Connecting a Linux computer to the FRITZ!Box
AVM Content
Setting up a WireGuard VPN to the FRITZ!Box on a smartphone or tablet
With WireGuard, you can easily establish VPN connections to the FRITZ!Box on your smartphone or tablet and access your FRITZ!Box and all devices in your home network over a secure, encrypted connection, even when you are away from home.
In addition, the mobile device also forwards all web requests over the VPN connection to your FRITZ!Box. This means you can use sensitive services such as email or online banking in public Wi-Fi hotspots just as securely as if you were directly connected to your FRITZ!Box via Wi-Fi at home.
WireGuard is available for Android and Apple iOS.
You can find an overview of additional VPN connection options in our guide VPN with FRITZ!.
Requirements / Restrictions
- The FRITZ!Box must either obtain an IPv6 address or a public IPv4 address from the internet service provider.
- FRITZ!Box 6590 Cable and FRITZ!Box 6490 Cable do not support WireGuard.
Note:This guide is valid for FRITZ!OS 7.50 or later. If you are using an older FRITZ!OS version, the configuration may differ or functions may not be available. You can find the FRITZ!OS version on the "Overview" page of the user interface.
1 Preparations
Configuring MyFRITZ!
Register the FRITZ!Box with MyFRITZ!Net so that it can always be reached on the internet at a fixed MyFRITZ! address:
- Click "Internet" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
- Click on "MyFRITZ! Account" in the "Internet" menu.
- Enter your email address in the "Your email address" field.
- Click on "Apply". Now MyFRITZ!Net sends you an email with the confirmation link to your FRITZ!Box.
Important:If you do not receive an email, the email was classified as unsolicited advertising (spam). In this case, check the spam folder of your email inbox.
- Open the email you received from MyFRITZ!Net.
- Click the "Register Your FRITZ!Box" button in the email.
Adjusting the FRITZ!Box's IP network
Both ends of the VPN connection must have IP addresses in different IP networks. As soon as the mobile device is connected to a router (for example another FRITZ!Box) that uses the same IP network as your FRITZ!Box, VPN communication is no longer possible.
Note:All FRITZ!Boxes use the IP network 192.168.178.0 in the factory settings.
Set up an IP address in your FRITZ!Box that differs from the IP addresses of the routers you use to connect to the FRITZ!Box, for example 192.168.10.1 (subnet mask 255.255.255.0):
- Click "Home Network" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
- Click on "Network" in the "Home Network" menu.
- Click on the "Network Settings" tab.
- Click "Additional Settings" in the section "WAN setting" or "LAN Settings" to display all of the settings.
- Click the "IPv4 Settings" button.
- Enter the desired IP address and subnet mask.
- Click "Apply" to save the settings and on the FRITZ!Box, confirm that the procedure may be executed, if you are asked to do so.
2 Installing WireGuard
- Install the WireGuard App on your mobile device from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
3 Setting up a VPN connection
- Click "Internet" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
- Click on "Permit Access" in the "Internet" menu.
- Click on the "VPN (WireGuard)" tab.
- Click the "Add Connection" button.
- Click "Connect a single device" and then "Next".
- Enter a name for the VPN connection (for example Annas iPhone).
- Click on "Finish".
- If you are asked to do so, on the FRITZ!Box confirm that the procedure may be executed and click "OK" to complete the procedure.
- Open the WireGuard App on your mobile device.
- In the WireGuard App, tap the "+" (Plus) and then "Scan from QR Code" or "Create from QR code".
- Point the camera at the QR code in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
- Enter a name for the VPN connection (for example FRITZ!Box home) and tap "Create Tunnel" or "Save".
4 Establishing a VPN connection
- Open the WireGuard App on your mobile device.
- Tap the "On / Off" symbol behind the name of the VPN connection you set up (for example FRITZ!Box home).
- The connection is established as soon as the VPN symbol is displayed in the status bar.