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The Best Wireless Travel Routers of 2024

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 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.

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.

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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Best Travel Router in 2023 (Portable WiFi On The Go)

Travel routers are designed to be light and portable and convert a Wifi or ethernet connection into your own Wifi. You’ll be able to connect all your devices and your friends and families too, to a private and secure connection no matter what is available in the airport or hotel.

In this review, we have chosen some of the best travel routers around, and there are a lot to choose from. We compared these portable wifi routers against each other and have highlighted their features, pros, and cons so you can make an informed decision and find the best travel router for you.

At A Glance: Our Top Travel Routers

• The Best Overall NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 Jump To Review
• Lightest GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Portable Travel Router Jump To Review
• Best Travel Router for Hotels TP Link AC750 Travel Wifi Router Jump To Review
• Best On A Budget GL.iNET GL-AR150 Mini Travel Wireless Router Jump To Review

Top Product Overview

Best travel router, netgear nighthawk m1.

If you’re into Wifi then you’ll have heard of Netgear. They make some of the best wireless travel routers on the market and have added a load of features to the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 travel router. It is the largest and most expensive router in the review but it does do everything.

The M1 will turn an ethernet connection, modem, wireless network, and your SIM card into a super-fast personal Wifi network anywhere in the world. This is the first router in the review that can create a Wifi internet connection from a 3G or 4G SIM Card.

This means that no matter where in the world you are, you can slot in a local SIM card have Wifi where ever you are. From the beach to the jungle, if there is a 3/4G network available, you’ll be online.

The speed this travel router can deliver is also impressive and it will compete with your home broadband. They have put a four-band Carrier Aggregation and LTE in this router which is what helps it get speeds of up to 1Gbps.

Built into this travel router is a battery that holds up to 20 devices for 24 hours before you need to charge it.

That’s some incredible battery life and it does make the M1 very portable. There is a handy LCD display that shows you the number of devices connected, and internet connection strength, and keeps you up to date with how much data you’re using.

It’s not just a router, however, and it shouldn’t be at $690. It’s also a power bank, provides data sharing and media streaming. It’s also highly configurable to give you exactly the Wifi set up you want where ever you are in the world.

Overall it’s an amazing portable router, it just very expensive and a little bigger than most, but well worth it if it’s in your budget.

• Provides power
• Fast connection
• Data sharing
• Media streaming
• Dual-Band Wi-Fi
• Highly configurable
• Color display
• Long battery life
• Connect through a SIM card
• Very expensive

Product Information

• Size: 4.15 x 4.15 x 0.8"
• Weight: 8.5 oz
• Devices: Up to 20

GlocalMe G4 Pro 4G LTE Travel Router

The GlocalMe G4 is a different type of travel router. It’s an international 4G LTE mobile hotspot that works in 144 countries . You don’t even need a SIM card for this travel router. It does support SIM cards and you can insert one if you want, but the device doesn’t need one to work.

The best thing about this travel router is that the WiFi plans are flexible . You can choose from different international and local data plans, and pay as you go. Also, when you first start using the GlocalMe G4 mobile hotspot, you get 1GB of global data and 8GB of US data for free.

This travel router lets you share your wireless connection with up to 10 devices, so not only can you connect all your devices to the Internet, but you can also share it with your friends and family without needing to disconnect anything.

This mobile hotspot boasts a touchscreen that’s easy to use, as well as an intuitive user interface. It also doubles as a power bank (3,900 mAh), so you can use it to power other devices. The battery has enough power for some 12 hours of continuous use, but it won’t do much to charge your smartphone.

• SIM card supported but not required
• Works in 140+ countries
• Free global and US data included
• Touchscreen interface
• Battery capacity is quite small
• Customer support is not very helpful
• Big and heavy
• Size: 6.69“ x 4.37“ x 1.73“
• Weight: 13.7 ounces
• Devices: Up to 10

GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Portable Travel Router

The GL.iNet GL-MT300N is one of the lightest devices you can get your hands on. At 1.41 ounces, this is the lightest travel router available at the moment, so it’s certainly the best option if you need something ultra-portable. Also, it’s so small that you can easily carry it in your pocket.

The Mango router supports both WiFi and Ethernet, with two dedicated ethernet ports. It also has a USB 2.0 port for tethering and compatible 3G and 4G modems, as well as a micro USB port for charging. You can use any adapter to charge the Mango, and you can charge it with your laptop for ultimate convenience.

Additionally, this travel router boasts download speeds of up to 300 Mbp s! It also allows for advanced security encryption, and it comes with a pre-installed OpenVPN client. Don’t worry if that’s not your preferred virtual private network service because this little router is compatible with 30+ other VPN services.

Finally, you can use this portable router in four different ways. It can work as a standard network router if you plug it into an existing Ethernet network, and it also functions as a WiFi repeater when you connect it to an existing WiFi network.

The other two modes are hotspot and AP – the former requires you to connect the Mango to an existing access point in order to create a private hotspot, and the AP mode transforms a wired into a wireless signal, which is perfect for devices that only support wireless connections.

• Most compact device
• Extremely affordable
• Supports download speeds up to 300Mbps
• Works as a WiFi repeater, router, and hotspot
• Can transform the wired signal into a wireless one
• Two Ethernet ports (WAN and LAN)
• It does not detect 5Ghz networks
• No internal battery
• Size: 2.28” x 2.28” x 0.98”
• Weight: 1.41 ounces
• Devices: Not specified

TP Link AC750 Travel Wifi Router

The TP Link AC750 Wireless Travel Router gives you the highest speed for your money out of any of the travel routers in the review. It can give up to 733Mbps depending on the wired network and it does it for $40.

This TP-Link wireless router is not only fast but it’s also very versatile in terms of Wifi connectivity. It does everything you’d expect like creating a secure Wifi network from a direct ethernet connection, Wifi connection, modem connection, and a WISP hotspot.

The special bit is that it also works as a range extender and you can connect a device to the router using a wired connection. So if your TV, for example, needs a hardline ethernet cable to connect to the internet, you can run one from the Ac750 directly to it.

As well as being great at Wifi, you can also use it as a power bank and for file sharing. It’s pretty light and compact too making it a great all-rounder. The only downside is that the port layouts are quite annoying and the instructions aren’t clear and could get frustrating.

Overall, this is a fast, versatile travel router from TP Link that’s not going to break the bank. Plus it comes with a 2-year warranty. And given its versatility, it would make the perfect wifi travel router for hotels or cruiseships.

• Fast, light & compact
• File sharing
• 2-year warranty
• Bad instructions
• Annoying port layout
• Size: 2.64 x 2.91 x 0.87"
• Weight: 8 oz
• Devices: Quite a few (number not specified)

TP-Link N300 Wireless Travel Router

The TP-Link N300 Wireless Travel Router is the simplest travel router in the review. Simply put, it is just a travel router and doesn’t have any extra’s like file-sharing or being able to be used as a power bank.

Removing the extras makes it light, portable, and capable of getting a speed of up to 300Mbps .

The band connection also provides lag-free streaming. The travel router can be connected to a cable to create a wireless network, to a modem as an AP, used as a repeater, a booster, and as a hotspot.

It’s also compatible with Chromecast or Amazon FireStick so you can watch all your favorite movies on the go too. Being so light, it doesn’t have an inbuilt battery and you’ll need to connect it to a power source through the micro USB port.

This means you can charge it from the wall, your lightweight laptop , or a power bank, giving you Wifi internet connection where ever you are.

The setup for this travel router is incredibly easy and takes under a minute. Once set up it can be connected to by as many devices as you like but its performance does decrease noticeably with multiple devices.

Overall a simple, fast, portable, and easy-to-use router that also comes with 24/7 support and a 2-year warranty.

• A few wireless modes
• Simple to use
• No USB ports
• Struggles with multiple devices
• Size: 2.2 x 2.2 x 0.7"
• Weight: 7.2oz
• Devices: As many as you like

GL.iNET GL-AR150 Mini Travel Wireless Router

The GL.iNET GL-AR150 Travel Router is a great choice for anyone who wants a router that’s super-portable, simple, and just a router.

This little guy weighs just over 1 oz and is compact enough to slip into your pocket or purse with ease. It can create a Wifi network from just about anything except a SIM card. You can connect it to a modem, ethernet cable, or existing Wifi internet connection, or tether it to your phone or dongle via USB.

One of the best features of this travel router is its security. Traveling around the world means unsecured networks, but once you plug this baby in, you’re getting a Wifi network with a firewall, instantly.

It comes with Open VPN pre-installed and is compatible with over 20 providers, so where ever you connect, you’ll know you’re secure.

It comes without an internal battery but you can charge it from your laptop’s USB or from a wall socket. It comes with 2 ethernet ports, 64MB of RAM, and 16MB of flash. You can also increase this via USB. It’s also Open Source and programmable so you can have full control over everything.

This is an awesome travel router and for just $27, you can’t go wrong.

• 2x Ethernet port
• Tethers to your mobile phone
• Programmable
• Light & compact
• Tricky to set up
• Only supports 2.4GHz
• Size: 2.28 x 2.28 x 0.98"
• Weight: 1.59 oz

Huawei E5576-320 4G LTE Travel Router

The Huawei E5576-320 Travel Router is a good option if you need a compact but reliable device. It needs a SIM card to work, and then it turns into a mobile hotspot that can be used by up to 16 devices at the same time. With a battery of 1500 mAh, you can use this device for up to six hours at a time, before it needs to be recharged.

The battery life could certainly be improved, but at least you can use this device while it’s charging, so you can just keep it plugged into a power bank. Also, the Huawei router boasts a removable battery. Carrying an additional battery is always an option since it means you can just replace the original one when it runs out of juice, without needing to disconnect from the WiFi.

This travel router supports 3G and 4G mobile bands – it’s compatible with 4G LTE in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but only the 3G will work in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. You get download speeds up to 150Mbps on 4G, and up to 43.2Mbps on the 3G networks. Upload speeds are not that bad either – it’s up to 40Mbps on the 4G network, and up to 5.76Mbps on 3G.

In case you need something for travel in North and South America, you should check out Huawei E5576-508 mobile hotspot, which was made specifically for that market and has better compatibility with mobile phone carriers in the Americas.

• Compact and lightweight
• Great upload and download speeds on 4G LTE
• Not expensive
• Works while charging
• Supports connections to up to 16 devices simultaneously
• Small battery capacity
• Only 3G LTE works in the USA, Mexico, and Canada
• Does not double as a power bank
• Size: 3.94“ x 0.28“ x 2.28“
• Weight: 3.53 ounces
• Devices: Up to 16

GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel AC Router

If you’re a technical wiz and looking for a travel router that’s versatile and offers you a lot of programmabilities, then the GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel AC Router is a great choice.

This wireless router will create a highly secure Wifi network from a modem, ethernet connection, wifi connection, dongle, and from your phone. It works over a dual-band and it’s pretty fast offering speeds up to 733Mbps.

It comes with 3 ethernet ports to give wired devices internet access. It has a USB port to open up local fire sharing. There is also an SD card slot to provide you with built-in storage space.

It’s programmable and comes pre-installed with OpenVPN and WireGuard to act as a VPN client and server out of the box.

This means your connection will be very secure no matter where you are. It also arrives configured to use Cloudflare’s encrypted DNS servers for additional security. You will have to update it to the latest firmware when you get it though.

Overall a fast, secure, and technical, wireless travel router that’s got a lot of bang for its buck.

• 3 Gigabit Ethernet Ports
• Great VPN support
• Awesome security
• Programable
• SD card slot
• Can be tricky to set up
• Size: 3.90 x 2.70 x 0.90"
• Weight: 3.03 oz

What To Look For In A Travel Router

Here are some key factors to consider when buying a great travel router.

Size & Weight

When it comes to portability both the size and weight of a router are important considerations. You’ll want it to slip easily into your carry-on luggage and not take any valuable weight or space. All the travel routers in this review are light and portable but some are much lighter and compact than others.

Another thing to consider is your travel router power source. Some travel routers come without an inbuilt battery making them very light but they will need to be plugged in to use them.

This means having a power bank ready or plugging them into your laptop’s USB port. Wifi travel routers with an inbuilt battery will be easy to carry around but you’ll need to make sure to pack the right charging cables and plug for your trip.

Travel Router Connection Options

Every router in the review will turn an ethernet, modem, or Wifi connection into your own Wifi connection but not all of them connect to a dongle, phone, or SIM card. There are a few in the review that do connect to all of these, like the ETGEAR Nighthawk M1 or the GL.iNET GL-AR150 Mini Travel Router , so if you’re wanting to use your phone or a Sim card to give you Wifi anywhere, be sure to pick s router that can do it.

Security and Encryption

In order to keep your connection secure, you want a wireless router that offers WPA2 encryption or has a built-in VPN. All the portable routers in the review provide some security but if you want the maximum, go for one of the ones with a built-in VPN.

Overall Speed & Range

Faster portable routers usually mean spending a little more. Think about the speed and the range you’re likely to need on your travels. If you’re going to need to stream HD across 5 devices or have multiple conference calls across multiple devices, you’ll need a wireless router with some solid bandwidth.

If it’s just for you to do some work on, watch a movie, and call home, then you’ll be fine with a lower speed.

Consider Extra’s

Some of the routers in the review are plain routers while others are more multi-tools. Some can also be used as a power source, for file sharing, can have in-built storage, and connect to media streaming. If you want these added benefits, be sure to choose one with them.

Our Favourite Wifi Travel Routers

Here are our top choices from the review.

The lightest travel router of them all is the GL.iNet Mango at just 1.4 ounces. It’s so small and compact that you can carry it in your pocket, but it still does everything a good router should. With download speeds of up to 300Mbps and a price of just some $30, it’s hard to find flaws in this travel router!

• 【WIRELESS MOBILE MINI TRAVEL ROUTER】 Convert a public network (wired or wireless) to a private Wi-Fi for secure surfing. Tethering. Powered by any laptop USB, power banks or 5V/2A DC adapters (sold separately). 39g (1.41 Oz) only, portable and pocket friendly. 2.4GHz ONLY
• 【OPEN SOURCE & PROGRAMMABLE】 OpenWrt pre-installed, USB disk extendable.

The best travel router is the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 . This is one of the fastest and best multi-use travel routers on the market. It can turn anything into a fast, secure network, even a SIM card. It’s also a power bank, data sharer, and media streamer. You can have up to 20 devices all working from the same router, sharing data, anywhere, even at the beach.

• Share WiFi internet access with up to 20 devices
• Connect to your existing home router using the Gigabit Ethernet port for fast, reliable primary or backup Internet connection. Ideal for homes with poor internet service or coverage

The best travel router on a budget is the GL.iNET GL-AR150 Travel Router . This router is tiny, light, compact, and very secure. It can turn anything into a secured VPN, even your phone’s 4G signal and it’s just $27.

• 【WIRELESS MOBILE MINI TRAVEL ROUTER】 Convert a public network(wired/wireless) to a private Wi-Fi for secure surfing. Create a secure Wi-Fi hotspot quickly. Tethering, 3G/4G USB Modem Compatible. Powered by any laptop USB, power banks or 5V DC adapters (sold separately). 39g (1.41 Oz) only, portable and pocket friendly.
• 【OPEN SOURCE & PROGRAMMABLE】 OpenWrt/LEDE pre-installed, backed by software repository. DDWrt supported. USB disk extendable.
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• Airplane Captions For Instagram
• Forest Captions

Best Travel Routers – 2023 Round-up

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If you’ve ever found yourself using the free wifi at a coffee shop or logging into the connection at a hotel and wondered about how secure the connection is, you’re not alone.

These days, you can’t be too careful. That’s why having a travel router is essential for anyone who spends a lot of time online while away from home.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best Travel Routers

• OUR TOP PICK: TP-Link TL-WR802N
• RUNNER-UP: GL.iNet GL-AR750
• GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 Portable Router

Comparison of the Best Travel Routers

What to look for when buying a travel router.

There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a travel router. Here are a few things to consider.

When it comes to the internet, speed is important. When you’re traveling, there’s a good chance you want to be able to stream movies or music, so you need a fast connection. Look at the specs of the router you’re considering and make sure it’s capable of doing what you need it to do.

• External power supply
• Pocket-sized for portability
• 300 Mbps wifi speed, 2.4GHz band
• 2-year warranty, 24/7 tech support
• JD Power Award for customer satisfaction
• Difficult to configure
• May not reach promised speeds

What Recent Buyers Report

Most users report that this router is effective and does what it promises. A lot of people mention they use this when traveling for work and that it works great in hotel rooms. That said, a few people - even those who claim to do IT for a living - had a difficult time configuring it.

Why it Stands Out to Us

We love how quickly you can use this router to set up a portable hotspot that you can share with family and friends. In addition to having multiple modes, it’s also fast enough to work with streaming video, including from a Chromecast or Amazon Fire Stick. The security encryption is great, too, so you can rest assured that your data is protected.

It’s a travel router, so it’s going to be small, but we still love how easily it slips into your backpack or purse. This router also comes with a lot of useful accessories, including a power adapter, nano router, Ethernet cable, USB cable, resource CD, and installation guide.

Bottom Line

This is a great choice if you’re looking for a travel router that’s convenient enough to fit in your pocket. It has multiple modes, advanced encryption security, and is covered by a two-year warranty.

Runner-up: GL.iNet GL-AR750

• 1-year warranty
• Compatible with 3G/4G USB modems
• OpenVPN and WireGuard pre-installed
• Dual-band router with wireless speeds up to 300 Mbps
• 3 Ethernet ports, 128 MB RAM, USB port, and MicroSD slot
• Setup can be tricky
• Cannot handle too many devices at the same time

For the most part, people are pretty happy with this router. Setup can be a bit of a headache, but once it's up and running, users were satisfied. That said, there were a few complaints about service cutting out or slowing down when too many devices were connected.

This router converts either wired or wireless networks into a secure wifi signal that you can share with your friends and family. OpenVPN supports more than 20 service providers, and it has impressive data encryption so you can feel comfortable about your data and security.

We were impressed by this router’s external storage. It supports microSD up to 120GB and has 128MB of RAM and a 16MB Flash. There are three Ethernet ports, too, so you can attach multiple devices.

Another great thing about this router is that it can use a laptop or power bank as the power supply, a great feature to have when traveling.

This programmable router is a good choice for someone who wants something they can customize. With three Ethernet ports and a flexible power supply, this router is an ideal travel companion.

Best for the Money: GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 Portable Router

• Affordable choice
• Has 4 modes
• 300 Mbps data transfer speed
• Larger storage capacity
• Supports over 30 or more VPN providers
• Has only 2 Ethernet ports
• Compatibility issues at first setup
• Lesser-known manufacturer

According to recent buyers, the GL.iNet GL-AR300M16 Portable Router is one of the best travel routers in the market, and it can handle anything you throw at it. With 4 modes – Router, Repeater, HotSpot, and AP plus two Ethernet ports, this little device will keep you connected no matter where you are.

Why It Stands Out to Us

The GL.iNet’s GL-AR300M16 Portable Router boasts whopping data transfer speeds of up to 300 Mbps, which is an incredible feat for a travel pocket router with such as compact size.

This tiny powerhouse unit comes with a larger storage capacity of 128 MB RAM, making it perfect for busy households, dynamic travel vloggers, researchers, or small businesses. 

In addition, it supports over 30 VPN providers so that you can keep your browsing and streaming habits totally private. Whether you’re at home or outside, this router delivers anywhere you go.

This portable router is for anyone who wants a combination of affordability and high-quality performance. While a lesser-known manufacturer makes the GL-AR300M16, it's still one of the best travel routers on the market today for users who want to stay connected all the time.

Upgrade to the GL-AR300M16 to enjoy faster speeds plus more extensive and more reliable storage capacity. This router is tailored for professionals, small businesses, and travel vloggers who are always moving around and require a stable internet connection anytime and anywhere.

Best Travel Router for Hotels: TP-Link TL-WR902AC

• 2-year warranty
• 750 Mbps data transfer rate
• Unlimited 24/7 tech support
• Uses a micro USB adapter to charge
• Dual-band wifi for a reliable, fast connection
• Tricky to set up
• Poor instructions

For the most part, people are really happy with this product. The signal is great, and the speed is impressive. There were some mentions that the device didn’t work as a repeater as well as people had hoped. Some people also felt it was a little tricky to set up and that tech support wasn’t very helpful.

The small size and mini USB power supply are convenient and ideal for travel. It uses the fastest wifi technology which makes it a great choice for streaming and running multiple applications at the same time.

We also like that this router can work as a portable charger, splitting power so it’s easy to recharge multiple devices while on the go. It has multiple modes and functions as a range extender, access point hotspot, and, of course, a router.

It’s also covered by a two-year warranty, which is a good sign that the company is willing to stand behind its product.

Here’s another great option if you’re looking for something multifunctional, which is a safe bet when you’re traveling. It has multiple modes and works fast and reliably. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a two-year warranty.

Best Wireless Travel Router: GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2

• Works as a WiFi hotspot
• Compatible with 3G/4G modems
• Open source and programmable for versatility
• Pre-installed OpenVPN client compatible with more than 30 VPN providers
• Open VPN unreliable
• Unreliable customer service

A lot of people were honestly surprised by how well this product worked, especially considering how affordable it is. Setup is easy and most people agreed that it performs reliably. Others mentioned that it worked great for a while but didn’t have the longevity they were hoping for.

The thing that stood out to us the most about this product is the price tag. It’s extremely affordable, and better yet, it works. Since it has OpenVPN and Wireguard, it supports more than 30 popular OpenVPN service providers, making set up pretty easy.

This product is small, lightweight, and easy to use. You can connect it to public Ethernet, an existing wireless network, or an access point. It’s open-source and programmable so you can tweak it if you have some IT skills. Plus, it’s covered by a one-year warranty.

If you’re looking for a device that’s affordable and has all the basic features you’re looking for, this is a great product to try. We love that it’s open-source and programmable but also easy to set up at the same time.

Best Travel Router for Chromecast: TP-Link N300 Portable Router

• Budget-friendly option
• Supports a wide range of OS
• Chromecast-enabled unit
• Swift data transmission speeds
• Check device compatibility before buying
• Has only 1 Ethernet port
• Plenty of used items on sale

A consumer reported that this is a very versatile travel router. The device is so tiny that it can be packed away when not in use. It has an easy-to-use software program for switching between modes of operation, making this product perfect for traveling.

The TP-Link’s N300 Router is an excellent budget-friendly option for various users such as students, educators, professionals, and mobile gamers working within a target budget.

This device has incredible versatility as it can support a wide range of operating systems such as Linux, Windows, Mac, and UNIX, making it great for both personal and business use.

Additionally, it’s Chromecast-enabled, making it easy to stream from your smartphone to larger LED television screens for your favorite movies at home or professional presentations at work.

This tiny router is perfect for people on the go. It has a 2-year warranty and has only one Ethernet port, so you can be sure it will last. Whether you're using it at home or on the road, this router is an excellent option for anyone who needs internet access anytime and anywhere.

The TP-Link N300 Router is Chromecast-enabled, making it easy to stream your favorite shows and movies without any frustrating buffering delays. On the other hand, it is vital to check the portable travel router’s compatibility with your current devices before you buy.

What is a Travel Router?

A travel router is just like the router you use at home, only it’s smaller and meant to be taken with you for convenience. Instead of using the internet coming into your home from your internet service provider, a travel router is meant to use public wifi, providing you with an extra layer of security.

There are a lot of options for travel routers out there. Some perform the basic functions of a router while others are multifunctional and can come in handy while you travel.

When the tech company I worked for restructured and I ended up jobless, I decided to put the wealth of knowledge and management skills to use somewhere new. I’d checked out a few buyer’s guides on the site in the past and reached out to the previous owner. A few months later, here we are. Now, I get to be behind the scenes, helping people find the best tech.

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9 Best Wireless Travel Routers to Buy in 2021 — Stay Connected On The Go

Often, accessing the internet on the go can be a cumbersome process. Mobile data plans are not always cheap, especially while roaming internationally, and hotel Wi-Fi connections come with their own speed and access limitations. This is where a good wireless travel router can help. Wireless travel routers are basically range extenders or access points that enable connecting multiple devices to public Wi-Fi or Ethernet, such as hotels and universities, without much hassle.

A wireless travel router can perform multiple functions, the importance of which include —

• Range extension — Wireless travel routers can amplify weak signals via powerful antennas so that devices can easily connect.
• Security — Often, public hotspots are unsecured, which means anyone can eavesdrop on your communications while you are working at a cafe or in a public place. Most wireless travel routers come with built-in firewalls and authentication to secure an unsecured network.
• Multiple connections — Generally, most hotels, universities, and offices use a captive portal to authenticate guest logins, which means each of your devices needs to connect independently to the captive portal. A wireless travel router helps you log in once to the captive portal, and other devices can connect to the router in the normal way.
• Media hub — Most wireless travel routers come with some sort of media sharing ability. This enables you to connect storage devices either wirelessly or via USB ports to the router. Multiple connected clients can then share the media from the storage device at once.

Manufacturers also include a few other extra goodies such as a power bank, Wi-Fi bridge, and more. Modern wireless travel routers are not just for travelers and can easily replace your existing router setup at home as well.

While wireless travel routers can prove highly valuable, there are a few points to be kept in mind. Not all wireless travel routers have hotspot functionality, so you need to have some sort of internet connection in the first place before you can use such a router. Also, some routers are known not to play well with captive portals. More importantly, it is always recommended to avoid sharing sensitive information over public Wi-Fi as much as possible even though the router itself offers good security.

For this list, we have narrowed down some of the best travel routers available in the market today. Emphasis was given more on the compactness, speeds, and operation modes. Routers that offered media sharing and power bank features were considered as well.

With that information, here are the 9 best wireless travel routers available in 2021 .

1. TP-Link N300 Nano

The TP-Link N300 offers an easy way to create a compact wireless hotspot quickly. It offers flexibility for travelers as it can be powered using an external power adapter or just with a USB connection. The maximum throughput offered is 300 Mbps over the 802.11n band, which should be sufficient for most purposes while on the go. The device can also be used as a hotspot, router, or a Wi-Fi range extender.

While the software UI is not the most advanced, it is more than enough to get the job done for those who require a no-fuss solution for hooking up to hotel or university ethernet. It does take some time to latch on to a network, but once done, there's nothing the user would need to do to get online. If you are looking for the best travel router for hotels, the TP-Link N300 Nano should be high on your list. Fan of TP-Link routers? Check which TP-Link routers made it to our list .

• Pros : Works in multiple modes; Good speeds; Easy setup
• Cons : Not the most feature-rich UI

2. GL.iNet GL-AR300M

The GL.iNet dons many hats as a Wi-Fi hotspot, repeater, and a programmable gateway for DIY hobbyists. As a Wi-Fi hotspot and converter, it is one of the best travel routers available, offering a maximum throughput of up to 300 Mbps. With the included USB ports, you can simply plug in your existing 3G/4G internet dongle and create a Wi-Fi access point. Like other wireless travel routers, it can run off your laptop's USB port or the bundled 5V DC power adapter. The presence of UART and GPIO ports allows for acting as a portable gateway for IoT development.

The best part about this sub-$50 router is its OpenWRT firmware. The software allows you to use it as an OpenVPN router, Tor router, or even your personal firewall between a public Wi-Fi hotspot and your computer. If you are an advanced user, you can also perform load balancing between multiple internet sources, such as an internet dongle or a tethered device.

• Pros : Multiple configuration options; Great for IoT development on the go
• Cons : None as such

3. HooToo TripMate Nano

The HooToo TripMate Nano is a very popular wireless travel router. It makes for an excellent travel companion despite lacking some of the bells and whistles of slightly more expensive options. TripMate Nano can be used as a hotspot or to wirelessly share files with the connected clients. The included USB port is just USB 2.0 but supports all storage devices.

TripMate Nano is not without its share of quirks, though. For instance, the included USB port cannot power an external hard disk if you are already powering the device via USB. Also, the software can recognize only one drive at a time if you connect two drives in a bridge.

• Pros : Affordable; Good media sharing features
• Cons : USB port alone will not be able to power external drives; Software can recognize only one connected drive at a time

4. HooToo TripMate Titan

The HooToo TripMate Titan aims to be your all-in-one travel companion by combining a capable wireless travel router and a huge 10,400 mAh battery. So you can charge devices on the go and simultaneously use the device in the access point, bridge, or router modes for staying connected on the go. The standout feature of the TripMate Titan is the FileHub. FileHub makes the Titan into a full-fledged media sharing, streaming, and file management tool. You can share and stream media with up to 5 connected clients and use your Chromecast to stream videos to the big screen.

The HooToo TripMate Titan is not without its shortcomings, however. It cannot work as a wireless hotspot and does not support any OpenVPN clients. It also cannot bridge an iPhone hotspot or stream DRM-enabled media. While a great file server, the software has a few security issues and has been reported to be easily 'hackable'.

• Pros : Multiple wireless functions; Media sharing; Large capacity power bank
• Cons : No support for wireless hotspot and VPN; Bundled software does not focus on security

5. TRENDnet TEW-817DTR

The TRENDnet TEW-817DTR is a capable and fast wireless travel router. It is one of the few travel routers to offer wireless AC speeds up to 750 Mbps and can function as a router, WISP, access point, or a repeater. A neat addition is that power plugs for North America, European, and UK sockets come bundled with the package. Therefore, if you are a busy professional whose job involves a lot of international travel, this router is for you.

The TEW-817DTR offers an easy setup, and the Wi-Fi settings come pre-configured. However, this router suffers from a major disadvantage that it cannot be used with captive portals. Most hotels and universities require logging into a captive portal before getting internet access. This router is not compatible with such networks. We hope TRENDnet addresses this in a firmware update soon. The device, as such, performs flawlessly once configured properly.

• Pros : Designed for the international traveler; Easy setup; Wireless AC speeds
• Cons : Not compatible with a captive portal

6. GL.iNet GL-B1300

The GL.iNet GL-B1300 is one of the best travel routers you can get in 2021, and it offers nearly everything you'd get from a conventional wireless router at a very reasonable price. There is dual-band wireless AC support with speeds up to 1.3 Gbps — more than what most hotels, offices, or universities all over the world provide. The GL-B1300 comes with OpenWRT installed right off the bat, which means powerful customization options along with OpenVPN support for up to 20+ VPN clients. The quad-core 717 MHz ARM CPU ensures things move around without bottlenecks. The cool thing is that you can also swap the antennas for more powerful ones if you wish to.

GL.iNet says that the router has been tested for using storage devices up to 64 GB. But given the USB 3.0 port, using higher capacity drives shouldn't be a problem, but we'd suggest avoiding external hard drives as those are power-hungry. Also, some users have reported that GL.iNet is yet to update the firmware to more recent versions. You can use vanilla OpenWRT as well, but you might have to configure many options yourself.

• Pros : Good assortment of features; Good speeds and coverage; OpenWRT compatible
• Cons : Stock firmware needs upgrading; VPN speeds are reportedly slow

7. TP-Link TL-WR902AC

The TP-Link TL-WR902AC performs as well as it looks. It sports dual-band wireless AC with speeds up to 750 Mbps making it easily suitable for most hotel networks on the go. As a wireless device, it can work as a range extender, access point, and hotspot. The software UI is fairly easy to set up and offers advanced features such as DHCP reservation, port forwarding, DMZ, etc.

As such, the device performs well, but experienced users might find the software a bit lacking. For example, there is no provision to configure the same MAC address at once for both the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. Users have also reported that the microUSB port is further recessed, impeding a tight connection.

• 8 Best 802.11ac Routers in 2021
• Pros : Multiple wireless modes; Good speeds
• Cons : Software is not particularly pro-user friendly; Design flaw in microUSB port placement

8. TP-Link TL-MR3040

The TP-Link TL-MR3040 is a small wireless travel router that slips into any pocket and can operate on both battery power as well as mains. The 2,000 mAh battery is also removable, which is great as you can simply replace the battery instead of waiting for it to charge. The TL-MR3040 supports the wireless N protocol, so you can speed up to 150 Mbps, which should suffice for most purposes. The MR3040 features a USB 2.0 that you can use to connect 3G or 4G modems. However, you cannot use that to host a file server, so if you are looking to streaming media from USB storage, you're out of luck.

The performance of the MR3040 is fine as long as you are well within range and there are no obstructions. Even within range, the speeds tend to drop as you move farther away from the router. Also, there is no facility for activating guest networks. If you can work with those limitations, the TP-Link TL-MR3040 makes for a great portable router at an effective price.

• Pros : Multiple wireless modes; Highly portable
• Cons : No support for guest networks; Speed drops

9. GL.iNet GL-AR750S

The GL.iNet GL-AR750S is a new travel router that was nominated for the innovation award at CES 2019. The AR750S has a good range and even works as a conventional router for most homes. The best part about the AR750S is that it comes pre-installed with OpenWrt firmware that offers many more configuration options and flexibility than other firmware. The GL.iNet GL-AR750S offers a dual-band connection but supports only the wireless-N protocol. However, due to backward compatibility, connecting wireless-AC devices should not be a problem. This travel router also offers 128 MB of RAM and comes with three Ethernet ports, so you can also hook up your wired devices if needed. The firmware also supports OpenVPN that can connect to many VPN service providers out of the box.

Security-conscious users will appreciate the fact that it comes with Cloudflare DNS over TLS enabled. This provides an additional security layer by routing IP requests over Cloudflare's service instead of the ISP's DNS registry. Price-wise, the AR750S seems to be slightly on the higher side, but you are getting a lot of features in a compact body, making it one of the best travel routers to consider.

• Pros : Feature-rich, Supports OpenVPN and OpenWrt
• Cons : No support for wireless-AC

Dear readers, that would be all for our list of the best wireless travel routers to consider buying today. If you have additional questions, don't hesitate to post them in the comments below, and we will do our best to provide a timely response.

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TP-LINK Travel Router - AC750 WiFi 5 Dual-Band Gigabit Wireless Router

Key Features

• WiFi 5 (802.11ac), WiFi 4 (802.11n), 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a
• 1 x Fast Ethernet Wan/LAN Ports
• Single-Core Processor
• 2 Internal Fixed Antennas
• Dual Band (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), AC750

Protect and Support Info about service plan

• --> No Service Plan