The Netgear Nighthawk X8 R8500 AC5300 DD-WRT router (from now on the Netgear R8500) is a router that is almost specifically designed for work with VPN services. It is best used as a general purpose VPN router. The main security protocol is OpenVPN, which is more harsh on internet speeds, making it less favorable for streaming or gaming. We took a look at the details of the router and a further elaboration of its potential uses when teamed up with a VPN service.
The Netgear R8500 has both wired and wireless methods of distributing signals if need be. To list specifics, the Netgear R8500 has a Tri-Band (2.4/ 5/ 5 GHz) wireless frequency band, and eight antennas; four external and four internal. The fact that it has a firmware upgrade is very useful – it is worth diving a bit deeper into the specifics of router setup if you ensure a better online privacy with it. The NetgearR8500 has 512MBs of RAM memory, making it one of the best on the market in this respect.
VPN Compatibility
It must be noted that the Netgear R8500 can also be understood as an upgraded version of the other similar models because of DD-WRT support. This enables it to be modified more easily, as DD-WRT favors a host of features, ranging from Dynamic DNS and WPA/WPA 2 personalization to IPv6 support and – most relevantly – full OpenVPN support. Netgear R8500 also runs on the PPTP security protocol, but we do not recommend using it, as it is the least safe type of protection for VPN services. OpenVPN on the other hand is the staple to go to; Netgear R8500 consequently should work with protocols that are based off of OpenVPN, such as SoftEther. But the biggest advantage of it is that while it is more than suitable for work with VPN, you are not required to purchase any such subscriptions once you buy the router. It is true though that most VPN companies do not support IPv6 connections.
Setting up such a device slightly varies based on the VPN provider you subscribe to, but the key steps are almost always the same. Because there is a DD-WRT included in the pack, you only need to set this up. In most cases, the basic setup of the router is enough. Disabling IPv6 is also common, and you might also need to change DNS addresses. Furthermore, it is likely that you will have to adjust more intricate privacy settings, such as the encryption or tunnel protocols. We strongly suggest that you always check for the specific setup guide of the VPN company you affiliate yourself with for the best possible setup.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Netgear R8500 is a router that can be a key to a very safe online experience. Combined with a VPN service and proper setup, you are guaranteed to vanish from plain sight online.
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