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For the TV and the Grandparents at Home
Updated
Grandparents who only press the remote to watch Chinese series, smart TVs and boxes that cannot install a client, and every problem ending in a remote-support call from you — this scenario has exactly one low-effort solution: put the route on the router. From then on the TV, the box and the tablets just join that Wi‑Fi with nothing installed; with split routing on, local sites and the printer stay direct and speed is unaffected. This guide covers choosing between the two ways to do it, what the elderly actually experience, and the single thing you need to tell them.
Why it has to be a router
TV and box operating systems cannot run a VPN client, and screen mirroring needs a phone kept on. A router puts the whole LAN’s exit inside the route with zero configuration on devices — which is also why it is immune to IPv6 and DNS leaks: device traffic never reaches outside, so video sites stop showing the region notice.
Router access is a premium-account feature. The router counts as one device; the TVs, boxes and tablets behind it are not counted separately.
Two ways to do it
- Buy a pre-installed router: for anyone who wants no tinkering. Plug it in behind the existing modem or router, log in once on the admin page, choose the China region, and every device on its Wi‑Fi takes the route automatically. Units include six months to two years of premium service.
- Flash your own: if you already own a router supported by OpenWrt (over 1,000 models), build the firmware online on this site, get the link by email in about five minutes, and flash it per the instructions; needs a little hands-on skill, and the router page is the authority on supported models.
- Either way, the route components and the split-routing list update themselves at boot and address changes never need your attention; afterwards it is essentially hands-off.
What the grandparents experience
They never need to hear the word “route”. iQIYI, Tencent Video and CCTV apps on the TV open as they would in China; Chinese editions play directly, while overseas editions (iQIYI International, WeTV) have different catalogues and should be replaced with the Chinese ones.
The one instruction: do not unplug the router. After a power cut it recovers on its own within a minute with no action needed; if the home network misbehaves, restart the router and the modem first.
When the home also needs local access
The firmware defaults to split mode: listed Chinese domains take the route, everything else goes direct. Local banking sites, local streaming, the printer and the NAS stay direct with no detour. To keep one device always direct (a work laptop that needs the corporate VPN), put it on the upstream router’s or modem’s own Wi‑Fi.
If a Chinese site fails, test in full mode first: if it opens, it is not on the list — send the address to support to be added; if it fails in full mode too, the site itself is the problem.
FAQ
Can the grandparents still watch on mobile data outside?
Outside the home the router is not involved. Install a client on the phone (Cisco or sing-box) — scan a code or enter an address; the router and the phone client count as separate devices and can be used together.
Two TVs, a box and two tablets — enough?
Yes. The router uses one device slot and the devices behind it are not counted.
Where does the router go?
Behind the existing modem or main router. Only devices that need Chinese content join its Wi‑Fi; everything else stays on the original network, and the two do not interfere.
Our home internet is slow already — will the route make it worse?
Chinese video quality depends on cross-border bandwidth; 1080p needs a steady 5 Mbps or more. Local sites are unaffected. If it buffers at evening peak, switch to another mainland exit on the admin page.
Related pages
- Router page: models, firmware build and purchase →
- What the router firmware does →
- Tencent Video or iQIYI blocked abroad? Fix it in 5 steps →
- Choosing a VPN router →
- How to Choose a China VPN →
- Does Cisco AnyConnect Work in China? →
- How to Import a sing-box Subscription →
- China VPN for Students Abroad →
- What a Web Proxy Is and When to Use One →
- Free or Paid China VPN? →
- What the Private Network (Tailscale) Is →
- How to Use OpenVPN and When to Choose It →
- How to Reach Us and Never Lose Contact →
- How We Differ from Other VPNs →
- How to Recognise a Risky VPN App →
- Which Connection Method to Choose →
- Which Region Is Fastest from Inside China →
- Watching Home Cameras and a NAS in China from Abroad →
- What to Do When iOS Cannot Install an App →
- Cannot Connect, Slow, or Dropping: What to Check →
- Setting Up for Business Trips and Travel →
- On a Company Laptop: No Admin Rights, Corporate VPN Already On →
- Many Devices, One Setup, No Redo on a New Phone →
- Routing a Synology or QNAP NAS →
- Routing a Linux Server and Command-Line Tools →