Guide to Belkin Router VPN Passthrough
With acclerating online privacy concerns, the latest router models feature VPN functionality. So, you can simply enable VPN on your router instead of doing so on each connected device. Belkin routers come with the VPN Passthrough feature to help you secure your online privacy. And, you might need to use this feature quite often.
On your Belkin router VPN Passthrough is usually enabled by default. But, you might want to make sure it is enabled and configure it. You can do that by simply accessing your Belkin router’s interface. The information given below should provide you with all the help you might need.
How does the VPN Playthrough Work?
The VPN Playthrough does not set up a VPN network on your router. It only lets VPN traffic pass through your Belkin router’s network. So, you would not be able to use a VPN network on a connected device if this feature is disabled. As mentioned before, it is enabled by default. So, you usually do not need to enable it on your Belkin router.
Are you unable to use your VPN while your device is connected to your Belkin router? If yes, then you must make sure that the VPN passthrough is enabled. After all, you might have disabled it somehow while customising your router;’s network.
Apart from that, the Belkin router VPN passthrough might not be configured according to your requirements. So, you would need to access your Belkin router’s interface to check what the problem is.
How to Check whether Belkin Router VPN Passthrough is Active?
From what we have seen, enabling VPN Passthrough on your Belkin router is crucial for using a VPN network. And, you can enable it in a few simple steps if it is not active already.
Here are the steps you must follow for doing that:
Log In to Your Belkin Router
Belkin routers have quite a simple web management interface for customising various aspects of the network. You must access it using your browser to enable the VPN Passthrough, configure it, or both.
Connect With Your Belkin Router
You must connect to your Belkin router first to be able to access its interface. Also, you must ensure a reliable connection to be able to do that smoothly. Turn on your router, and then set up an ethernet connection.
Open the Login Page on a Browser
Open any web browser on your computer to access your Belkin router’s web interface. Then, enter the default gateway to open your Belkin router’s login page. If that does not work, you must check whether you are using the right default IP address.
You can usually find the right one printed on a label at the bottom of your router. Also, make sure to enter it correctly in the search box.
Login with the Admin Credentials
You probably customised your Belkin router’s interface to username and password. In that case, you must use them to access your router’s settings. But, what if you cannot log in with your credentials? You must make sure whether you have forgotten the credentials in such cases. If required, you can simply reset the router and use its default credentials to log in.
Check on the VPN Passthrough Feature
Go to the Configuration section once you have accessed your Belkin router’s interface. Then, open the Security section and click on the VPN Passthrough option.
You would find the following options there:
IPSec Passthrough
This is one of the most common VPN protocols that most devices use. So, you might want to keep it enabled all the time. In that case, you must check the box next to it if you find it unchecked.
PPTP Passthrough
PPTP is yet another VPN protocol that many devices might use. However, it is an outdated one and has many security risks. You must still enable it if a device in the network uses this protocol. So, make sure the PPTP Passthrough is active in such cases.
L2TP Passthrough
You can see the L2TP is only an updated version of the PPTP protocol. Also, it cannot work automatically and needs to work along with IPSec. So, you must enable IPSec protocol if you have done the same with L2TP.
In most cases, you can simply keep all the aforementioned protocols enabled. Click on Apply if you have made any changes to the Belkin router VPN Passthrough feature. Then, log out of your router and check whether you can use a VPN on a connected device.
Why enable Belkin Router VPN Passthrough?
As mentioned earlier, enabling the Belkin router VPN Passthrough is essential if you want to use your device’s VPN. Apart from that, here are some more reasons for you to enable this feature:
Hiding Online Activity
You might want to prevent trackers from detecting your online activity due to various reasons. Regardless, using a VPN is currently the best way to do so. This is surely among the most important reasons to use the Belkin router VPN Passthrough.
Accessing Blocked Content
Do you find certain websites and content blocked in your region? Many users might find that to be quite unfair. And, using a VPN is the most effective way to get through this restriction. So, you must make the necessary changes to your router to allow the passage of VPN traffic.
Protecting Personal Data
Cybercriminals can access various personal data, including information related to your bank account, by various methods. But, you can prevent that by taking the essential steps. And, using a VPN is the most viable way to protect your data online.
Conclusion
The Belkin router VPN Passthrough is an important feature with the increasing use of VPNs. Use the aforementioned methods to enable it on your network. As we have seen, you can also enable only one protocol and disable the others if you prefer so. Hopefully, this guide has answered all your questions regarding the VPN Passthrough feature.
