Which router for NordVPN

[tarassippo]

I'm looking to get an Asus router being able to provide good performance and I do remember reading somewhere that the RT-AC86U has got a powerful CPU, etc. but by reading here https://support.nordvpn.com/Connect...42/Which-router-should-I-use-with-NordVPN.htm I was quite surprised I didn't find that model in the list...

Could someone enlighten me on this, please ?

Tia.

 

[AndreiV]

The list of routers there is hardly an exhaustive one and is probably in need of updating.

The AC-88U is there and that was released 2 years earlier than the 86U.

Nord will run on any ASUS router that provides VPN.

 

[Val D.]

RT-AC86U can reach >200Mbps OpenVPN speed with a local NordVPN server, if the server allows such speeds.

 

[tarassippo]

Oh nice to see that, thanks... so I assume this one would be the Asus router to go with if I want performance with VPN, right ?

 

[Val D.]

Specific models only like RT-AC86U or RT-AX88U with the new ARM CPU with AES-NI support. Not just any ASUS router.

 

[tarassippo]

And would you say both those two Asus routers perform better than a Netgear R9000 ?

 

[Val D.]

I don’t have Netgear R9000, but I do have ASUS RT-AC86U and it hits 225Mbps with NordVPN local server. Based on online information, R9000 can’t reach even 100Mbps on OpenVPN.

 

[Ro berto]

I have the 86U and am super happy with its performance (also have NordVPN).

 

[RMerlin]

The R9000 CPU uses an older ARM Cortex-A15, so I doubt it has AES hardware acceleration that can match the Cortex-A53 used by the RT-AC86U.

 

[GrandM1961]

RT-AC86U can reach >200Mbps OpenVPN speed with a local NordVPN server, if the server allows such speeds.

I got a Asus RT-AC87U and i get speeds close to my providers speed 500/500. That speed i won’t get with expressVPN, so i am happy with NordVPN. And the nice thing i like about it, is the ability to let some devices just take the WAN and some other devices the VPN. And i run the latest Merlin Firmware


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[Val D.]

I got a Asus RT-AC87U and i get speeds close to my providers speed 500/500.

Not possible. Your router is capable of about 40Mbps through OpenVPN. If you see close to 500/500, then something is misconfigured and the connection is going through WAN. RT-AC87U has much slower CPU compared to RT-AC86U. For 500Mbps OpenVPN you’ll need something like i7 desktop CPU on a PC. And it’s still in question if you can get this speed from the VPN server you connect to.

 

[GrandM1961]

Not possible. Your router is capable of about 40Mbps through OpenVPN. If you see close to 500/500, then something is misconfigured and the connection is going through WAN. RT-AC87U has much slower CPU compared to RT-AC86U. For 500Mbps OpenVPN you’ll need something like i7 desktop CPU on a PC.

Well, have i got news for you. I followed the exact description of what NordVPN advised, and i do get those speeds. On my iPhone, iMac and even on my android mediabox. And when i do a ip check it does not give me my own ip, so tell me please what should be wrong according to you? Since you seem to know how everything works, or maybe you misconfigured your own router!!!


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[Val D.]

so tell me please what should be wrong according to you?

The wrong part is that RT-AC87U can’t physically process faster than about 40Mbps OpenVPN traffic due to CPU limitations, no matter what magic settings you may have. No consumer router on the market can get even 1/2 of those speeds. RT-AC86U with much faster cores and AES-NI support can’t get 250Mbps OpenVPN.

 

[GrandM1961]

The wrong part is that RT-AC87U can’t physically process faster than about 40Mbps OpenVPN traffic due to CPU limitations, no matter what magic settings you may have. No consumer router on the market can get even 1/2 of those speeds.

Well mine does, and i trust the outcome from speedtest.net. And they also know when you are on VPN or not, no matter what VPN i use and i have tried them all. But i guess your network might not be fiber but dsl and not getting those speeds. But i do get them and i am very happy with it


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[Val D.]

Well mine does

Use Google and find out what your router is capable of using OpenVPN. Some people managed to reach 70Mbps using lower encryption. 500Mbps is impossible with RT-AC87U, sorry.

I reach 225Mbps with RT-AC86U, close to physical maximum for the CPU and current OpenVPN software, local NordVPN server. My ISP speed is higher.

 

[GrandM1961]

Use Google and find out what your router is capable of using OpenVPN. Some people managed to reach 70Mbps using lower encryption. 500Mbps is impossible with RT-AC87U, sorry.

I reach 225Mbps with RT-AC86U, close to physical maximum for the CPU and current OpenVPN software, local NordVPN server. My ISP speed is higher.

I don’t care what other people got, i followed these instructions https://nordvpn.com/tutorials/asustwrt-merlin/openvpn/ and i can prove that i get those speeds. You don’t have to believe me on this one, i really don’t give a rats butt about that. I tweaked even the asus so it could work with my fiber provider and get the best speed, while others get only the half of it. I even had the mechanic of my provider here who doesn’t understand how i got it to work but it works. And for me thats all that matters, no need for a router of my fiber provider. I do it with with my Asus RT-AC87U, and i have never regretted it.

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[Val D.]

Your configuration screenshot doesn’t show any settings. And there is no need to list all devices going through WAN. All your devices go through WAN by default with exception of two - iMac and BeeLink. Post a speed test screenshot from iMac over VPN showing 500/500 speeds, please.

Buddy, 500/500 with your router is not possible. You are not the only one in the world using RT-AC87U with OpenVPN, you know. And your car can’t hit 600km/h on the highway, no way.

 

[GrandM1961]

I have my mediabox connected to a network repeater that is connected with a 1000 ethernet cable and the network repeater is connected to the Asus RT-AC87U also with a 1000 ethernet cable. See the movie i took and watch for the speed.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rtsf996ype8mjoc/Video 06-08-2019 05 02 45.mov?dl=0




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[GrandM1961]

Your configuration screenshot doesn’t show any settings. And there is no need to list all devices going through WAN. All your devices go through WAN by default with exception of two - iMac and BeeLink. Post a speed test screenshot from iMac over VPN showing 500/500 speeds, please.

Buddy, 500/500 with your router is not possible. You are not the only one in the world using RT-AC87U with OpenVPN, you know. And your car can’t hit 600km/h on the highway, no way.

First of all, i’m not your buddy. Secondly if i don’t put in the devices to go through WAN they will go over VPN. Some devices don’t have to go over VPN, maybe you should read the manual a bit better. But hey, you seem to be a know it all, and don’t believe anything. Watch that movie that placed and than eat your heart out buster. And in your face


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[Val D.]

You never set all your devices to go through VPN by default. You are missing 192.168.1.0/24 VPN rule. All devices go through WAN by default and you don’t have to list specific ones one by one. Read Merlin instructions for Policy Rules.

I don’t know how to tell you that what you believe in is simply technically impossible with your hardware. I’m an electronic engineer and I know what’s inside of your devices and how it works. If you don’t believe me, ask RMerlin. He knows both the hardware and software of RT-AC87U.