How NordVPN Meshnet Helped Transform Your Streaming, File-Sharing, and Gaming

Meshnet was a feature from NordVPN that enabled users to connect devices directly to create a private, encrypted virtual network. NordVPN will shut down Meshnet on December 1, 2025.

Meshnet had numerous potential applications, ranging from file sharing to gaming. It was also completely free to use. In this article, we’ll walk through what Meshnet was and how it worked. 

What was NordVPN Meshnet?

Meshnet was a feature offered by NordVPN. It allowed you to create your own virtual networks between devices, no matter where they were in the world. Meshnet allowed you to connect up to 10 of your own devices and up to 50 external devices simultaneously.

This network could have been used to share files, remotely access a computer, and host private gaming sessions with friends.

How Meshnet worked

Meshnet worked by directly linking two or more devices together using the NordVPN app. The devices would then interact as if they were on the same local network. A NordVPN subscription wasn't needed to use Meshnet, despite using the NordVPN app.

Meshnet's connections were fully encrypted, so your activity was secure and private. Traffic didn’t pass through any intermediary servers because it was entirely contained within the Meshnet-connected devices.

How to set up NordVPN Meshnet

Setting up Meshnet was fairly straightforward. This was the step-by-step process:

1. Install NordVPN

Meshnet didn't require a NordVPN subscription, but it was still managed through the NordVPN app. So first, you needed to download and install the NordVPN app on each device that you wanted to link using Meshnet.

On a PC or Mac, head to the NordVPN website and click Get NordVPN. On an Android or iOS device, install the NordVPN app from your device’s app store.

2. Log in or create an account

After installing the app, you needed to either log in to an existing NordVPN account or create a new one. This ensured that the app could link to the NordVPN apps on other devices. 

From there, you needed to click the appropriate button in the top-right corner of the app on each device you wanted to link.

3. Enable Meshnet

Third, you needed to head to the Meshnet section of the app and enable the feature. On a desktop, it was the four circles arranged in a diamond pattern. On mobile devices, Meshnet was found under the profile tab. 

4. Add external devices

Devices you were signed in to that had Meshnet enabled were automatically linked. To add external devices (those with a different NordVPN account), you needed to click the Link external devices button. 

Then, you could send invitations to other users via email. Simply follow the onscreen instructions.

5. Adjust permissions for your devices

To enable or disable Meshnet’s various features, such as file sharing, remote access, and traffic routing, find your device in the menu, click the three-dot icon, and toggle each permission on or off.

Use Meshnet for password sharing

Netflix (and other streaming services) have been cracking down on individuals who try to share accounts outside their home networks. Essentially, you used to be able to share your password with a friend, allowing them to use your Netflix account; however, the company no longer permits this practice and has implemented measures to prevent it. 

Meshnet provided a handy workaround. To use Meshnet for password sharing on Netflix, you needed to enable the feature on your device, click the Link external devices button, then send an invitation to the person you want to share your account with.

Once they accepted the invitation, they should have been able to use your Netflix account without any issues.

Use Meshnet for a LAN party

Local area network (LAN) parties are a fun way to enjoy multiplayer games with your friends. Before, players would take their computers to the host’s house and connect to the local network so they could play together privately.

Here’s how Meshnet allowed users to host LAN parties:

1. Enable Meshnet on each device you wanted to use for gaming.
2. Use the Link external devices feature to invite your friends.
3. Ensure that traffic routing was enabled on the primary device.
4. Then, you would run your game in local network mode.

Use Meshnet for file sharing

Meshnet was an excellent way to share files between devices securely. These were the instructions to set up the service:

1. Install Meshnet on each device you wanted to share with.
2. Ensure that the file-sharing permissions were enabled on each device.
3. Then, you needed to click Send files and select the files you wanted to share.

FAQs

Bottom line

NordVPN Meshnet was a powerful feature that enabled you to securely and privately connect devices. It was used for simple file sharing, hosting a private multiplayer gaming session with friends, or getting around a streaming service’s password-sharing rules.

Although Meshnet is no longer available, NordVPN is still our top VPN recommendation. Learn more about why we love this service in our NordVPN review.