NordVPN has specialty servers that serve different purposes.
NordVPN server types:
Standard servers
Regular NordVPN servers that offer the best connection speeds — ideal for everyday use. Whether you're browsing the internet at home or using public Wi-Fi networks while going out, standard servers provide security and privacy by encrypting your internet traffic and hiding your personal IP address.
The way standard NordVPN servers work is simple. When you connect to a VPN server, all of your internet traffic is encrypted via a certain VPN protocol. It is then sent through your ISP before reaching a NordVPN server. There, the traffic is decrypted and is then sent to its destination: a web page, banking app, etc.
Here is an article that explains how a VPN works in detail.
How to connect to a standard server
Choose from 3 options:
- Use the Quick Connect option (1).
- Select a server from the All countries list (2).
- Click on an icon on the server map (3).
Double VPN
Double VPN servers are specialized security and privacy solutions intended for journalists, political activists, informants, and anyone who wishes to be extra cautious.
The key benefit that separates Double VPN from standard servers is that your internet traffic is sent through two VPN servers instead of one, encrypting your data and disguising your personal IP address twice.
The additional layer of security comes in handy when traveling through countries with high levels of censorship and/or surveillance.
Here is how to connect to a Double VPN server:
To start using Double VPN servers, open the “Specialty servers” category in the NordVPN app and click on Double VPN. You will be automatically connected to the fastest available server.
What to do if Double VPN is missing from my specialty servers list?
If you do not see the Double VPN option in the specialty servers list, switch to TCP or UDP OpenVPN protocol.
Why does my connection feel slow using Double VPN?
Your internet connection feels slow using Double VPN because transferring internet traffic through a second server requires additional internet resources. For this reason, we do not recommend using Double VPN for simple, day-to-day activities. If you are still facing speed issues, here are some tips on how to make your VPN faster.
Onion over VPN
Onion Over VPN is a feature that combines the benefits of using The Onion Router (Tor) with VPN tunneling. The result — an increased level of privacy, essential to those living or passing through countries with heavy surveillance.
When connected to an Onion over a VPN server, your internet traffic goes through one of our servers, passes through the Onion network, and only then reaches the internet.
Usually, you can access the Onion network only with The Onion Router (Tor) browser. With NordVPN, you don’t need to download a special browser. All you need to do is open the NordVPN app, head over to the specialty servers category, and connect to an Onion Over VPN server. Your internet traffic will then be routed through the Onion network — no additional applications are required.
Onion over VPN is missing from my specialty servers list
If this happens, please reach out to our support for assistance. How can I reach NordVPN customer support?
I can't access the Onion network through the Firefox browser.
Don't worry, we have the solution covered in this article: Firefox does not open .onion websites
Dedicated IP
This category is for our clients who purchased their own dedicated IP addresses.
Dedicated IP servers function like standard servers, except that you're the only person who is able to access the IP address. When you connect to any other kind of server, your IP address is replaced with the server's IP. The server can be used by many other people, who will be sharing the server's IP address in hiding their personal one. Having people share the IP address may lead to a number of unpleasant inconveniences, solved by owning a dedicated IP address.
Some of the benefits of having sole access to an IP address include the possibility to bypass regular VPN blocklists, avoiding CAPTCHA requests, and more.
Dedicated IP is missing from my specialty servers list
If you do not see the Dedicated IP option in the specialty servers list, switch to TCP or UDP OpenVPN protocol.
I've purchased a dedicated IP address, how do I set it up?
Here are tutorials on how to connect to your dedicated IP by NordVPN on different platforms.
Obfuscated servers
Heavy internet restrictions and VPN blocks can be solved by connecting to obfuscated servers.
These servers bypass VPN-blocking firewalls by using a complicated algorithm. To find out more information about the way obfuscated servers work, visit our dedicated article.
I don't see obfuscated servers in my specialty servers list
If you do not see the obfuscated servers in the specialty servers list, switch to TCP or UDP OpenVPN protocol.