In 2016, ExpressVPN released dedicated router firmware that gave people a way to run a VPN at the network level. This was some years before the idea became mainstream. That move by the VPN giant eventually led to the launch of Aircove, the first Wi-Fi router with ExpressVPN built in. Aircove Go soon followed and now ExpressVPN is launching its next generation of secure wireless router.

The company says its Aircove hardware platform had reached the point where the next VPN router required more powerful hardware. To do this, ExpressVPN teamed up with router specialist Gl.iNet to develop the Fortify. Based on Gl.iNet’s Flint 2 hardware platform, the new Fortify router replaces ExpressVPN’s Aircove and Aircove Go models.

Existing Aircove and Aircove Go owners can carry on using their routers and will continue to receive critical security updates and customer support through ExpressVPN’s published timelines. Existing owners will also be eligible for a 20% discount if they buy Fortify.

The new Fortify router has substantially more power and features than its predecessors, including Wi-Fi 6 AX6000, 4x4 MU-MIMO, Multi-Gig connectivity, with support for up to 86 concurrent devices. VPN speeds top out at 900Mbps, which is almost three times as fast as the 330Mbps of Aircove.

GL.iNet specializes in networking hardware, while ExpressVPN focuses on VPN and privacy technology. With Fortify, GL.iNet builds and maintains the hardware, firmware, router interface and networking platform; ExpressVPN brings the VPN service, privacy technology and global infrastructure to the party. This lets each company focus on what it does best, while giving customers a more powerful router and a stronger platform.

The Aircove router combined ExpressVPN’s own router software with hardware that was designed and produced for ExpressVPN. With Fortify the business model is completely different. Rather than designing another router platform from scratch, ExpressVPN is using GL.iNet’s existing Flint 2 platform. GL.iNet has spent years developing OpenWrt-based networking products and the company has a strong following with networking enthusiasts and privacy-conscious users.

According to ExpressVPN, the benefit of the new partnership isn’t simply that another company makes the hardware. It means the networking platform is developed and maintained by a company whose core business is making routers. This leaves ExpressVPN free to concentrate on the VPN side of things and developing the privacy experience.

At launch, the Fortify router connects to ExpressVPN using WireGuard and OpenVPN DCO, with the VPN configured and managed through GL.iNet’s router interface. ExpressVPN plans to bring Lightway support to Fortify via a future firmware update.

Fortify is also the first product in a longer-term router partnership between ExpressVPN and GL.iNet. There are plans to continue developing the relationship, although there are no commitments about future products. It’s a sure-and-steady approach.

A VPN running at the router level must share the same hardware resources as everything else that’s happening on the network. In a busy home, that can involve streaming, video calls, cloud backups, gaming, downloads and managing dozens of connected devices, each clamoring for its own slice of airspace at the same time.

Fortify provides a significant hardware upgrade from the previous Aircove generation of routers. Its Flint 2 platform has dual-band Wi-Fi 6 up to AX6000, with maximum speeds of 1,148Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 4,804Mbps on 5GHz, alongside 4×4 MU-MIMO, compared with AX1800 and 2×2 MU-MIMO on Aircove.

The new router is powered by a 2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB DDR4 memory, 8GB eMMC storage, and Multi-Gig wired connectivity through two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports as well as four single Gigabit ports. The router can support up to 86 concurrent devices, giving it enough muscle for streaming, gaming, calls, downloads and activity on a busy home network. At the same time, ExpressVPN is running on the router and keeping things protected.

Other new features include Multi-WAN failover, Smart Queue Management to help manage latency across busy networks, plus AdGuard Home support for network-level ad and tracker blocking. Add into the mix GL.iNet’s OpenWrt-based networking functionality and the VPN performance also receives a substantial boost. Fortify can reach up to 900Mbps using WireGuard and up to 880Mbps using OpenVPN DCO; that’s compared with up to 330 Mbps on Aircove and Aircove Go.

Moving over to the Flint 2 platform gives Fortify plenty more processing power, memory and network capacity than the previous Aircove generation. One of the advantages of running ExpressVPN at the router level is that it can cover supported devices connected via the router, including devices that can’t have their own VPN app.

Devices that don’t usually support VPNs include smart TVs, streaming boxes, game consoles, smart speakers, security cameras and other connected devices or IoT gadgets. The traffic from these devices can run through ExpressVPN without needing separate VPN software. The user gets to choose a VPN location and manage the ExpressVPN connection through Fortify’s GL.iNet interface, while devices connect to the router just as they normally would.

A Year Of ExpressVPN Advanced

Fortify includes 12 months of ExpressVPN’s Advanced subscription plan for new and returning users. That covers the ExpressVPN service used through the router for the first year, while the same subscription can also be used through ExpressVPN apps on personal devices used away from the home.

Advanced extends beyond the VPN itself. It includes ExpressKeys, the company’s zero-knowledge password manager; Advanced Protection, which can block ads, trackers and malicious sites and includes parental controls for adult content. Also included is ExpressMailGuard, which helps keep users’ real email addresses private when signing up for services online.

The 12-month plan includes up to three days of holiday.com eSIM data, while U.S. customers get Identity Defender, with monitoring and tools designed to help if personal information is ever misused. These additional Advanced features live in the ExpressVPN apps rather than the Fortify router’s interface. The router handles ExpressVPN at the network level, while Advanced extends the privacy and security experience to personal devices, passwords, email addresses and activity outside the home.

Fortify runs on GL.iNet’s OpenWrt-based platform. OpenWrt is open source and has been central to GL.iNet’s approach to router development. It’s designed to give users more visibility and control over the software running their network.

ExpressVPN specializes in privacy technology and runs a global VPN infrastructure to that platform, including a no-logs policy that the company says has been independently audited and verified.

Pricing and Availability:

ExpressVPN’s Fortify router will be available from the official GL.iNet website from September 16, 2026, priced at $199.99. Amazon availability will follow shortly after launch. Existing owners of Aircove and Aircove Go are entitled to a 20% discount to upgrade to Fortify.