Do Smart Home Devices Need a VPN? Router VPNs, IoT Security and the Better Fixes

Most smart home devices don't need a VPN, and the ones that would benefit can't run one directly. A VPN on your router will encrypt their traffic so your internet provider can't see which services they contact. That's a real but modest privacy gain. The things that actually get smart homes hacked are default passwords, unpatched firmware and routers left open to the internet. A VPN fixes none of those. Start with the basics below, then add a router VPN if you still want one.

Why you can't just install a VPN on a smart device

Smart plugs, bulbs, thermostats, cameras, speakers and doorbells run stripped-down software with no app store and no VPN settings. The same is true of game consoles. NordVPN and Surfshark both say Xbox has no native VPN support, and NordVPN says the same of the Nintendo Switch. For any of these, the VPN has to run on the device they connect through, which in a home is the router.

A few smart TVs and streaming boxes are the exception. Apple TV runs VPN apps on tvOS 17 and later, and Android TV and Fire TV have apps too. If your goal is privacy for the TV, use the app there and leave the rest of the network alone.

What a router VPN actually protects (and what it doesn't)

The key point is the third row. Many smart devices exist to send data to the company that made them. A VPN encrypts the trip, but the destination still gets everything.

The IoT security basics that matter more than a VPN

Do these first. They cost nothing and cover the risks a VPN leaves open.

1. Change default passwords, and use long, unique ones. The FTC's guidance on voice assistants recommends passwords of at least 15 characters, or a passphrase of random words, and never reusing passwords from other accounts. Apply that to every device's companion account.
2. Turn on multi-factor authentication for the accounts behind your cameras, speakers and smart locks. The FTC points out that a stolen password alone isn't enough once MFA is on.
3. Secure the router itself. The FCC recommends turning on Wi-Fi encryption (WPA2 at minimum), changing the default network name and admin password, and using long passwords. If your router supports WPA3, use it.
4. Keep firmware updated. Turn on automatic updates in each device's app. Retire devices the manufacturer no longer patches.
5. Review privacy settings. For voice assistants, the FTC suggests checking whether people at the company can listen to recordings, opting out of human review where possible, and deleting old recordings or setting them to auto-delete.
6. Limit what devices can do. Add a PIN for voice purchases, or turn them off, and only link the accounts you actually use with the device.

Put smart devices on their own network

This is the single most useful step after passwords. Most modern routers can run a guest network. Put the smart plugs, bulbs, cameras and TV on it, and keep laptops, phones and the computer with your tax files on the main network. If a cheap gadget gets compromised, it can't easily reach the devices that matter.

A few practical notes:

• Some devices need to be on the same network as your phone to set up or to cast. Set them up first, then move them, or check the device app for a guest-network option.
• Name the networks clearly, like "Home" and "Home-IoT," so you don't put a new laptop on the wrong one.
• Higher-end routers and mesh systems may offer a dedicated IoT network or per-device controls. That's even better if you have it.

When a router VPN does make sense

A router VPN is worth it in a few specific situations:

• You don't trust your internet provider. Some providers use browsing and app data for advertising. A router VPN hides which domains every device in the house contacts.
• Shared or managed internet. In apartments with building-wide Wi-Fi, student housing or long-term rentals, someone else runs the network. A router VPN between your devices and theirs keeps your traffic private from the landlord's equipment.
• Covering devices that can't run apps. Consoles, smart TVs without VPN apps and streaming sticks all get covered at once.
• Travel setups. A small travel router running a VPN covers everything you bring, including a Switch, a Chromecast or a laptop, on hotel Wi-Fi.

Both NordVPN and Surfshark publish router setup guides, and the router needs to support a VPN client natively or through firmware such as DD-WRT. Our VPN router guide explains what to look for, and the router setup walkthrough covers the steps.

Choosing a VPN for a router setup

Any reputable VPN with router support will work. For homes with lots of devices, these are the differences that matter:

What breaks when the whole house is on a VPN

Expect some friction. These are the common problems:

• Location-based features. Weather, local news, store hours and "near me" answers from a smart speaker may assume you're wherever the VPN server is. Pick a server in your own city or region.
• Banking and account security checks. Some banks and services flag or block logins from VPN IPs. Our bank-blocking fix guide covers workarounds.
• Streaming services. Many block known VPN IPs, so a smart TV on a router VPN may suddenly refuse to play.
• Speed. Encryption on a home router depends on its processor. Cheaper routers can cap your total speed well below your internet plan.
• Remote camera access. Most cloud cameras are fine, but anything that relies on port forwarding to reach your home network will stop working behind a VPN.
• Gaming consoles. NordVPN warns that a VPN can push a console's NAT type to Strict, which breaks party chat and matchmaking in some games.

The fix for most of these is to exclude the device or network instead of turning off the VPN for everything. Many VPN-capable routers support policy-based routing, which lets you choose which devices go through the tunnel.

A sensible smart home plan

1. Do the free basics now: unique passwords, MFA, router encryption, automatic firmware updates.
2. Split the network: put smart devices on a guest or IoT network.
3. Trim the data: review voice assistant and camera privacy settings, and delete stored recordings.
4. Decide on a VPN by goal: if you want privacy from your internet provider, put a VPN on the router, ideally only on the main network. If you just want one TV on a different region, use the TV's own app.
5. Test after changes: check casting, voice commands, cameras and streaming. If something breaks, exclude that device or network from the VPN rather than switching it off for everyone.

For more on what your provider can see in the first place, read what your ISP can see with and without a VPN.