How to Set Up VPN on a QNAP NAS

Last updated: February 9, 2021

This tutorial will show you how to set up ExpressVPN on your QNAP NAS using the L2TP/IPsec protocol.

Important: L2TP/IPsec provides weak security benefits and should only be used for anonymization or for changing locations.

Before proceeding, make sure to set up your QNAP device and connect it to the same network as your computer.

1. Find your ExpressVPN account credentials

Go to the ExpressVPN setup page. If prompted, enter your ExpressVPN credentials and click Sign In.

Enter the verification code that is sent to your email.

On the right, select PPTP & L2TP/IPsec.

This will show you your username, password, and a list of server addresses around the world.

Keep this browser window open. You will need this information for the setup later.

If you know the IP address of your QNAP, enter it in your web browser to log in. Proceed to installing QVPN Service.

If you don’t know the IP address of your QNAP, install Qfinder Pro to locate the QNAP on your network.

Open Qfinder Pro. When your QNAP device appears, double-click it.

You will be redirected to the login page. Click Login and enter your username and password. Click Login.

Setting up a VPN connection requires installing QVPN Service.

To install, go to the App Center. At the top, search for QVPN Service. Select it, then click Install.

In your QNAP dashboard, select QVPN Service.

In the sidebar, select VPN Client.

Click Add > L2TP/IPsec.

In the Create VPN Connection screen, enter the following details:

Profile Name: Enter any name that will help you recognize your VPN connection.
Server Address: Enter one of the server addresses provided (e.g., la-abc-abcd.abcde.com).
Username: Enter the username you found earlier.
Password: Enter the password you found earlier.
Authentication: Select MS-CHAPv2.
Preshared key: Enter 12345678.
Specify the subnet mask: Leave it as is.
Use default gateway on remote network: Check this box.