NordVPN Getting Started

Where can I find NordVPN server list?

The list of NordVPN servers’ locations together with the protocols/services supported in each region can be found at: https://nordvpn.com/servers/

There you will also find additional information about the different server types you can connect to using our service as well as our recommended server picker, which will select the best possible server for you. Here’s a direct link to our server picker https://nordvpn.com/servers/#recommended

How many simultaneous devices can I use with NordVPN?

A total of 6 devices can be connected with 1 NordVPN account at the same time. However, there is only one limit. If you connect devices to the same server, you must choose different protocols for the VPN connections (TCP and UDP are different protocols hence you can connect one device to TCP other to UDP on the same server). That means that a total of 4 devices can be connected to a server at once – through L2TP, PPTP, OpenVPN TCP and OpenVPN UDP. If you have two more devices at home you can connect them to another server with any two protocols.

However, if you have even more devices at home, you can set up your router with our VPN. The router would use only one device slot but all your devices connected to the network will be under VPN protection.
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Which protocol should I choose?

Here at NordVPN, we support a number of different security protocols to provide our VPN service. We encourage you to take a closer look and explore the strengths and weaknesses of each and every one of them. The security levels and purposes of these protocols are different, but so are the needs of our customers. We want you to be able to choose freely, but also advise you of what might suit you best.

1. OpenVPN – (Recommended by NordVPN and used by default in most of our apps)

OpenVPN is a mature and robust piece of open source software which enables us to provide a reliable and secure VPN service. It is a versatile protocol and can be used on both TCP and UDP ports. It supports a great number of strong encryption algorithms and ciphers – to ensure the protection of your data we use AES-256-CBC with a 2048bit DH key. OpenVPN is currently used by default in NordVPN apps. We recommend it for the most security-conscious.

2. IKEv2/IPsec – (Highly recommended)

The latest addition to NordVPN security protocol family, which is also protected by IPsec, just as L2TP often is, however IKEv2/IPsec significantly increases security and privacy of the user by employing very strong cryptographic algorithms and keys. NordVPN uses NGE (Next Generation Encryption) in IKEv2/IPsec. The ciphers used to generate Phase1 keys are AES-256-GCM for encryption, coupled with SHA2-384 to ensure integrity, combined with PFS (Perfect Forward Secrecy) using 3072-bit Diffie Hellmann keys. IPsec then secures the tunnel between the client and server using the strong AES256. This is the protocol, which provides the user with peace of mind security, stability and speed. For these reasons, it is highly recommended by NordVPN and has been adopted as a default in the NordVPN apps for iOS and Mac OS.

3. L2TP/IPsec – (Not recommended for general use. Use with caution)

The first protocol ever used by NordVPN, L2TP/IPsec is a Layer-2 tunneling protocol encapsulated within IPsec. It’s mostly used where newer protocols aren’t supported, or security is far less important than the ability to use a VPN at all. We have had cases where our customers have old hardware or are based in countries where this is the only protocol that can penetrate Governmental/ISP firewalls. L2TP/IPsec uses the legacy IKEv1 Internet Key Exchange protocol, which is widely supported in many operating systems and mobile devices, however it has limitations when compared to the newer IKEv2. One of those limitations is the fact that the authentication methods must match on both the client and the VPN server. To simplify the process of connecting to this VPN service we use a shared secret key for authentication in Phase 1 of an establishment of VPN tunnel as opposed to providing every client with their own certificate, and since the secret key is shared, there is always a potential for your data to be intercepted. Managing certificates is often time consuming and cumbersome for the end user, so we only support this protocol to enable you to connect to VPN when you need it most, but have no time to set it up – or if other protocols are blocked by a government or an ISP, which is when we ask to switch back to another protocol when VPN connection established. A great use case of L2TP/IPsec would be for someone at a coffee shop with an unprotected WiFi access. Use at your own risk and only as a temporary measure or last resort.

4. PPTP – (Not recommended for general use. Use with caution)

Point-to-Point Tunnelling Protocol is one of the first encryption protocols that came into existence. It is quite simple to set up and runs on a lot of Windows versions, right from Windows 95 to Windows 7. However, the reason that more protocols came into existence is because PPTP is not nearly as secure as it should be. We recommend this only in those rare cases where security isn’t a priority and where legacy support is required.

What is a VPN?

A VPN is the best way to conceal your activity online. When you use a VPN, your data connection is encrypted, so ISPs, governments, NSA spies, and other third parties cannot see which websites you visit, what you download, or whether you use services such as Skype or a P2P application. NordVPN protects your privacy and prevents others from monitoring and controlling your online communications and browsing activity. With NordVPN, your location stays private and you can switch freely between multiple global VPN server locations.

NordVPN servers protect your IP address and hide your true location. You can choose from more than 1052+ Servers in 59+ Countries worldwide. With VPN, you can also hide Internet traffic data from your Internet service provider, as well as the government, NSA, and hackers. Even better, our fast and secure servers let you enjoy anonymous web browsing at the highest possible speeds.

How to purchase a NordVPN subscription ?

To successfully purchase a NordVPN subscription, go to our webpage www.nordvpn.com. Then at the top of the page, in the navigation bar press on Pricing:

Afterwards, you will be taken to our pricing page where you will see all the available deals. Select the one which fits you the most and follow the steps onwards to input all the information needed to complete your purchase.

If you ever have any questions, feel free to contact us and ask!
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What is your money back policy?

We have a 30-day money-back guarantee policy for accounts in good standing.

If you would like to test our service before you purchase it, you can always sign up for a 3-day free trial. You can find guidelines for getting the free trial here: https://nordvpn.com/free-trial

Users who purchased our services through Apple App Store cannot be refunded.

Of course, if you are having any issues with using our services, before issuing a refund we would first like to help you solve those issues. For that you can consult our Troubleshooting section here, or contact our Support team directly.

I have purchased but my account is still inactive

Payments via credit card or Bitcoin may take up to 40 minutes to be verified.

However, there is a chance that your payment was flagged for the false “suspicion of fraud” and your payment will be reverted back to your credit card.

As always, please contact our Support Team if you have any questions, or would like an update on your payment.

How can I get an Invoice for my company?

Please contact our support team and provide us this information to receive an invoice:

NordVPN Username
Amount paid, in USD as listed in the checkout screen
Payment date
Company name / Person name
VAT Number (if applicable)
Address
Zip Code
Country

Unauthorised use of Credit or Debit card

NordVPN is a premier developer and publisher of VPN (Virtual Private Network) software and service, with a subscription based payment module. If you have unfamiliar charges from NordVPN on your credit or debit card statement, contact NordVPN Customer Support for help, and to help us identify the payment, please provide the following details:

First six and last four digits of the credit card that was charged.
Credit card holder name.
Amount that you have been charged.
The exact date of the transaction.

In many cases, the charges are the result of a friend or family member using the card.

Windows connectivity troubleshooting

As there can be many different factors which could be cause of the issue with the connection on your device, such as various applications, network configurations, corrupt adapters or bad application configuration – there are various approaches to take and tackle this issue .

The problem may lie in several different places so you should try and check them:

First of, make sure that there are no issues with your account : Making sure that there are no issues with your account

If that does not help, try checking if your application is set up correctly : Checking your application configuration

And make sure that the TAP adapters are installed and running properly : TAP driver error whilst connecting to a VPN

Also, the issue might hide in the configuration of your OS and it’s applications : Checking your operating system configuration

Installing and using NordVPN on Windows 7 and above

The NordVPN native application is the recommended option for connecting to NordVPN servers on your Windows PC. It is designed with user experience in mind – having easy access to a variety of popular service features, like Double VPN or Onion servers and automated Kill-Switch. The OpenVPN protocol, one of the best VPN protocols out there, is set-up on the application by default.

This tutorial explains how to download and install the NordVPN application to your Windows PC, Log in, and connect to our servers. You can also find an explanation of various settings.
Downloading and installing

Open the NordVPN downloads page here: https://nordvpn.com/download

Click on Download

Navigate to your Downloads folder and double-click the NordVPN Setup.exe installation file you have downloaded.

A new window might pop up (depending on your Windows settings) asking “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?”. Click Yes.

If installing for the first time, the OpenVPN TAP adapter installation will appear. In the window, click Next, I Agree, Next, and Install.

Then the installer window will open. Click Install in the first screen.

The installer will proceed with the installation process.

Once installed, the NordVPN application will start, and appear in a new window. A shortcut to the application will also appear on your desktop.

Using and setting up the application

We have a video tutorial explaining the setup and usage of the application:

Using NordVPN on Windows 7 and above is easy. Let’s go through the steps of connecting to NordVPN for the first time.

When you connect for the first time, Windows may ask if you wish to allow NordVPN to install a TAP driver. It is necessary for the NordVPN application to connect to the NordVPN servers, so click Allow if the message appears.

Click on the NordVPN application logo on your desktop. When the application window opens, wait for it to load and enter your credentials. After that, click Login now.

The main screen of the application will appear. Here you can see the map and the menu bar at the top of the window. On the left side of the menu bar, you can navigate through various parts of the application, such as map, countries and settings. At the center,there is the Quick Connect switch, while the Search button is on the right. Clicking the Quick Connect button will automatically connect you to the server recommended for you. Using a complex formula that includes various server parameters, a smart Quick Connect algorithm chooses the best possible option for you at that moment.

You can also connect to a server in a specific country by clicking on the country pin on the map.

Once connected, the country pin on the map lights up in green, and the Quick Connect switch slides to the right. The status label says that you are connected and shows your new IP address.

If you stay in the Map view for a bit without connecting, the Connection wizard will appear to help you by recommending the best option according to your needs online.

If you want to connect to a specific server, click the Search button at the top right corner of the application. In the search field, enter a country, a category or a specific server number to find what you need.

After you successfully connect and close the application window, you can still find NordVPN running in the system tray area at the bottom right corner of your screen.

It might also be in the hidden system tray area, which can be opened with the upwards arrow.

By right-clicking the system tray icon, you will have all basic controls just a single click away: quick-connect or disconnect, see and reconnect to your recently selected servers, open or quit the application.

Managing your connecting and choosing between different servers

In the Servers tab, you can find each specific server that we offer, neatly organized into categories and countries.

For example, we can expand the Double VPN category, and select the Netherlands – UK Double VPN server.

You can notice that each server has a percentage next to it, which indicates the current load of the server. The more people connecting to the server, the higher the percentage.
The distance to the server is also visible. That way you can quickly see if the server is further away from you.

To connect to the specific server, click on it.

Once connected, the sidebar will display the current amount of traffic being transmitted.
You can also note that the top of the app also indicates that you are connected by sliding the Quick Connect button to the right side, and also displaying an appropriate status.

You can also add a server to your favorites by clicking the heart symbol next to it in the list, or, if you are connected to the server, in the sidebar.

Your favourite servers will appear in their own category, called Favourites. You can connect to them like any other server.

Settings

In the Settings tab you can configure the application to your liking.

CyberSec – Enable this setting to use our CyberSec feature while connected to the VPN, which will protect your from adds. malwareous sites, phishing and other threats.
Auto connect – Enable this to automatically connect to a server when the application starts. Disabled by default.
Start NordVPN on startup – Enable this to start NordVPN when you start your computer. Enabled by default.
Kill Switch – Enable this to terminate any applications you specify in the case of an unintended disconnection. Disabled by default. For example, you are using a public network, and use NordVPN to protect your confidential Skype conversation. You can add Skype to the Kill Switch list. In the case of an unexpected VPN connection cutoff, such as an unstable WiFi network, Windows will re-connect to WiFi, but the VPN connection will not be enabled yet. Kill Switch will close down Skype before it can transmit any of your sensitive info on the public network, thus ensuring your privacy.
Notifications – Enable this to receive Windows notifications when you connect or disconnect from a server. Enabled by default.
Start minimized – Enable this to display the NordVPN icon in the Windows system tray when the machine starts, which is where Windows displays applications that are running in the background. Enabled by default.
System of measurement – You can change the distance indicator between metric and imperial here. Imperial by default.
Map – you can turn the map on or off.
Custom DNS – here you can set the custom DNS servers of your choice for our application to use.
Advanced settings :
Server List – Enable this to show the “Servers” tab in the menu. Enabled by default.
Protocol – UDP is mainly used for online streaming and downloading. TCP is more reliable but a little slower than UDP and usually used for web browsing. UDP by default.
In the sidebar on the left you can also access your account details and the system log. The Logout button is also at the bottom.