How to Set Up a VPN on Your Travel Router: 5-Minute Guide

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You bought a travel router. You unboxed it. You plugged it in. Now what?

The single most powerful feature of a travel router like the GL.iNet Beryl AX is router-level VPN. Instead of installing a VPN app on every device — laptop, phone, tablet, e-reader — you configure it once on the router. Every device that connects is automatically protected.

This guide walks you through the exact steps using NordVPN and a GL.iNet Beryl AX. The same steps apply to any GL.iNet router (Slate, Slate 7, Slate 7 Pro, Beryl) and most VPN providers.

What You’ll Need

A GL.iNet travel router (Beryl AX recommended)
A NordVPN subscription — [check current deals here](#)
5 minutes of your time

Step 1: Connect to Your Router

Plug in your router and wait for the LED to turn solid blue.
Connect your laptop to the router’s WiFi network. The default SSID is `GL.iNet-xxx` (check the sticker on the bottom for the password).
Open a browser and go to `http://192.168.8.1`.
Set a router admin password. Do not skip this step.

Step 2: Get Your NordVPN WireGuard Config

NordVPN supports WireGuard — the fastest VPN protocol. Here is how to get your config file:

Log into your [NordVPN account](https://my.nordaccount.com).
Go to NordVPN → Manual Setup → Service Credentials.
Generate a Service Credential (username and password). Save these.
Go to NordVPN → Manual Setup → WireGuard.
Download the WireGuard config file for a server close to your location (or any server you prefer).

Step 3: Upload the Config to the Router

In the router admin panel, go to VPN → WireGuard.
Click Add Peer.
Click Upload File and select the `.conf` file you downloaded from NordVPN.
The fields should auto-populate. If they don’t, paste the contents manually:

Private Key: From the `[Interface]` section
Address: From the `[Interface]` section (e.g., `10.8.2.1/16`)
DNS: Leave default or set to `1.1.1.1`
Public Key: From the `[Peer]` section
Endpoint: From the `[Peer]` section (e.g., `us1234.nordvpn.com:51820`)
Allowed IPs: `0.0.0.0/0, ::/0`

Click Apply.

Step 4: Enable the VPN

Go to VPN → WireGuard.
Toggle the WireGuard Client switch to ON.
Wait 10-15 seconds for the connection to establish.
Check the status: it should say Connected with a green indicator.

Step 5: Verify It Works

Go to [whatismyip.com](https://whatismyip.com) while connected to the router’s WiFi.
The IP shown should match the NordVPN server location, not your actual location.
Connect a second device (phone, tablet) to the same WiFi and check again. Same IP. That’s router-level VPN working.

Troubleshooting

“I can’t connect after enabling the VPN”

Fix: The router might need a firmware update. Go to System → Upgrade and check for updates. GL.iNet releases regular patches that improve VPN compatibility.

“The VPN is slow”

Try a different server. NordVPN has thousands of servers. Some are faster than others. Try a server closer to your physical location. Also, ensure you’re using WireGuard (not OpenVPN) — it’s 3-4x faster.

“The VPN disconnects randomly”

Enable Auto-Reconnect: Go to VPN → WireGuard → Advanced Settings and enable Auto Reconnect. The router will automatically re-establish the VPN if it drops.

“I can’t access local websites (banking, maps)”

Enable Split Tunneling: Go to VPN → WireGuard → Advanced Settings and add the websites you want to bypass the VPN. Your traffic to those sites will go directly, while everything else goes through the VPN.

Why Router-Level VPN Beats Device-Level VPN

Feature	Router-Level	Device-Level
Devices protected	All of them	Only the one with the app
Setup	Once	Every device
Smart TV / Console	✅ Protected	❌ Usually unprotected
Forgot to connect?	Impossible	Happens all the time

Once you set up the VPN on the router, you never think about it again. Every device, every connection, every time.

Ready to secure your entire workflow?

A travel router + VPN is the single best investment for digital nomad security. If you don’t have the gear yet:

Get the router: [GL.iNet Beryl AX — the best travel router for VPNs (usually $89–99)](#)
Get the VPN: [NordVPN — the industry standard for travelers (usually $3–$12/mo)](#)

Already have both? Check our guide to the [Best eSIM for Digital Nomads in 2026](#) to complete your connectivity stack.