DD-WRT OpenVPN Setup Guide (2011-2013 Builds) - Manual Configuration

Prerequisites

Before starting this setup, ensure you have:

• A DD-WRT router with build version 14896 or newer (2011-2013 builds)
• An active TorGuard VPN subscription
• Your TorGuard VPN username and password
• At least 8MB of flash memory on your router
• Basic familiarity with router administration

Why Use VPN on Your Router?

Setting up VPN on your DD-WRT router provides:

• Network-Wide Protection: All devices automatically use VPN
• Device Limit Bypass: Router counts as one connection
• Always-On Security: No need to connect each device individually
• Guest Network VPN: Secure your guest WiFi automatically

Step 1: Access Your DD-WRT Router

1. Open your web browser and navigate to your router's IP address:
   • Default: 192.168.1.1
   • Alternative: 192.168.0.1 or 10.0.0.1
2. Enter your router's admin username and password
3. You should now see the DD-WRT control panel

Step 2: Configure Startup Script

1. Navigate to Administration → Commands
2. Copy and paste the following script into the Commands box:

echo YOUR_VPN_USERNAME >> /tmp/password.txt
echo YOUR_VPN_PASSWORD >> /tmp/password.txt
/usr/bin/killall openvpn
/usr/sbin/openvpn --config /tmp/openvpncl/openvpn.conf --comp-lzo yes --route-up /tmp/openvpncl/route-up.sh --down-pre /tmp/openvpncl/route-down.sh --daemon

3. Important: Replace YOUR_VPN_USERNAME and YOUR_VPN_PASSWORD with your actual TorGuard VPN credentials
4. Click Save Startup

Step 3: Enable OpenVPN Client

1. Navigate to Services → VPN
2. Under "OpenVPN Client", check Enable

Step 4: Configure OpenVPN Settings

Enter the following settings in the OpenVPN client configuration:

Additional Configuration

In the Additional Config box, enter:

auth-user-pass /tmp/password.txt
persist-key
persist-tun
tls-client
remote-cert-tls server

CA Certificate

1. Download the TorGuard CA certificate from here
2. Copy the entire certificate content
3. Paste it into the CA Cert or Certificate Authority field

Step 5: Save and Reboot

1. Click Save at the bottom of the page
2. Click Apply Settings
3. Navigate to Administration → Management
4. Click Reboot Router
5. Wait 2-3 minutes for the router to fully restart

Step 6: Verify Connection

After the router reboots:

1. Navigate to Status → OpenVPN
2. Wait 30-60 seconds for the connection to establish
3. You should see "Client: CONNECTED SUCCESS" status

Testing Your VPN Connection

To verify everything is working correctly:

1. From any device on your network, visit TorGuard's IP checker
2. Confirm your IP shows the VPN server location
3. Test for DNS leaks at DNS leak test
4. Run a speed test to check performance

Troubleshooting Common Issues

VPN Won't Connect

• Check credentials: Ensure you're using VPN service credentials, not website login
• Verify server address: Try a different server from your server list
• Port conflicts: Try port 1194 instead of 443
• Time sync: Enable NTP client in DD-WRT settings

Slow Internet Speeds

• CPU limitations: Older routers may struggle with encryption
• Try different servers: Connect to servers closer to your location
• Reduce encryption: Consider using AES-128 instead of Blowfish
• Check MTU settings: Try setting MTU to 1400

DNS Issues

• Add TorGuard DNS servers manually: 10.8.0.1
• Enable "Force DNS Redirection" in DD-WRT
• Disable DNSMasq if experiencing conflicts

Advanced Configuration Options

Policy-Based Routing

Route specific devices through or around the VPN:

route 192.168.1.100 255.255.255.255 net_gateway

Kill Switch Implementation

Add to firewall script to block internet if VPN drops:

iptables -I FORWARD -i br0 -o $(nvram get wan_iface) -j DROP

Multiple Server Profiles

Create scripts to switch between servers:

1. Save different configurations as custom scripts
2. Use scheduled tasks to switch servers automatically
3. Implement failover to backup servers

Performance Optimization

For 2011-2013 DD-WRT Builds:

• Overclock CPU: If supported, modest overclocking can improve VPN performance
• Reduce logging: Disable unnecessary logging to free resources
• Optimize buffer sizes: Add to Additional Config:

  sndbuf 393216
  rcvbuf 393216

Security Best Practices

1. Change default passwords: Update both router and VPN passwords regularly
2. Disable unnecessary services: Turn off Telnet, SSH if not needed
3. Enable firewall: Ensure DD-WRT firewall is active
4. Regular updates: Check for DD-WRT security updates