At FlashRouters, we believe our customers ask smart questions that deserve clear answers. We regularly receive questions about wireless networking, VPN connectivity, router security, advanced configurations, and choosing the right router.

If one customer has a good question, there are probably many other people wondering the same thing. That is why we share some of these questions—and their answers—with our blog readers.

So let’s get right into it. To introduce our Ask FlashRouters series, here is a question from Peter in Oman about wireless security and how VPN encryption works.

Peter asks:

Just to be entirely clear, what about the data as it travels between the device and the router? If, for example, the wireless network were open, would all the said data be unencrypted? And if so, would the use of regular network security (for example, one recommendation for SME/home network “use WPA-PSK security with a random alpha-numeric pass-phrase that’s a minimum of 10 characters long”) enable encryption between the device and the router?

Dave, one of FlashRouters’ networking experts and support specialists, answered Peter’s question. We have lightly updated the original response to account for modern VPN and Wi-Fi security standards.

Dave answers:

A VPN and wireless network security protect two different parts of your connection.

If a VPN app is running directly on your device, internet traffic routed through that VPN is encrypted from the device to the VPN server. This applies whether the device connects to your router through Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable.

When the VPN runs on your router, traffic assigned to the VPN route is encrypted between the router and the VPN server. Your internet provider can see that the router is communicating with a VPN server, but it generally cannot see the websites or services being accessed through the encrypted tunnel. Websites also see the VPN server’s public IP address instead of your normal home IP address, although account logins, cookies, and other tracking methods may still identify you.

Wireless security protects the local connection between a Wi-Fi device and the router. WPA2 or WPA3 encrypts that wireless connection and helps prevent unauthorized users from joining your home network.

Leaving a home Wi-Fi network open or unsecured creates a different set of vulnerabilities. Someone nearby may be able to join the network, probe connected devices, access poorly protected shared files, or attempt to change router settings if the router’s administrator account is not properly secured.

There is also an important distinction when the VPN runs on the router: traffic between a wireless device and the router has not yet entered the router’s VPN tunnel. That local wireless connection should still be protected with WPA2 or WPA3 and a strong, unique Wi-Fi password.

To summarize Dave’s explanation, a VPN protects internet traffic traveling through its encrypted tunnel, while wireless security protects the local Wi-Fi connection and controls who can join your network. They are not substitutes for one another. A secure home network should use both.

As homes add smart TVs, streaming players, game consoles, cameras, and other connected devices, more people are choosing to manage VPN protection at the router rather than configuring a separate VPN app on every compatible device.

Have a question you’d like answered on our blog or need more information about our products and services? We’d love to hear from you. Our goal is to help you secure, manage, and get more from your home network.

Have a technical question? Visit our support center for setup guides, troubleshooting help, and FAQs.