travel routers for hotel internet

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The Best Wireless Travel Routers of 2023

Pocket routers for Wi-Fi networking on the road

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• The Ultimate Router Buying Guide

Frequent travelers battling poor cell service, dubious security, and excessive hotel and airport Wi-Fi fees can benefit from a good travel router when working away from home.

The best wireless travel routers avoid these hassles by letting you set up a private bubble of Wi-Fi anywhere you happen to land, whether in a conference center, hotel room, or airport lounge. 

Most people should buy the TP-Link TL-WR902AC  - it's small enough to chuck in a backpack and can even double as a Wi-Fi range extender. If you also want a cellular connection as backup, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is for you, as it doubles as a mobile hotspot for your hotel room or car.

What to Look For in a Travel Router

Best overall, tp-link tl-wr902ac ac750 travel router.

 Amazon

Compact size is ideal for frequent travelers

Doubles as a Wi-Fi extender

Included cables are short

TP-Link's TL-WR902AC is one of the fastest travel routers we've seen, which is especially impressive at this size and price. Measuring 2.64 x 2.91 x 0.9 inches and weighing in at only 8 ounces, it's small enough to carry in a pocket, briefcase, or backpack, so you'll be ready to set up your own Wi-Fi bubble anywhere.

For such a small device, the TL-WR902AC offers impressive dual-band Wi-Fi performance. It's also really versatile since it can be not only be used as a router or access point to create a wireless network but also as a range extender, private Wi-Fi hotspot, or even as a bridge to connect a wired device to a Wi-Fi network by using its built-in Ethernet port in the opposite direction. 

A built-in USB port lets you share files and media from a removable USB storage device, and it can also provide up to 2A of passthrough power to charge your smartphone or tablet. The only real downside is that the port layout can be awkward since the USB and micro USB power ports are on the opposite side of the Ethernet port. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1

Best Splurge

Netgear nighthawk m1 4g lte wifi mobile hotspot (mr1100-100nas).

Great choice for heavy internet users

Supports up to 20 Wi-Fi devices at once

Long battery life

Doubles as a mobile hotspot

Very expensive

Can occasionally overheat

While it's not the most affordable option on our list, it's well worth the splurge if you need to get several devices onto the internet anywhere at blazing-fast speeds.

With support for up to 20 simultaneous devices, Netgear's Nighthawk MR1100 can quickly handle your whole family or project team, and unlike most travel routers on this list, the one works as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot too. This means you'll be able to connect to its Wi-Fi network and get online even when there's no other Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. It's also the first mobile hotspot to support Gigabit LTE , with 4X4 MIMO and four-band Carrier Aggregation. Hence, it can provide internet speeds rivaling your home broadband connection.

It's not just about LTE, though—the MR1100 also works as a traditional portable router. Just plug a standard internet connection into the Ethernet port to share access to your Wi-Fi devices. A large 2.4-inch color LCD screen also ensures that you can keep track of the router's status and how much data you're using. The rechargeable battery can keep you going for up to 24 hours before you need to charge it, and in a pinch, you can also use some of that capacity to charge your smartphone or other mobile devices. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11ac / 4G LTE | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1 

TP-Link TL-WR802N N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router

Fast single-band Wi-Fi performance

No USB port

Not the fastest internet speeds when connected to multiple devices

TP-Link’s TL-WR802N is an older single-band router that offers a surprisingly great range in its small package. While the single-band N300 rating won’t break any speed records, it still provides enough performance for lag-free 4K Netflix streaming and uninterrupted video conferences on Zoom. 

Like most travel routers, the TL-WR802N is designed for use by one or two users when you’re on the go, and the 300Mbps 802.11n speeds will likely be faster than the internet connection at most hotels and conference centers you find yourself in. This little pocket-sized router offers exceptional coverage, so you won’t need to worry about staying connected while roaming the boardroom. 

The N300 draws its power via a micro USB port that can connect directly to a wall charger or laptop, so you won’t have to worry about how to power it. It can also function as a repeater, Wi-Fi client, or extender for a public WISP hotspot. The only downside is that, unlike its dual-band sibling, the TL-WR902AC, it lacks a USB port, so you won’t be able to use it for sharing files. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11n | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: N300 | Bands: Single-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1

Best for Road Warriors

Gl.inet mudi gl-e750 portable 4g lte router.

Works as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot

Open source

Excellent VPN support

No external antenna

The GL.iNet GL-E750 router is an excellent choice for road warriors who must stay connected securely and reliably anywhere they land.

With WireGuard encryption, support for multiple Open Source VPN protocols, and even Tor anonymous network routing, this router ensures that you can always have a secure and private connection to the internet if you're a relatively advanced user. Whether that's over your hotel's shared network or your carrier's LTE network, all your traffic will be encrypted, and you can even have an always-on tunnel back into your home or office network. 

It's not just for mobile LTE access, however; it's also a capable Wi-Fi access point, with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support with 733Mbps throughput across both bands, along with a built-in battery that offers up to eight hours of use and a USB port and microSD card slots that can be used for sharing files with your connected devices. Since it's designed to be used from anywhere, it also features a built-in rechargeable battery that promises up to eight hours of use on a single charge. 

Lifewire / Andy Zahn

Most of the routers on the market are big and bulky devices. If you're parking them in a corner at home, this is a manageable problem, but they're not suited for taking the road with you.

This has given rise to a whole new category of travel routers: devices that are specifically designed to be highly portable—often small enough to be carried in a pocket—and run from internal batteries or a simple USB-powered connection that lets you plug them into a laptop or portable battery pack to create your own personal Wi-Fi network. 

Most importantly, since public Wi-Fi hotspots are usually insecure, a good travel router can also offer additional peace of mind by providing a private, encrypted Wi-Fi network for your traffic, securing the connections not only between your devices and the router but also making sure the traffic leaving the router is also encrypted. 

This means that you can take them just about anywhere you happen to land, whether it's between your home and the office, to a coffee shop where you might want to have more secure Wi-Fi, or on the road with you to use in hotels, conference centers, and airport lounges.

Bandwidth and Performance

When shopping for a router for your home, you're looking for enough range to blanket your home with the strong Wi-Fi signal you need to support streaming and gaming from multiple devices. 

Travel routers are different. You may find that even an entry level router—one that offers 802.11n support at 150Mbps speeds—is more than enough.

Wireless Frequencies: Single-Band vs Dual-Band

Like other wireless routers, travel routers come in single or multi-band versions, which refers to their frequencies. A single-band router works only on the 2.4GHz frequency, while a dual-band router offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies on two separate bands. 

Security and Privacy

As a bare minimum, every modern wireless travel router should include support for the Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption standard. This is even more important in a travel router you'll use in more public spaces.

While this probably isn't such a big deal if all you want to do is stream movies from Netflix, if confidentiality is essential, we strongly recommend using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when connecting through a travel router. While you can do this directly from your devices, you'll probably find it even simpler to pick up a travel router with built-in VPN support so that your connection is automatically encrypted as soon as you plug it in.

Connectivity

Almost all travel routers offer the same connectivity as your home router—turning a wired connection into a Wi-Fi network. However, as more hotels offer guest Wi-Fi networks instead of Ethernet jacks, you'll probably find getting a travel router that can also connect to a public Wi-Fi network is more beneficial.

There's also a category of travel routers that can act as mobile hotspots to offer internet access for your mobile devices over an LTE cellular network.

Even though most hotels already offer free Wi-Fi, it’s often struggling under the load of many people using it, so having a travel router can provide better performance, especially if you can plug it into a wired connection in your room. Plus, most public Wi-Fi hotspots are completely insecure, allowing your traffic to be easily intercepted by anybody else on the same Wi-Fi network. Using a router plugged into ethernet will also often save you money as you won't have to pay for the usable 'premium' internet package.

The best travel routers offer industry-standard WPA2 encryption—the same type of security used by your home router—which means that all of your wireless traffic is safe from prying eyes. Public Wi-Fi hotspots are open networks that use no encryption at all but keep in mind that if you’re using a travel router as a wireless extender for a public Wi-Fi hotspot, your traffic will still be unencrypted between your travel router and the hotspot. For the best security, use a wired connection or a VPN wherever possible.

Even if you use your travel router in your hotel room, internet traffic still travels over the hotel’s network. While most sensitive sites and services like email and online banking use SSL encryption, this won’t prevent the hotel or other public hotspot provider from seeing where you’re going; they just won’t be able to know what you’re doing. If you want to ensure your connection is as private and secure as possible, we recommend using a travel router with built-in VPN support.

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7 Best Travel Routers in 2023 [For Hotel Wi-Fi]

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You don’t want internet connectivity issues to spoil a skype or zoom meeting when you’re traveling. Based on my experiences (even with a 5-star hotel), despite booking a room with fast internet connectivity, you’ll end up running into connectivity issues or face high-latency problems. That’s why most travelers like me prefer taking a portable travel router.

There are different types of portable routers you can get depending on your usage requirements. For instance, you can get a 4G/LTE router that allows you to get internet from your SIM card or you can get a small router that can be used to extend the Hotel’s wireless connection or can get a portable device that can be directly used instead of the hotel router using an ethernet cable.

Despite being small in size, these travel routers can be used by many devices without any signal drops, latency issues, etc. As is the case with conventional Wi-Fi routers, though, there are many travel router models in the market. Even when you know everything about your needs, finding the best travel router can be tricky.

Fret not, though. As someone who works while on the way, I have spent ample time with portable Wi-Fi routers. And I have used that edge to help you choose the best Wi-Fi travel router for different purposes.

Table of Contents

1. Netgear Mobile 4G LTE Router

2. gl.inet gl-mt1300 (beryl), 3. tp-link wireless portable nano, 4. securifi almond router/extender, 5. gl.inet gl-mt300n-v2, 6. tp-link n300 tl-wr802n, 7. tp-link n150 wireless 3g/4g, frequently asked questions, best travel routers in 2023.

I have ensured that you can find different types of travel routers on this list. For instance, you can find SIM-based and Ethernet-based ones, along with hybrid models. As always, you can find products from different price brackets as well.

• Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
• Frequency: Dual Band
• Speeds: 400 + 900 Mbps
• Ports: 1 Micro-USB + 1 Micro-SIM

The Netgear Mobile 4G LTE Router is my first recommendation if you are looking for a 4G LTE Wi-Fi router for portable use. One of the most popular options in this category, this model is carrier unlocked and works with most 4G LTE providers in the United States and elsewhere.

Why is it best suited?

This ultra-portable wireless router offers a maximum speed of 400+900Mbps, thanks to LTE Cat 13 connectivity with 2CA (Carrier Aggregation.) You can connect up to 15 devices to the router at a time, making it a great option for individuals and small groups. While the router does not have Beamforming, it supports 2×2 MIMO, making the multi-device experience better.

Design & Connectivity

The NETGEAR Mobile 4G LTE Router AC797 looks very modern and sleek, and you can keep it in your pocket or backpack with ease. The product weighs only .60lbs, and the dimensions are 2.7 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches.

4G LTE and 3G fallback are the connectivity options on the model. It works with any 4G LTE carrier that uses the B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B12/B14/ B29/B30/B66 band. For charging, you can use the micro-USB port.

Hardware & Security

In this section, the device checks all the basic options. It comes with a 2930mAh removable battery that can keep the device running for up to 11 hours. In addition to standard security features like WPS, Wi-Fi security encryption, and NAT firewall, you can enjoy extra convenience via VPN passthrough and Guest Wi-Fi with timer functionality.

In short, this travel router from NETGEAR performs great in every department. You can easily rely on it for a seamless 4G LTE wireless network connection on the go. By the way, if you are looking for better speed and USB Type-C connectivity, you can check out the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot .

• High-speed 4G LTE connectivity
• Works with almost every carrier
• Advanced Wi-Fi management
• Supports up to 15 devices
• Easy-to-set-up system
• No Ethernet connectivity
• It can be pretty expensive

• Speeds: 400 + 867 Mbps
• Ports: 3 LAN/WAN + 1 USB 3.0 + 1 MicroSD

Suppose you are looking for an inexpensive Ethernet-based travel router. In that case, I shall suggest looking at the GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) Gigabit Wireless Router. It does a decent job as a portable Ethernet-based router without breaking your wallet.

Like my first recommendation, the GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) Gigabit Wireless Router also uses Wi-Fi 5 with dual-band tech. It means you can enjoy speeds up to 400Mbps and 867Mbps. In addition, it can handle up to a whopping 40 devices simultaneously. The model does not have Beamforming or MIMO support, but you can use the device as a Wi-Fi repeater, with a USB modem, or for Tethering.

The product looks like a miniaturized version of a typical Wi-Fi router. However, it weighs only 0.40 lbs, and the dimensions are set at 118 x 85 x 30mm.

You can use its three LAN/WAN ports or the USB 3.0 port to create a Wi-Fi network. The device also packs support for USB-based modems and smartphone tethering. The MicroSD card slot supports up to 512GB.

The router uses a USB Type-C port for power, and you can use any adaptor within the 5V/3A range. It comes with 256MB of DDR3L memory and 32MB Flash. The built-in OS supports VPN connection, Tor anonymity, DNS encryption, and OpenWrt. In addition, you can enjoy the standard security options you would expect from an IPv6 Wi-Fi router.

The GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) Gigabit Wireless Router is a fantastic package for the price you pay. While it does not have SIM-based connectivity, you can double this Ethernet-based Wi-Fi router as a Wi-Fi extender and repeater .

• Gigabit wireless connectivity
• Built-in VPN/Tor support
• OpenWrt supported
• Versatile connectivity options
• Lightweight design
• No LTE support
• Limited USB dongle support

• Speeds: 300 + 433 Mbps
• Ports: 1 LAN/WAN + 1 USB 2.0

The TP-Link Wireless Portable Nano is a versatile travel router that you can rely on for multiple needs. Even though it costs a fraction of what premium products do, you will love the portability and performance of this nifty gadget when on the move.

Despite the simple and compact size, the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Nano Router can offer 300Mbps and 433Mbps speed on 2.5GHz and 5GHz bands. You can connect multiple devices at a time as well. It must be noted that you can use the router in different modes such as Router, Access Point, Extender, Client Mode, and Hotspot Mode.

Weighing only 0.12 lbs, the product is too light for a fully-fledged router. Its dimensions of 2.91 × 2.64 × 0.87 inches mean that you can carry it around smoothly. The white finish looks quite modern as well.

This model comes with one LAN/VAN port, 1 multipurpose USB 2.0 port, and a Micro USB power port. You can connect a number of 3G/4G LTE hotspot devices and storage devices via the USB 2.0 port.

The hardware aspect of the TP-Link AC750 is pretty stern. You can use the in-built button to pick the right mode and internet access. You also have access to standard features like WPA2 encryption, SPI firewall, Access Control, Application Layer Gateway, IP and MAC filtering, Guest Network, URL filtering, NAT forwarding, etc.

If you can ignore features like VPN access and Tor support, the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Nano Router is an amazing option as a travel router. I love that you can connect almost any 3G/4G data card via the USB port and have internet access.

• Multiple ways to connect
• High-speed dual-band Wi-Fi
• Versatile QoS features
• Compact and lightweight design
• Multipurpose USB port
• No VPN/Tor support
• UI could be better

• Wireless Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11bgn)
• Frequency: 2.4GHz
• Speeds: 300Mbps
• Ports: 2 LAN/WAN + 1 USB 2.0

The Securifi Almond Router may look like something from a distance. However, it is one of the most user-friendly travel routers you can get today. While it does not have a battery, you can double this router as an extender/wireless bridge in no time.

You can get started with the Securifi Almond Router in just three minutes, and the setup does not require a PC/Mac. Once set up, this single-band Wi-Fi router can provide up to 300Mbps speed. In addition, because it comes with two ports — 1 Ethernet WAN and 1 Ethernet LAN —, establishing a connection is easier. The best part is the touchscreen input, which lets you set up, manage, and enhance the Wi-Fi network.

With a weight of 0.18 lbs and dimensions of 1.89 x 4.8 x 4.29 inches, the Securifi Almond Router is one of the lightest products you can get. The design is not compact, though.

As I said, you get a bunch of ports, including dedicated ports for WAN and LAN. In addition, you can connect to the Wi-Fi router using an Android smartphone for a better management experience.

The highlighted feature of the travel router is the touchscreen display itself. It simplifies the entire process of managing your Wi-Fi network. In terms of security options, the device provides almost everything. You can also use Parental Controls and Guest Networks in addition. I must also add that the router works so well with Amazon Alexa.

I do not believe the Securifi Almond Router is the most modern travel router. However, if you do not want to spend a lot, it is indeed worth considering. However, you make a few compromises, like giving up dual-band connectivity.

• Easy to set up and manage
• Touchscreen display for Wi-Fi management
• Standard security options
• Multiple ports for connectivity
• Works in different modes
• Single-band Wi-Fi only
• A rather bulky design

• Speeds: 300 Mbps

Another product from GL.iNET, the GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 Wireless Travel Router, is a great option if you need one of the cheaper alternatives for my previous recommendations. Even though it skips a few features, you can have a smooth Wi-Fi experience on the go.

Despite being feature-rich and powerful, this wireless travel router does not cost much. The single-band Wi-Fi system on the device can provide speeds up to 300Mbps. It does not come with Beamforming or MIMO, but you can use OpenVPN and a few other features. You can further customize the system if you want better security or features.

The device comes with a travel-friendly device and weighs only 0.09 lbs. It has a distinct yellow finish that looks good in modern environments. The dimensions of 58 x 58 x 25mm are great as well.

Unlike other products in the price range, the GL-MT300N-V2 Wireless Travel Router accommodates a total of two LAN/WAN ports. You can also connect a USB modem through the USB 2.0 port.

The manufacturer says that the travel router has been optimized for enhanced security. You can also count on its 128MB of RAM and 16MB of flash storage for performance. The Micro-USB power system and tactile buttons make Wi-Fi router management easier than ever. In addition to standard security options, the device works with WireGuard and OpenVPN.

Even though it is a single-band VPN travel router, the customization options on the device are great for everyone. I can also recommend the product for its portable design, tactile interface, and features such as UART and GPIO.

• Affordable pricing
• Customization options
• OpenVPN support
• Impressive speeds
• User-friendly design
• Single-band Wi-Fi
• Durability concerns

• Ports: 1 LAN/WAN

TP-Link makes some of the most popular travel routers you can buy today. The TP-Link N300 TL-WR802N belongs to the lower-price categories. Nevertheless, you can rely on this device if you want a truly portable and hassle-free way to connect to Wi-Fi.

As long as you are comfortable with single-band connectivity, the device can provide speeds up to 300Mbps. Like the more expensive option, it uses a micro-USB port for power. Therefore, you can easily carry it around for work or other needs. More importantly, you can use the router in other modes such as the Bridge Mode and Access Point mode.

In terms of design, the TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router is as small as the other options. Its dimensions are 2.2 x 2.2 x .07 inches and weighs only 0.45 lbs.

The connectivity aspect of the product is limited, though. The model only has one Ethernet port, which you can use to create a Wi-Fi network.

An area where the TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router can improve is the build quality. For example, you may miss the tactile buttons if you recently shifted from another travel router. On the bright side, it comes with several additional features, such as advanced security, parental controls , guest network, and multiple working modes.

This device indeed makes some compromises. For instance, you cannot connect USB 3G/4G modems or smartphones for Tethering. However, if you need a straightforward way to create a secure Wi-Fi network from an Ethernet cable, you will love this product.

• Easy-to-set-up Wi-Fi
• Multiple working modes
• Advanced security
• Parental controls
• No USB port

Last but not least, I have another popular product from TP-Link. If you can make a few compromises in some departments, TP-Link N150 is a great deal. The fact that you can spend less than you would spend on a coffee and get a great travel router is incredible if you ask me.

The TP-Link N150 Wireless 3G/4G Portable Router is primarily designed to be a 3G/4G portable router with a maximum speed of 150Mbps. However, you can use the device to create Wi-Fi networks out of an Ethernet connection as well. According to the situation, you can use the product in different modes such as Access Point, WISP, and Router. Once again, the TP-Link app is there to help.

The design of the TP-Link N150 Wireless 3G/4G Portable Router is similar to the other models I have listed earlier. It weighs only 0.14lbs, and the dimensions are ‎2.9 x 0.9 x 2.6 inches.

As you can guess, you get an Ethernet port and a USB 2.0 port. However, this model does not allow storage options via the USB 2.0 port.

The build quality of the product is only subpar when compared to the other products. Even though it does not have many utility features, the security options are impressive. For instance, you can secure the network via different methods. Thanks to the QoS options inside, the router takes care of bandwidth management and speed optimization.

In short, the TP-Link N150 Wireless 3G/4G Portable Router is a steal-worthy deal on any day. Unless you are looking for blazing-fast transfer rates, the product will make you happy. Like its expensive counterparts, it is very compact.

• Super-affordable pricing
• Rich QoS features
• LAN and USB 2.0 connectivity
• Compact design
• Limited transfer speeds

The best portable router brings the best of performance, portability, and security. As a result, you can enjoy a high-speed Wi-Fi connection without any security concerns. The products from NETGEAR and TP-Link are some of the popular options.

Not all travel routers are as powerful as traditional routers. However, most of us need a stable internet connection rather than a perfect one when on the go. Travel routers are good at this part, making it a good decision to get one.

You can find portable Wi-Fi solutions for as low as $20. However, you may have to spend extra if you are looking for specific features. For instance, if you want to create a wireless connection using a SIM card, you will have to spend extra.

4G LTE travel routers are definitely worth the money you invest. These devices allow you to access the internet even when you do not have a public Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection nearby. For people who spend a lot of time on the road, it is a blessing.

As I said, the list contains travel routers from different categories. You must be able to find at least one pick that suits your needs. For instance,

• You should choose the Netgear Mobile 4G LTE Router if you need a dual-band travel router with 4G LTE SIM-based connectivity. It packs a lot of customization features as well.
• If you want a hybrid device for connecting via USB and Ethernet, I recommend the TP-Link Wireless Portable Nano Router.
• On the other hand, if you want to spend the least and still have a decent experience, you can go with the TP-Link N150 Wireless 3G/4G Portable Router.

However, you should keep in mind that you may have to give up some additional features to save money. However, doing so may not be a great decision if your work requires a specific feature or a minimum internet speed.

For Morton, reviewing a router is just like spending another day at the office. As BCCA’s senior copywriter, Morton believes is explaining every concept concerning routers, networking technologies, and additional routing specs. Also, Morton is our go-to man if we are looking to get the ISP-dependent internet plans tested across devices.

Best travel routers 2022

Travel routers have a clear job. They need to link up to a hotel or mobile 4G or 5G connection and supply that signal to your devices. But the best travel routers let you do more than connect to the internet. Some routers allow you to add a VPN to your connection, store files via a MicroSD card or hard drive, and let you charge your devices up. Here are the best picks for portable routers that will do a little more and keep your trip fuss-free.

TP-Link TL-WR902AC Wireless Nano Travel Router

Compact and reliable

The TP-Link TL-WR902AC is a compact travel router that can handle a strong connection on the go with an assortment of options. Not only is it reliable for Wi-Fi, but it also has the ability to charge your devices. Its easy setup and small size make it the best choice for a travel router when you want to keep your bags light.

GL.iNet GL-MT1300 Beryl Gigabit Wireless Router

Powerful and secure

The GL.iNet GL-MT1300 travel router is a pricier option for people who want more LAN ports than the competition and a high-speed internet connection. It also supports a 512GB MicroSD card for local storage, which can be useful while traveling. It's not as tiny as the competition, but people looking to trade that for a more powerful router should consider this option.

GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Slate Travel Router

Small and fast

A pricey but capable option for anyone looking for a travel router with a fair amount of LAN ports and the ability to maintain a fairly fast connection. This router also has support for VPNs and a 128GB MicroSD card for storage. It doesn't come in a small form factor, but it makes up for that in general throughput.

GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 Portable Travel Router

GL.iNet's GL-MT300N-V2 travel router is a cheaper alternative that maintains the features of the company's more expensive offerings. On top of that, it has a bit more RAM if you need to use several devices at once. The compact size and simplicity make it a great choice for a few people trying to get a solid connection while away from home.

RAVPower FileHub Travel Router

The RAVPower FileHub Travel Router is a solid option for anyone looking for a portable router that can also charge your devices. It also offers competitive internet speeds and the ability to connect to a hard drive for local storage. It's a multi-use device that might not excel at any one thing, but it will satisfy many needs without having to pack more things on your trip.

The best travel router

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The best travel routers do more of the heavy lifting during a trip, so you don't have to. A fast connection on the go is hard to find, especially if you want to add things like a VPN or local storage. Anyone who has gone on trips with lots of photos and video will know the struggles of trying to deal with hotel Wi-Fi. Typically, you need a way to power the travel router via USB, but picking up a strong power brick could make the process easier.

That's why the TP-Link TL-WR902AC travel router is a stellar pick for something that's both compact and useful when you're away from home. It has a solid chipset and a good amount of RAM for most people with a few devices that need to do simple tasks. It can also charge your devices! This extremely affordable travel router is the best pick if you're on a budget and don't need anything beyond your average connection.

For those who want to spend a bit more and can handle dropping the charging benefits of our top pick, the GL.iNet GL-MT1300 Beryl is a fantastic choice. It not only has more LAN ports for wired devices, but it also supports OpenWRT for anyone looking to add things like a VPN to their connection. It may be pricey, but it comes with generally strong hardware to keep up with several devices putting stress on the connection.

The RAVPower FileHub travel router is a niche choice, but a unique one for people looking for a lot out of their router, but it runs behind in usability compared to the competition.

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Savvy Travel Advice

Best Travel Routers for Internet while Traveling 2023

Last updated: September 14, 2023 - Written by Jessica Norah 214 Comments

These days most travelers want to be able to get online regularly while traveling to check email, get directions, check hotel and restaurant reviews, upload photos, update social media, and stay in touch with those back home. Travel routers can help with this.

It is definitely easier to stay connected as wireless Internet is now widely available in most parts of the world but there are still a number of situations when it can be tricky (or expensive) to connect.

As travel bloggers who regularly have to manage our business on the go, it is often really important for us to be able to get online on a regular basis while traveling and it can be very frustrating when we are in a hotel with weak Wi-Fi, we are being restricted from using multiple devices on one Internet connection, or we would like more security when using an unsecured public hotspot.

A travel router is a compact little device which solves these common Internet issues and offers a number of features to the on-the-go traveler who wants to stay connected. In this post we’re going to go through some of the best travel router options available on the market today based on real-world testing and personal experiences, so you can pick the right option for you.

Table of Contents:

Basic Information on what a Travel Router Does

If you are new to travel routers, also known as portable WIFI routers, this section will help you understand what they do and whether they might be a good fit for your travels or not.

We understand that a lot of the terminology can be somewhat opaque, so Laurence has put his years of experience as a software engineer to use to help explain everything you need to know.

What is a Travel Router?

A travel router is a wireless range extender designed for people who are on the go and need to connect to the Internet when they are away from home. It also performs the functions of a wireless access point.

Just like you would use a home WiFi router to connect your devices to the Internet at home, you may also want to consider having a portable router to use when traveling.

What does a Travel Router do?

Different wireless travel routers have different features, but the main feature is that they increase the range of existing wireless Internet networks. So for example, if you are in a hotel with a weak wireless signal that you are having difficulty connecting to with your laptop or phone, the travel router will amplify the signal so you can connect more easily.

Here is an overview of the main features of a travel router:

• A travel router can extend the range of wireless networks , meaning you can connect to a network somewhere that you might not have been able to connect to with your device because the signal is too weak. The powerful antenna of a travel router can pick up this weak signal and amplify it so your devices can connect to it.
• The travel router also creates a secure wireless network at a public hotspot to better protect your devices . Often when traveling the networks we connect to are unsecured and unencrypted, which means anyone could in theory grab hold of passwords or other data that we send to and from the internet. Travel routers feature a firewall which protects your personal devices from known DoS attacks and port scans from the Internet, giving you a more secure internet connection. However, it is still not recommended that you share sensitive information over a public connection. 
• A travel router allows you to connect multiple devices to a network , even with a single login. The travel router is seen by networks as a single device, so if you are only given one login, you can still use multiple devices. You just login once from the travel router via a web browser (or in some cases a provided smartphone app), and then all your devices can be connected to the network created by the travel router.
• Some travel routers can also be used as a WiFi bridge . These have Ethernet ports so you can connect Ethernet-enabled devices wirelessly to an existing WiFi network. These can include Internet-ready TVs, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles.
• Other features of travel routers may include the ability to connect to a wired network and turn that into a wireless network, to provide USB charging power to devices such as phones. to work without power, and even to act as an SD Card reader or media hub.
• Some travel routers (including one on our list) can also act as mobile hotspots, but this is not common. See our guide to mobile hotspots for more options in this area.

How much do travel routers cost?

Travel routers range in price from about $20 to $130, although more expensive models with more features are available. We’d recommend that most people look at ones in the $30 to $70 range, as these will work for most users.

If you have a small budget, you can get a decent travel router for around $30. See our recommended travel router list later in the article; they are listed in order by retail price. But beware of ones that are really cheap as they may not work well as advertised.

If you need a travel router that also acts as a mobile hotspot or has other specialized features, then you will pay extra. Some of these can be upwards of $200.

The Best Travel Routers 2023

There are a number of travel routers on the market today, which range in price and features. All the below models would make for a good choice, and the model you choose will depend on your budget and required features.

We currently use a GL.iNet GL-MT1300 which replaces our previous and now discontinued Netgear Trek N300 (PR2000).

We also use the Netgear Nighthawk M1 on some trips when we need access to the Internet as this functions primarily as a mobile hotspot, but it can also be used as a travel router.

Below are our current favorite recommendations:

1. GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Mini Travel Router

This is the first of a few GL.iNet routers that we recommend in this post. We like them for a number of reasons. First, they’re based on the OpenWRT software, which is a Linux based operating system that receives regular updates. GL.iNet keep on top of regular firmware updates, so the routers stay secure and get new features. This is unfortunately not as common as you might think, but it is super important to keep your devices safe.

As an example, the GL.iNet routers we list have all been upgraded to include support for WPA3, the latest wireless security standard. Regular updates and support for new features is definitely a benefit when it comes to a travel router, and means it will likely be more future proof.

Whilst this may all sound quite technical, the good news is that you don’t need to really worry about it if you’re not an advanced user. The devices have a simple interface and are easy to setup, and upgrades are just a single click option. If you want to dive into more advanced options you can, but the device works great out of the box, with setup via a simple web interface.

All the GL.iNet routers in our list also all support VPN credentials (see why you need a VPN for travel here ). This means that if you have a VPN account for more secure browsing like NordVPN , all your devices will connect through that when using this device.

The MT300N-V2 model, also known as Mango, is one of the more entry level options in terms of price and features, but if you’re looking for a small device that will do pretty much everything you are likely to need from a travel router, it’s a great option.

You get 300Mbps 2.4Ghz WiFi support, WPA2 and WPA3 support, and two 100 Mbps Ethernet ports for sharing a wired network. It’s also very privacy-focused. As well as the aforementioned VPN support, it also comes with built-in support for Cloudflare’s DNS over TLS. This basically means your internet connection is going to be pretty secure and hard for anyone to snoop on.

Another great feature is that if you have a smartphone with tethering support, or a 3G/4G data dongle, you can plug this smartphone into the USB 2 port on this router, and share the phone’s data over the router’s WiFi network.

The device is powered by USB, so any USB power source can power it, including a power bank or smartphone charger.

The reviews are positive and it’s available at a great price for a travel router that supports 300Mbps and only weighs 1.41oz. It is not as fully featured as some of the other options, in particular it only operates on the 2.4GHz band and the ethernet ports are 100Mbit rather than gigabit. However for most users this likely won’t make a significant difference.

If you are after a lightweight great value travel router with VPN support, this is a solid option.

Price: Check latest price on Amazon here

2. TP-Link TL-WR902AC Router

The TP-Link TL-WR902AC wireless travel router is another small, value option that is worth considering.

This weighs just 2oz, is powered by USB and supports the 802.11ac standard, which offers speeds up to 433Mbps. We’re not sure this speed will make much difference in the real world, as you’re always limited by the speed of the network you connect to, it is good to have.

It also has a USB port that you can connect a USB drive to for file sharing, or to charge a smartphone or other USB powered device. There’s also a 100Mbps ethernet port. It doesn’t have a built-in battery, so it does need to be powered from either a USB battery pack or a wall adaptor.

This is definitely an option if you’re looking for a small travel router at a good price, but be aware the software is not updated as regularly as the GL-iNet and it doesn’t have as many features such as VPN support.

Price: Check the latest price on Amazon here

3. NewQ Filehub AC 750

If you’re after a travel router with a few more features and great functionality, then the NeqQ Filehub AC750 is a good choice. It may also allow you to replace some of the other devices you typically travel with to pack less.

As well as offering a fast 433Mbps network with support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, this device features a 6700mah battery so it works without needing power, and can also be used to charge your devices.

It also features an SD Card reader and a USB port, so you can transfer files from memory cards to your hard drives or computer. It also has DLNA compatible media serving capabilities, although it is missing built in VPN support.

The latter means you can plug in a hard drive or memory card with your movies on, and stream them directly to your TV, laptop, or mobile phone. There’s a lot of functionality for the price and it weighs under 7 ounces!

Price: Check the latest price on Amazon here .

4. GL.iNet GL-AR750S (Slate) Travel Router

The GL.iNet AR750, also known as Slate, is a more advanced version of the GL.iNet MT300 listed earlier. It’s a bit more expensive, but you do get a few more features.

First, it supports both 300Mbps on the 2.4Ghz band as well as 433Mbps on the 5Ghz band. So you get the option of faster connectivity across the local network with the addition of the 5Ghz band.

It also comes with a card slot for storage, a USB 2 port, media server capabilities, and three gigabit ethernet ports. There are also a couple of antennas which mean improved wireless coverage.

Basically, this has all the features you could want in a travel router, on top of VPN support, regular updates, WPA2/3 capability and regular updates. It is marginally bigger than the AR300, but it’s still only 3oz, so still very portable.

If you are looking for a fully featured and portable travel router that gets regular updates, this is an excellent choice.

5. GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) Travel Router

The travel router we currently use is the GL-MT1300 from GL.iNet, which is also known as Beryl. This supports 400Mbps on the 2.4Ghz channel, and up to 867Mbps on the 5Ghz channel. It also supports up to 40 devices simultaneously, thanks to a relatively fast processor and lots of RAM.

Like the other GL.iNet routers it also gets regular updates and includes support for features like IPv6 and WPA3, as well as lots of other advanced features that make this perfect for both travel and at home use.

Now, to be honest, most WiFi networks you connect to aren’t going to offer internet speeds which this router can take advantage of. However, if you happen to connect to one that is that fast, this device will let you take full advantage of it! It also means when you’re not travelling you can use it at home as a fast network option to extend an existing network.

You also get three gigabit ethernet ports, a faster USB 3.0 port with media server capabilities, a micro SD slot for storage, and a USB-C port for power. As with the other GL.iNet devices in this list, If you have a smartphone that supports tethering, you can plug it into the USB port and share your smartphone data as well. Or, if you have a USB 3G/4G modem, you can plug that into the USB slot and share that data.

It also has support for a wide range of VPN services as well as support for IPv6, making this one of the most future proof travel routers we’re aware of on the market. It weighs 6.5oz, so it’s not the smallest option, but it’s still very compact and offers a lot of functionality for the price.

6. GL.iNet GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX)

Launched in December 2022, this travel router takes the speed crown from our previous fastest travel router, the GL.iNet AXT1800 (Slate) , and as the name suggests, is an upgrade over the 1300 Beryl model.

If you want one of the fastest and most future proof travel routers on the market, this is the model to go for. It’s one of the few travel routers we know of currently that supports the latest WiFi 6 standard, with speeds of up to 574Mbps on the 2.4GHz channel and a blazing fast 2402Mbps on the 5Ghz channel.

It also has an incredibly fast dual-core CPU and double the RAM of the previous Beryl model, meaning it can support up to 70 connected devices simultaneously.

You also get a USB 3 port for tethering support and 2 LAN ports. One of those LAN ports offers gigabit speeds whilst the other is 2.5 gigabits, which is about as fast as you can get, and ideal if you also want to use this at home with a fibre connection.

It otherwise has the same features as the other GL.iNet products, so you get regular updates and support for VPN connectivity if you have a VPN account. If you do have a VPN, this router offers WireGuard speeds of up to 300Mbps, which is incredibly fast compared to other travel routers on the market.

To be honest, this router is probably a bit much for most general travel needs. However, If you have a lot of devices to connect, or just want the fastest option with all the features, and support for USB 3, this is the one to go for. At 7oz, it’s not the lightest option out there but you do get incredible performance.

Price : Check latest price on Amazon here .

7. Netgear Nighthawk M1

If you are looking for a product that is both a mobile hotspot and a travel router, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 (MR1100) is an option to consider. This is for people who know they are going to be traveling in places without Internet access.

As well as offering travel router capabilities like extending an ethernet or wireless network, this device also lets you put a 4G LTE SIM card into it, and use it as a mobile hotspot when you are away from wireless or ethernet.

It has a 5040mAH built in battery which you can use to charge your phone, media streaming support, can connect up to 20 devices, and supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11ac wireless networks.

Note that this can work on multiple bands around the world, but it doesn’t support all bands around the world. Check to make sure it will work where you need it to work before purchasing. The device should come unlocked and be able to work with any compatible SIM card.

This is definitely a more premium product, but may be a good option for more frequent travelers, those who work remotely, and those who need to get online in more remote locations like RVs or rural settings. For more convenient travel, there are cases you can purchase for it to keep the router and cords, such as this one .

If you are looking for an even faster mobile hotspot that also doubles as a travel router, then you might consider the newer versions which support 5G, including the Netgear Nighthawk M5 (MR5200) and the Nighthawk M6 (MR6150 & MR6500).

These offer 5G compatibility, a touchscreen interface, and can support up to 32 devices. They are significantly more expensive than the M1, but worth considering if you have a larger budget and want a more future-proof router that supports 5G. The M6 series additionally supports WiFi 6.

Note that there is also a M2 version of the router available in certain markets like the United Kingdom and Europe. This one also offers more features like a touchscreen interface but it doesn’t include 5G support.

Price: Check latest price here

You can see and compare most of the travel routers above in one place on Amazon here .

What We Like about Travel Routers

Our primary use for our travel router has been to extend existing Wi-Fi connections. We have often encountered the situation when we are happy to learn that a wireless Internet connection exists in a hotel, bus, cafe, or airport but are then disappointed that the connection is too weak to connect to or is very slow.

Our travel router can then be pulled out to help strengthen the signal so that we can get online using our phone, tablet, and/or laptops. Although not always possible, it is also great in those situations where you can extend a Wi-Fi range from a hotel lobby to your room or from an indoor space to a patio.

The device also partially helps with the security issue of using public Wi-Fi hotspots by providing a firewall and some protection from common Internet threats; however, you should still be cautious about providing sensitive personal information over a public connection.

Travel Routers are also great in other traveling situations beyond just extending an existing wireless connection. There are situations where you might only be given a password to connect one device at a time on a wireless network or may have to pay for additional devices. Obviously, since we are traveling as a couple with two cell phones, two laptops, and two Wi-Fi enabled cameras between us, one Internet connection is not enough and we hate to pay for Internet!

So by whipping out this device, it will allow you to connect multiple devices to a wireless network using a single login. You just login once from the travel router via a web browser or the provided smartphone app, and then all your devices can be connected to the travel routers network, where they should all work simultaneously.

Also, if you are in a hotel or other location that only offers wired Internet access in your room, you can plug the Ethernet cable into the travel router and create a wireless connection that can be used for all of your WiFi-enabled devices.     

Interestingly we have ended up using our travel router as much, if not more, at our apartment verses while traveling.  When we lived in California, we had a good wireless Internet connection in our apartment but it became weaker when trying to use a laptop or phone outside on the deck.

We’ve set up the travel router to extend the range of our home wireless network to be able to blog more efficiently on the deck which was one of my favorite spots to blog . We have also used the USB ports on our router to charge cell phones and other devices and to plug in our USB hard drive for use as a network attached storage device to be shared on our home network.

We also like that most of these travel routers are powered through a micro-USB port, so you can actually power them from a laptop or USB power bank if you don’t have easy access to a power point.

Limitations of Travel Routers

Travel routers are not a mobile hotspot, so they cannot create an Internet connection if one does not already exist. So if you are wanting to actually use the Internet in place where there is no or very poor Internet, you’ll probably want to consider something like a mobile hotspot rather than a router or range extender product.

The Netgear Nighthawk M1 is a combo router and mobile hotspot, and so this could be an option as well if you need a hotspot.

For those wondering how to get online or how to find an Internet connection while traveling, see our travel guide to getting online when traveling . It also covers things like mobile hotspots, SIM cards, international data plans, VPNs, etc.

Sometimes despite the power of a travel router’s antenna, the signal will still be too weak to connect. In a few situations we have spent too much time trying to get a connection to work when the signal is simply just too weak.  Some routers can also take a few minutes to connect to a network which can leave you wondering if it is just taking awhile or if it isn’t working. 

Be sure to check before you buy to make sure the travel router is compatible with your devices! This should not be an issue for most newer devices but some may not work as well with older devices or those using older operating systems.

Do you Need a Travel Router?

Overall, we have found travel routers to be a benefit to our travels. They are generally easy to use once configured, and are compact and easy to travel with.

Given that many hotels only allow you to join a network using one device at a time (or charge extra for multiple devices), having a travel router makes it possible for us to use all our WiFi enabled devices at once without extra fees.

We currently use ours both at home to extend the range of our own home Internet and while traveling to extend wireless Internet connections, to login multiple devices using one password, and to add a little security while using public WiFi hotspots.

What issues do you have related to using the Internet while traveling? Have you used or would you consider using a travel router? As always, we’d love to hear any advice, tips, or questions you may have!

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Patricia Post author

September 18, 2023 at 9:00 am

Do I need any cabling to use these travel routers with an iPad Pro. Looking at the photos they seem to have Lan connectors and usb sockets , but at the moment at least iPads don’t have either of these. Please advise. I need the router to connect to Wi-Fi when the signal is weak but I would also like it to be as secure as possible thank you. Great reviews

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

September 18, 2023 at 9:55 pm

Hi Patricia,

No, you don’t need any cables to be able to use any of the recommended travel routers with your iPad Pro, they all can be used with WiFi with your devices. However, most also allow for LAN Ethernet connectivity if you need a wired connection and many also have USB ports. But most people just use their devices over WiFi so you would be fine with any travel router if you are just needing to mainly connect your devices for security, easier connectivity, and extending existing WiFi.

Best, Jessica

Bob Simmons Post author

July 2, 2023 at 10:05 am

Thanks for the great article. My issue is with WiFi that requires payment after entering password. Also each device requires payment. On a cell phone, after logging in, it pops up a window (browser?) where you enter the credit card info. Do any of these travel routers have that capability, to enter payment information? Reading the user manuals it appears the answer is no. In your travels maybe you have encountered this issue.

Laurence Post author

July 4, 2023 at 9:34 am

It’s our pleasure, and we will do our best to try to help you.

So the window that pops up to take payment is called a captive portal, and it’s the same thing you often encounter even with free Wifi where it might ask you to enter your name or e-mail address to access the internet. All the travel routers on our list support this, so you can log in and pay if necessary for internet access. A window will pop up on the first device you connect with where you can pay. A pop-up blocker or ad blocker might stop it from happening but in our experience a browser window normally just appears to log in with.

Let us know if you have any more questions!

Laurence & Jessica

Luke Post author

May 25, 2023 at 5:08 am

Just want to say thanks for the sharing informative article, very helpful in choosing the best travel router for our next trip!

June 2, 2023 at 4:39 am

You’re very welcome and glad to hear you found the best travel router for your upcoming travels! And thanks for taking the time to comment.

B.Balakrishnan Post author

May 19, 2023 at 4:04 am

This blog post on the best travel routers for the internet while traveling in 2023 is a lifesaver! Staying connected on the go is crucial, and these router recommendations are just what I needed. Thank you for the helpful insights!

May 21, 2023 at 9:50 am

Hi there, So glad you found our travel router review helpful. Just let us know if you have any questions!

Arnold Machel Post author

April 23, 2023 at 9:08 am

Thanks for the great article. I’ve used a travel router for years and found them super helpful, especially in situations where I want to use a portable Chromecast, but the hotel WiFi security settings won’t it allow to connect directly to the hotel WiFi.

I am now using a laptop that needs a high wattage charger (ideally 65 watts) and would love to finde a travel router with that kind of charging capability, but I can’t seem to find the technical stats on most of them. Any thoughts?

April 24, 2023 at 1:28 am

Glad to hear you have found a travel router useful on your travels. So it sounds like you are looking for a travel router that doubles up as a powerbank that you can use to charge your laptop? Unfortunately, we aren’t aware of any travel routers on the market which offer that level of output, most travel routers which have the facility to charge devices have fairly small batteries and don’t offer high wattage outputs. The ones that offer the ability to charge a device, are more designed to top up a smartphone rather than to power a laptop.

So if you want a portable device to help charge your laptop on the go, I would look at powerbanks like this one that are speciically designed to charge laptops.

Hope that helps! Jessica

April 24, 2023 at 6:34 am

Thanks Jessica. Too bad. Was just hoping to get one device to do both. Good luck with the blog.

April 26, 2023 at 2:19 am

You’re very welcome. Yes, unfortunately I don’t think there is a device that would be able to do both those things well. Feel free to come back and let us know what travel router and charging device you decide to use on your next trip as it may be helpul to furture readers wanting to do the same thing.

Sherry Duvall Post author

March 6, 2023 at 6:46 am

Thanks for this great article! I have just discovered travel routers and am intrigued as to whether this would be something that would work for my family. I would like to know if any of these would work on a cruise ship? We have to pay for each device, or log off and login on them which is such a pain. Cruise ships are huge so will it work when you are far away from your room, and if so, which one would you recommend? Thank you for any help!

March 6, 2023 at 8:44 am

Our pleasure! So to the first part of your question, yes, this should work to allow you to use multiple devices with a single login. The travel router will appear as one device to the cruise ship network, and then you would be able to connect your devices to the travel router’s network without needing to keep logging in and out.

For the second part of the question, travel routers have a variable range but it won’t cover a whole cruise ship unfortunately. It would work in your room and then nearby, but all the walls etc would reduce the range. So it wouldn’t cover the whole ship sadly. But any of the travel routers on the list work in a very similar way in terms of login and would cover your room.

Hope this helps!

March 6, 2023 at 9:41 am

Thank you very much…guess I will save my money!

QBM Post author

March 1, 2023 at 9:21 pm

This article from Independent Travel Cats’ blog is a comparison and review of the top portable WiFi routers for travellers. This post does a good job of researching and comparing the features, benefits, and cons of each router. Personal anecdotes and experiences from the bloggers’ travels are also included in the article. In sum, if you are a frequent traveller in need of a dependable and transportable router, you will find this article to be a gold mine of information.

March 2, 2023 at 4:14 am

Thanks so much for the very kind summary and recommendation of our travel router review article!! If you have any questions about portable routers, feel free to ask!

Daniel W Post author

February 24, 2023 at 8:33 pm

I appreciate what you did with this blog post, especially the way you keep it updated. It is the best online resource for people looking for information on travel routers, thanks!

February 27, 2023 at 7:12 am

Thanks for the kind words and glad you found our travel routers review article useful! If you have any questions about choosing the best travel router for you, just let us know. Happy to try to help!

Karen Arnauld-Bakelaar Post author

January 20, 2023 at 10:21 pm

This i8s so incredibly useful – thank you! Can you help me sort out which might be the best option for me? I mainly work in South Africa, which means we have long spells without power, so anything that runs on battery would be nice to have. I’m in a rural area, so even while working from home I often have trouble getting a wifi signal, especially in bad weather.

I need the signal to be strong enough for Zoom meetings, etc – and often it’s not.

I also need a portable option for when I travel, but I don’t know if I need something to boost a signal or to hotspot – can you help me with this?

All internet here is wifi – I have a home plug-in router with a SIM card in it, and a small portable router as well, but they don’t always do the job!

January 23, 2023 at 7:22 am

It’s our pleasure. So it sounds like you need a mobile hotspot rather than a travel router. A travel router can only extend an existing WiFi signal.

A mobile hotspot works over cellular networks (like a mobile phone). However this can be affected by bad weather, so would basically be the same situation as you are in as your plug-in router likely works the same way. The only difference is that a mobile hotspot has a built-in battery.

So in bad weather situations, there may not be anything more you can do as strong weather can affect the overall signal which could affect the signal for any kind of devices using WiFi or mobile signals. But you might try a hotspot to see if that helps as it works with a different type of signal (cellular signal versus WiFi).

Monte Post author

December 23, 2022 at 3:10 pm

Is there a travel router best suited for offline multiplayer gaming? My wife and I often wind up in areas with no internet. A normal home router constantly nags us with the “you aren’t connected” screen. We know! That’s why we’re playing Minecraft!

December 24, 2022 at 6:48 am

Happy to try to help. So I am guessing the home routers you are referring to are ones that are not your own but ones you stay in while traveling?

So none of the travel router models we recommend are specifically designed for offline gaming. However, we think any of the Gl.iNet routers on the list would work in this scenario, allowing you to create a local WiFi network that your devices can connect to without needing to connect to another WiFi network. However, we have not tried this specific scenario so it is hard to say if one or another router on this list would be better suited to the task. But the more advanced ones offer more features and more future proofing.

Another option to try might be to see if one of your computers (or smartphones if playing on them) allows you to set up a WiFi hotspot. Some Windows 10 and Windows 11 laptops for example have the option to allow you to set up a local WiFi network, which you could then connect your other device too. This may be another possible solutation you could check out.

Anyway, hope that helps and we’d love to know what solution you come up with that solves your issue as it may be useful to future readers.

Virag Post author

November 28, 2022 at 8:22 am

Hi, Thank you for this amazing article. I travel quite a lot and work at the same time and I would need something that I can use to boost the available public wifi (like in hotels or coffee shops). Which one would you recommend in this case?

Thank you in advance, Virag

November 28, 2022 at 9:38 am

Glad you found our travel routers guide useful. So any of the routers listed in our guide would work for that purpose but the GL.iNet routers with the antennas, such as the Slate, Beryl, or the Slate AX models, would have the best performance. We personally use the Beryl model . So I’d recommend any of those three models or a similar travel router to those.

I believe Amazon has been offering discounts on most of the routers for the past week so I would definitely compare prices as you can sometimes get one of the newer models for a good price when they are running discounts.

Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have further questions.

Steve Brown Post author

October 31, 2022 at 11:45 pm

Thank you for sharing the list. I really needed one. I have dead wifi zones with which the travel routers could help.

November 1, 2022 at 9:19 am

It’s our pleasure, glad you found our list useful. So whilst a travel router can work to resolve dead zones, you might prefer to purchase a WiFi extender instead, especially if you plan to use this at home. They tend to be a little bit cheaper because they don’t need as much functionality.

Another option to solve dead zones would be to upgrade to a mesh WiFi network – see our guide to the best home WiFi routers for ideas in that area. The mesh system can help make it so that the WiFi is able to extend throughout your home.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have any questions!

AJ Post author

October 21, 2022 at 5:01 pm

I purchased two of these items ( #1 and #3) but since I am not tech savvy at all, they were impossible to use. I tried reading and rereading the instructions. I tried the company websites. I tried many youtube videos. I sat between Carls Jr and Walmart, who both have free wifi. I was able to scan each one with a success response. BUT NO WIFI.

This sucks. When someone in an actual store can hook me up and show me how to use it, and provide an actual phone number I can call when I am on the road (which I always am), then I’ll buy one. But reading reviews and going to amazon, and returning said items to amazon, is not my cup of tea.

October 21, 2022 at 5:09 pm

Sorry to hear that you are having issues with using your travel router while traveling. So most travel routers require a little bit of setup.

Have you tried using them inside where you know the WiFi was a good strength and working properly? If you were sitting outside the stores, the public signal might not have been strong enough for instance to really work.

If you have already gotten the manufacturer’s instructions (GL.iNet has some really detailed ones online you can get), you can also try contacting their customer support. If you want in-person support, you could also try going to a local tech store near you (or a chain like Best Buy) that sells travel routers and might be able to troubleshoot with you and help you.

Hope you are able to get it to work!

David Post author

October 1, 2022 at 10:31 pm

For travelers who need access to the internet while traveling, this device sounds very useful. In our everyday life we cannot think of going a day without internet. Thanks for sharing for your valueable information.

October 3, 2022 at 6:55 am

Yes, travel routers can be very useful for those who need to be connected while traveling. If you have any questions about travel routers, just ask!

Chris Post author

September 7, 2022 at 1:54 am

I’m having trouble backup my extender settings, it takes saying that backup is done but can’t find the file??!!

September 7, 2022 at 5:08 am

Many travel routers do allow you to back up their settings, and save the settings to a file. But you will want to check the manual for your specific travel router model to see if it has that functionality and how to do that.

When you backup something as you did, it should give you the option to choose the file location when you do so. So if you check your browser downloads folder it should be there where you set it to save. Or check your manual for the default location.

Hope that helps, Jessica

Jason Post author

August 1, 2022 at 7:32 pm

Hello. Thanks for all the great info. I have been researching travel router setup, but am not sure if it’s possible to do what I’m attempting. I hope you can help me out.

I have an “older” ASUS Dual-Band router that was replaced when we upgraded our home to Eero Mesh router. What I’d like to do is set up the old ASUS router with the same SSID & password as my current home router (the Eero), so that I can take the ASUS on family vacations, connect it to the hotel/condo/house/etc. WiFi, and then all of our devices will automatically connect to it (since they have the same SSID/pswd already saved from our Eero router), without having to sign in all of our devices to the hotel/condo/house/etc. WiFi.

I’ve found some articles that explain how to set up 2 routers with the same SSID & pswd, but they all require connecting the router to a laptop for the initial setup/configuration. So, the real question/problem is: I don’t want to take my laptop on vacation, just to connect my old ASUS router to the vacation home’s WiFi. So, is it possible to set up my old ASUS router at home, and then plug it directly into the vacation hotel/condo/home router via ethernet cable, or will I need to bring my laptop to open a web browser and complete the setup?

August 2, 2022 at 12:10 am

It’s hard to really give specifics without knowing the type of router and equipment. But if the main step that is required is to connect to the Asus router via a web browser over the WiFi connection, then you shouldn’t need a laptop specifically to do that as you can just use the web browser on your smartphone to achieve the same thing. So that part of it should work.

I would definitely test this setup at home first to see if you can extend your existing network with your old Asus router to see if it works as you intend. If you can’t get it to work at home, I would not recommend taking it on vacation. If you can’t get it to work, I would just recommend getting a new travel router that will do what you need it to do for your trip.

Best, Laurence

David Paker Post author

July 4, 2022 at 1:34 pm

Wow! You guys are doing an amazing job. Following your tutorials, I learned so much !!

July 5, 2022 at 2:38 am

So glad you found our articles helpful. If you have any questions about travel routers, just ask!

May 12, 2022 at 10:42 pm

Thanks for the review. I’ll definitely look into it. It really is frustrating if the signal is slow. . I’ll be willing to carry extra weight if it would boost connection,.

May 13, 2022 at 2:07 am

Yes, a travel router may definitely be able to help with that. It does require packing something extra but travel routers are designed for travel and many of the models are pretty small and lightweight these days so won’t add a lot of extra weight! But I would recommend keeping the dimensions and weights of each model in mind when choosing the best travel router for you.

Ryan J Post author

May 11, 2022 at 6:19 am

Thank you for such a thorough and informative writeup! I also read your Best Mobile Hotpots review and was inspired to purchase the Nighthawk M1100, especially considering it’s added ability to be a travel router and boost a current wifi signal. Will be travelling to Europe and staying at many AirBnb’s. Just in case any of them have a weak wifi signal, I’ll be prepared! Now that I have the device, I can’t seem to find instructions on how to use it as a travel router specifically. I’ve searched everywhere online, and there seems to be different wording out there “turn the m1100 into a modem, use it with a modem, etc. Saw one video on how to use the nighthawk with another router (boosting that router’s signal), but it requires connecting an ethernet cable from the router to the Nighthawk. Is that the process of using it as a travel router? Ideally, I’d like to be able to avoid using the ethernet cable, especially if on a public network (i.e. train) that I need to connect to but is weak. Or staying somwhere that I don’t have access to the broadcasting router. Any specific instructions on using the Nighthawk M1100 as a travel router without using an ethernet cable? Thanks in advance.

May 11, 2022 at 9:28 am

So yes, the Nighthawk M1100 is mainly used as a mobile hotspot, but it can also be used as a travel router. So it is definitely possible to set up the MR1100 as a travel router to share a WiFi network, but the manual is not super helpful. We remember this ourselves when we set it up.

The section you are looking for calls it called WiFi data offloading. If you load the MR1100 manual on this page ( https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/MR1100/MR1100_UM_EN.pdf ) – you are looking for the instructions on page 30, titled “offload your mobile internet connection”. There are sections here on setting this up for either Wifi offloading or ethernet offloading. You are looking for the instructions on Wifi offloading.

Hope that helps, but just let us know if you have any further questions. We have used both the Nighthawk M1 and M2 and have set them up to work as a travel router ourselves so happy to help!

May 12, 2022 at 6:34 pm

Amazing. Would have never found that out on my own. Thank you! Will let you know how it goes. My wife and I are being “digital nomads” for the first time having worked remote in the States for the past 20 years. Will be travelling to Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Croatia, Switzerland, Germany, UK, and Ireland over the course of 5 1/2 months. Leaving next week and super excited!

May 13, 2022 at 2:06 am

Glad that helped and you should be able to test it out before you leave. Having the ability to use it both as both a travel router and a mobile hotspot (when you don’t have WiFi) is nice for a long trip like that.

Enjoy your time working as digital nomads in Europe!

Paul Post author

April 30, 2022 at 2:16 pm

Hi, we’re staying at a place that requires us to re-log in every 24 hours. Are there travel routers that will automatically take care of that for you?

May 1, 2022 at 5:33 am

So we aren’t aware of any travel routers that would be able to automatically do this out of the box. With a travel router there is the advantage that you only have to do this once, rather than once for each device you connect to the travel router. So you should be able to just do the necessary daily login once and then all the devices connected to your router should not have to do the log-in.

Depending on how technically minded you are, it is worth pointing out that the GL.iNet routers are based on the OpenWRT software, which allows technically-savvy users to install extra packages if they want and run custom code. However, this is beyond the scope of most users (and not necessary or recommended in most cases). However, if that does describe you though, then that’s an option as you may be able to write code (or find code written by someone else) that would be able to do the auto log-in each day.

Pasu Post author

April 28, 2022 at 9:24 pm

“A travel router allows you to connect multiple devices to a network, even with a single login. The travel router is seen by networks as a single device, so if you are only given one login, you can still use multiple devices. You just login once from the travel router via a web browser (or in some cases a provided smartphone app), and then all your devices can be connected to the network created by the travel router.”.

That’s exactly what I need. Connecting to a WiFi and giving the signal to other devices.

But sorry, which if the mentioned models can do this?

Thank you for your help

April 29, 2022 at 3:51 am

All of the travel routers we mention in our article can do this as this is one of the main features of most travel routers. The one we are personally currently using is the GL.iNet Beryl model above, but as noted, any of the above models can do this.

For instance, we often use it with the WiFi in a hotel to connect all our devices at once without having to log in each one. It can also help get around device limits imposed by some hotels as you just need to connect the travel router.

Travel routers can also make your connection more private and secure, and you can also use most of them in conjunction with most VPNs.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have any further questions.

April 20, 2022 at 8:43 am

Thanks for this article, but it wasn’t clear to me if any of these support what I want to do: I want to be able to connect a baby monitor to a hotel network (for instance, so a babysitter can keep an eye on the kids from a living room), but my baby cams don’t support connections to captive networks. I’ve gathered that this is where the travel router comes in, allowing me to create my own network after connecting to the hotel’s wifi. What I am hoping to find though, is a travel router that does NOT require an Ethernet connection to make that initial connection to the hotel’s wifi, as not all hotel rooms come with Ethernet ports. It looks like the HooToo TM-02 does this, but I also note that that model is getting a bit long in the tooth at this point. Do any of your recommendations support what I am trying to do? Thanks!

April 20, 2022 at 10:03 am

So none of the travel routers on our list require an ethernet connection to make the first connection, they all work over WiFi (although some can work via ethernet as some have ethernet ports as we note). The way it works is that you turn on the travel router and connect your phone or laptop to the travel router’s WiFi network. Then you use a web browser to configure the travel router to connect to the hotel WiFi network, and if necessary login through the captive portal.

In our experience, the GL.iNet products are the currently the more reliable and most regularly updated options. So those would be our top recommendations, but any of these should work. But newer models are more future proof.

Just a note that setting up cameras or using surveillance devices in hotel rooms is illegal in many countries if any person filmed is unaware of their presence (so if the babysitter or other hotel staff were filmed without their knowledge). So just something to be aware of.

Shannon Post author

February 1, 2022 at 12:02 pm

Hello, I’m currently at a campground with about 4mbps Wi-Fi. I need 200 mbps to do my job and i need help finding the right option. I need something that works with any internet provider and will give me a minimum of 200mbps. Can you help?

February 2, 2022 at 2:39 am

Hi Shannon,

So 200 mbps is very very high and you are unlikely to get that unless you are able to access a 5G mobile network AND a very good cellular signal. The average download speed for 4G is 8-10 mbps. Do you possibly mean 20 mbps that you need for work?

A travel router can help increase a connection but it is not going to make it much faster in most cases. The connection speed at the campsite may be 4mbps at its max and if so, there is nothing you can do to increase that. Especially not 5X or 50X!

If the campsite does have a very fast connection but you are too far from the signal then a travel router can help, but it will likely not make a very big difference, it will generally just make the connection more reliable and secure. But if you travel a lot for work then a travel router like the Beryl one we list above is probably one you would want to have. But you still need to be in places that have a decent connection.

So your best option would be to look into mobile hotspots. These connect over a mobile network and can give you either 4G or 5G speeds depending on the type, and you would need a SIM card to go in them as they are similar to phones in that regard. Of course, you still would need a good cellular network reception for them to work. You can see our guide to mobile hotspots here .

So the best advice is to make sure to do some research before you head to a new place to see what its WiFi connection speed and mobile signal is so that you can see if it a place that you would be able to work from or not. If so, then if you have a travel router and/or mobile hotspot, it should help you work remotely when needed.

Looking to the future, a better option might be something like the Starlink satellite internet which can provide fast internet via low orbit satellites anywhere in the world.

Sage Post author

June 19, 2022 at 11:36 am

Hello! To follow up on this reply (and I am not a techie 🙂 ) I was planning on working from France through a hotel’s WiFi but maybe I should use my cellphone, which is verizon 4G LTE and can be a hotspot? In general, are cellular networks faster than a hotel wifi? I guess it depend on their carrier?

Also, do you recommend a VPN whichever way we access the internet – via cellphone hotspot or hotel wifi?

June 20, 2022 at 4:07 am

So the answer as to whether the hotel WiFi is faster than your cellphone 4G is a difficult one to answer. WiFi is definitely capable of being faster than 4G, but this depends on a number of factors, including the speed of the internet connection the hotel has, how far from the router your device is, and how many other people are using it. 4G also has similar issues, depending on factors like how far away the nearest mast is, if your room is near to a window (walls can weaken a signal), and so on.

In most cases, I’d say that hotel wifi is likely to be faster, but this is definitely not always going to be the case. In general, in your situation, I’d probably say to go with the less expensive option. This is likely to be to get a travel router and use the hotel WiFi (the travel router can then be used on future trips as well). But it depends on the cost of your international data plan.

If you decide to get a travel router (and use hotel WiFi), just be sure to read the instructions and test it out locally before your trip so you know how to set it up and use it before you get to France. Any of the routers we list should work for your situation, our favorites are the ones by GL.iNet.

When it comes to a VPN, VPNs can definitely provide more protection. However, if you are going to use a travel router or cellphone hotspot to connect, it is probably not necessary. Cellphone hotspots or a travel router are going to be more secure because it’s just you connecting to your connection, and mobile networks are a lot harder to hack.

The security concerns over public WiFi networks are not as great as they used to be now that the majority of the web has moved to https. That means the data that is sent from your device to the web and back again is encrypted end to end, so it’s a lot harder for people to snoop on it. In the old days of unencrypted websites and public hotspots, it was fairly easy for someone to hack into someone’s connection, but this is much harder today, especially if you stick to secured websites.

There are still advantages to using a VPN though. Obviously, there is the additional peace of mind, but also some websites block users from specific countries and some countries may block access to certain websites. So a VPN can usually get around that for travelers who need to access websites from their home country. One of the advantages to surfing the web with a VPN in France we’ve found is that it keeps all the websites from constantly redirecting you to the French versions.

Note that some jobs require employees doing remote work to use a VPN or only sign into accounts using some sort of secure connection. This is especially the case if you deal with client data or other sensitive information. So be sure to check your job’s remote work policy regarding security.

We have a post that reviews VPNs for travel here , if you decide you want to use a VPN.

Hope that helps, and feel free to follow-up if you have further questions. Wishing you a great trip to France.

Will Pearce Post author

December 17, 2021 at 8:28 am

I’ve had a HooToo HT-TM05 for about 5 years, and was initially very happy with it. Increasingly, though, I’m encountering web logins on hotel wifi–a situation that I’ve not been able to handle with the HooToo.

I’m aware that some travel routers can be configured with the web login credentials so that they’re able to establish the wifi connection, but it’s not clear from your review which of your recommended devices can do that.

Could you clarify that, please. Also, if you know of some way to get the HooToo to handle this situation, I’d be glad to hear it.

December 17, 2021 at 1:15 pm

Sorry you are having issues with your travel router. Hotel log-ins can be tricky. So the HooToo HT-TM05 should be able to handle the situation you describe (and HooToo noted this in their old FAQ section), as that’s a common scenario for using a travel router. You would normally connect to the Hootoo network with your smartphone or laptop, login to the Hootoo and select the hotel network, and then open up a new browser page from your phone or laptop and try to use the web. This should launch the hotel login page.

Sometimes though this might not work, and it’s possibly because the Hootoo is an older device as that model is now several years old. There are various reasons that it could fail, including a custom DNS setup on your device, use of a VPN, or trying to navigate to some https pages. It’s hard to troubleshoot without seeing the error message you are getting. How far into the process are you getting? Are you getting any error messages?

If this occurs in more than one hotel, and you can’t get it working, I’d recommend contacting HooToo for support. They list the following info on their website: Tel: 1-888-456-8468 (Monday-Friday: 9:00 – 17:00 PST) and email [email protected]

It looks like the company has not updated information on HooToo HT-TMO5 for a couple of years now and it may be that the company is no longer supporting the device. We also just saw that it has been removed from Amazon.

If nothing is working, it is probably that you just need to upgrade the device. I’d recommend upgrading to one of the newer GL.inet, TP-Link, or Netgear travel router models. We’ve used both the GL.inet Beryl and Netgear M1 in hotels recently without incident.

Hope that helps and just let us know if you have any further questions!

Pipps Post author

November 18, 2021 at 2:45 am

Thanks for the great guide and clear recommendations👍

November 18, 2021 at 2:13 pm

Thanks Pipps for taking the time to leave a comment. Glad our travel router guide was helpful and just let us know if you have any questions!

Best, Jessica & Laurence

November 19, 2021 at 2:18 am

My pleasure, you definitely got the Amazon referral 👍

Nikki Mag Post author

October 14, 2021 at 10:12 pm

Thank you for this wealth of information, greatly appreciate it. I am not tech savvy whatsoever and was hoping you had some information to share.

My employer requires an ethernet connection from a modem/router to the company laptop. We are unable to directly connect to wifi. As of today, is there a recommended travel router that I can connect via ethernet cable? I apologize if youve answered this already and I missed it.

October 15, 2021 at 6:35 am

No problem, and happy to try to help!

All the GL inet travel routers we recommend come with at least two ethernet ports. For instance, the Slate router has three Ethernet ports and a lot of other features. So you can connect to the router via an ethernet cable, and then configure the router to connect to either a WiFi network, or to another network with the other ethernet port on the router. This is fairly plug and play so shouldn’t be too tricky, and the instructions that come with the devices are quite easy to follow as well.

You may also want to talk to your company’s IT department as well about the issue since it sounds like they require a certain level of security to be in place for use. If you, for instance, need to use a VPN to connect to your work data, the Slate router is compatible with over 30+ VPNs but may not be compatible with all VPNs.

Hope that helps, and just let us know if you have any other questions!

jack Post author

October 9, 2021 at 7:48 pm

thanks for the awesome article I am looking for a mobile hotspot and a travel router, I need it very much. I found your article. Very beautiful and will come in handy for me.

October 10, 2021 at 4:53 am

Glad it was helpful and hope you found a travel router that works for you. If you are looking for a device that can be both a travel router or wireless hotspot, then the Netgear Nighthawk router is probably your best bet. If you are looking for two separate devices, then you can also check out this article about choosing a mobile hotspot .

But do let us know if you have any questions about travel routers or mobile hotspots.

Joao Post author

October 6, 2021 at 7:41 am

Thank you for this great article.

I’m looking for a travel router, just with the intention of better capturing public networks.

Which of these routers do you think provides a better increase in signal strength on public wireless networks?

October 7, 2021 at 1:31 am

So we’d recommend either the Gl.iNet AR750S ( https://amzn.to/2Quyhsb ) or the GL.iNet MT1300 would be our suggestions. These both have little external aerials which mean they are able to get improved range compared to other options in the round up.

October 7, 2021 at 3:10 am

Hi Jessica,

Thank you for the reply.

Do you think the gain in signal strength is worth it for the price difference for the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 for example?

October 8, 2021 at 1:44 pm

The more powerful travel routers should be able to provide a stronger signal, but I think you would also be paying more for extra features (not just signal strength specs) as well on the more expensive routers. Whether it would improve the signal strength over some of the lower priced GL.iNet routers is probably going to depend on the particular situation and place in which you use it. You might consider buying the lower priced and test it out to see if it works as you need it to. If not, you could return it and purchase the more expensive router with the better signal strength.

For more technical questions about signal strength and the differences between models, you might want to reach out to the GL.iNet customer service and let them know how you specifically plan to use it and they can probably give you a more technical answer since we have not tested the two routers at the same time.

Alice Post author

August 9, 2021 at 7:50 am

Great information here on travel routers. Which of the Glinet routers would you recommend for a first time user? Interested in using it for working on laptop at coffee shops and for travel (domestic and international). Not super tech savvy so something that is pretty easy to use and will last.

August 9, 2021 at 8:35 am

Thanks very much! I appreciate we go into a bit of detail with the GL.iNet routers and their advanced features, but the good news is that you don’t need to be technical to use them, they work well out of the box with a simple web interface to set them up. Any of the ones listed should actually meet your needs.

So the MT300N-v2 (Mango) is a good option if size and budget are the key constraints. It is small, lightweight, and the least expensive. Its small size and weight make it perfect for travel.

For a more future-proof solution, then the two higher-priced GL.iNet models (Slate and Beryl) offer a faster WiFi network with support for the 5Ghz band, which tends to be less congested and therefore faster in public situations. The Beryl model (which we have), is the most powerful with the fastest processor inside, but it’s honestly not going to make a huge difference between that and the AR750 (Slate) unless you have a need for the USB 3 port or want to connect to very fast networks (which most public wifi networks in our experience are not!).

Hope that helps, and let us know if you have any further questions!

August 4, 2021 at 1:25 pm

First off, I say thank you for this information. I will say that I used to use the Netgear Trek N300 before I left it in a hotel (doh). So when I saw that you used to use it as well and saw the information on Juplink EC3-750, I was sold.

I haven’t been able to connect to hotels with it since most hotels have a login screen. I can’t seem to get the setup right on the Juplink to actually be able to pull up the screen to login. How do you set yours up to use in hotels so I can get my setup right. Thank you in advance.

August 5, 2021 at 4:59 am

Yes, the Netgear Treks were great and I wish they would have continued to make and update those. The Netgear Nighthawk M1 is good, but expensive if you are not using it for a mobile hotspot as well as a router.

So the interface for the Juplink can be a bit confusing as it has the different modes and functions. You should be able to get it set up as follows.

First, put the router in repeater mode, then plug it in (if you’ve set it up previously, hold down the reset button on the side for five seconds to start over).

Once the router is on, you should be able to connect your device to the Juplink WiFi network, which doesn’t have a password. You will then be able to login to the router via the url router.juplink.com, the default username and password is admin for both.

From the admin page, press the “repeater wizard” option. This should bring up a list of all the WiFi hotspots, and you would choose the hotel network option. Here you can also specify the network name, this will be your network name. If there is a security password on the network, the network you create will start off with the same password.

The router will restart, and when it comes back it should present you with the new wireless network to connect to. If you connect to this and then try to use the internet, you should be presented with the network login screen.

For added security, I’d recommend changing the password of the created network to a password of your own choosing. You can do this by going to router.juplink.com, logging in again with the username and password, and then going to the WiFi settings. Here you can change the name and password on the WiFi settings.

Hopefully that will work for you, but if not feel free to let us know!

August 6, 2021 at 3:15 pm

It doesn’t work. The hotel sign in page never comes up to sign in.

August 7, 2021 at 9:01 am

I am sorry to hear that isn’t working. I would reach out to Juplink’s customer service to see if they can help as that is the process that we have followed in the past.

If you can’t get it to work after reaching out to Juplink, I’d recommend returning it for one of the recommended GL.iNet or TP-Link travel routers. We have found that GL.inet keeps their software the most updated in recent years so can be the best for the kind of issues you are having.

Let us know what happens as it may be that it doesn’t work well (or is difficult to configure) at certain hotels and we will consider removing it from our list if that is the case.

August 9, 2021 at 6:37 am

We have done more testing with our Juplink and we were able to replicate the issue you are having with a network sign-in page. So for now, we are removing this router from our list and have reached out to Juplink’s customer service to see if Juplink has a solution to fix this issue. It is still working fine as an extender/router but it seems to have issues with log-in screens. Laurence is not sure if this is a hardware or software issue.

In the meantime, we would recommend returning the Juplink and getting a GL.iNET travel router or similar – we have not had the log-in page issues with the GL.iNet router (we have the Beryl one specifically) and are showing it able to load log-in pages when the Juplink one cannot when using them both at the same time. Sorry for the inconvenience as we have had the Juplink for over a year but our travels have been pretty limited due to Covid so we were not able to test it as much as we normally would and it worked fine in our initial uses.

Tiara Post author

May 3, 2021 at 6:42 am

Great, informative article! And it’s awesome that you guys are still making responses after two years.

I’m looking for a travel router that can help me for my remote contact center work. I’m interested in traveling to national parks or otherwise and am looking for routers to secure a good connection on the days I have to work. I know hotels and whatnot near parks can still be somewhat slow, and this is also for general travel. What would you recommend?

May 3, 2021 at 10:33 am

Yes, we aim to try to reply to all comments and email questions related to travel and photography – and have been trying to do so for 10 years now 😉

So a travel router can certainly help improve a connection by making it more consistent and secure. However, it can’t turn a really slow connection into a fast one. Any of the travel routers on this list can help with extending Wifi, making your connection more secure, and allowing you to use it with more devices more easily. So it just depends on if there are any features you’d need (e.g., Ethernet ports) and buying one that works with faster speeds will make it more future-proof.

However, the reality is that in and around many national parks and state parks, the WiFi speed is not great. This is especially the case in the Western and rural parts of the USA.

Now if you have a poor Wifi connection but good mobile phone signal strength, then a mobile hotspot will work. This will do the same things as the travel router but it will also help you extend the mobile signal to connect your other devices (e.g., laptop, tablet, etc.) that you need to use. So you might check out the Netgear Nighthawk M1 device we recommend above in the article which can act as both a travel router and a mobile hotspot – we have this one and have used it on places like boats and rural areas where we have phone signal but there was no Wifi access.

For those who work in remote areas with both poor Wifi access and poor mobile phone signals, they often need to rely on satellite access but these devices are not currently travel-friendly or budget-friendly. A mobile hotspot can only help where there is some mobile signal.

So I would investigate the places you are thinking of spending time and need a faster connection and see what the Wifi access and mobile signals (for your specific carrier) are in those areas. That can help you assess what type of device might be best for you and also if you should plan to work in certain places or just visit them when you don’t need to work.

Hope that helps, and let us know if you have any further questions! Jessica

Patti Hackney Post author

April 14, 2021 at 9:40 am

We are looking for a travel router that we can plug into a strong antenna that we wired outside our boat. Our paid for wifi is pretty far away, but the antenna works great to connect; however only on one device (our laptop) if the antenna is plugged into it. Do you know of any travel routers that have the ability to connect an external antenna to pick up the wifi signal? Thank you for any information you can give us. Patti

April 15, 2021 at 7:18 am

The Netgear M1 / M2 can support an external antenna but it’s only for improving a 4G LTE signal rather than a WiFi signal. So I don’t think that would work for you given your situation.

There are some travel routers that support external antennas. Some versions of the GL.iNET GL-AR300M , for example, have an external antenna which you can connect your own antenna to them. But you would want to check if it is the same connector type as your existing antenna so that they are compatible.

But a travel router may not be the best fit for you, given your situation, so you may want to ask a networking/router specialist at a Best Buy or similar to ask about options that would work with your boat Wifi signal/external antenna situation. An access point, standard router, or bridge may be a better option.

YL Hu Post author

March 30, 2021 at 10:14 am

Very practical and interesting topic. I am currently looking at a mobile router, Ryoko. Would hope to hear from anyone who has been using it. Thanks. YL

March 30, 2021 at 10:24 am

This more of a hotspot than an actual travel router which is what my post is about. The is a 4g router and requires a SIM card to use.

I have not heard of or used the Muama-Ryoko mobile routers before. They only have a 3.1/5.0 rating on TrustPilot and a lot of mixed and bad recent customer reviews. So I would really read the reviews there before making a decision.

If you are just looking for a travel router (not a mobile hotspot), I would consider one of the other ones we list above as they are actual travel routers. If you need something that also functions as a mobile hotspot, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 functions as a router and extender but you can also add a SIM card and use it as a mobile hotspot as well.

Jum Post author

April 8, 2021 at 5:37 am

It’s very difficult to find genuine reviews. Apart from Trust Pilot, the rest of the review websites on Google are extremely suspicious. They all 100% recommend and offer a link direct to Muama-Ryoko. The company seems to have a complete stranglehold on any info. I would avoid.

Melissa Post author

January 27, 2021 at 9:16 pm

I am not the most tech savvy person but I am looking for a way to use Chromecast in hotels when I travel overseas. The Wifi is usually horrible in these hotels so I’m not sure that Chromecast would work without some help. Can you recommend something easy to use that could help in this situation? Also, do I need a sim card or anything for these mobile routers or am I thinking of a hotspot?

Thanks so much!

January 30, 2021 at 5:13 am

Hi Melissa,

A travel router could definitely help in this situation, and it would also make setting it up each time easier. As you know the Chromecast needs a WiFi network to connect to, and if you use a travel router then you can setup the Chromecast to connect to the WiFi network that the travel router creates. This means you won’t need to reconfigure the Chromecast every time.

In addition, the travel router should be able to deal with spotty hotel wifi more reliably than the Chromecast. Being stuck behind the TV means it will get worse reception in general, whereas you can place the travel router in a better location.

You don’t need a sim card for these travel routers as they just extend an existing network – you are indeed thinking of a mobile hotspot. That is also an option, but for streaming it would work out quite expensive as streaming uses a lot of data. So a travel router that improves the WiFi reception is your best option. Any of the options we list should work well for your purposes.

Sparkles Post author

June 2, 2021 at 8:43 pm

The problem with chromecast on hotel wifi is the login access page since it doesn’t have a built in browser without a travel router logging in requires spoofing the mac address of a different device to match the mac address of the chromecast.

Pondorosa Post author

January 21, 2021 at 1:52 pm

Great insight on travel routers, VPN’s and other stuff I did not know of. Thank you!!!

January 23, 2021 at 8:34 am

You’re very welcome Pondorosa – if you have any further questions about travel routers just let us know!!

Thomas Bash Post author

December 21, 2020 at 3:46 am

Thanks for sharing this informative blog, I think the Tp-Link travel routers are best.

December 22, 2020 at 11:02 am

You’re very welcome, and thanks for taking the time to share your views on travel routers with us!

Julie Post author

December 3, 2020 at 11:21 am

Wow! This was exactly the article I needed. Thank you. I’m trying to convince my employer to let me take my remote, on-line job on the permanent road (RV). Their concern is that I occasionally need to take credit card information for orders. I also do video calls with customers, so speed is important. I go through a VPN at home with a wired, ethernet connection. I could easily create a mobile hotspot where needed with my phone, so is the GL-iNetGL-AR750S all I really need? Or is it necessary to go up to the NetGear Nighthawk?

December 4, 2020 at 4:56 am

Glad you found our article on travel routers helpful.

So if you are confident of phone reception, usually you would set up the VPN connection on your phone and then set it up as a mobile hotspot. The only reason you’d need a travel router in this case is to extend the range of the WiFi network that your phone creates. So a regular travel router (like the GL.iNet one ) is probably good to have for this purpose and it can also provide extra strength and extra security when you do use public WiFi networks. Since you need VPN, that is probably a good one for you.

Something like the NetGear Nighthawk (which is a router + mobile hotspot) is only necessary if you’re going to be connecting multiple devices at higher speeds than your phone can handle since you already are able to create a mobile hotspot with VPN on your phone. So you can test that out in advance to see if you would need a mobile hotspot or not, or if your phone connection is enough.

However, my main concern would be around cell reception, which will obviously depend on where you plan to be traveling. Remote and rural parts of the USA might not always have great cell reception and if you are an avid RV traveler, you’ll know there are some big dead zones for networks here and there. The only solution to this is to investigate satellite options – for example the Starlink system is coming online in the USA at the moment, which offers fast speeds at a reasonable price (compared the other offerings at least!). So it may take your subscribing to something like this to convince your boss if they are worried about you always being able to be online, or making sure you only travel to places with good phone signals. A mobile hotspot won’t work in places where there is no signal of some kind.

Anyway, hope that helps and just let us know if you have further questions!

Matt Post author

October 29, 2020 at 5:54 pm

Hi Jessica, your article was great. It was very helpful and much needed information. Your article was clear, consistent, and well-researched. Thanks.

October 30, 2020 at 5:01 am

Hi Matt, Glad you found it helpful. We have tried to keep it updated over the years as technology and manufacturers have changed for travel routers! Just let us know if you have any questions. Best, Jessica

Dwayne Post author

July 25, 2020 at 3:01 pm

I’m at a hotel and would like a secure connection the room does not have a ethernet port, I connect to the internet on a log in screen and most of the times the screen doesn’t come up and connects itself. I have theTP-LINK TL-WR902AC AC750 WI-FI TRAVEL ROUTER set at hotspot mode and plugged to my laptop. The power and wireless lights are lit, but the internet light blinks, the hardware is version 3. I have tried the range extender mode and could connect to internet at all. Is there something I’m not doing in the router setup page. I have not had any answers yet with the tplink support staff. This is a really good site. Thanks

July 26, 2020 at 4:05 am

Sorry to hear you are having issues logging into your router at the hotel.

So could you clarify, you are in a hotel and you are connecting to the TP-Link WiFi network, but the internet is not working? Normally what should happen is the first time you want to connect to a new network you have to visit http://tplinkwifi.net , login with the username and password (the default is admin for both), and then follow the quick setup instructions which will allow you to choose a network. Then, if you try to browser to another website, the hotel login page (if there is one) should come up.

The router should be in hotspot mode as you say, but it doesn’t need to be plugged into your laptop. Normally the internet light only blinks in access point or router mode so you might want to check the mode switch is in “share hotspot” mode.

Let us know if you were able to get it fixed or if not, happy to try to help further. But hopefully you got through to the Tp-Link staff as well.

July 27, 2020 at 12:43 pm

Hello Jessica, I got connected to internet with my router on saturday, I just kept playing around with the tplink setup page and got it work. I am also using the hotspot shield free vpn, I did a speed test my upload and download mbps is under 1 at 0.56mbps. and sometimes the download gets to 1.07 Is there something I can do to get the speed faster? Thanks

July 28, 2020 at 4:31 am

Glad you got connected. So if the Internet speed is just slow where you are, there is nothing really you can do to make it faster, unfortunately. But the travel router should not slow it down. Travel routers can help strengthen a signal but they don’t really affect speed.

However, VPNs can slow down speeds (particularly free services) so you might want to test the speed without the VPN to see if that is the case. If you do find it is the VPN, you might want to consider trying a different VPN or connecting without it. You can see our list of the recommended VPNs for travelers .

If you find that the Wifi speed where you are is just too slow to perform what you need, then your only other real choice might be to consider a mobile hotspot as these create an Internet connection. However, these are more expensive and rely on a mobile network, so best to see if you can get things to work with the travel router if you can since there is an existing connection where you are.

Evan Bell Post author

May 8, 2020 at 4:08 pm

I had a Netgear travel router but it recently broke and need a new one to connect to the internet when away. This is a great resource on travel routers, I appreciate!

May 8, 2020 at 4:28 pm

Great to hear you found our travel router review article helpful. We’ve had good experience with Netgear devices, it is too bad they never made an update to the Netgear Trek, but there are several good options out there by TP-Link, GL.iNet, and RavPower. Just let us know if you have any questions.

Tim Post author

April 27, 2020 at 7:45 am

Great info about the internet during travelling and using travel routers. Is there other things I should do to keep info and passwords secure while travelling and avoid hacking attacks? Thanks.

April 27, 2020 at 9:15 am

Yes, there are lots of other things you can do to further protect your data:

-Make sure all your devices (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) are secure and protected with passwords and identify verification -Make sure your operating systems on your devices are updated with most recent updates and patches – you should also have firewall/virus protection -Use a VPN when traveling. For more info you can see our guide to choosing a VPN . You’ll want to make sure your travel router is compatible with a VPN -Avoid accessing sensitive accounts or data while on public Wifi – you should try to access important accounts (e.g., banking) as little as possible when traveling to avoid identify theft and people getting your password details. -Make sure you have backup copies of important data and info stored at home before your trip -Never give out your account passwords to anyone while traveling -Avoid providing any information on unsecured websites -Be cautious about downloading files, especially if you are not absolutely sure of their source

Hope that helps, and do let us know if you have any questions about choosing a travel router!

Sam Johnson Post author

March 24, 2020 at 6:16 am

I have Linksys WTR54GS Wireless-G Travel Router . This comes with a built-in access point and an Ethernet port used to connect to a wired network or to other computers. For a secured connection, this device has an encryption capability. This has its own power supply and an antenna. Included in the package is a case for easy safekeeping.

March 24, 2020 at 6:29 am

Thanks for sharing which travel router you use and glad that one has worked well for you. That is an older model which is why its not included on our list as it doesn’t support the latest WiFi standards, but should still work for most people!

Jeff Post author

February 12, 2020 at 6:15 pm

I have a tp-link nano travel router today. But the problem with it is that it does not play well with the captive portal system that hotels use. Every time I try to set up the router in a new hotel it takes multiple efforts to get the travel router to recognize the hotels wireless network. And then even after it does, it quite often will not show me the captive portal login page. It is very frustrating. What is your experience with these travel routers you recommend and their ability to play well with hotels captive portal?

February 13, 2020 at 6:50 am

Usually when we have this problem the issue is because the wifi network signal is so weak that even the travel router struggles to connect. However, normally we don’t have any problems with the captive portal – the routers are designed to be able to handle them, and should pass it through to your device so you can login. When you say it won’t show you the captive portal screen, do you mean after you have connected your travel router to the network, and connected your device to the travel router, that it’s just not loading the screen? Does it load anything at all?

If you are consistently having these problems, you might want to reach out to TP-Link for support as it’s possible the router has a fault, or it might need a firmware update.

Hope that helps! Laurence

February 13, 2020 at 10:12 am

>”When you say it won’t show you the captive portal screen, do you mean after you have connected your travel router to the network, and connected your device to the travel router, that it’s just not loading the screen?”

Correct. Most times (not always) the captive portal screen will never display. I repeat the setup process over and over to have the router scan for the hotel’s wifi signal and about half the time after several tries the captive portal login screen might appear.

>”Does it load anything at all?”

When it doesn’t show a screen, usually what happens is a message pops up stating something like “The network you are using may require you to visit it’s login page.” And that’s it. No login page appears.

I am done with this travel router. I’m tossing it. But I don’t want to purchase a different travel router only to have this same problem persist.

February 13, 2020 at 12:03 pm

It sounds like you know what you are doing and have tried a lot of things. Although it can take a little time to get to the captive login screen, you should be able to get there if the signal is strong enough and it is set up, so it is likely a hardware or firmware issue, so our only recommendation would be to ask TP-LInk about the issue and see if they have specific guidance on your model. We have not encountered this issue with the routers we have used.

Tlynnk Post author

July 15, 2020 at 11:06 am

I absolutely HATE my TP Link nano. Thank goodness it was cheap. It’s going straight to the trash. After two years of problems, I give up.

James Post author

January 8, 2020 at 2:45 am

I am using a travel router from one of the top-notch brands but its speed is far below the committed numbers. Which other routers do you suggest which can deliver at par speeds that we get at our homes/ offices? Thanks in advance.

January 8, 2020 at 10:13 am

So we usually find when we travel that the speed of the internet is often slower than at work or home (depending on your home connection speed). When I talk about the speed of the internet, I mean the connection speed that the hotel or guesthouse network offers. If there connection is slow, then the travel router won’t be able to improve upon that.

Most travel routers offer speeds in the region of 300Mbps, which is more than fast enough for streaming even very high definition content, and faster than most networks. So I think that no travel router will really improve that speed so any of them will pretty much give you the same speed. The only option would be to invest in a mobile hotspot, which bypasses the wifi entirely and connects over a 4G network which could deliver faster speeds. If these are available in the country you are traveling in, they can be faster than WiFi in some cases.

If you decide you’d prefer a mobile hotspot, you can read about them more in this article and it includes some of our suggestions if you decide you want to rent or buy a hotspot.

Tony Post author

January 16, 2020 at 11:18 am

My entire career has been designing digital networks all over the world, so I think I can help explain why what you’re asking for is currently impossible. First, don’t confuse network “speed” with network bandwidth. Public WiFi utilizes Broadband technology, which can be best visualized by comparing it to a regular pipe. No available technology can increase the size of a pipe in order to increase the rate of flow. Rather, a bigger pipe must be installed!

Likewise, no current technology can take a Public WiFi with a bandwidth (pipe) of 150mpbs and increase the bandwidth to 300mbps. What the best Travel Routers do is boost and extend a weak network signal into a much stronger network signal, which in turn decreases network latency, which improves the overall quality AND quantity of the flow of digital information to your laptop or tablet.

Steve Post author

January 5, 2020 at 11:37 pm

Everyone should choose a strong router at an affordable price especially while traveling. Many on this list of routers that will be a great choice. I use a TP-link router that is quite good while traveling.

January 6, 2020 at 1:16 pm

Hi Steve, Yes, the TP-Link ones are a great choice and well-priced. They also seem to keep updating the technology in them every couple of years which is good! Best, Jessica

O.G. Post author

September 23, 2019 at 2:33 pm

This was a great informative post about usig the internet during travelling and using travel routers. If you want to use the internet while travelling then you must buy a wireless mobile router because its signal range are large with the secure password nd also send a message to the user if someone try to hack a password, otherwise you feel trouble during travelling! I use them mostly because of the added security as I don’t feel safe using the internet in public places for private things and banking while traveling without having extra security. Thanks.

September 26, 2019 at 12:41 pm

Yes, travel routers are probably primarily used to increase signal strength, but yes, the extra level of security is definitely an additional featured added by travel routers. They can help make public WiFi networks a bit more secure.

Glad our article was helpful to you! Jessica

Brad Post author

September 16, 2019 at 2:34 am

Thanks for bringing our eye on this great device as we all know many hotels out their provides free internet service but the speed is ridiculously slow, show it could be of great use ( but the pricing can be a little lower in my opinion)

September 16, 2019 at 9:35 am

Hi Brad, Yes, a travel router can definitely help if you have a slow (or unsecured) connection at a hotel. If you are looking for the most budget-friendly option, the RAVPower Filehub Tripmate Nano is one to take a look at. Best, Jessica

Kimi Post author

September 11, 2019 at 1:34 am

Routers are great, as you can connect to the internet whenever you want. I mostly use it while I’m out on the beach, to listen to music or to watch some cool videos. But I’m still concerned about the safety and certain restrictions in certain countries, so I also use Nord VPN, so that my holiday would as comfortable as it can be. So, your own router and NordVPN are my best travel buds!

September 11, 2019 at 10:10 am

Hi Kimi, Yes, a VPN can be great, especially if you are traveling in lots of places with unsecure Internet (although a travel router can help secure your connection) and countries with lots of online restrictions. A VPN doesn’t work so great with some travel routers, but it sounds like you have found a good system for you! Best, Jessica

Sam Post author

August 27, 2019 at 9:03 pm

thanks @travelcats for the article. However, I am still a bit on the fence with these devices because I don’t find many hotels that use the Ethernet cable anymore in each room, so if I want to set up my own “room network”, I would need a device that acts as a Hotspot and the models mentioned in the article are Not that. Is this correct? If so, can you recommend some or have you already covered that subject in another article that you can post a link to?

August 28, 2019 at 7:25 am

Yes, so travel router devices can either extend an ethernet network into a WiFi network, or extend a weak WiFi signal into something your devices can connect to. Of course this only works if there is a wifi connection to extend.

If you want to connect when there is no WiFi connection, you would need a mobile hotspot, you can see some options here . Or you can get a device like this Netgear Nighthawk device that can function as both a travel router and mobile hotspot.

For more about mobile hotspots and getting online when traveling, this article may be useful: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/how-to-get-online-when-travelling-away/

Hope that helps, and let us know if you have further questions!

Bob J Post author

July 8, 2019 at 8:17 pm

Can any of these routers act as a wireless Ethernet bridge? I want to connect net gear router to our resort WiFi and was wondering if a travel router would be reasonably priced way to do that

July 11, 2019 at 2:30 pm

That is a good question. Some of these routers may be able to do that but that is not really what they were designed to do. I would check the specs of the devices and contact the specific manufacturer of the one(s) you are interested in and ask them specifically if they can do this and how you would do this. If not, I would look for a device designed more to do this, I am sure Netgear could recommend one. Best, Jessica

Tex Post author

July 4, 2019 at 12:01 pm

It sounds like you can use either an app or a browser on a laptop to configure the Trek in case it needs a password to connect to the hotel’s wifi, am I understanding that correctly? Because if that is the case, then $35 for a way to boost the WiFi signal is a bargain. So many hotels advertise free WiFi but deliver very slow connections

July 6, 2019 at 2:30 pm

Hi Tex, Yes, that is correct, you can usually use them to get around hotel minimum device issues as well as to boost exisiting WiFi signals. They also add a bit more security. Netgear is not making the Trek any longer so they are hard to find, but you might be able to find one on Amazon or ebay or secondhand. But other routers work in a similar way and they pretty much all do the same thing so you can also check out the other devices. Best, Jessica

Jimmy Chang Post author

July 1, 2019 at 5:42 am

Ravpower Filehub Plus slow down internet speed more than 50% makes it unusable in most case. Although the device’s small size and has it’s own battery is a huge plus. I bought one, really like it, but I return the product due to the internet performance disappointment.

July 1, 2019 at 5:58 pm

Hi Jimmy, Yes there are pros and cons to all of the travel routers. Sorry to hear the Ravpower Filehub Plus was not a good fit for you, but there are several other options out there that you can try. Best, Jessica

Adam Post author

June 9, 2019 at 2:32 am

Alright so this list needs updated badly. No WiFi AC options = bad. Which there are enough of to warrant an update.

June 9, 2019 at 2:08 pm

Thanks for your input! We do keep this list as up to date as we can, and there are not that many travel routers on the market that support this speed.

Some of our recommendations support the 300Mbps speed, and AC is only 433Mps, so the difference is not that great. In addition, in our experience most networks when we travel don’t offer speeds anywhere near close to maxing out even a 150mbps travel router. So there are very few places where you would encounter public Wifi AC at this time, therefore, there is not much of a compelling reason for most people to need this feature.

However, we’ll certainly review the post and update this list to ensure the best options are still represented ????

Beri Post author

May 28, 2019 at 3:46 am

I found a list of some more routers suitable for a VPN setup, have you had any experience with setting it up? I’m subscribed to this VPN but I’m a little uneasy about the technical part of configuring a router.

May 28, 2019 at 11:50 am

Hi Beri, Yes, as you know, not all routers will work with a VPN. But if you have a travel router that does, you will just need to follow the directions of that router to use it. It should work the same as without a VPN unless otherwise indicated. Best, Jessica

Tobias Claren Post author

May 21, 2019 at 4:09 am

Is it possible to use such Wireless Travel Router with a Wifi with voucher code (entry in web browser)?

May 21, 2019 at 5:23 am

Hi Tobias, Yes, it is. Once you have connected the travel router to the network, you should be able to access the voucher page from your device as you normally would. Best, Laurence

John Stafford Post author

May 16, 2019 at 6:43 am

Could you advise how these travel routers deal with the invariable web page sign in that most Hotels require you to fill in before allowing you on their WiFi network?

May 16, 2019 at 7:01 am

Hello John,

All the routers we recommend support the sign-in page that some networks require – they usually just forward it to the device you first access the network from. So say you are using a smartphone, you first connect the travel router to the hotel network using the configuration tool on your smartphone, and then when you try to access the internet, you will be redirected to the web page to sign in.

The advantage of using a travel router is that you should only need to sign in once, then any other devices you connect to your travel router will not need to sign in again. It also carries the advantage that if the hotel restricts access to one device, you can circumvent that as the hotel sees the router as the one device, and you can connect as many of your devices to the router as it supports.

Hope that helps! Jessica & Laurence

Stanley Post author

May 17, 2019 at 8:59 am

I have purchased TP Link Nano and configured to hotel WiFi. Unfortunately, it is not opening up the sign in page automatically. Hence I am not able to use the internet for my devices. What could be the possible reason?

May 17, 2019 at 10:57 am

Hi Stanley,

This can happen sometimes if your device is configured in a certain way, for example if you have a VPN running. If you connect the same device to the hotel wifi directly (without the router), does the login page come up?

Do you have another device you can try? If so, I’d logout and disconnect and try a different device.

The TP Link definitely does support this when you connect a device to it, but specific configurations can cause issues with your client devices. It’s hard to troubleshoot though as there are different possible causes.

Mark Post author

May 12, 2019 at 10:38 pm

Thanks for writing a great article about travel routers! I wish more routers/extenders would include software to function in this way.

Question: I have a particular use-case and I was wondering if any router that you’ve come across has the necessary functionality. Do any of these or any >$100 devices save the credentials of the wireless networks that you have to before and auto connect when they are available?

My wife and I travel to the same places often for work. We used the Airport Express for this for a while but we’re looking for a new solution and Apple has sadly dropped the product(one of the best smart routers out there for a long time).

Also when the local WiFi is slow we use the hotspots on our iPhones/iPad. We even have different mobile providers for different areas so one of us always has signal.

If we always had a common WiFi for all our devices that used the best signal or just auto-joined the hotspot when it was turned on we would be ecstatic!

May 13, 2019 at 8:58 am

Thanks very much!

So in our experience the travel routers we have used for this purpose (originally the Netgear Trek, although this is sadly no longer on sale) did remember the networks it had previously connected to, and would automatically reconnect to these. So we would think this would be standard for most of these. However we aren’t 100% sure as we mostly use the Trek still – the best thing might be to either contact the manufacturer of the one that sounds the best. Or just try the router that has the features you need, and then see if it works. If not, you should be able to return it for a refund.

Sorry we couldn’t be of more help. If you find out more about this in researching these routers, please let us know and we can add that to our article.

Alan Smith Post author

May 9, 2019 at 2:19 am

Thanks for sharing.

May 12, 2019 at 11:44 am

Hi Alan, glad you enjoyed the post. Just let us know if you have any questions about travel routers. Best, Jessica

Emani Post author

April 23, 2019 at 7:07 pm

Since there is no “like” button, I just wanted to quickly leave a comment to say thank you for writing this article because it was extremely helpful to a computer layman like myself. I greatly appreciate it 🙂

April 24, 2019 at 6:55 am

Hi Emani, Glad you found our article helpful, and just let us know if you have any questions about travel routers or what they do. Best, Jessica

Jacqueline Post author

April 21, 2019 at 3:54 pm

Hello I have a quick question I’m just looking for something I can get for my teenaged girls to watch Netflix and play games while on the road we do a lot of traveling and they want to watch movies and play games on there tablet and laptops do u know which router fits my family best thanks for this article by the way

April 22, 2019 at 3:08 am

Hi Jacqueline,

So the main question would be whether or not you need internet access while out and about, or just looking to extend coverage and use multiple devices at hotels etc. A travel router like these in this post can only extend an existing wireless network, so won’t help if you are in a car for example that does not have WiFi access.

If the device is primarily for use in hotels or near existing wireless networks, then any of the devices on this list would be a good fit. I’d recommend looking at the TPlink N300 or the GL iNet AR300.

If you are also looking for WiFi, then in that sort of situation you would want a wireless hotspot type device like the TEP wireless or Glocalme hotspot . You can read more about Internet access solutions while traveling in this article .

Alternatively, if you are traveling domestically, your phone may also allow you to create a wireless hotspot and share the connection with the other devices around you.

The only thing about these options is that it will depend on your daughters usage – streaming movies for example uses quite a lot of data, and most wireless hotspot services tend to restrict speeds after around 1GB of data, which is less than your average film.

Hope that helps, but do let us know if you have further questions! Laurence

Todd Post author

March 23, 2019 at 9:13 am

I just returned my new TP-Link N300 Nano after a couple of very frustrating days trying to connect it to my iPhone 6. Their helpdesk agent was friendly but couldn’t find a solution. I found a resolution in their community forum and flashed new firmware onto the device to solve the issue. Sadly, the router would lock up after a few minutes of use. I let it hang twice before declaring it useless and boxed it back up to send to Amazon.

It’s such a shame because it probably could be a good router. But who can afford to be upgrading software while on the road 🙁

March 23, 2019 at 11:39 am

Hi Todd, Thanks for taking the time to comment. Sorry to hear that this did not work out well for you, although glad you had good customer service experience. I hope you are able to find something that works for you. Best, Jessica

March 2, 2019 at 7:39 pm

Thanks for a great article. I wish I could find a device that does everything the RAVPower FileHub does, along with VPN. I need a router that does wired, wireless bridge, USB port for external HDD, Video streaming, and hopefully VPN. Any suggestions?

March 3, 2019 at 5:37 am

Hi Chris – that would be a great device indeed! We’ve taken a look around though, and we can’t find one that does everything you need – either they have VPN and don’t have file sharing, or vice versa. The best solution we can offer is something like the RAVPower FileHub, with setting up a VPN on your laptop or mobile phone. We know this is an extra step for each device, but right now we don’t know of a product that has all 5 of those features. Hopefully one will be available soon! Best, Jessica

January 31, 2019 at 6:01 am

My company has production plants all over the world. As such, there has been and will continue to be the opportunity for me to spend extended time abroad. This past year alone, I spent four weeks in Italy which is the reason I’m now searching for some sort of wifi booster. The hotels in Italy had wifi that would operate a laptop, iPhone, et cetera, but the signal was not strong/reliable enough to use my Chromecast. This meant I spent a lot of evenings looking at my iPhone 7 to watch Netflix. Not optimal!

What I need to know is will a product like this allow me to stream Netflix, Hulu, Youtube, whatever, to my Chromecast in such an instance? There is a very good chance that I might be spending weeks-on-end abroad again very soon. I would like to be able to address this issue before I leave. Any thoughts on this?

January 31, 2019 at 10:32 am

So this is not a question we can 100% answer. A travel router can boost signal and provide more secure Internet browsing, but it depends ultimately on the speed of the hotel’s connection.

First, the Internet speed in general in the location you are visiting will need to be fast enough to support streaming. It sounds like this has generally been the case in hotels you’ve stayed in, as you were able to stream to your iPhone. In that case, if your iPhone is able to stream across the WiFi, then a travel router should strengthen the signal sufficiently for the Chromecast to also work. However, we can’t guarantee it will work in every instance, so this might not be a guaranteed fix.

If you are able to download any films or TV shows we’d recommend doing this. I know Netflix lets you download some shows to supported devices. You might then be able to stream these more easily.

Alternatively, with something like the RAVPower router we mention, that acts as a streaming hub that your Chromecast should be able to stream from, if you have a hard drive or memory card with some shows on.

We think a travel router should help, but we can’t guarantee it in every situation!

Sajjad Ahmad Post author

January 23, 2019 at 1:17 am

Thanks for sharing this is such a very nice post and review of available travel routers. thanks for spending time on it. i found it very useful.

January 23, 2019 at 2:46 am

Hi Sajjad, You are very welcome and just let us know if you have any questions as you check out the different travel routers. Best, Jessica

Business Traveler Post author

December 13, 2018 at 6:49 am

great article, very helpful as a business traveler!

December 13, 2018 at 7:34 am

Thanks, glad you found it helpful! Just let us know if you have any questions about choosing a travel router. Best, Jessica

Gary Post author

December 2, 2018 at 10:39 pm

This is a very good article and comparison of different travel routers, as so far I’ve read several articles. Thank you!

December 3, 2018 at 6:00 am

Hi Gary, Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad to hear you found our travel route article helpful. Do let us know if you have any questions. Best, Jessica

Shah Post author

September 28, 2018 at 2:03 pm

This was a great informative post you have shared on this page about the internet during travelling and using travel routers. If you want to use the internet while travelling then you must buy a wireless mobile router because its signal range are large with the secure password nd also send a message to the user if someone try to hack a password, otherwise you feel trouble during travelling! Thanks.

September 29, 2018 at 8:05 pm

Hi Shah, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, and hope you choose the best travel router for you. Wireless routers can definitely help you get online while traveling and also help keep you more secure when away from home! Best, Jessica

Bella Johsan Post author

September 28, 2018 at 2:05 am

Many wireless routers available in the market which is helpful during the travel like np15 and so many. We always want a good speed router during our travels, regarding best router I found this post really helpful.

September 29, 2018 at 7:01 am

Hi Bella, Glad you found this helpful in choosing a travel router and wishing you the best on your future travels! Best, Jessica

Sam Billings Post author

September 6, 2018 at 12:00 am

Netgear Trek is a small router for those travel a lot or whose work is to travel. This device is easy to handle and it does not need a lot of space. I really like it!

September 6, 2018 at 12:13 pm

Hi Sam, Yes, we like the Netgear Trek as well and it is a great size for travel. It is just a shame that Netgear stopped making them now. I am hoping that will come out with an updated or new travel router product that is similar to that one. Best, Jessica

pamela Post author

September 4, 2018 at 10:02 pm

TP-Link Nano travel routers N150 and N300 are so aesthetically pleasing. I have N150 and don’t have anything bad to say about it, except the price could be lower. Btw, I use Nordvpn with it, and I’d say it’s a perfect match.

September 5, 2018 at 4:06 am

Hi Pamela, Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and for your experience with the N150 travel router. Glad that you have had a good experience with it. We recommend NordVPN as well for those that need a VPN service. Best, Jessica

Jean Post author

August 11, 2018 at 3:07 pm

Hi. I’m looking into purchasing the TP-Link N300 Nano Travel Router to use at a lakeside resort. The lodge at the resort has free wi-fi but the nearby cottages do not. They last time we were there, we were able to pick up in our cottage a weak signal from the lodge. Would the TP-Link N300 Nano server to strengthen that signal. We use Mac laptops, if that matters. Obviously, we don’t know much about travel routers. Any information you can provide will be very helpful. THANKS!

August 13, 2018 at 12:53 am

Hi Jean, Yes, that is the sort of situation that the router is designed for and it should strengthen your signal and make it stronger than what it would be with only your laptops. It may not be a “strong” connection, but it should certainly be stronger. As long as you have relatively recent model laptop (last several years) most routers will work fine with most modern laptops, tablets, and phones. Wishing you a wonderful vacation at the lake! Best, Jessica

Stive Smith Post author

July 27, 2018 at 4:42 am

What a helpful technical post on travel routers! I think Wireless Router is the best one to achieve uninterrupted WiFi while blogging. I had some issues with my router which I was unable to fix on my own. Then, I got Netgear Support which was truly helpful in fixing all my router issues.

July 27, 2018 at 4:44 am

Hi Stive, So glad you found our travel routers post helpful. And yes, if you need help with a Netgear product, Netgear Support is a great place to get help with your travel router! Best, Jessica

Christina Post author

January 19, 2017 at 11:13 am

It’s nice to have WiFI while traveling and I appreciate the design and functional features of the device. The Netgear Trek’s initial function, increasing the range of existing wireless networks, sounds great.

January 20, 2017 at 3:19 am

Hi Christina, Yes, we still take the Netgear Trek travel router with us on most of our travels as it often comes in handy when we need to connect while on the road. Just let us know if you have any specific questions about the device that are not answered in the review. Best, Jessica

January 13, 2017 at 9:47 am

It’s nice that the included antenna can amplify the weak signal. Many people would find this product useful.

Harry Post author

January 3, 2017 at 2:57 pm

Thanks for the response. I”m back at home now but will try this at the next hotel. Great review. If this pans out, this truly is something that has been needed for quite a while and it will become my “go-to” solution when traveling.

travelcats Post author

January 3, 2017 at 3:18 pm

Hi Harry, We find that sometimes it does take a bit of patience and fiddling but we have been successful in using it as we described. Best of luck and please let us know how it works on your next trip! Best, Jessica & Laurence

December 30, 2016 at 9:34 am

I was led to understand the netgear N300 would allow you to use the hotel “captive portal” wifi with multiple devices. It doesn’t look like that is the case as your commenter above states. I see no option in the http://www.routerlogin.net netgear page for this to happen. It requires you to put in an ssid for the hotel network and a password. The problem is, with “captive portal” pages, there is no “password”. They ask for your room number and you to accept the user agreement.

What is needed is to be able to sign in to the netgear n300 and then open a browser and try to get on the internet and then the hotel page pops up and you enter your room number and any other required info and you are on the web.

I don’t see that capability in the netgear N300

Also, I think you may need the ability to “clone” the mac address of your laptop so your mac address isn’t always telling the hotel that you are probably using a “router” type device to get around their “one or two device” rules. If the mac address says “I’m a netgear router”, it would be easy for the hotel to not allow such mac addresses.

December 31, 2016 at 3:07 am

Hi Harry, In our experience the N300 router has allowed us to do this. You can enter the hotel SSID without a password, and then the router will forward your browser to the hotel page to log in, after which point you can browse with multiple devices. We’ve definitely used it in this situation and not had any problems at several hotels.

For the MAC address spoofing, we’ve never encountered a hotel set up intelligent enough to do this, and we suspect we never will – the effort to do so isn’t really worth the rewards we suspect.

Hope this helps, and I would message or call Netgear Support if you are having further difficulties. Best, Jessica

John-Paul Post author

October 12, 2016 at 3:24 pm

NetGear has been horrible in trying to answer my question.

I was told that I can connect in places like Starbucks that require me to click on ACCEPT their terms or a location like a hotel that might require me to enter other information on a log in screen.

I have not been able to make that happen. I select the network (such as Starbucks) and the system spins for a couple minutes and then says it can’t connect. It doesn’t take me to the needed screen to accept terms.

Is the function I want available and, if so, how is it supposed to work.

October 12, 2016 at 5:46 pm

Hi John-Paul, I am sorry to hear you have not had a great response to your question from Netgear. Um, have you gotten the Netgear to first work at your home? We were normally able to connect in public places, and have used it in hotels and coffee shops. It should first connect to the Netgear and then you should be able to then sign into the store or public screen wi-fi. Are you able to sign into the public wifi screen once you turn of the Netgear Trek? ~ Jessica

October 12, 2016 at 8:10 pm

No trouble logging on to NetGear at home and retransmitting my home network.

I was at a hospital with a public network. I was able to log on to their network (after accepting their terms on a pop up page) on both my computer and my iphone. However, when I selected the hospital network in the NetGear menu it tried to connect a couple of times but said they could not connect. It never gave me the sign on screen from the hospital.

So. The normal process should be

1) Connect my laptop to the NetGear network created by my device. 2) Go through the netgear menu and select the desired network from the available list. 3) Hit the Go/Enter/Next button (don’t remember which it’s called) 4) Any signon screen from the network should automatically come up??

It’s step 4 that isn’t happening

October 12, 2016 at 8:45 pm

Hi John-Paul, Yes, it sounds like you are doing it correctly. I don’t know what may be happening – it could be something to do with the hospital network in combo with the Netgear. But if you have had this problem at other places, it is probably the Netgear. Have you had it working in any public places you have tried? If contacting Netgear support isn’t working the best, you might try contacting them via social media such as sending them a Tweet (@Netgear) and feel free to tag me on it (@TravelCatsBlog) and I can monitor to make sure you get a reply. Sorry I can’t be more helpful but I hope Netgear can help you out. Best, Jessica

October 13, 2016 at 12:11 pm

Good news. I finally got it to work.

I’m very happy as now that we are retired this is going to be extremely useful in all the timeshares we stay in.

October 13, 2016 at 1:25 pm

Great, glad you got the Netgear Trek working! ~ Jessica

Mary Tarris Post author

February 22, 2016 at 4:38 pm

I use it to bring wifi to my laptop in various parts of the house from my desk, where it sits cabled to a broadband modem that itself is cabled to the internet. The big problem is that very often it shows up as not connected to the internet, although I can usually get it to function OK after turning various bits of kit off and then on again. Has anyone else had this hassle?.

February 24, 2016 at 4:34 am

Hi Mary, We have generally not used the device on a daily basis, but we have had issues where it disconnects itself and we have to reconnect the connection to get it rebooted. Another issues may be that since you may be in areas of the desk where there is a weak connection, it may be losing the wifi signal at times. I am not sure if there is anything you can do other than what you are doing. Anyone else have advice? ~ Jessica

Gary Jackson Post author

February 4, 2016 at 3:24 am

I am also using NETGEAR TREK since December 14. It helps me to connect multiple devices and let me do my work on the fourth flour. Its an excellent device!

February 6, 2016 at 11:04 am

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Netgear Trek. I am glad that you have found it helpful!

Gil Hale Post author

October 21, 2015 at 1:02 am

We have begun to use a DropCam camera (now a Nest product) as in some hotels we have had some items taken from our room (not Marriott). But, I found the DropCam would not connect directly to the Marriott provided WiFi in our room. I tried to use our iPad as a hotspot, but the connection was not reliable. I ended up investing in a Netgear Trek N300 WiFi router and was able to log that unit onto the Marriott WiFi with no problems, then connect our devices to the N300. Perfect…

October 24, 2015 at 6:58 am

Hi Gil, Sorry to hear about the taken items, but I am glad that you have found the Netgear Wifi router helpful during your travels! We are actually using it right now in Rome!! ~Jessica

Tom Post author

August 8, 2015 at 12:30 pm

I’ve had spotty results with the Netgear Trek. The Internet connection is flaky and it resets itself a few times each day, even when it seems to pick up a strong signal from a hotel or RV park. Did you run into that problem, too?

August 11, 2015 at 11:59 am

Hi Tom, We have not experienced the flakiness so much but we have had it reset when we have it on for a long time, but not quite that often. Maybe contact Netgear and see if they have any tips? ~Jessica

July 13, 2015 at 2:08 pm

Great review! I, too, am in the market for a travel router. Thus, I have a question: Can this be powered via a USB-powered port on my laptop or by A/C only?

July 13, 2015 at 8:27 pm

Hi Todd, thanks! Yes, you can power this via a plugged in USB cable or via the AC cord. If you use the Netgear Trek, please feel free to share your experience!

Adelina Post author

February 26, 2015 at 12:08 pm

Interesting. I’ve thought of maybe getting one of these for my own home! There are corners that just have such weak connections. It does seem a bit bulky though to be carrying it when traveling. How heavy is it?

March 4, 2015 at 3:23 pm

Hi Adelina, yes we use it both at home to extend our wifi to our patio and also sometimes while traveling. Here are the size and weight specs from the Netgear website:

Dimensions: 3.39 in x 3.31 in x 1.30 in (86.5 mm x 86.2 mm x 32 mm) Net Weight: 0.355 lb (161 g).

So it is fairly compact and not that heavy but if you are like me, every little bit can matter when trying to squeeze more things into one’s luggage so we generally just travel with it when we know we’ll be experiencing bad wi-fi. Hope that helps and feel free to ask more questions if you are deciding to buy.

Marisol@TravelingSolemates Post author

February 23, 2015 at 1:35 pm

Thanks for the review. I’ll definitely look into it. It really is frustrating if the signal is slow. . I’ll be willing to carry extra weight if it would boost connection,.

March 9, 2015 at 12:29 pm

Yes, just let me know if you have any questions about the Netgear trek Marisol!

Em... Post author

February 23, 2015 at 11:35 am

Gone are the days of combing an area for a dodgy internet cafe in order to e-mail friends and family about travels. Now you can use gadgets like this and blog away… Big innovations in just even a decade!

March 9, 2015 at 12:25 pm

Isn’t it amazing how fast Internet availability and speeds have changed in just the past 5-7 years!

Jess Post author

February 22, 2015 at 5:52 pm

My greatest frustration when traveling is places that advertise wifi when it’s too slow or unreliable to be usable – I’m fine when they just don’t have it, but I hate spending so much time trying to make it work. I think I could use one of these.

March 9, 2015 at 12:21 pm

Hi Jess, yes I agree. Better to not advertise Internet than to have Internet that is impossible to use:) This can help when there are weak signals.

Corinne Post author

February 22, 2015 at 3:38 am

Great review…as we all know living without good Internet is a killer!

March 9, 2015 at 12:13 pm

Indeed Corinne:)

Lyn (aka) The Travelling Lindfields Post author

February 22, 2015 at 1:47 am

This sounds like a very useful device for people who need the internet when they travel.

March 9, 2015 at 12:12 pm

Indeed, we find it both useful for home and for traveling!

Paula McInerney Post author

February 22, 2015 at 1:21 am

Interesting, We use netgear at home and love it. Gordon will look into this.

March 9, 2015 at 12:10 pm

Great, and just let me know if you or Gordon have any questions!

Leah | KidBucketList Post author

February 21, 2015 at 11:32 pm

I love the idea of SECURE access to public hotspots when travelling. My only concern is it’s size. It seems so big!

March 9, 2015 at 12:06 pm

Yes, it is also a pro and con when adding something extra to one’s luggage. Here are the size and weight specs from the Netgear website:

AwesomelyOZ Post author

February 19, 2015 at 9:11 pm

That’s very cool – I haven’t used this but it’s good to know it’s a reliable product. My mobile phone is a hotspot so if anything, we can connect multiple devices to it as well. It’s REALLY handy to have that functionality because it also doesn’t require any extra gear, just my phone. 🙂 Have a great one Jessica! -Iva 🙂

February 20, 2015 at 8:44 am

That sounds great and I wish I could use my cell phone as a hotspot, but it is quite expensive. Mobile hotspots are definitely very cool. The great thing about the Trek is that it is a very low cost option ($35 one time cost) for locations that have WiFi (or Ethernet) and you’d just like to make a stronger, safer, and more reliable connection.

Anda Post author

February 19, 2015 at 2:03 pm

Looks like an excellent device, I’ll be glad to look into it. The only downside is that you still need to carry a router from what I understand, which is an extra weight in the luggage…

February 20, 2015 at 8:42 am

Hi Anda, yes the Netgear Trek is a very neat device. It is pretty compact, but you do need to have the device with you to connect and increase the wifi range so it is going to take up some precious luggage space unfortunately.

SUZAN FAWCETT Post author

February 19, 2015 at 5:39 am

i was very interested in your take on this product. However I use an android tab when i travel and there was no mention made of that possibility in the specs. I research further and found that is does work with android and ios operating systems too. I am seriously looking at purchase. Thanks for bringing this device to our attention!

February 19, 2015 at 9:14 am

Yes, for some reason Netgear does not list it under the written system requirements, but the Netgear Trek works well with our Android phones and devices. Let us know if you have any other questions! ~ Jessica

February 18, 2015 at 7:52 pm

It sounds like you can use either an app or a browser on a laptop to configure the Trek in case it needs a password to connect to the hotel’s wifi, am I understanding that correctly? Because if that is the case, then $35 for a way to boost the WiFi signal is a bargain. So many hotels advertise free WiFi but deliver very slow connections.

Thanks for a great review!

February 19, 2015 at 9:09 am

Yes, that is correct. Similar to going to a coffee shop, it will bring up the Netgear page and you will choose the network you want and then connect to it as needed (if there is a password or something to click). Yes, we think the $35 is a very good value which is why Laurence bought his own so we now own two of the devices:)

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Specifications

/ 4 Download

AC750 Wireless Travel Router

• Transforms any internet connection into a private AC750 dual-band Wi-Fi network*
• Incredibly compact router fits easily in your pocket, purse or bag, perfect for traveling
• Works with 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz devices, including Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick
• USB port lets you share files or conveniently charge any device with up to 5V/1A of power
• Flexible powering options let you connect to an external adapter or USB port

How to install and configure your portable router(TL-WR902AC)

Fast Wi-Fi Travels with You!

Portable and compact.

The incredibly compact TL-WR902AC is the world’s first AC750 travel router. Take it with you to create a personal Wi-Fi spot anywhere internet is available. It fits easily in your pocket, purse or bag and is perfect for use while traveling. Watch movies over private dual-band Wi-Fi at a hotel.

Dual-Band AC for Fast Wi-Fi Speeds

The travel router creates fast AC750 Wi-Fi over dual 2.4 GHz (300 Mbps) and 5 GHz (433 Mbps) bands. Dual bands allow for more devices to be connected to your personal network and provide reliable Wi-Fi access so you can enjoy what you love without interruptions.

802.11n 2.4G 300Mbps

802.11ac 5G 433Mbps

 Multiple Wi-Fi Modes for Any Situation

Whether you need a private Wi-Fi network while away or something to boost your Wi-Fi at home, the TL-WR902AC has a mode for you.

During Travel

1. router mode.

Plug the travel router in to your hotel room's Ethernet port to create a private Wi-Fi network for internet access without needing to compete with other guests.

2. Hotspot Mode

Connect to an outdoor WISP Access Point, enjoy a private Wi-Fi hotspot for your devices in public areas.

3. Range Extender Mode

Extend your existing Wi-Fi network to maximize coverage and eliminate dead zones.

4. Client Mode

Allow devices that require a wired connection to access an existing Wi-Fi network.

Desktop or Game Console

5. Access Point Mode

Create a wireless network for Wi-Fi enabled devices.

Multifunctional USB Port for File Sharing and Charging

A The travel router comes with a built-in USB 2.0 sharing port. Connect a USB storage drive to share access to files, download movies and back up recent photos. Connect your smartphone cable and the router doubles as a 5V/1A charging station for one device.

*Maximum wireless transmission rates are the physical rates derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Range and coverage specifications along with the number of connected devices were defined according to test results under normal usage conditions. Actual wireless transmission rate, wireless coverage, and number of connected devices are not guaranteed, and will vary as a result of 1) environmental factors, including building materials, physical objects and obstacles, 2) network conditions, including local interference, volume and density of traffic, product location, network complexity, and network overhead and 3) client limitations, including rated performance, location, connection quality, and client condition.

Actual network speed may be limited by the rate of the product's Ethernet WAN or LAN port, the rate supported by the network cable, Internet service provider factors and other environmental conditions.

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How-To Geek

How to make the most of hotel wi-fi.

Traveling again soon? Check out these tips to get around bad hotel Wi-Fi.

Quick Links

How to get around bad hotel wi-fi, do your research, bring a travel router, use your phone as a hotspot, consider a vpn for privacy.

Data from Statista projects almost 550 million Wi-Fi hotspots by the year 2022. Unfortunately, while there may be a lot of them, many public Wi-Fi connections suck. And hotels can be among the worst. Here's how to avoid the pitfalls of hotel Wi-Fi.

You've mapped the route, bookmarked a bunch of tabs on Tripadvisor, and you're ready to book a hotel. Make things easier on yourself and scope out the connection before you commit.

How fast a connection should you be looking for? 10mbps will probably do for barebones stuff like browsing and checking email. But 25mbps and up are what you should really be looking for---that speed will handle most online tasks, including streaming.

The very first thing to do is prepare yourself. When planning your next trip, look at your hotel's Wi-Fi connection before you book. Call up the front desk and ask what their connection speed is.

You can even ask where the routers are and try to book a room closeby. That can boost your signal if the hotel is using cheap routers or not enough of them. If you're staying at a well-known hotel chain, try running it through sites like hotelwifitest.com or speedcheck.org

Read through reviews on Google and Yelp and look for complaints about the network. If there are a lot, you might want to try somewhere else. If there's nowhere feasible nearby, then check for libraries, coffee shops, and even other hotel lobbies you can use as a last resort.

Don't assume a fancy hotel chain means fast internet. A quick search on Hotel Wi-Fi Test for Houston, Texas shows Hilton hotels have some of the slowest reported download speeds .

Related: The Best Wi-Fi Routers of 2023 There are myriad router options for the frequent traveler. Many of them require you to connect to the hotel room's ethernet port though, so bring the necessary cables. Also, be aware that hotels have wised up to this and may have disabled the ethernet connection in your room or removed the port altogether.

If you can use a travel router in your room, it'll allow you to connect multiple devices and operate on a more secure connection than the standard hotel Wi-Fi. You can find a cheap (but capable!) travel router for around $40 , while more advanced models run $80 and up.

You can also consider a wireless USB antenna or adapter . With an even smaller form factor than a travel router, an adapter can significantly boost the Wi-Fi signal you're getting from the hotel.

TP-Link AC750 Travel Router

Plug this inexpensive device into your hotel room's Ethernet port to create you own personal Wi-Fi network.

If you've got good cell service and a wall charger for your phone, it's possible to bypass the hotel Wi-Fi entirely by making your phone a wireless hotspot. iPhones and Android phones can generate a secure wireless network for you to use in hotspot mode.

That's probably only a feasible option if you have an unlimited data plan and good cell signal strength. If not, you can try sharing your laptop's wired ethernet connection to other devices via Wi-Fi with an app like Connectify (paid) for PC. Mac computers can share their connection for free.

Whichever method(s) you use, make sure you're browsing as securely as possible. If you can spare a few dollars a month, get a virtual private network (VPN) and use it whenever you connect to a public access point.

ExpressVPN is our top VPN pick. It's fast and inexpensive. Many of us at How-To Geek have trusted and used it for years.

Related: What Is a VPN, and Why Would I Need One?

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Pocket-Sized Travel Router With Top-Notch Security Features

Top-notch secure travel router.

Beryl (GL-MT1300) is a high-performance next generation pocket-sized router that offers a powerful hardware and first-class cybersecurity protocol with unique and modern design. Beryl is the new era of travel router, an advanced version of our best-seller, Slate (GL-AR750S).

Your Security is Our Priority

Added Security to Help You Stay Secure on Public Wi-Fi

Powerful Hardware With Advanced WiFi Speeds

Beryl comes with a dual-band WiFi with fast speed up to 400Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867Mbps (5GHz). Provides the customers with excellent WiFi experience on the go. Advanced CPU, Type-C power supply, USB 3.0 Port, and 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports offer a fast network and transmission speed anywhere to optimize users’ experience.

Support Max. 40 Connected Wireless Devices Simultaneously

No more hackers, access home network securely.

Beryl provides the best encryption and authentication with OpenVPN & WireGuard® , just like the other GL.iNet products. Keeping your Internet connection private with multiple VPN protocol support. With our Web UI 3.0, you can set up a VPN server easily and access your files securely in a remote site as if you are at home.

WireGuard® is a registered trademark of Jason A.Donenfeld.

Tor Service Pre-installed

Backed by world-class researchers, Tor (The Onion Router) is pre-installed in Beryl. Your online identity and browsing data could be concealed from surveillance and third-party trackers easily with Tor. Your traffic is encrypted three times as it passes over the Tor network so your network will be extra safe!

DNS Encryption with Cloudflare

Beryl supports Cloudflare DNS over TLS, it keeps users' online actions secure and private. DNS over TLS is a security protocol for encrypting and wrapping Domain Name System (DNS) queries and answers via the Transport Layer Security (TLS). The goal is to increase user privacy and security by preventing eavesdropping and manipulation of DNS data via man-in-the-middle attacks.

Dual-band Wi-Fi

Vpn client / server, tor anonymity, dns encryption, openwrt pre-installed, external storage, gigabit ethernet, type-c power input, usb 3.0 port, specification, looking for in-depth solutions.

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GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Gigabit Travel Router, Extender/Repeater for Hotel&Public Network Storage, VPN Client&Server, OpenWrt, Adguard Home, USB 3.0, TF Card Slot

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• 【AXT1800 WiFi 6 Wireless Router】Slate AX offers powerful Wi-Fi 6 network connection with a dual-band combined Wi-Fi speed of 1800 Mbps (600 Mbps for 2.4GHz and 1200 Mbps for 5GHz). Enhance Wi-Fi performance with MU-MIMO, OFDMA, BSS color and able to connect to up to 120 devices simultaneously.
• 【Fast and Secure Browsing】IPv6 supported; OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers, OpenVPN speed up to 120 Mbps; WireGuard speed up to 550 Mbps. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
• 【Easy File Sharing】Our NAS feature supports SAMBA and WebDav protocol. By plugging an external USB hard disc into the router, you can create a private network to store and share your documents.
• 【Runs on OpenWrt 21.02】Slate AX runs on the latest OpenWrt 21.02 operating system (Kernel version 4.4.60), with mass device connection capabilities, and significantly reduced signal interference. You can customize the router and install applications based on your preferences.
• 【Repeater for Public, Hotel WiFi】Convert a public network(wired/wireless) to a private network(wired/wireless) for secure surfing. Work with Captive Portal. (Note: Most of the Free Public Wi-Fi hotspot set a time limit for users, which will disconnect your devices once the time is over. To deal with this situation, please reconnect your router to the wifi.)

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From the brand

Founded in 2010, GL.iNet is a leading developer of OpenWrt Wi-Fi and IoT Network Solutions. We build Wi-Fi routers, IoT gateways and remote device management platforms for a wide range of scenarios.

We bring powerful but affordable Wi-Fi networks to families across the globe. Our devices are highly customizable for creating a personalized Internet experience, and a remote device management platform for monitoring, analytics, and configuration.

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How to setup the router.

All of GL.iNet’s devices have a simple and almost identical setup process, click here to learn about the first time setup.

Please check the instruction from our Official Docs.

How does this vpn replace a vpn service? Is the pre-installed as secure as a paid vpn service?

The router can NOT replace the VPN service. You still need to pay the VPN service providers to get the VPN service.

Can it in repeater mode connect with a hotel wifi that uses a web page for access to it’s network?

Yes, you could connect to the public or hotels' WiFi.

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What Are Travel Routers & How Do You Set One Up?

When traveling to hotels, you probably waste lots of time connecting devices to the hotel's Wi-Fi. Travel routers can help you get around that and make your life easier.

A travel router can be a huge time saver when you're on the road. You know how annoying it can be having to drop your luggage on the bed and spend 30 minutes connecting all your devices to the hotel Wi-Fi. So much wasted time.

But what does a travel router have to do with this?  Well, as it turns out, all you have to do is plug in the travel router and all of your devices should automatically connect to it because it's a saved network. Now you have extra time for unpacking and relaxing.

You will have to do a bit of fiddling depending on your hotel's network setup, but as long as you ensure the SSID and Key are the same each time, then all your devices will connect. Most of the time, it works without a hitch.

Also, you can bring along your Apple TV or Roku to stream movies from your laptop. You can also get streaming video from Netflix , Hulu, etc. and bypass the oft-terrible hotel TV offerings. (Though some hotels block Netflix, unfortunately.)

Here's how to set up a travel router of your own.

For this tutorial I'm going to use the Satechi Mini Wireless Router , but there are other great travel routers out there. For advanced users, you can pick up the TP-Link Portable Router instead, which you can  flash with DD-WRT , giving you extra router features to play with.

1. Set Up the Basics

It's easiest to do these steps before you're on the road. Plug in the router and connect your laptop to it via Ethernet or by connecting to the router's Wi-Fi network.

Once you've connected, open your web browser and go to http://192.168.1.253 . Log in using the router's default admin credentials.

Once you've logged in, you'll be on the status page for the router. The first thing we need to do is update the username and password. Expand the Management menu and click on Management.

Enter your new username and password on this screen and click Apply Settings . You're going to use this on unknown networks, so make sure to use a strong username and password . After a few seconds, click Status and a prompt will pop up for you to log in with your new username and password.

The next basic step is disabling WPS. This older router feature is a security risk  as it makes it trivial for others to crack your wireless network.

Expand the Wireless menu and click on WPS. Check Disable WPS  and click Apply Settings . Allow the router to reboot, and then we're going to go through the setup wizard.

2. Set Up the Operation Mode

The Satechi router has several different operation modes.

Router Mode

When in this mode, the Satechi treats the hotel network like your router at home treats your ISP: it asks for an IP from the network and manages traffic for all your devices. I like this mode because your router is the only thing that shows up as a client on the hotel's network.

This means you can easily share out files between your devices. It also means that the guy down the hall doesn't see your iTunes library as an available share. This won't stop any serious attacker, of course, but it does offer one layer of security through obscurity.

To enable this mode click on Wizard, then select the Router mode. Then click Next.

On the next screen, leave "Automatically obtain an IP address (dynamic IP)" checked. Then create your SSID. Leave Channel set to Auto. Change Security Mode to WPA2 Personal . Create the key and click Save & Reboot. This should be the default mode you use and it should work 90% of the time.

Access Point Mode

If you have a network that doesn't cooperate with a router, or you want to connect to devices on the wider network, set up Access Point mode. The difference here is that the travel router will pass along IPs from the network's gateway.

You'll still get your own wireless network, but your devices are visible to other users on the network.

Click Wizard but select AP  mode this time. Click Next.

On the next screen, put your same network settings you used above. Click Save & Reboot.

Bridge Mode

If you're staying at a hotel that only has wireless internet, you will want to turn the travel router into a Wireless Bridge instead. Using this mode will allow you to keep your pre-set networks while connecting to the hotel's Wi-Fi.

Be aware, this will not get you any extra security. Even if you have encrypted Wi-Fi, only the traffic between you and the travel router is encrypted. You're at the mercy of the hotel's network for security from the travel router out to the internet.

To set this up, select Bridge on the Wizard page. Click Next.

Set your SSID and security level. Then select the network you are connecting to and input the key if needed. Click Save & Reboot.

And that's it!  If you chose one of these three modes and if you set everything up correctly, your travel router should be ready to go. Connect your devices to the router using the LAN ports and now you can take them anywhere with very little hassle.

What About Repeater & Client Modes?

You're not always on the road. It's nice to have things in the travel kit that can still do duty at home. If you have these modes, your travel router can also work as a Wireless Repeater or a Wireless Adapter. Just make sure to set it back to Router mode with your saved network settings before your next trip.

Repeater Mode

A Wireless Repeater mimics your network's SSID to extend its wireless range. This is great for large homes and big venues, but the problem is that devices connected to the repeater lose about 50% of the Wi-Fi's normal speed. But if you need more coverage, this is a good option.

On the Wizard page, select Repeater and click Next.

Connect to the network you want to extend, entering the key if needed. Click Save & Reboot.

Client Mode

Setting up the router in Client Mode lets you use the travel router to connect to a wireless network. If you have an older machine with a slower wireless card, this is an easy way to speed it up. Or you can set up a wired network printer or NAS without having to put them next to your router.

Select Client mode on the Wizard page and click Next.

Connect to your network, entering the key if needed. Click Save & Reboot.

Don't Underestimate the Travel Router

These modes are just the basic settings. Satechi includes options for Firewalls, DMZ clients, IP/MAC Address filtering, and port forwarding -- just like your home router. Advanced users can ensure that their gear travels with their normal settings intact.

Though it sometimes requires fiddling, a travel router is a huge time saver. This single device to configure will ensure all your devices are online in a few minutes.

What is the tech you can't live without on the road? Let us know in the comments.

Image Credit: Travel by Billion Photos via Shutterstock, Jellaluna via Flickr , Leonardo Rizzi via Flickr

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Top Travel Routers for Hotels in 2023: Secure and Reliable Internet Connectivity

Travel Buys

Marcus Shen

Content writer

September 6, 2023

Traveling can be stressful, but having the right gear can make all the difference. One essential item for any traveler is a travel router. A travel router is a compact device that allows you to create your own Wi-Fi network wherever you go. It's perfect for staying connected in hotels, airports, and coffee shops.

When it comes to choosing the best travel router for hotels, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, you want a router that is small and lightweight, so it's easy to pack and won't weigh you down. You also want a router that is easy to set up and use, so you can get online quickly and easily.

Another important factor to consider is the router's range. Some hotels have larger rooms or thicker walls, which can make it difficult to get a strong Wi-Fi signal. You want a router that can provide a reliable and fast connection, even in challenging environments.

After researching and testing several travel routers, we've identified the top options for staying connected while on the go. In the following sections, we'll break down the features and benefits of each router, so you can choose the best one for your needs.

Best Travel Routers for Hotels

We know how frustrating it can be when you're staying in a hotel with poor Wi-Fi signal or limited connections. That's why we've put together a list of the best travel routers that will help you stay connected while on the go. These routers are compact, lightweight, and easy to set up, making them the perfect travel companion for anyone who needs reliable internet access. So, whether you're traveling for work or pleasure, you can rest assured that you'll always be connected with our top picks for the best travel routers for hotels.

TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router

We highly recommend the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router for anyone who needs a reliable and fast internet connection while on the go.

• The compact design makes it easy to carry in your pocket or bag.
• The dual-band AC750 Wi-Fi provides a strong and fast connection for HD streaming on all your devices.
• The multifunctional USB port allows you to share files and media through your internet browser with different computers and can also provide power supply to mobile devices.
• The setup process can be a bit confusing for those who are not tech-savvy.
• The range extender mode may not work well in areas with weak signals.
• The router may get hot after prolonged use.

We were impressed with the performance of the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router during our testing. The dual-band AC750 Wi-Fi provided fast and reliable internet connection for all our devices, and the multifunctional USB port was very convenient for sharing files and charging our mobile devices.

The compact design of the router makes it easy to carry in your pocket or bag, and the flexible power options allow you to use it with a micro USB port to an adapter, portable charger or laptop. We also appreciated the industry-leading 2-year warranty and unlimited 24/7 technical support provided by TP-Link.

However, we did find the setup process to be a bit confusing, especially for those who are not tech-savvy. Additionally, the range extender mode may not work well in areas with weak signals, and the router may get hot after prolonged use.

Overall, we highly recommend the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router for anyone who needs a reliable and fast internet connection while on the go.

GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Gigabit Travel Router

If you are looking for a powerful and compact travel router that can enhance your Wi-Fi performance and provide fast and secure browsing, the GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) is definitely worth considering.

• The dual-band combined Wi-Fi speed of 1800 Mbps (600 Mbps for 2.4GHz and 1200 Mbps for 5GHz) offers a powerful Wi-Fi 6 network connection that can handle up to 120 devices simultaneously.
• The router is pre-installed with OpenVPN & WireGuard, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers, and supports Cloudflare encryption to protect your privacy.
• The NAS feature supports SAMBA and WebDav protocol, allowing you to plug an external USB hard disc into the router to create a private network to store and share your documents.
• The router may not be compatible with all Captive Portal networks, so it's important to check before purchasing.
• The user interface may not be as intuitive as some other routers, so it may take some time to get used to.
• The router may not be the most affordable option on the market, but its features and performance make it worth the investment.

We recently tested the GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) and were impressed with its performance and versatility. The router runs on the latest OpenWrt 21.02 operating system, which provides mass device connection capabilities and significantly reduced signal interference.

The router is easy to set up and can be customized to your preferences. It offers fast and secure browsing, thanks to its pre-installed OpenVPN & WireGuard and Cloudflare encryption support. The NAS feature allows you to share your documents easily, making it a great option for business travelers.

One thing to keep in mind is that the router may not be compatible with all Captive Portal networks, so it's important to check before purchasing. Additionally, the user interface may not be as intuitive as some other routers, but with some practice, it becomes easier to use.

Overall, we highly recommend the GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) for travelers who require a powerful and compact travel router that offers fast and secure browsing, easy file sharing, and the ability to connect to up to 120 devices simultaneously.

GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 Portable Mini Travel Wireless Pocket Router

If you're looking for a portable and versatile travel router, the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 is worth considering.

• The GL-AR300M16 is small and lightweight, making it easy to pack and carry.
• It's compatible with a wide range of devices and can convert a public/hotel network to a private Wi-Fi network for secure surfing.
• The router is pre-installed with OpenWrt and supports USB disk extension, OpenVPN, and Wireguard VPN.
• The router has limited RAM and a slow CPU, which may affect its performance in some situations.
• The 2.4GHz frequency may not be sufficient for some users who require faster speeds.
• The GL-AR300M16 does not come with a power adapter, which must be purchased separately.

We recently used the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 during a trip and found it to be a reliable and convenient travel router. Its small size and light weight made it easy to pack in our luggage, and we were able to use it to create a private Wi-Fi network in our hotel room. The router was easy to set up and configure, and we appreciated the pre-installed OpenWrt and VPN support.

One potential downside is the limited RAM and CPU, which may affect the router's performance in some situations. We also noticed that the 2.4GHz frequency may not be sufficient for users who require faster speeds. Additionally, the GL-AR300M16 does not come with a power adapter, which must be purchased separately.

Overall, we would recommend the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 for travelers who need a portable and versatile travel router that can support multiple devices and VPNs.

GL.iNet Mango Mini Travel Router

If you're looking for a reliable and portable travel router, the GL.iNet Mango Mini Travel Router is a great option.

• Easy to set up and use
• Compact and lightweight design
• OpenVPN client pre-installed
• Limited to 2.4GHz frequency
• Ethernet ports are not Gigabit
• May require firmware update for optimal performance

We recently used the GL.iNet Mango Mini Travel Router on a business trip and were impressed with its performance. The router was easy to set up and connect to our hotel's Wi-Fi network, and we were able to create a private and secure Wi-Fi network for our devices.

One of the best features of this travel router is its compact and lightweight design. It weighs only 39g and is small enough to fit in your pocket, making it easy to take with you on the go.

The GL.iNet Mango Mini Travel Router also comes with OpenVPN client pre-installed, which is compatible with over 30 VPN service providers. This allows you to easily and securely access your company's network or browse the web without worrying about hackers or snoops.

However, there are a few drawbacks to this travel router. It is limited to the 2.4GHz frequency band, which may not be ideal for those who need faster speeds. Additionally, the Ethernet ports are not Gigabit, which may result in slower data transfer rates. Finally, some users may need to update the firmware for optimal performance.

Overall, we recommend the GL.iNet Mango Mini Travel Router for anyone looking for a reliable and portable travel router. Its ease of use, compact design, and pre-installed OpenVPN client make it a great choice for business travelers or anyone who needs a secure and private Wi-Fi network on the go.

GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) Wireless VPN Encrypted Travel Router

If you're looking for a reliable travel router that can secure your devices while connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots, then the GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) is a great option.

• Dual-band network with wireless speed 400Mbps(2.4G)+867Mbps(5G), Tethering Compatible
• Open source and programmable
• VPN client and server pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers
• The network storage feature only supports SAMBA and WebDav protocols
• The router needs to run the VPN client all the time to activate the VPN internet kill switch
• The nas feature may have problems with an 8 TB drive formatted with ntfs

We've used the GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) router on several trips and found it to be highly stable and powerful. The dual-band network with wireless speed 400Mbps(2.4G)+867Mbps(5G) allows for fast and reliable internet connections. It's also Tethering Compatible, meaning you can easily connect your phone to the router and share its internet connection.

One of the best features of this router is that it runs on the latest OpenWrt 21.02 operating system, making it open source and programmable. You can customize the router and install applications based on your preferences. It also significantly reduces signal interference, ensuring a more stable connection.

The GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) comes pre-installed with OpenVPN and WireGuard, making it compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. This ensures that your internet connection is secure and private, even when connected to public Wi-Fi hotspots. The VPN client and server can be easily configured through the router's web interface.

The router also supports network storage, allowing you to create a private network storage to store and share your documents. It supports SAMBA and WebDav protocols, making it easy to access your files from any device.

The GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) is small and light, making it very convenient to carry around while working or travelling. It measures 118 x 84 x 33 mm (L W H) and weighs only 429g.

Overall, the GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) is a great travel router that can be widely used at hotels, cafes, airports, restaurants, RVs, and other places. It's highly customizable, secure, and easy to use. We highly recommend it for anyone looking for a reliable travel router.

GWCASE Portable Wifi Router Case

If you're looking for a compact and durable case to store your TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router, the GWCASE Portable Wifi Router Case is definitely worth considering.

• The case is designed to perfectly fit the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router, as well as the power adapter and other accessories.
• The case is lightweight and easy to carry, making it ideal for travel.
• The case is made from high-quality materials and is built to last.
• The case is only designed to fit the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router, so it may not be suitable for other routers.
• The case does not come with a shoulder strap, so you will need to carry it by hand.
• The case does not have any additional pockets or compartments for storing other accessories.

We recently had the opportunity to test out the GWCASE Portable Wifi Router Case, and we were impressed with its overall design and functionality. The case is made from high-quality materials and is built to last, with a hard shell exterior that provides excellent protection for your router.

One of the standout features of the case is its precise fixed groove, which is designed to perfectly fit the shape and size of the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router, as well as the power adapter. This helps to stabilize the router and prevent it from moving around inside the case, which is especially important when you're traveling.

Another great feature of the case is its mesh pocket, which provides additional storage space for cables, manuals, and other accessories. The pocket is flexible and can accommodate a variety of different items, making it a great way to keep everything organized and in one place.

Overall, we would definitely recommend the GWCASE Portable Wifi Router Case to anyone who is looking for a compact and durable case for their TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router. It's a great way to keep your router safe and secure when you're on the go, and it's built to last for years to come.

GL.iNet GL-AR300M16-Ext Portable Mini Travel Wireless Pocket Router

If you're looking for a reliable and compact travel router for hotels, the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16-Ext is definitely worth checking out.

• OpenWrt pre-installed for advanced customization
• Supports VPN client and server for secure browsing
• Limited range compared to larger routers
• Only one USB port
• No built-in battery

We recently took the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16-Ext on a trip and were impressed with its performance. Setting it up was a breeze, and we were able to connect to the hotel's Wi-Fi and create a private network for our devices in just a few minutes.

One of the standout features of this router is that it comes pre-installed with OpenWrt, an open-source operating system that allows for advanced customization and flexibility. We were able to easily configure the router to our liking and even set up a VPN client for secure browsing.

While the GL-AR300M16-Ext is small and portable, it does have some limitations in terms of range. We found that it worked best within a few rooms of the router, but struggled to maintain a strong signal in larger spaces or through thick walls.

Overall, if you're looking for a travel router that is easy to use and offers advanced customization options, the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16-Ext is definitely worth considering. Just keep in mind its limitations in terms of range and battery life.

GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) VPN Wireless Little Travel Router

If you're looking for a reliable and secure travel router, the GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) is a great option to consider.

• The dual-band wireless router allows for impressive WiFi speeds up to 867Mbps (5GHz) + 400Mbps (2.4GHz), and can support up to 40 wireless devices simultaneously.
• The router comes with pre-installed OpenVPN & WireGuard, and is compatible with 30+ VPN service providers, making it easy to keep your internet safe.
• The GL-MT1300 is open source and programmable, allowing you to install different applications and customize it to your needs.
• The router doesn't come with a MicroSD card included, so you'll need to purchase one separately if you want to take advantage of the up to 512GB MicroSD slot.
• Some users have reported difficulty setting up the router, so it may take some time to get it up and running.
• The GL-MT1300 is a bit more expensive than some other travel routers on the market.

Overall, we highly recommend the GL.iNet GL-MT1300 (Beryl) VPN Wireless Little Travel Router for anyone who wants a secure and customizable travel router.

The router is easy to set up and use, and its dual-band wireless capabilities and support for VPN services make it a great choice for anyone who needs to stay connected while on the go. Plus, its open source and programmable nature means you can customize it to your specific needs.

If you're looking for a reliable and secure travel router, the GL-MT1300 is definitely worth considering.

If you're looking for a travel router for your hotel stays, we highly recommend the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router.

• The compact and lightweight design makes it easy to pack and carry with you on the go.
• The one switch for multiple modes feature makes it easy to use in any setting, whether you're at home, in your hotel room, or on the road.
• The instructions can be difficult to follow, especially when setting up on hotel Wi-Fi.
• The micro USB port for power can be a bit finicky and may require a specific adapter or charger.
• The range may not be as far as some other travel routers on the market.

In our experience, the TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router has been a reliable and convenient option for staying connected while traveling. The compact size makes it easy to pack in your carry-on, and the dual-band Wi-Fi ensures a strong and fast connection for streaming movies or browsing the web. We appreciate the one switch for multiple modes feature, which makes it easy to use in any setting. However, we did find the setup instructions to be a bit confusing, particularly when trying to connect to hotel Wi-Fi. Additionally, the micro USB port for power can be a bit finicky and may require a specific adapter or charger. Overall, we would recommend this travel router for its convenience and reliability.

GL.iNet GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Travel Gigabit Router

If you're looking for a reliable travel router that can keep up with your fast-paced lifestyle, then the GL.iNet GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Travel Gigabit Router is definitely worth considering.

• The dual-band network with wireless speed 574Mbps (2.4G)+2402Mbps (5G) ensures fast and reliable internet connection.
• With OpenVPN and WireGuard pre-installed, you can easily connect to your existing VPN account, ensuring the security and privacy of your network traffic.
• The router runs on OpenWrt 21.02 firmware, which supports more than 5,000 ready-made plug-ins for customization.
• The product may be a bit pricey compared to other travel routers in the market.
• The retractable antenna may not be as durable as expected.
• The product may require some technical knowledge to fully utilize its features.

We recently used this travel router on a business trip, and we were impressed with its performance. The dual-band network provided fast and stable internet connection, which was essential for our work. We were also able to connect to our VPN account with ease, ensuring the security and privacy of our network traffic.

One thing to note is that the product may be a bit pricey compared to other travel routers in the market. However, we believe that the features and performance offered by the GL.iNet GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Travel Gigabit Router make it worth the investment.

The retractable antenna is a nice touch, but it may not be as durable as expected. We recommend being careful when handling the product to avoid damaging the antenna.

Overall, we highly recommend the GL.iNet GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Wireless Travel Gigabit Router to anyone looking for a reliable and secure travel router. Its fast and stable internet connection, pre-installed VPN, and customizable firmware make it a great investment for frequent travelers.

TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router

If you're looking for a portable travel router, the TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router is a great option to consider.

• The router is pocket-sized and easy to travel with.
• It creates a private Wi-Fi hotspot anywhere an Internet connection is available.
• It reaches speeds of 300Mbps for streaming video, placing Internet calls, and gaming online without lag.
• The range is not as great as some other routers.
• It only works with 2.4GHz devices.
• The setup process can be a bit challenging.

We recently used this router on a trip and found it to be incredibly convenient. It's small and lightweight, so it doesn't take up much space in our luggage. Plus, it's easy to set up and use.

One of the best things about this router is that it creates a private Wi-Fi hotspot wherever you go. This is great for staying connected on the road, especially if you're staying in a hotel that charges for Wi-Fi access.

The router also reaches speeds of 300Mbps, which is fast enough for streaming video and gaming online without any lag. We found that it worked well for streaming Netflix and Hulu on our trip.

One downside to the router is that the range isn't as great as some other routers we've used. We had to keep the router fairly close to our devices to get a good signal.

Another potential downside is that the router only works with 2.4GHz devices. If you have newer devices that use 5GHz, you won't be able to connect to the router.

Overall, we think the TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router is a great option for anyone looking for a portable travel router. It's small, easy to use, and creates a private Wi-Fi hotspot wherever you go.

NETGEAR Trek N300 Travel Router

If you're looking for a travel router that can extend your Wi-Fi and eliminate dead zones, then you might want to consider the NETGEAR Trek N300 Travel Router.

• The router is portable and easy to carry around.
• It creates a private and secure network using any Ethernet connection.
• You can extend your existing Wi-Fi coverage and eliminate dead zones throughout your home.
• The router's performance is not as good as some of its competitors.
• The setup process can be a bit complicated for some users.
• The router's range is not as good as some of its competitors.

We recently took the NETGEAR Trek N300 Travel Router on a trip, and we were impressed with its portability and ease of use. The router is small and lightweight, making it easy to carry around in a backpack or suitcase. We also liked that it creates a private and secure network using any Ethernet connection, which is great for protecting your personal information when using public Wi-Fi.

One of the best features of the NETGEAR Trek N300 Travel Router is that it can extend your existing Wi-Fi coverage and eliminate dead zones throughout your home. This is especially useful if you have a large house or if you frequently travel to places with weak Wi-Fi signals. We were able to use the router to boost the signal of weak public Wi-Fi hotspots, which made it easier to stay connected on the go.

However, we did notice that the router's performance is not as good as some of its competitors. We experienced some lag and buffering when streaming videos, which was a bit frustrating. Additionally, the setup process can be a bit complicated for some users, especially if you're not familiar with networking terminology.

Overall, we think that the NETGEAR Trek N300 Travel Router is a solid choice for anyone who needs a portable and secure Wi-Fi network. While it may not be the best option for everyone, it's definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a travel router.

VONETS VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Router

We highly recommend the VONETS VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Router for travelers who need a reliable and versatile travel router for hotels.

• The VONETS VAR11N-300 is a 2.4GHz mini WiFi bridge that can act as a professional WiFi router, WiFi bridge, WiFi repeater, and even a portable WiFi hotspot. It can achieve WiFi to Wired or Wired to WiFi function, making it a perfect partner for hotel WiFi, home WiFi, and more network applications.
• With support for WiFi 802.11b/g/n and WiFi rate of 300Mbps, the VONETS VAR11N-300 can extend the distance of WiFi signal coverage and WiFi transfer, making it an excellent choice for those who need a reliable and fast connection.
• The VONETS VAR11N-300 supports two WiFi working modes: WiFi smart bridge mode and WiFi router mode. It can smart control the device WiFi mode, access from WiFi to wired Ethernet, and extend the distance of WiFi signal coverage.
• The instructions can be hard to understand as they are poorly formatted.
• The device comes with a small and useless manual.
• The speedtest measures 54 Mbps download, 1 (one) Mbps upload, entirely limited by this device.

The VONETS VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Router is a reliable and versatile travel router that can act as a professional WiFi router, WiFi bridge, WiFi repeater, and even a portable WiFi hotspot. It is easy to set up and install, making it a perfect choice for travelers who need a reliable and fast connection. With support for WiFi 802.11b/g/n and WiFi rate of 300Mbps, the VONETS VAR11N-300 can extend the distance of WiFi signal coverage and WiFi transfer, making it an excellent choice for those who need a reliable and fast connection.

The VONETS VAR11N-300 supports two WiFi working modes: WiFi smart bridge mode and WiFi router mode. It can smart control the device WiFi mode, access from WiFi to wired Ethernet, and extend the distance of WiFi signal coverage. However, the instructions can be hard to understand as they are poorly formatted, and the device comes with a small and useless manual. Additionally, the speedtest measures 54 Mbps download, 1 (one) Mbps upload, entirely limited by this device.

Mini WiFi Router VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Bridge Hotspot 300Mbps Travel WiFi Repeater

If you need a portable and easy-to-use travel router for hotels, the Mini WiFi Router VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Bridge Hotspot 300Mbps Travel WiFi Repeater by lychee is a decent choice.

• The 3 in 1 Multi-functional Travel Router offers three modes to select from, making it suitable for broad band users, access from wifi to wired Ethernet, and WiFi hotspot for hotel room usage in WiFi bridge.
• Wireless Quick Configuration allows for a quick and easy setup process.
• The Portable Mini WiFi Repeater is plug and play, and compatible with almost all smartphone, tablet, notebook, and WiFi devices.
• The LED Status Instruction can be confusing and hard to understand.
• The Ethernet port status and Ethernet cable status lights are the same color, which can be misleading.
• The wireless repeater mode may not work well in areas with a weak WiFi signal.

We recently used the Mini WiFi Router VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Bridge Hotspot 300Mbps Travel WiFi Repeater during a business trip and found it to be a convenient and reliable travel router. The 3 in 1 Multi-functional Travel Router allowed us to switch between different modes depending on our needs, and the Wireless Quick Configuration made it easy to set up and start using right away.

One thing we did find confusing was the LED Status Instruction, as the Ethernet port status and Ethernet cable status lights were the same color, making it hard to tell them apart. Additionally, we had some trouble with the wireless repeater mode in areas with a weak WiFi signal, but overall it worked well in most situations.

If you're looking for an affordable and portable travel router for your hotel stays, the Mini WiFi Router VAR11N-300 Portable WiFi Bridge Hotspot 300Mbps Travel WiFi Repeater is worth considering.

Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster

If you're always on the go and need a reliable travel router for hotels, the Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster might be the perfect fit for you.

• The travel-friendly design with a built-in power supply and antenna makes it easy to carry around.
• The push-button setup feature makes it a breeze to connect and configure your wireless devices.
• The router's high-security features protect your data and privacy.
• The router's speed might not be as fast as other travel routers on the market.
• The setup process might be a bit confusing for those who aren't tech-savvy.
• The device is no longer being manufactured, so it might be difficult to find.

We recently had the chance to test out the Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster, and overall, we were impressed with its performance. The compact size and built-in power supply and antenna make it easy to pack in your suitcase and take with you on your travels.

Setting up the router was a bit confusing at first, but once we figured out the push-button setup feature, it was smooth sailing from there. We were able to connect and configure our wireless devices quickly and easily.

One downside to the router is that its speed might not be as fast as other travel routers on the market. However, for basic internet browsing and email checking, it gets the job done.

Overall, if you're looking for a reliable travel router for hotels that's easy to carry around and has high-security features, the Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with SpeedBooster might be the perfect fit for you.

Buying Guide

When choosing the best travel router for hotels, there are several factors to consider. We recommend considering the following:

Portability

Portability is a crucial factor when choosing a travel router. It should be small, lightweight, and easy to pack. A compact design is essential for travel, so it does not take up too much space in your luggage.

Compatibility

Compatibility is another critical factor to consider. The router should be compatible with a variety of devices, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets. It should also be compatible with different operating systems, including Windows, iOS, and Android.

Security is an essential feature to consider when choosing a travel router. It should have robust security features to protect your data and privacy. Look for routers with built-in firewalls, VPN support, and encryption protocols.

Speed is an important factor when choosing a travel router. It should provide fast and reliable internet connectivity. Look for routers with high-speed Wi-Fi standards, such as 802.11ac or 802.11ax.

Battery Life

Battery life is another crucial factor to consider, especially if you plan to use the router for an extended period. Look for routers with long battery life, and consider purchasing one with a replaceable battery.

Price is an essential consideration when choosing a travel router. Look for routers that offer value for money, and avoid making exaggerated or false claims about their capabilities.

In summary, when choosing the best travel router for hotels, consider portability, compatibility, security, speed, battery life, and price. By taking these factors into account, you can find a router that meets your needs and provides reliable internet connectivity when traveling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do travel routers work in hotels.

Yes, travel routers are designed to work in hotels and other public places with Wi-Fi access. They are specifically designed to create a secure and reliable Wi-Fi network for your devices while on the go.

Which router is best for hotel Wi-Fi?

There are several travel routers available in the market, but the best one for hotel Wi-Fi depends on your specific needs. Look for a router with features such as easy setup, strong signal strength, and compatibility with different devices. Some popular options include the TP-Link N300, ASUS RT-AC55U, and Netgear Nighthawk M1.

What is the difference between a router and a travel router?

A travel router is a compact and portable version of a regular router. It is designed to create a secure Wi-Fi network while on the go. A regular router, on the other hand, is designed for use in a fixed location, such as a home or office.

How do you use a personal router in a hotel?

To use a personal router in a hotel, simply connect the router to the hotel's Wi-Fi network and then connect your devices to the router's Wi-Fi network. This will create a secure and private network for your devices, which can be especially useful if you are traveling with multiple devices.

What are the benefits of using a travel router?

Using a travel router has several benefits, including creating a secure and private Wi-Fi network for your devices, improving signal strength and speed, and allowing you to connect multiple devices to the same network.

Can a travel router be used as a VPN?

Yes, many travel routers come with built-in VPN support, which allows you to connect to a VPN service and encrypt your internet traffic. This can be useful if you are traveling to countries with strict internet censorship laws or if you want to protect your online privacy.

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The Best Travel Routers in 2023

For that reason, it is very important that you do everything that is in your power to provide quality coverage while you are in a hotel or some other accommodation, and a perfect way to manage that is by acquiring the best travel router that will make everything possible.

Of course, such purchase demands certain knowledge of the matter, which may present a problem for many people. However, this is not rocket science. Therefore, it can be easily managed with a few instructions presented in this guide.

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How to choose the best travel router

As mentioned, finding the best travel router shouldn’t be a hard task. Nevertheless, it requires involvement and paying attention to certain details, such as:

One of the most important characteristics of any travel router is without a doubt its size. Since this type of device is dedicated to constant allocation, it is very important that they have the smallest possible dimensions and as a result provide easy portability.

For that reason, try to find the best possible ratio of size and performance in order to get the most functionality possible, without losing its practicality.

• Versatility

Since travel router is a device that should be a constant part of your luggage, it is highly important not only to be as small as possible, but also very versatile, with as many functions as possible, and that way you can save you space and money.

In other words, choose the router with as many different functions possible, including Wi-Fi extender functionality, charging function, bridge and access point functionality, etc.

• Connectivity

Although connectivity isn’t an essential part of router functionality, it still plays a major role considering its overall usability. You can live without USB connection or SD card reader, for example; however, the existence of such features adds to the overall functionality of your router and allows you to use it for storage purposes and 3G/4G modem connectivity as well.

Therefore, choose a router with as many connection options possible and get yourself the highest level of functionality you can.

Best Travel Routers

• TP-Link TL-WR902AC

Simplicity and Practicality in One

It can be used in numerous roles: as a range extender, an access point, a router, as a hotspot or in client mode. In other words, great versatility is guaranteed with this little dude.

TP-Link TL-WR902AC is a dual-band AC750 router that supports the speed of up to 433Mbps in 5GHz range and up to 300Mbps in 2.4GHz range. Also, it provides one 10/100Mbps Ethernet port that can be used as LAN or WAN port, as well as one USB2.0 port that allows you to connect a USB 4G or 3G modem, or an external HDD that you can use as a NAS.

This router is made out of shiny white plastic and comes with a two-year warranty. More importantly, it is very practical and easy to use and overall it presents a decent performing, well-balanced offering, as you would expect from one of the best wireless travel routers.

• Decent performance
• Limited range
• RAVPower RP-WD009

A Great All-in-One Device

No, you won’t experience the top-class performance as with premium quality routers. However, you will get plenty of value for the price and an overall helpful comrade on your travels that you can use as a router, a charging device, a media server and even as a backup device.

RAVPower RP-WD009 comes with a single Ethernet port, one USB Type-C connector and an SD card reader, a combination of ports that allows you to store your SD card files to an external HDD with decent 12-18MBps speeds without your computer.

RAVPower RP-WD009 allows for Wi-Fi speeds of up to 300Mbps in 2.4GHz range and 433Mbps in 5GHz range and in general, delivers everything you would expect from the best travel router; however, it has a few drawbacks, such as the lack of VPN support and not the best quality App.

All in all, this is a good quality router, with great versatility and altogether solid performance that would make you more than satisfied.

• Rechargeable 6700mAh battery
• Easy to use
• Excellent multi-functionality
• Not the best App
• Inconsistent performance
• No VPN support
• GL.iNet GL-AR750S Router

A Feature-Rich Router Perfect for Any Occasion

This wireless router comes with OpenVPN and provides compatibility with more than 25 VPN providers. Also, it has a pre-installed OpenWrt/LEDE that allows for its easy programming and is equipped with three Ethernet ports, a third of which can be used as either a LAN or WAN port.

GL.iNet GL-AR750S is lightweight, it has a one-year warranty and more importantly, it is super-easy to use. It supports for data transfer speeds of up to 300Mbps in 2.4GHz range and 433Mbps in 5GHz range and is fitted with an SD card reader and a USB 2.0 port suitable for 3G and 4G modem sticks.

This device can be used as an access point, router, Wi-Fi extender or WDS, and in general presents a great mixture of performance, features and small size, which makes it perfect for travels and users that are constantly on the go and are looking for more than just a basic router.

• Great versatility
• OpenVPN and OpenWrt pre-installed
• Decent connectivity
• Not the best quality control
• HooToo HT-TM05 N Wireless Router

More than Just a Router

This is a device that can be successfully used in AP mode, as a bridge or a standard router. It is equipped with a 10400mAh battery that allows you to charge your mobile devices with up to 2A of power and both SD card reader and USB2.0 port that can be used for backup purposes, as well as 3G and 4G connectivity (USB port).

HooToo Filehub HT-TM05 is a single band N300 router, with a maximum data transfer speed of around 300Mbps in 2.4GHz range, which isn’t much, but is more than enough for most users. Its range is pretty decent and allows for solid coverage of a small flat, while its compact size makes it extremely portable.

This device is easy to use and comes in black/red color combination that makes it very appealing, and overall delivers solid value for the money. However, it could be a little bit cheaper, especially considering its problematic software and lack of charging consistency.

All in all, if you want a small size, good quality router, HooToo Filehub HT-TM05 is definitely among the best travel router options out there, regardless of its imperfection and a few downsides here and there.

• Simple to use
• 10400mAh battery
• Compact size
• Not the best software
• Charging lacks consistency
• Only a single band
• GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 Router

A Lot of Value for a Small Price

GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 is compact, lightweight and easy to use. It comes with pre-installed OpenVPN and decent connectivity that includes two Ethernet ports (one LAN and one WAN port) and one USB2.0 connection that allows for 3G/4G modem usage.

This is a single-band router that supports data transfer speed of up to 300Mbps in 2.4GHz range and provides a modest, but good enough overall performance.

GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 comes in an attractive yellow color and provides a fairly limited one-year warranty. It is highly practical, portable and offers a great value for the money. In other words, if you want the best travel router for hotels at a cheap price, GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 is the device to look for.

• Attractive looks
• Lightweight
• It doesn’t support VPN
• NETGEAR Nighthawk M1

Best LTE Modem For Streaming

The NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 is a very popular mobile hotspot travel router that comes with impressive specs and a hefty price tag. Retailing for north of $200, the Nighthawk M1 Mobile is aimed at people on the go looking for reliable connectivity, and it comes from a company that’s been in the computer networking business for almost 25 years.

Starting with the design, the Nighthawk M1 Mobile looks slick and will feel at home in any gamer’s setup, though it’s a bit bulkier compared to its competitors. However, you’ll get a lot of cool features and an impressive 5,040mAh battery for up to 24 hours of autonomous usage.

Speaking of features, the Nighthawk M1 allows for up to 20 devices to connect simultaneously, has up to 1 GB speed and accepts all SIM cards, which makes it ideal for media streaming and data sharing. Connectivity is also impressive, as the router comes with USB A port, USB C port, and an ethernet port.

Setup is a walk in the park, and if you live in a rural area where high-speed internet is not an option, this baby will definitely save your life. Bottom line, if you’re searching for the best travel router to use with a cellular connection, the Nighthawk M1 is worth every penny.

• 4G LTE mobile
• Supports up to 20 devices
• Extra ports
• Solid autonomy
• Color display
• Slick design
• Kind of expensive

Are you ready for your next traveling adventure? After reading this guide and getting yourself that travel router, you definitely will be. We hope you’ll enjoy it and, more importantly, we hope you’ll be able to access everything you need through the router of your choice. Have a safe trip!

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Miodrag matović, related posts, the best dual monitor stands and mounts in 2023, the best subwoofer cables in 2023, the best attic antennas in 2023, the best soundbars under $300 in 2023.

The Edimax BR-6258n is another super-small portable router. It can power an 802.11b/g/n network without issue, and it’s only as large as it is because it packs a wired Ethernet port right next to another LAN port you can use to share your connection with any wired devices near you. It can be used as a router or a repeater. Setup is easy, and the BR-6258n’s software supports some more advanced router features, such as setting up a DMZ and IP sharing.

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The 6 Best Portable Wi-Fi Hotspots of 2023

Stay connected on the go with these portable Wi-Fi hotspots.

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We're fortunate to live in an era where cell coverage reaches 95 percent of the population, according to the International Telecommunications Union. And that makes staying connected while traveling to most on-the-grid destinations a breeze. Many cell phone carriers offer some level of international data plans, which allows you to use your devices abroad — for a fee, of course.

But if you're working on the go, traveling in a group, or attempting to preserve your phone's battery, you might want to look into getting a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, which often provides more data to more devices. "Portable hotspots will use data just like cell phones do, and coverage will really depend on the carrier and the coverage they offer in the area," Best Buy mobile supervisor Thomas Walker told Travel + Leisure . "Since hotspots require data, they also require a plan, something to remember as you consider buying a portable hotspot."

Best Overall

Glocalme g4 pro 4g lte mobile hotspot.

It's an unlocked hotspot that can be used in 140-plus countries.

It doesn't support 5G.

What we like about the GlocalMe G4 Pro 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot is its flexibility and streamlined design — it's the ticket for travelers who are hopping across continents. The company has its own Cloud SIM technology, allowing you to connect to the internet in 144 countries around the world using its proprietary data packages, which are pay-as-you-go and require no contract. The hotspot also comes with one free gigabyte of international data, which can be used over the course of a 90-day period.

Also nice: you can also replace the SIM card with a local provider if the standard connection isn't fast enough for your needs, or if you run out of data in your prepaid plan and want to replace it with data provided by a local carrier. You can also connect up to 10 devices — and it'll stay powered for up to 12 hours before you need to recharge.

Price at time of publish: $170

The Details: 12-hour battery life | 10 devices | Android, iOS

Best Budget

Alcatel linkzone 4g mobile wifi hotspot.

You can connect up to 15 devices.

It has a short battery life.

Priced just above $50, the Alcatel LinkZone 4G Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot is one of the more budget-friendly hotspots available. This SIM card-operated pick is best matched with AT&T, T-Mobile, and other GSM carriers that use SIM cards for service (the specific device shown here is locked to T-Mobile, specifically, while unlocked versions are more expensive). But one of your tradeoffs for price is that it only offers up to six hours battery life when fully charged. That said, it does have a max download speed of 150 megabits per second (Mbps) for quick and continuous streaming, and it can be used for up to 15 devices at once.

Price at time of publish: $60

The Details: 10-hour battery life | 15 devices | Android, iOS

Best for International Use

Skyroam solis lite.

It's pocket-sized and extra-secure with an optional VPN.

It can only connect 10 devices at a time.

As an unlocked portable Wi-Fi hotspot, the Skyroam Solis Lite can connect to local cell networks in 135-plus countries, choosing the strongest network for your location. As for purchasing that data, there's no need to get a local SIM — you can do so from an app, choosing from pay-as-you-go data, daily passes, or monthly unlimited data subscriptions. You can also choose plans for specific geographies: the USA, Europe, Asia, or global. We love how small and lightweight this specific model is, though it can only support up to 10 devices at a time. But it does have a 16-hour battery life, which is pretty solid for such a small hotspot.

Price at time of publish: $140

The Details: 16-hour battery life | 10 devices | Android, iOS

Most Durable

Netgear explore ac815s.

It's splash-proof.

It's not waterproof. (There's a difference!)

While many smartphones are waterproof these days, portable Wi-Fi hotspots typically aren't. So if you're traveling somewhere where there's a chance your device might get wet — say, on a camping trip — well, you're pretty much out of luck. But that's where the Netgear Unite Explore comes in. This hotspot is designed for more rugged conditions, so it's coated in rubber to protect against bumps and it's splash-proof. (Note: that does not mean waterproof, so don't submerge this hotspot!) Another boon for campers or RVers: the battery life on this hotspot, which can support up to 15 devices, is an impressive 22 hours. 

The Details: 22-hour battery life | 15 devices | Android, iOS

Best Router

Tp-link tl-wr802n n300 wireless portable nano travel router.

 Amazon

It makes Wi-Fi connections in hotel rooms and on cruises easier and more secure.

It's not a true portable Wi-Fi hotspot.

Technically, a Wi-Fi router is not a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. But what it does do is allow you to take one internet connection with a tricky login situation — say, hotel Wi-Fi that asks you to input your room number every time you connect — and streamlines the process for connecting additional devices. In a nutshell, you connect to Wi-Fi via the router, which then creates a more secure network for you to connect to from other devices. This router can also boost Wi-Fi signals throughout a space, so if you're in an Airbnb where the Wi-Fi is strong in one room but not another, a router can help.

Bite-sized and affordable, the TP-Link N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router is the one to take on a trip with you. It delivers up to 300 Mbps of fast internet without any lagging, making it perfect for streaming, gaming, making phone calls, and more.

Price at time of publish: $30

The Details: Must be plugged in | 5 volts

Best Unlocked Device

Netgear nighthawk m1 4g lte wifi mobile hotspot (mr1100-100nas).

This is a super high-speed device.

Netgear doesn't publish battery life.

Able to connect and share data with 20 devices at once, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot can handle multiple tasks at once without sacrificing power or speed. It's an unlocked device that uses GSM SIM cards, compatible with most carriers. It's equipped with fast 4G LTE broadband and offers up to one gigabit per second (Gbps) of download speed. Worried about how much data you've used? Its LCD screen clearly displays how much storage is remaining, calculates when it will run out, and keeps count of the devices connected.

While Netgear doesn't publish the battery life of the Nighthawk M1, it claims it can last "all day" — and you can even buy a battery booster pack for more juice. There is an upgraded version of this hotspot that is 5G-compatible, but it's nearly double the price, which may not be necessary for most travelers.

Price at time of publish: $350

The Details: 11-hour battery life | 20 devices | Android, iOS 

Tips for Buying Portable Wi-Fi Hotspots

Consider where and when you'll use it.

Not all portable Wi-Fi hotspots can be used everywhere. If yours is tied to a U.S.–based carrier (like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon), and you're planning on going abroad, you need to make sure you've paid for a data plan that includes international use. If you're only traveling for a short period of time, this might be the most convenient option. 

But if you're planning on traveling internationally for an extended period of time, you might want to opt for an unlocked portable Wi-Fi hotspot — that is, one that isn't tied to a specific carrier. You can then buy a data plan from a company based in your destination, which usually is a more economical decision. "SIM cards are cheap and easy to get in lots of countries worldwide, and going this route ensures you get the strongest signal possible for the lowest price," Peter Holslin, senior staff writer at internet comparison site HighSpeedInternet.com , told T+L .

The duration of your trip should also inform whether you want to purchase an as-you-go data plan (better for shorter tips) or a monthly one (better for longer trips).

Check with your phone carrier

"When you use a portable hotspot you can choose the carrier it’s connected to, so if you want to maximize your coverage you can use one carrier for your phone and a different carrier for the hotspot," Walker said. It's often cheaper to buy a Wi-Fi hotspot to hook up to a local network while traveling versus paying for an international phone plan with your current carrier as well.

Think about voltage and battery life

For the most part, portable Wi-Fi hotspots use a relatively low amount of power (about 5-7 volts, depending on the size and strength of the device). However, you should still utilize a power converter when plugging your hotspot in during international travels. Not all outlets around the world support the same power output, so using an adapter can prevent blowing a fuse or sparking your devices. If you want a more portable Wi-Fi hotspot that doesn't need to be plugged in, be sure to check its expected battery life to know exactly how long you can use it on the go.

"Wi-Fi hotspots work similar to phones, tapping into your cellular network to provide high-speed data for use with laptops, tablets, gaming systems, etc.," Verizon spokesperson George Koroneos told T+L . "What's more? You can give access to your travel companions, so they can use your dedicated hotspot, similar to a Wi-Fi network."

Yes, it does. "Mobile hotspots connect to cellular networks to provide internet connection allowing customers to connect anywhere," Jeff Howard, AT&T's vice president of hardware and partner solutions, told T+L .

It depends on what type of portable hotspot you have and what type of plan you have. If your hotspot plan is locked to a specific carrier, you'll need to make sure your carrier has an international plan. (Spoiler alert: most do.) It might be as simple as turning your device on and letting it automatically connect to a local cell network. But if your portable hotspot requires a local SIM card to work, you'll have to pick one up at the airport or at a store and insert it into your hotspot to connect to a local cell network.

Many cell phone providers have international plan options for travelers, and you can turn most smartphones into a mobile hotspot under that plan. Then you can connect devices to your cell phone for internet services. But that's not always the best solution.

"One thing to consider is carriers may limit the hotspot data amount on your phone, so you may see slower speeds at a certain point," Walker said. "You also don’t have to run your cell phone battery when you use a standalone hotspot." On the other hand, portable Wi-Fi hotspots require their own data plans, which costs additional money.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance travel writer who has tested cell coverage on all seven continents. (Antarctica is by far the worst.) For this article, she poured over cell service coverage maps, and read dozens of customer reviews. 

In compiling this list, she also interviewed telecommunications experts to discuss what to look for in a mobile hotspot. Experts she spoke to included:

• Thomas Walker , Best Buy mobile supervisor
• Peter Holslin , senior staff writer at internet comparison site HighSpeedInternet.com
• George Koroneos , Verizon spokesperson
• Jeff Howard , AT&T's vice president of hardware and partner solutions

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