How to set up Surfshark VPN on an Asus Merlin router

In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure the Surfshark VPN tunnel on your Asus Merlin router.

 

You will learn how to:

 

You need to have a router running Asus Merlin firmware and an active Surfshark subscription, which you can purchase on our pricing page.

 

 

Find your login details

Surfshark service credentials are different from your Surfshark account credentials, namely your email address and your password. You’ll need Surfshark service credentials to connect to the VPN using the manual OpenVPN configuration method explained below.

Here is how you can get your Surfshark service credentials:

  1. Go to this page, where you will find all of the details required for a manual connection.

    You may need to log in before proceeding to this page. In that case, enter your email address and your password, then click Log in.

  2. Click on the Credentials tab at the top. You will find the Surfshark service credentials here.



    It's a good idea to keep this page open for now. You will need these credentials a bit later.

 

 

Choose a Surfshark server

Every server (location) has a configuration file that you will need to connect to the VPN. You can download all of the configuration files from our website.

  1. Go to this page. It’s the same page where the Surfshark service credentials are stored.

  2. Select the Locations tab, where you will see all of the Surfshark servers. 



  3. You will need an OpenVPN configuration file for the location of your choice. For example, if you wish to connect to Germany, download Germany - Berlin or Germany - Nuernberg server by clicking on the location and then on UDP to download the configuration file. 

 

 

Configure the OpenVPN client

 

  1. Log in to your Asus Merlin router using the following IP: 192.168.1.1 
    If you can't log in, check your router's backside, or the user's manual to find the default IP address and credentials. Usually, the username and password fields are both admin.


    Merlin4.png

  2. Go to Advanced Settings -> VPN

    Merlin5.png

  3. Go to the VPN Client tab (or OpenVPN Clients in different Merlin versions). Click the OpenVPN button on the right side of the page.

    Merlin6.png

  4. Click Choose File.

    Merlin7.png

  5. Navigate to the Downloads folder on your PC, choose the file you downloaded in Choose a Surfshark server step, and click Open.

    Merlin8.png

  6. Click the Upload button to insert the configuration file.

    Merlin9.png

  7. Set all settings as in the screenshot below, and then click Apply. For the Username and Password fields, use credentials from the Find your login details step.

    Merlin10.png

  8. Turn the Service state switch from OFF to ON.

    Merlin11.png

 

 

Make sure your connection was successful

 

It's always recommended to check whether your connection was successful after setting up a VPN for the first time. This can be easily done by doing an IP leak test and a DNS leak test which is available on our website. Click here to find out how to make sure your connection was successful.

 

 

Congratulations - you have successfully installed and configured Surfshark VPN on your Asus Merlin router! As long as you’re connected, your location is private, and your sensitive data is secure.

 


You may also be interested in:

  1. How to make sure if my connection was successful?
  2. How to enable 2FA on your Surfshark account?
  3. How to set up a VPN-protected Wi-Fi hotspot using Windows?
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