eero's VPN article is clear: eero supports VPN passthrough but has no network-wide VPN. Passthrough means you can put a VPN-enabled router between the modem and the eero and the eero will pass the encrypted traffic, or run a VPN on individual devices and eero passes that too. eero Plus subscribers get Guardian VPN included, installable on up to five supported devices, which protects a phone or tablet away from home. If a device VPN will not connect, check the app and server first, then try another protocol, restart the eero and the device, and see whether the VPN works on another network. If the eero is in bridge mode and a VPN router sits upstream, the VPN router handles the tunnel.
Advanced features such as Ad Blocking and Content Filters will not apply to traffic inside a tunnel, and a VPN on a device can bypass Profile filters. Guardian VPN still works in bridge mode. For port-based VPN servers at home, forward the port to the server's reserved address, and remember that a double NAT can block inbound VPN connections. If you need every device on the home network to use a VPN, the practical answer is a VPN-capable router placed in front of the eero, with the eero bridged, or a VPN app on each device. Check the provider's own guidance for the device you use, because a connection problem that only appears on your home network usually points at NAT or a blocked port.
Differential
Likely causes of “eero mesh wifi VPN client or server will not connect”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A network-wide VPN expectation
What separates it You expect a network wide VPN, but eero does not have one, so devices connect without it
How to confirm Use a VPN router upstream of the eero, or run the VPN app on each device that needs it
- 2
A double NAT
What separates it The VPN server at home cannot be reached from outside because of double NAT
How to confirm Fix the double NAT first, since inbound connections cannot pass through two routers
- 3
The VPN blocked by a filter
What separates it The VPN connections fail because a filter on the eero blocks them
How to confirm Turn the filters off as a test, and see whether the VPN connects when they are off
- 4
An outdated client
What separates it The VPN client cannot connect because the app on the device is out of date
How to confirm Update the VPN app to the newest version, and try the connection again
- 5
The wrong port forwarded
What separates it The home VPN cannot be reached because the wrong port was forwarded
How to confirm Reserve an address for the VPN server and forward the right port to it
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which VPN service and which protocol you are using
- Whether it runs on a device or a router
- The exact error message that the VPN app shows
- Whether eero Plus filters are on
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedDecide where the VPN runs
ReversibleDecide where the VPN runs, whether on each device or on a router that sits upstream of the eero.
Update the client
ReversibleUpdate the VPN client on the device to the latest version, since old versions can fail to connect.
Restart the eero and device
ReversibleRestart the eero and the device, to clear any stale connections that might exist between the two.
Check double NAT
ReversibleCheck for double NAT and fix it if it is present, since it blocks inbound VPN connections.
Forward the port
ReversibleForward the port that a home VPN server needs, to an address that you have reserved for it.
Test another network
ReversibleTest on another network, such as a phone hotspot, and compare the result with the home network.
Use Guardian
ReversibleUse Guardian for phones if you have eero Plus, since it is the VPN that eero includes.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Guardian
- Guardian VPN is a device app included with eero Plus, not a router feature.
- All models
- VPN passthrough is the same on every eero.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models eero Pro 6E, eero Pro 6, eero 6+, eero 6, eero Pro (2nd generation), eero Beacon, eero Outdoor 7.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the VPN works on other networks but not this one, contact the VPN provider
- !If passthrough fails, check the routers that sit upstream of the eero
- !If Guardian will not install, contact eero support
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
VPN passthrough and Guardian VPN.
Guardian setup.
Bridge mode, Automatic and features.
UPnP, DNS, port forwarding, Client Steering and more.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Does eero support VPNs?+
It supports passthrough, not a network-wide VPN.
What is Guardian?+
A VPN included with eero Plus.
How many devices for Guardian?+
Guardian works for up to five devices, so choose which of your devices to protect.
Can I put a VPN router in front?+
Yes, you can put a VPN router in front of the eero, and the eero will pass it through.
Does a VPN bypass filters?+
Yes, a VPN can bypass filters, since it hides the traffic from the eero.
Will double NAT block it?+
Double NAT can block inbound connections, so fix it if you run a VPN server.
Can I forward a VPN port?+
Yes, forward a VPN port to an address that you have reserved for the VPN server.