Setting up Surfshark on your pfSense router might seem like a maze at first, but trust me, it’s totally worth it for network-wide security and peace of mind. I remember my first time trying to get a VPN running on a router, and it felt like I was learning a new language. But once you get it dialed in, you’ll love having every device on your network protected by Surfshark, without having to install an app on each one. This guide is all about walking you through that process, whether you’re leaning towards the classic OpenVPN or the speedier WireGuard. We’ll cover everything from getting your Surfshark credentials to setting up those crucial firewall rules and making sure you don’t accidentally expose your traffic. By the end of this, you’ll have a robust, secure network, and you’ll feel like a network wizard!

Table of Contents

Why Run Surfshark on Your pfSense Router?

You might be wondering, “Why go through all this trouble when I can just use the Surfshark app on my computer or phone?” That’s a fair question, and honestly, the app is great for individual devices. But connecting Surfshark directly to your pfSense router opens up a whole new world of network protection and convenience.

Centralized Protection for Your Entire Network

Imagine this: your smart TV, gaming console, smart home gadgets, and every laptop or phone that connects to your Wi-Fi, all automatically protected by a VPN. That’s the power of setting up Surfshark on pfSense. You configure it once on your router, and every device gets the VPN benefits. No more forgetting to turn on the VPN or worrying if a new device is secured. It’s a “set it and forget it” kind of peace of mind for your whole home network.

Bypassing Device Limitations

Some devices, like certain smart TVs or gaming consoles, don’t have native VPN app support. If you want those devices to benefit from a VPN, routing their traffic through your pfSense router is often the only way to get them connected to Surfshark. This expands your privacy and access capabilities across your entire digital ecosystem.

Enhanced Performance and Security Especially with WireGuard

When you run a VPN client directly on a powerful router like a pfSense box, you can often achieve better performance than on individual client devices, especially if your router hardware is robust. Plus, pfSense gives you granular control over your network, allowing you to implement advanced security features like kill switches and policy-based routing. This means you can decide exactly which devices use the VPN, which don’t, and what happens if the VPN connection ever drops. For example, using WireGuard in kernel mode on pfSense Plus can really boost speed and reduce latency. How to Connect Surfshark VPN on Your PC: A Simple Guide to Online Freedom

Before You Start: The Essentials

Before we get our hands dirty with the configuration, let’s make sure you have everything you need.

What You’ll Need

An active Surfshark subscription: This is pretty obvious, but you’ll need your account details to generate credentials.
A pfSense router: This guide works best with pfSense version 2.4.4 or higher, and if you’re rocking pfSense Plus 23.09.1 or newer, you’re in great shape, especially for WireGuard. Make sure your hardware can handle the encryption overhead – more powerful CPUs will give you better speeds.
Access to your pfSense admin panel: You’ll need to be logged into your pfSense web interface to follow these steps.
A stable internet connection: You’ll be downloading configuration files and connecting to Surfshark servers, so a reliable connection is key.

Choosing Your Protocol: OpenVPN vs. WireGuard

This is an important decision, and each protocol has its strengths:

OpenVPN: This has been the workhorse of VPNs for a long time. It’s super reliable, widely supported, and incredibly secure. However, it can sometimes be a bit slower because it’s more resource-intensive, especially on less powerful hardware. Think of it as the sturdy, well-tested SUV of VPNs.
WireGuard: This is the newer kid on the block, and it’s built for speed and simplicity. It uses modern cryptography, has a smaller codebase, and often offers significantly faster speeds and better performance compared to OpenVPN. Many users on forums have reported impressive throughput with Surfshark WireGuard on pfSense, with some even hitting speeds over 1 Gbps on their ISP connection. The implementation of WireGuard in pfSense often runs in kernel mode, which means VPN operations are handled directly by the operating system’s core, leading to superior performance, lower latency, and greater efficiency. If speed is your top priority, WireGuard is generally the way to go.

For this guide, we’ll cover both, so you can pick the one that best suits your needs! Is Surfshark VPN Owned by China? No, Surfshark VPN is not owned by China or any Chinese entity. This is a common question, and it’s super important to know who’s behind your VPN service, especially with so much concern around data privacy these days. Let me tell you, Surfshark is actually a European company, and its operations are far from China’s control.

Setting Up Surfshark with OpenVPN on pfSense

Let’s start with OpenVPN, as it’s a very common choice and widely documented.

Step 1: Get Your Surfshark Credentials & Configuration Files

First things first, you need to grab some info from your Surfshark account.

Log in to your Surfshark account. Head over to their website and sign in.
Navigate to VPN > Manual setup. You’ll likely see options for different protocols.
Choose OpenVPN.
Click on Generate credentials. These are not your regular Surfshark login details! You’ll get a unique username and password specifically for manual VPN setups. Make sure you copy these down somewhere safe. you’ll need them soon.
On the same page, you’ll find a list of server locations. Head to the Locations tab and pick the server you want to connect to. Click the download icon next to it and download the UDP configuration file or TCP if you prefer, but UDP is generally faster. This .ovpn file contains the server’s public key and other connection details.

Step 2: Configure Certificate Authority CA in pfSense

Your pfSense box needs to trust Surfshark’s servers. We do this by importing their Certificate Authority. NordVPN vs Surfshark: The Ultimate VPN Showdown (2025)

Log into your pfSense admin panel.
Go to System > Cert. Manager > CAs.
Click on +Add.
For “Descriptive Name,” type something like Surfshark_VPN.
For “Method,” choose “Import an existing Certificate Authority.”
Now, open the .ovpn file you downloaded from Surfshark in a text editor like Notepad or VS Code. Look for the section that starts with <ca> and ends with </ca>. Copy everything between these tags, including the -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- and -----END CERTIFICATE----- lines.
Paste this data into the “Certificate data” box in pfSense.
Click Save.

Step 3: Set Up the OpenVPN Client

Now we’ll create the OpenVPN client connection that talks to Surfshark.

In pfSense, go to VPN > OpenVPN > Clients.
Click on +Add.
Fill out these key fields:
* Disable this client: Make sure this is unchecked.
* Server mode: Set to Peer to Peer SSL/TLS.
* Protocol: Match what you downloaded – usually UDP on IPv4 only.
* Device mode: Choose tun – Layer 3 Tunnel Mode.
* Interface: Set to WAN this tells pfSense which interface to use to initiate the VPN connection.
* Local port: Leave blank.
* Server host or address: This is the domain name of the Surfshark server you want to connect to. You can find this in your .ovpn file or on the Surfshark manual setup page e.g., us-sea.prod.surfshark.com.
* Server port: Use 1194 for UDP or 1443 for TCP.
* Proxy host or address/port/authentication: Leave these blank unless Surfshark specifically tells you to use a proxy.
* Description: Give it a meaningful name, like Surfshark_US_VPN.
* User authentication settings: Check “Enable authentication of TLS packets.”
* TLS Authentication: For “TLS Key,” leave blank. For “Peer Certificate Authority,” select the Surfshark_VPN CA you created in Step 2.
* Encryption algorithm: Surfshark generally uses AES-256-GCM. Select this from the dropdown.
* Auth digest algorithm: Choose SHA512.
* Hardware Crypto: If your pfSense hardware supports it, select a hardware-accelerated option for better performance.
* Don’t pull routes: Check this box. This is important if you plan on using policy-based routing to control which traffic goes through the VPN.
* Don’t add/remove routes: Check this box for the same reason.
* Custom options: Sometimes Surfshark might provide additional directives. You’d paste them here. Look for reneg-sec 0 and auth-nocache if you want to keep the connection persistent and avoid re-authentication issues.
Click Save and then Apply Changes at the top of the page. Supercharge Your Network: Setting Up Surfshark VPN on OpenWrt
To check if your VPN client is connecting, go to Status > OpenVPN. You should see your new VPN client instance listed with a “Status” of “up”. If it’s not “up,” don’t panic! Double-check all your settings, especially the server address, port, and credentials.

Step 4: Assign the VPN Interface

Even though the OpenVPN client is running, pfSense needs an actual interface to route traffic through it.

Go to Interfaces > Interface Assignments.
Under “Available network ports,” you should see an entry like ovpnc1 or similar, corresponding to your new OpenVPN client.
Click +Add next to it.
A new interface e.g., OPT1 will appear. Click on its name e.g., OPT1 to edit it.
Enable the interface by checking the box.
For “Description,” type something clear, like Surfshark_VPN.
Set “IPv4 Configuration Type” and “IPv6 Configuration Type” to None the VPN tunnel handles the IP assignment.
Scroll down and click Save, then Apply Changes.

Step 5: Configure Outbound NAT for VPN Traffic

This step tells pfSense that when traffic leaves your network through the VPN, it should appear to come from the VPN server’s IP address, not your public ISP IP.

Go to Firewall > NAT > Outbound.
Select “Manual Outbound NAT rule generation AON”. This gives you full control.
Click Save and Apply Changes.
You’ll now see existing NAT rules. We need to create a new one for your VPN interface. Click the +Add down arrow button to create a new rule at the bottom.
Configure the new rule:
* Interface: Select your newly created Surfshark_VPN interface.
* Address Family: IPv4.
* Protocol: Any.
* Source: For “Type,” choose “Network.” For “Source network,” enter your LAN subnet e.g., 192.168.1.0/24 or an alias for devices you want to route through the VPN.
* Destination: Any.
* Translation > Address: Select “Interface Address” this means traffic will be NAT’d to the VPN’s IP.
* Description: Something like NAT_Outbound_Surfshark.
Click Save and Apply Changes.
Important: Make sure this new rule is above any general “LAN to WAN” NAT rules. You might need to drag and drop it. This ensures your VPN traffic gets processed first. Also, consider if you have any existing WAN NAT rules that could conflict. you might need to disable or modify them, especially if you want all LAN traffic to go through the VPN.

Step 6: Set Up Firewall Rules Policy Routing & Kill Switch

This is where you decide which traffic uses the VPN and, crucially, prevent data leaks if the VPN drops.

Policy Routing

If you want all your LAN traffic to go through Surfshark: Is surfshark vpn ok

Go to Firewall > Rules > LAN.
Edit your “Default allow LAN to any rule” it might be labeled Default allow LAN to any rule.
Scroll down to “Advanced Options” and change “Gateway” to your Surfshark_VPN gateway.
Click Save and Apply Changes.

If you want some devices to use Surfshark and others to go direct:

Leave your “Default allow LAN to any rule” to use your WAN gateway.
Create new “Pass” rules on the LAN interface for specific source IPs, aliases, or ports you want to route through Surfshark. For each of these rules, set the Gateway to Surfshark_VPN.
Ensure these specific rules are above the default LAN to WAN rule.

Adding a Kill Switch

A kill switch is essential. It ensures that if your VPN connection drops for any reason, your internet traffic stops rather than silently routing over your unencrypted ISP connection.

Go to Firewall > Rules > Floating.
Click +Add up arrow to create a new rule at the top.
Configure it like this:
* Action: Block.
* Disabled: Unchecked.
* Quick: Checked this makes the rule apply immediately and not process further rules for matching traffic.
* Interface: WAN.
* Direction: Any.
* Address Family: IPv4 and optionally IPv6 if you’re using it.
* Source: Any.
* Description: Kill_Switch_VPN_Drop.
* Advanced Options > Tagged: Select your Surfshark_VPN interface. This rule blocks any traffic tagged by the VPN interface from going out the WAN if the tunnel isn’t active.

To test your kill switch: Temporarily disconnect your OpenVPN client Status > OpenVPN > Clients, click the disconnect button. Try to browse the internet. If set up correctly, you shouldn’t have any connectivity. Reconnect the VPN to restore internet access.

Step 7: Configure DNS Settings

We want to make sure your DNS requests also go through Surfshark’s servers to prevent DNS leaks.

Go to System > General Setup > DNS Server Settings.
Uncheck “Allow DNS server list to be overridden by DHCP/PPP on WAN.” This prevents your ISP’s DNS from being used.
For DNS Server 1, enter Surfshark’s primary DNS: 162.252.172.57. For “Gateway,” select your Surfshark_VPN gateway e.g., SURFSHARKVPN_VPNV4.
For DNS Server 2, enter Surfshark’s secondary DNS: 149.154.159.92. Again, set the “Gateway” to your Surfshark_VPN gateway.
Click Save.
If you’re using the DNS Resolver unbound service in pfSense:
* Go to Services > DNS Resolver > General Settings.
* Make sure “Enable DNS Resolver” is checked.
* In “Outgoing Network Interfaces,” select “All” or specifically add your Surfshark_VPN interface alongside your WAN interface. This ensures DNS queries can go out through the VPN.
* Click Save and Apply Changes.
Test for DNS leaks by visiting sites like dnsleaktest.com. You should only see Surfshark’s DNS servers.

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Setting Up Surfshark with WireGuard on pfSense

WireGuard offers fantastic speed, and it’s generally simpler to configure once you get the hang of it.

Step 1: Install the WireGuard Package

WireGuard isn’t built into pfSense by default, so you need to install it.

Go to System > Package Manager > Available Packages.
Search for WireGuard.
Click Install next to pfSense-pkg-WireGuard. Confirm the installation.

Step 2: Generate Keys and Obtain Peer Configuration from Surfshark

WireGuard uses public/private key pairs for authentication.

Log into your Surfshark account.
Navigate to VPN > Manual setup > WireGuard.
Click on Generate a new key pair. You’ll get a Private Key and a Public Key. Copy your Public Key.
Paste your copied Public Key into the designated field on the Surfshark page. This will give you your assigned IP address e.g., 10.14.0.2/16 and the peer configuration details Endpoint, Public Key of the Surfshark server, Allowed IPs. Keep this page open or save these details, as you’ll need them for the next steps.
Surfshark might also offer a .conf file download for WireGuard. This can be super handy as it contains most of the information you need.

Step 3: Configure WireGuard Tunnel in pfSense

Now, let’s create the WireGuard tunnel on your pfSense router. Supercharge Your Online Life: Unpacking Surfshark VPN Offers for Maximum Security and Savings

In pfSense, go to VPN > WireGuard > Tunnels.
Click +Add Tunnel.
Fill in the details:
* Enable Tunnel: Check this box.
* Description: Something like Surfshark_WG_Tunnel.
* Listen Port: You can leave this blank, or if you prefer a specific port, choose one e.g., 51820 is common for WireGuard.
* Interface Keys:
- For Private Key: Paste the Private Key you generated in Step 2.
- For Public Key: This will automatically populate from your Private Key.
  * Interface Addresses: Paste the IP address Surfshark assigned you, along with its subnet mask e.g., 10.14.0.2/16 or 10.14.0.2/24 if Surfshark provides a /24 subnet for peers.
Click Save Tunnel.

Step 4: Configure WireGuard Peer in pfSense

Next, we define the Surfshark server as a peer for your WireGuard tunnel. Surfshark NZ: Your Ultimate Guide to Online Freedom Down Under

Go to VPN > WireGuard > Peers.
Click +Add Peer.
Configure the peer:
* Enable Peer: Check this box.
* Description: Something like Surfshark_WG_Peer_US.
* Tunnel: Select the WireGuard tunnel you just created Surfshark_WG_Tunnel.
* Dynamic Endpoint: Unchecked unless Surfshark’s endpoint is truly dynamic and you know how to handle it.
* Endpoint Address: This is the Surfshark server hostname e.g., us-sea.prod.surfshark.com or IP address you chose earlier.
* Endpoint Port: 51820 the standard WireGuard port, or whatever Surfshark specifies.
* Public Key: Paste the Public Key of the Surfshark server you’ll find this in the Surfshark WireGuard manual setup section or the .conf file.
* Allowed IPs: For routing all traffic through the VPN, enter 0.0.0.0/0 for IPv4 and ::/0 for IPv6 if you use it. This tells WireGuard to route all internet-bound traffic through this peer.
* Persistent Keepalive: Set this to 25 seconds. This helps keep the tunnel active, especially if your router is behind NAT.
Click Save Peer.
Go to Status > WireGuard to check if the tunnel handshake is successful. You should see a green icon or “latest handshake” time updating. Unlocking Ultimate Protection: How Many Devices Can You Really Connect with Surfshark VPN?

Step 5: Create WireGuard Interface & Gateway

Just like with OpenVPN, WireGuard needs its own interface for routing.

Under “Available network ports,” you should see an entry like wg0 corresponding to your WireGuard tunnel.
For “Description,” type something clear, like WG_Surfshark_VPN.
Set “IPv4 Configuration Type” and “IPv6 Configuration Type” to None WireGuard handles the IP addressing internally.
Now, go to System > Routing > Gateways. You should see a new gateway automatically created for your WireGuard interface e.g., WG_SURFSHARK_VPN.

Step 6: Configure Outbound NAT for WireGuard

Similar to OpenVPN, we need NAT rules for WireGuard traffic.

Select “Manual Outbound NAT rule generation AON”.
Click the +Add down arrow button to create a new rule.
- Interface: Select your newly created WG_Surfshark_VPN interface.
- Source: For “Type,” choose “Network.” For “Source network,” enter your LAN subnet e.g., 192.168.1.0/24.
- Translation > Address: Select “Interface Address”.
- Description: NAT_Outbound_WG_Surfshark.
Drag this new rule to be above any general “LAN to WAN” NAT rules. You might also need to delete or disable any existing WAN NAT rules that allow your LAN traffic to go out through the WAN interface directly if you want all traffic to use the VPN.

Step 7: Set Up Firewall Rules for WireGuard Policy Routing & Kill Switch

This step is very similar to the OpenVPN setup, ensuring proper traffic flow and leak protection.

If you want all your LAN traffic to go through Surfshark WireGuard:

Edit your “Default allow LAN to any rule.”
Change “Gateway” to your WG_Surfshark_VPN gateway.

If you want some devices to use Surfshark WireGuard and others to go direct: Surfshark VPN Not Connecting? Here’s How to Fix It!

Create new “Pass” rules on the LAN interface for specific source IPs, aliases, or ports you want to route through Surfshark. For each, set the Gateway to WG_Surfshark_VPN.

A kill switch for WireGuard is just as important as for OpenVPN.

Configure it:
* Quick: Checked.
* Address Family: IPv4 and optionally IPv6.
* Description: Kill_Switch_WG_VPN_Drop.
* Advanced Options > Tagged: Select your WG_Surfshark_VPN interface. This rule blocks any traffic tagged by the VPN interface from going out the WAN if the tunnel isn’t active.

Step 8: Configure DNS with WireGuard

To prevent DNS leaks and ensure privacy, route your DNS through Surfshark.

Uncheck “Allow DNS server list to be overridden by DHCP/PPP on WAN.”
For DNS Server 1, enter Surfshark’s primary DNS: 162.252.172.57. For “Gateway,” select your WG_Surfshark_VPN gateway.
For DNS Server 2, enter Surfshark’s secondary DNS: 149.154.159.92. Again, set the “Gateway” to your WG_Surfshark_VPN gateway.
If using the DNS Resolver unbound service:
* In “Outgoing Network Interfaces,” select “All” or specifically add your WG_Surfshark_VPN interface.
Check for DNS leaks at dnsleaktest.com.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with the best guides, sometimes things don’t go perfectly the first time. Here are some common issues and how to tackle them.

VPN Connection Drops or Fails to Connect

Check Credentials: Double-check your manual setup username and password from Surfshark. These are different from your regular login. Also, verify server addresses and ports.
Certificate Data OpenVPN: Make sure you copied the entire certificate data, including the BEGIN and END lines, and that there are no extra spaces or characters.
Firewall Rules & NAT: If your VPN connects but you have no internet, your firewall rules or NAT settings are usually the culprits. Review Step 5 NAT and Step 6 Firewall Rules very carefully. Ensure the NAT rule for the VPN interface is above other rules and that your LAN rules correctly point to the VPN gateway.
Different Servers/Protocols: Sometimes a specific server or even the protocol UDP vs. TCP for OpenVPN might have issues. Try connecting to a different Surfshark server or switching protocols.
MTU Issues WireGuard: For WireGuard, some users on forums have found that setting a custom MTU of 1420 in the WireGuard tunnel settings can improve stability and prevent connection drops. You might add mssfix 1420 to the advanced options for OpenVPN as well, though mssfix 1450 previously caused issues for some.

Slow Speeds

Protocol Choice: As we discussed, WireGuard is generally faster than OpenVPN. If you’re on OpenVPN and experiencing slow speeds, consider switching to WireGuard.
Server Distance: Connecting to a VPN server that’s geographically far away will naturally introduce more latency and potentially reduce speed. Try a server closer to your physical location.
ISP Speed: Always test your internet speed without the VPN first to establish a baseline. If your base speed is low, the VPN won’t make it faster.
pfSense Hardware: Encryption and decryption take computing power. If your pfSense router has an older or underpowered CPU, it might struggle to keep up with high-speed VPN traffic, especially with OpenVPN. An upgrade might be necessary for gigabit speeds.

DNS Leaks

Verify DNS Settings: This is a common one. Go back through Step 7 DNS settings for OpenVPN or Step 8 DNS settings for WireGuard meticulously. Ensure Surfshark’s DNS servers are explicitly set as the first two, and crucially, that the gateway is set to your VPN interface. Also, confirm that your DNS Resolver’s outgoing interfaces include the VPN.
Test Reliably: Always use a reputable DNS leak test website, like dnsleaktest.com, to confirm your DNS is properly routed.

Specific Clients Not Using VPN

Review Policy Routing: If only some devices aren’t using the VPN, check your Firewall > Rules > LAN settings. Ensure that the rules directing traffic to the VPN gateway are correctly configured and are above any general “allow to WAN” rules. Make sure the source IPs or aliases for those devices are correct.

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Advanced Configurations Brief Mentions

Once you’ve got the basics down, pfSense offers even more power.

Load Balancing Multiple WireGuard Tunnels

For those with extremely high bandwidth needs or specific use cases like moving multiple large files, you can actually load balance multiple Surfshark WireGuard tunnels through pfSense. This involves setting up several WireGuard connections to different Surfshark servers and then configuring a gateway group in pfSense to distribute traffic across them. This can potentially offer greater aggregate bandwidth, though it’s a more complex setup often explored by IT professionals or dedicated enthusiasts.

Selective Routing Bypassing VPN for Specific Traffic

Sometimes, you might want most of your network traffic to go through Surfshark, but certain services like banking apps, streaming services that block VPNs, or local network access need to bypass the VPN. You can achieve this using aliases and firewall rules in pfSense. You’d create an alias for the IPs or domains you want to bypass the VPN, then create specific firewall rules on your LAN interface to route that traffic directly out your WAN gateway, making sure these rules have higher priority than your general VPN routing rules. Surfshark vpn nigeria

VLANs for VPN-Specific Traffic

If you have a more complex network setup, using VLANs Virtual Local Area Networks can be a fantastic way to isolate devices. You could set up one VLAN specifically for devices that must use the VPN and another for devices that should go directly to the internet. Then, you simply apply your VPN routing rules to the VPN VLAN’s interface, offering a clean and robust solution for policy routing.

With these steps, you’re well on your way to a more secure and flexible network, all powered by pfSense and Surfshark!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pfSense and why use it with a VPN like Surfshark?

pfSense is a free, open-source firewall and router software that you can install on dedicated hardware to create a powerful network appliance. People use it with a VPN like Surfshark to get network-wide VPN protection. This means every device connected to your pfSense router your computer, phone, smart TV, game console, etc. automatically routes its internet traffic through Surfshark’s VPN servers, enhancing privacy and security across your entire home or office network without needing individual VPN apps on each device.

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Can I use both OpenVPN and WireGuard with Surfshark on pfSense?

Yes, you can absolutely use either OpenVPN or WireGuard with Surfshark on pfSense. While most setups choose one protocol for simplicity, pfSense is flexible enough to configure clients for both. You would set them up as separate VPN client instances and then use pfSense’s robust routing and firewall rules to direct traffic through the specific VPN tunnel you prefer, or even selectively route different devices through different VPNs or directly to the internet. OpenVPN is known for reliability, while WireGuard is praised for its speed.

How do I know if my Surfshark VPN on pfSense is working correctly?

To confirm your Surfshark VPN on pfSense is working, first check the VPN client status in pfSense Status > OpenVPN for OpenVPN, or Status > WireGuard for WireGuard. It should show as “up” or “connected.” Then, the most important step is to perform an IP address and DNS leak test. Visit a website like dnsleaktest.com from a device connected to your pfSense network. If everything is configured correctly, you should see the IP address of the Surfshark VPN server you’re connected to, and the DNS servers should also belong to Surfshark, not your ISP.

What’s a VPN kill switch and how important is it on pfSense with Surfshark?

A VPN kill switch is a critical security feature that blocks all your device’s internet traffic if the VPN connection unexpectedly drops. This prevents your actual IP address and unencrypted data from being exposed to your Internet Service Provider ISP or other parties. On pfSense with Surfshark, setting up a kill switch using firewall rules is highly important for maintaining privacy and security. It ensures that even if the VPN tunnel fails, your network traffic isn’t accidentally routed unprotected, essentially prioritizing privacy over connectivity.

Will running Surfshark on pfSense slow down my internet?

Yes, running any VPN, including Surfshark, on pfSense will likely introduce some overhead and might slow down your internet speeds compared to a direct connection. This is because the data has to be encrypted and decrypted by your pfSense router, then routed through Surfshark’s servers. The degree of slowdown depends on several factors: the VPN protocol used WireGuard is generally faster than OpenVPN, the processing power of your pfSense hardware, the distance to the VPN server, and your original internet speed. Many users report excellent speeds with WireGuard on capable pfSense hardware, sometimes reaching over 1 Gbps.

Can I route only specific devices through Surfshark on my pfSense router?

Absolutely! This is one of the big advantages of using pfSense. Instead of routing all network traffic through Surfshark, you can use pfSense’s powerful firewall rules to implement policy-based routing. This allows you to define specific rules that direct traffic from certain IP addresses, MAC addresses, or even ports to go through your Surfshark VPN interface, while other devices or traffic types can bypass the VPN and go directly out your WAN interface. This gives you fine-grained control over your network’s VPN usage. Kara and Nate Surfshark VPN: Your Ultimate Guide to Secure Travel

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Unleash Your Network: Setting Up Surfshark VPN on pfSense (OpenVPN & WireGuard Guide!)