If you are often on the road, you must know the pains of getting seamless Wi-Fi connectivity. While some hotels let you access free Wi-Fi, the speed is often so slow that you can’t stream a browse your favorite sites properly, let alone transfer anything over the internet. Luckily, that’s not the end of the road. Devices like travel routers help solve exactly that.
These small and nifty devices let you plug a LAN cable, just like any conventional routers. The small size means they are portable and can be carried on your travel bags or pockets easily.
Apart from boosting the Wi-Fi network’s quality, these also open the window to a variety of scenarios. For instance, some routers let you connect multiple devices to the same network. You can even connect flash drives or external hard drives to the routers to act as network drives. And it doesn’t stop at that. When you are not traveling, portable travel routers can also double up as a wireless access point or extender. Cool, I must say?
So, what are we waiting for? Let’s see some of the best portable travel routers for seamless connectivity.
1. Netgear Trek N300 Travel Router
Let not the size of the Netgear Trek N300 deter you from buying it, for this one packs a horde of features in a tiny package. Not only does it help you turn an ethernet network into a wireless one, but it also comes with some additional nifty modes. When the need arises, you can enable the bridge mode or hotspot mode or use it as an extende.
As noted earlier, it’s small and quite easy to carry it on your trips. As soon as you plug it in, it creates a wireless signal. All you need to do is connect to it, and the Netgear Genie interface will pop up.
The good thing is that it can remember old hotspots, thus saving you the time and energy required to log in. It also has a USB 2.0 port. When not using it as a network drive, you utilize the port to charge additional devices. Though the Trek N300 connects to an AC source, you can also connect it to your laptop via this port.
The Trek N300 performs well for a router or a range extender. However, it’s not without its share of issues. For one, the setup instructions are pretty vague for first-timers.
2. GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 Wireless Travel Router
If the Netgear router’s complicated setup process is not your cup of tea, you should check out the GL.iNet GL-MT300N. It supports maximum speeds up to 300Mbps. This mini router comes with OpenVPN preinstalled and is compatible with 25+ VPN providers. As you might already, VPNs safeguard your details and identity on the internet, among others.
That aside, it bundles two Ethernet ports and a USB 2.0 port. Unlike the one above, you do not need to plug into a wall socket to power it up. Instead, you can connect it to a power bank or a laptop via a MicroUSB wire, and it will be taken care of.
The GL-MT300N-V2 is small and compact and is one of the most popular portable travel adapters out there. It’s small enough to be carried in a pocket. And well, the bright yellow color gives it an altogether different look.
Being a travel router of the same genre, both the devices share some common features. For instance, it can also act as an extender, repeater, or an access point. Thankfully, setting up the GL-AR750S is easy as pie. And even if you are a first-timer, the instructions are pretty clear and should get the work done.
3. TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Router
The TP-Link AC750 is ideal for an advanced user. This model is an 802.11ac router and you’ll get maximum speed up to 733Mbps. The best part is that it supports dual-band Wi-Fi, which means you can browse and stream content with less interference. It also bundles a nifty USB port, which can let you plug USB and HDDs to use as a network drive.
The small size means it can be charged via a laptop or a power bank, whichever suits you the most. The performance of this router is as advertised. As long as you know the basic router configuration, set up won’t take long.
Aside from the above, it can also run in client mode or double up as an extender. And guess what? It can also double up as a home router in times of need.
4. GL.iNet GL-AR750S
For starters, the GL.iNet GL-AR750S looks super adorable, thanks to its diminutive design and tiny dual antennas. And along with its adorable design, it also packs an equal amount of power. For one, you can access dual-band Wi-Fi and speed up to 733Mbps. Secondly, the Gigabit Ethernet ports allow you to plug in wired devices. Like the other GL.iNet router, this one also comes with OpenVPN preinstalled and is compatible with more than 30 VPN providers.
The Gigabit Ethernet port means you’ll get maximum speed when you connect wired devices. At the same time, the microSD card can support cards up to 128GB and can be used to share content over the network.
The GL.iNet GL-AR750S is quite popular on Amazon. Fakespot estimates more the 60% of the user reviews are reliable and trustworthy.
5. RAVPower FileHub
The RAVPower FileHub brings the best of many worlds. This small device acts as a travel router and can also double up as a mini power bank. Yes, you read that right. It bundles a 6,700Mah battery that can be used to power your devices in emergencies. Other than that, it comes with a handy SD card reader and a USB port. And if that’s not enough, the USB port supports drives up to 3TB in size.
That said, it’s a dual-band Wi-Fi router and supports a maximum speed of up to 750Mbps. The many features of the RAVPower FileHub and its great performance have brought about a flurry of good reviews.
Create Your Mobile Wi-Fi Setup
Apart from extending and boosting existing Wi-Fi connections, these travel adapters help make your life on the road more tolerable, be it the ability to connect external hard drives or SD cards.
So, which of these devices will you buy?
Last updated on 02 February, 2022
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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