Router-Level Encryption: Top VPN-Ready Hardware for 2025

For technical professionals managing home labs, IoT ecosystems, or hybrid work environments, router-level VPN deployment solves critical challenges: blanket device coverage, reduced configuration overhead, and consistent policy enforcement. As ZDNET's latest testing reveals, modern VPN routers now integrate enterprise-grade protocols like WireGuard while maintaining consumer-friendly management interfaces.

Why Router-Level VPNs Matter

• Unified Security Posture: Encrypts traffic for all connected devices—including IoT gadgets lacking native VPN support
• Zero Client Configuration: Eliminates per-device software installation and credential management
• Bandwidth Optimization: Hardware-accelerated encryption minimizes throughput loss versus software clients
• Policy Enforcement: Guarantees always-on compliance for remote work or content access requirements

Top Performers Tested

1. Privacy Hero 2: Best for Enterprise-Grade Integration

"Pre-configured NordVPN with WireGuard support delivered 94% baseline throughput during our stress tests—remarkable for AES-256 encryption." - ZDNET Testing Notes

• Technical Highlights: 1.3GHz quad-core CPU | Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (3,000Mbps aggregate) | VLAN tagging
• Ideal For: DevOps teams needing granular server selection (supports NordVPN/Surfshark/PIA) and ad-blocking via DNS filtering

2. Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX11000: Multi-Tunnel Architecture

• Standout Feature: VPN Fusion enables per-device tunneling—critical for segregating work/personal traffic
• Throughput: 2.5G/10G ports sustain 11Gbps for high-frequency trading or video production workloads
• Use Case: Gaming studios requiring low-latency connections alongside secured corporate VPN channels

3. GL.iNET Beryl-AX: Portable Security (DevOps Essential)

• Field-Ready: Pocket-sized with OpenWRT support for custom iptables rules and network slicing
• Protocol Flexibility: Benchmarked compatibility with Tailscale, Zerotier, and vanilla WireGuard/OpenVPN
• Developer Perk: USB-C port for tethering cellular backups during outages

The Encryption/Throughput Tradeoff

Our latency tests revealed predictable overhead:

| Router             | Baseline (No VPN) | WireGuard Enabled | % Loss |
|--------------------|-------------------|-------------------|--------|
| Privacy Hero 2     | 920 Mbps          | 865 Mbps          | 6%     |
| ExpressVPN Aircove | 1.2 Gbps          | 180 Mbps          | 85%    |
| Asus RT-AX1800S    | 950 Mbps          | 610 Mbps          | 36%    |

Note: ExpressVPN's significant drop stems from limited hardware acceleration—avoid for bandwidth-intensive tasks.

Implementation Guide

For technical teams rolling their own:

1. Firmware First: Flash OpenWRT or DD-WRT for maximum protocol flexibility
2. Protocol Priority: Favor WireGuard over OpenVPN where latency-sensitive workloads exist
3. Split Tunneling: Exclude lab equipment/VoIP traffic via static routing tables
4. Certificate Auth: Replace PSK with client certificates for zero-trust device admission

The Future: VPNs Meet SASE

Leading models now incorporate features anticipating Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) frameworks:

• DNS/HTTPS filtering (Privacy Hero 2)
• SD-WAN-like failover (GL.iNET)
• Identity-aware policies (Asus VPN Fusion)

As work-from-anywhere expands, these routers provide the foundational security layer that developer households demand—without enterprise pricing.

Source: ZDNET Hardware Testing Lab, September 2025