenting clients, and offers P2P-friendly features like port-forwarding and a SOCKS5 proxy (gets you faster download speeds but doesn’t encrypt your data).
PIA delivers impressive speeds, including on a dual router setup on a FRITZ!Box. When I tested it configured to my router, I experienced minimal slowdowns, even on distant servers. It also has an extensive server network spread across 91 countries, so you won’t have any issues finding an appropriate server to connect to for the fastest speeds.
Private Internet Access (PIA)’s plans start at an affordable [min price shortcode], and all subscriptions are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full Private Internet Access review
5. CyberGhost VPN — Beginner-Friendly VPN Good for Gaming With a FRITZ!Box
CyberGhost VPN is pretty easy to set up on a router and connect to your FRITZ!Box (you can’t directly configure it on your FRITZ!Box like Surfshark and Proton VPN). It’s similar to Private Internet Access, as you have to manually configure it on your router because there’s no dedicated router app, but the setup is pretty user-friendly.
If you’re a gamer, you’ll like how it comes with dedicated gaming servers in 4 countries — these servers provide low ping and minimize lag for smooth gaming sessions. Plus, it comes with DDoS protection, so you won’t get knocked offline if another player attack you.
It offers great speeds. It isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN, but I never experienced any buffering or slowdowns when browsing, streaming, torrenting, and gaming with fast load times. It also has a very large server network spread across 100 countries.
This provider works with 50+ streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, and it’s great for torrenting — it allows P2P traffic on dedicated servers in 75+ countries.
CyberGhost uses RAM-only servers and perfect forward secrecy, and it has built-in DNS and IPv6 leaks. Additionally, like Proton VPN and Private Internet Access, it releases regular transparency reports.
CyberGhost VPN starts at just $2.03 / month, and it backs all purchases with a money-back guarantee. Long-term plans are backed by a generous 45-day money-back guarantee, while short-term plans are backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Read our full CyberGhost VPN review
Comparison of the Best VPNs for FRITZ!Box in 2024
How to Choose the Best VPN for FRITZ!Box in 2024
- Choose a VPN that works with FRITZ!Box. If you want to set up a VPN on FRITZ!Box directly, you must use a VPN that supports manual WireGuard configurations (like Surfshark). If you’re opting for a dual router setup, ensure the VPN you’re using is compatible with your specific router.
- Get a VPN with a large server network. A vast server network means more connection options. This makes it easier to find a nearby server to connect to for the fastest possible speeds and to avoid overcrowded servers.
- Look for a VPN with fast speeds. All VPNs reduce your speeds to some extent due to the encryption process. But all of the VPNs I recommend maintain very fast speeds on both local and distant servers — ExpressVPN is the fastest.
- Pick a VPN with strong privacy and security features. A great VPN (like the ones I recommend) has all the industry-standard security features. These include military-grade 256-bit AES encryption that makes your data unreadable to third parties, a no-logs policy, which means the provider doesn’t keep logs of your IP address or online activities, and a kill switch, which cuts your internet connection if your VPN connection drops to avoid accidental data leaks.
- Find a VPN that provides good value. I only recommend VPNs that have affordable plans, allow multiple simultaneous connections, and back all purchases with a money-back guarantee.
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
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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 date 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.
