How to use a VPN to Hide Your Location - a Digital Nomad's Guide
Using a VPN to hide your location and secure your network traffic is vital when working remotely. This guide will help you do it the right way.
Published on August 18th, 2024 by Slomad
Using a VPN has become increasingly common for a variety of reasons. It makes your internet connection more secure and provides a level of privacy for your data and internet activity. It also allows you to access content from other countries. But maybe most importantly for Digital Nomads, it can also help you hide your physical location.
This guide will help you decide on a VPN solution that meets your needs and walk you through how to set up your VPN in a way that is useful to the average person.
The first step is to decide which VPN service to use. I personally use and highly recommend Proton VPN, which is what this guide will focus on. I have been using them for several years and have come to trust their privacy focused services.
There are plenty of other great VPN services out there that come recommended by others. No matter what VPN service you choose, just make sure it supports downloading OpenVPN/Wireguard router configuration files so you can set it up on a VPN router (more on this below).
Tip:If you're technically savvy, you can even set up your own personal VPN server. This has huge benefits - but is also technically challenging. Stay tuned for a future guide on setting up your own private VPN (update: check out a How-To Guide here). Or contact me if you'd like help setting up a customized solution.
Installing VPN Software on your Devices
Now that you have signed up for a VPN service, it's time to install the provided software on the device(s) you want to protect and/or appear in a different location. ProtonVPN includes the following apps:
Tip:Keep in mind that when using a VPN browser extension, only the websites you visit in the browser are protected. No other internet traffic from your device is routed through the VPN. I only recommend using these for light browsing. If you need serious security, skip the browser extensions.
These apps are all incredibly easy to use. Once installed, you can choose your location, enable your VPN, and start browsing privately.
If you only need to protect a device or two or want to be able to easily turn your VPN on/off and switch locations often, you can stop here. Using VPN software on your devices is all you need. But if you need something a bit more advanced, I recommend setting up your VPN on a router instead of using VPN software.
Setting Up a VPN Router
If you're a digital nomad, you likely have several devices connected to the internet. If you want to secure your entire internet connection and hide your location across all your devices seamlessly without the need to use VPN software on each device, you should use a VPN-enabled router. This will funnel all your internet traffic through the VPN for all devices connected to the router: your laptop, phones, tablets, etc. Once set up, this is the easiest way to ensure all your devices are protected.
Choosing a VPN-enabled Router
First, you'll need a WiFi router capable of configuring a VPN service to route all your traffic through. I recommend any GL.iNet travel router. I have and use both of the following ones and highly recommend them both:
Downloading VPN Configuration Files for your Router
Once you have a VPN service and a VPN Router, you'll need to log in to your VPN service and download the appropriate configuration files for your router. Here are the instructions to do so for Proton VPN:
3. Scroll down to the WireGuard configuration section
This is where you will generate WireGuard configuration files that will allow your VPN router to connect to a VPN server.
4. Set the following WireGuard configuration values:
Device/certificate name: You can use whatever name you want, but I like to name my configuration files descriptively with the router type and location the VPN configuration will be for. For example: vpnrouter-us-miami-1.
Select platform: select Router
Select VPN options: Leave the defaults set unless you have a reason to change them (`Block malware only` and VPN Accelerator enabled)
Select a server to connect to: An optimal VPN server is chosen for you automatically. If you want to use the chosen VPN server, go ahead and click the Create button. However, I'd recommend skipping the pre-selected server and selecting your own so you can fine-tune your location.
5. Scroll Down to Choose Your Location
Scroll down to view the entire list of countries that have VPN servers available for your use. Which country you choose will depend on what you are trying to accomplish. For example, if you are trying to set your location to match your home country, then scroll down until you find your country listed.
6. Choose a Country
Choose a country to list the VPN servers located in it. You'll also see each VPN server's name, location and server load ("status").
Tip:Unless you're on a free plan (don't you take this VPN thing seriously?!), skip any of the servers with 'FREE' in the name. These servers are likely to have slower, less reliable connections.
7. Choose a VPN server
Choose one of the VPN servers listed in your desired country and hit the Create button to create a router configuration file.
Tip:If possible, find a server with a low server load. Lower numbers are better. Green is better than red!
8. Download Configuration File
Clicking the Create button will open a window with the configuration details of the chosen VPN server. You will need to copy the contents to your clipboard, or download this file to your computer for later reference.
Tip:You can repeat these steps and download configuration files for multiple VPN servers at this time. I highly recommend choosing several locations now and downloading the files for later use in your VPN router. Most VPN routers support having multiple VPN servers configured.
Configuring Your VPN Router
Now that you have downloaded some VPN server configuration files, it's time to set them up on your VPN router for use by your connected devices. Here is how to do it for a Gli.Net router:
1. Login to Router
Connect to your VPN router via WiFi and login to the router's admin interface. For a Gli.Net router, this is likely http://192.168.8.1.
2. Add a WireGuard Client
We'll be setting up a WireGuard VPN client, so select VPN -> WireGuard Client on the left menu. Then click the Set up WireGuard Manually button to add a WireGuard VPN configuration.
3. Open WireGuard CLient Configuration Tab
Click the Configuration tab in the Add a New WireGuard Client window that popped up. You should see an empty text box. This is where we'll need to paste the contents of the WireGuard Configuration file we downloaded from our VPN service.
4. Copy WireGuard Configuration File Contents
If you already have the WireGuard Configuration file contents from your VPN service copied to your clipboard, you can skip this step. If you downloaded the file to your computer, you'll need to go find it now and open it.
Tip:If the file doesn't open because your computer can't figure out how to open a file with a .conf extension, you may need to 'Open File With' a text editor app.
5. Paste WireGuard Configuration File Contents
Next you'll need to paste the contents of the WireGuard Configuration file into the Configuration tab. Then click Next.
6. Choose a Name for your WireGuard Configuration
I would choose the same name you used when initially downloading the WireGuard Configuration file. In my case, I used vpnrouter-us-miami-1. But you can choose whatever you want. Then click Add.
7. Connect to the VPN
Choose the VPN Server you just added and click the Connect button to connect.
8. Connected!
Once connected, you should see green status lights, upload/download traffic statistics and a Disconnect button.
9. Manage your VPN servers
If you need to make changes or add new VPN server profiles, you can do that on the "management" tab.
Optional Steps
Here are a few optional steps you can take to make managing your VPN connection easier and your connection more secure.
VPN Toggle Button
GLi.Net VPN routers have a customizable physical button on the side which you can use to enable/disable your VPN. This is super handy if you don't need your VPN connected all the time and want to be able to turn it on and off easily.
Open the More Settings -> Button Settings page and set your switch button to WireGuard Client Toggle and hit Apply. You can then use the small physical button on the side of your router to turn your VPN on and off.
Using an Internet Kill Switch
GLi.Net VPN routers include an "Internet Kill Switch" feature, which disables all access to the internet except over a VPN connection. If you need your devices to route through a VPN 100% of the time, you absolutely need to use this feature.
As an example, let's say you are connected to your VPN router and your VPN connection drops for some reason. Or, you accidentally hit the toggle button and your VPN connection turns off. All your devices will then be hitting the internet without a VPN. This tiny mistake could be costly for anyone that needs to hide their location.
If you enable the Internet Kill Switch feature, if the VPN connection drops or you accidentally turn it off, the router will not let any traffic go to the internet.
When Internet Kill Switch is enabled, you'll see a green status light:
Verifying Your VPN is Actually Hiding Your Location
After connecting to your VPN, you should check your internet connection to make sure that you still have connectivity and that your location matches the VPN server location you chose.
If it is important you always stay connected through your VPN, you should disable auto-connecting to any other nearby WiFi routers that aren't protected by your VPN. This way, if your VPN router loses it's connection, your device won't auto-connect to an unsecured router and expose your location.
You can configure a VPN router to use OpenVPN instead of WireGuard if you wish. The steps in the above guide should be almost identical.
Don't forget about your devices that use mobile data instead of WiFi! These devices can leak your real location.
Questions / Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this guide, please let me know and I'll do my best to update it with answers!
Related Services
Proton VPN - My VPN of choice from the makers of Proton Mail in Switzerland. An excellent VPN that works great on Travel Routers and all major platforms.
