Encrouter Smart VPN router has just announced the introduction of HomeLink – a brand new feature that lets you share your Internet connection with people anywhere in the world. The Swedish company offers one of the world’s first truly built-in VPN routers specifically designed for home use. Keep reading to discover how you can make the most of this innovative new feature – and why you should consider a built-in VPN router.
Share your home Internet connection with friends and family
Imagine a scenario. You’ve relocated to a new country, only to discover that your favorite websites, apps, and streaming platforms no longer function as they used to. While VPN services can provide a solution, shared IP addresses often face blacklisting and require multiple attempts to work correctly. What you really want is seamless Internet access that mirrors your home country experience.
This is where Encrouter’s new HomeLink feature comes in. HomeLink lets you connect to any other location in the world, as long as there’s a consenting Encrouter Smart VPN router there, and access the Internet as if you were physically there.
This means you can share your Internet connection with any other Encrouter user – be it a friend, a family member, or yourself if you move to another country or are traveling for a while – by bringing a second Encrouter. Because the second router is also located in a private location, you don’t need to worry about your IP address being blocked by content providers – you’re in charge of who gets to use this connection.
How does HomeLink work exactly?
Encrouter is a high-performance built-in VPN router, which means that along with the hardware – which looks much like a regular network router – you also receive an integrated VPN service, offering you a secure VPN connection. This connection covers all smart devices connected to this router via Wi-Fi, allowing you to customize VPN settings for different device groups easily.
As a Virtual Private Network (VPN) service provider, Encrouter helps users connect to its servers by utilizing encrypted tunnels to shield their actual IP address and geographical location. HomeLink introduces a significant expansion of this capability, enabling encrypted connections to extend beyond Encrouter’s own server network. Now, you can set up a secure tunnel directly between any two routers – regardless of whether there’s a VPN server in your target location.
Highlights of Encrouter HomeLink
- HomeLink is a feature of the Encrouter Smart VPN router that lets you connect two routers through a secure, encrypted tunnel. Unlike a regular VPN, it allows you to route all your traffic through another router in a different physical location anywhere in the world.
- To use Encrouter HomeLink, you need to have two consenting Encrouter Smart VPN routers – one wherever you are and the other in the location you wish to connect to
- Encrouter uses the modern WireGuard protocol, which utilizes state-of-the-art cryptography, ensuring high speed and low latency between the routers.
- You can connect 100+ smart devices this way by connecting them to your home Wi-Fi.
- You can also group devices and select specific ones to utilize HomeLink while others remain connected to one of Encrouter’s secure VPN servers.
This means you need two Encrouter Smart VPN routers to make this setup work. However, the process itself is remarkably straightforward. Once both routers are in place, you can establish a secure link between them through the Encrouter app – the router’s location will show up in the list of other VPN server locations.
This link acts as a virtual bridge, connecting your local network with that of the other Encrouter users, regardless of where they are in the world. Whether it’s collaborating with colleagues across continents, accessing region-locked content, or simply staying connected with loved ones no matter where they are, HomeLink makes it effortless for you to overcome geographical barriers.
So if you’re planning to move (or have already relocated) to another country, you can leave one Encrouter in your previous residence with a friend or family member and take the second router with you. With this shared connection, you gain access to your preferred online content as if you were back home and enable others to enjoy the same benefit. It’s up to you to decide which device to route the traffic through. The router on the other end simply needs to be plugged into the local network.
Enjoy streaming services from abroad without a VPN being detected
Connecting to a VPN server can be a great way to access streaming services worldwide that would otherwise be unavailable to you. As we all know, streaming platforms offer different content libraries depending on your country. Whether you want to watch RaiPlay from outside Italy, Sky from a country other than the UK, or enjoy certain TV shows that Netflix offers exclusively to its US audience, a reliable and trustworthy VPN can make it all possible with relative ease.
However, there’s a caveat. Sometimes, even when you’re connected to a server in your desired country, your VPN can stop working on specific platforms. This can be due to several reasons, such as streaming services employing advanced VPN detection techniques or regularly updating their security protocols. Additionally, VPN servers may become overcrowded, leading to reduced performance and potential disruptions in your streaming experience.
VPN servers essentially provide a shared IP address for all VPN clients to use. Because of the high traffic on these servers, companies have begun to identify and blacklist them. Since accessing restricted content is one of the main reasons for using VPNs in the first place, this can be frustrating for users trying to access content from another country. This applies to activities like streaming, torrenting, and gaming.
The problem is ongoing, too. Even if you’ve found a VPN that currently works for your desired country, there’s no guarantee it will continue to do so in the future. Streaming companies like HBO Max, Netflix, and Amazon Prime work diligently to block new VPNs as they emerge, so it may only be a matter of time before they restrict access from any VPN server.
Encrouter’s HomeLink could be a clever way to overcome this issue. Since it’s just you, the people from your household, and the people from the other Encrouter’s household who are using the router’s connection through the IP address assigned by your ISP, it won’t raise any suspicions from the streaming company’s perspective. This gives you much more freedom to use services and apps that don’t normally allow you to use VPN services to access them.
Access Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services as if you were in the same household
Certain streaming platforms, like HBO, are now implementing a new policy, requiring you to sign in from your home IP address every 30 days as a measure to verify that you’re not using the service from abroad. This means that if you’re traveling or living abroad, you might face interruptions in your streaming access and need to prove your home location repeatedly.
Furthermore, in recent times, streaming giant Netflix has been making headlines with its efforts to crack down on password sharing. While sharing your Netflix account with family and friends has been a common practice for many users, the company has begun measures to curb this activity in several countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and the US.
These changes come as part of Netflix’s strategy to protect its content and revenue streams, but they have also stirred discussions about the users’ ability to continue to share their accounts with friends or family members who don’t live in the same household. As streaming platforms continue to evolve, it’s becoming increasingly essential for users to explore alternative solutions to maintain their access to their favorite content while adhering to these services’ evolving terms and conditions.
By using a solution such as HomeLink, you can easily use your home IP address from anywhere, fooling streaming services into thinking you’re still at home and avoiding the inconveniences associated with streaming restrictions based on location. Or, for example, you can purchase one router and send it off to your friend in the USA, ensuring 100% working access to Hulu and other regional streaming services. This way, you can enjoy your favorite content seamlessly, no matter where in the world you happen to be.
Why should you consider using a built-in VPN router?
While VPN services are widely available for various devices and platforms, a noteworthy innovation is gaining traction – built-in VPN routers. Why should you consider switching to a built-in VPN router, and what advantages does it offer over traditional VPN services?
For starters, a VPN router offers you the same benefits as a VPN service – it encrypts your Internet connection, making it much more difficult for hackers or malicious entities to intercept your data. By hiding your real IP address and location, you can enjoy online anonymity and prevent websites and online services from tracking your browsing habits and personal information. A VPN also allows you to access restricted content – by connecting to servers in different countries, you can enjoy geo-restricted content and access blocked websites and online services in countries with strict government-imposed Internet censorship.
Furthermore, a VPN router saves you the time you would otherwise spend manually configuring and maintaining VPNs on each individual device. Unlike routers that require the manual installation of a VPN service, which can be time-consuming and may demand some technical expertise, a truly built-in VPN router works straight out of the box.
Encrouter Smart VPN router main features:
- Built-in VPN protection for your entire household.
- Connection of 100+ devices thanks to MU-MIMO.
- Ultra-fast Wi-Fi 6 and dual-band connection allow up to 1200Mbps browsing and streaming speed.
- Cloud Access and mobile remote that lets you control the router settings from anywhere.
- Simple setup – plug in your existing Internet connection and follow the automated set-up guide to get you started.
- Group your home devices for a customized VPN experience – watch TV from the USA while your iPad runs in Spain.
- One year of free VPN service is included in the price.
- Thanks to WireGuard, Encrouter is one of the fastest truly built-in VPN routers currently available on the market.
- With the new HomeLink feature available since October 2023, you can also easily use Encrouter to connect to any other consenting Encrouter Smart VPN router.
What VPN servers does Encrouter offer?
Encrouter has its own VPN server infrastructure with over 70 owned and dedicated servers globally. With a no-logs policy and no physical storage on servers, Encrouter prioritizes user privacy and security over having a very large VPN server network. For a full list of all the VPN servers that Encrouter offers, visit encrouter.com/vpn.
Created in Stockholm, Sweden, Encrouter is designed to make digital privacy as simple as humanly possible. Whether you’re looking for the best VPN router for gaming, video streaming, or improving your online privacy – Encrouter has got you covered.
Encrouter’s VPN service is entirely private, with no third-party affiliations or investments, meaning that the VPN infrastructure is entirely owned and operated by them. Encrouter has a zero-log policy, blind operator mode, WireGuard encryption, Diskless/Driveless Servers, and more to ensure the privacy and security of your connection via their VPN service.
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and has been done by Kyrylo Baranovskyi. The photo showing a remote control has been done by Towfiqu Barbhuiya. The product graphics and screenshots are owned by Encroute.
Editorial notice: Before trying to use a third-party tool you should always check your service provider’s terms and your local laws concerning if and how you are allowed to use VPN technology to enrich your experience. There might be companies that don’t allow for this as part of their terms of service either regionally or globally, and there might be countries that prohibit the use of such practices altogether. So check everything first to find out what applies to you in your region and your service provider.
