A VPN router should support OpenVPN and, where required by the network, PPTP for remote user access. For site-to-site networking, look for IPsec support, along with dual-WAN failover or load balancing when the installation uses multiple internet connections.

A single-WAN VPN router connects to one internet service provider, so it does not provide ISP failover and typically relies on that connection for all network traffic. A dual-WAN VPN router connects to two internet services and can use load balancing to distribute traffic or failover to the second connection when the primary link is unavailable.

Compare the router’s WAN and LAN speeds, the number and type of ports, and whether it supports Gigabit or multi-Gigabit connections for the site’s internet service and connected devices. Also review VPN and routing throughput, processor and memory capacity, dual-WAN support for failover or load balancing, and port features such as VLAN or site-to-site VPN support.

A VPN router uses firewall rules to control inbound, outbound, and VPN traffic, while VLAN support separates devices or services into logical network groups to help limit access between them. Remote management features let integrators monitor network status, adjust configurations, troubleshoot connections, and manage VPN settings through a cloud platform or web interface, depending on the router.