What Functionality Does a Wireless Travel Router Serve?

[teetee]

I recommend this model:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082X2DLMY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_XFF9TQDEM2QR276M7FEP

$169 is a bit expensive for a router that can only be used in north America. Openwrt or not.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

I just returned from a mini-trip. I took my range extender/WAP as a test before I buy a router. The hotel room had no ethernet, so it would be good to have a router that can connect wirelessly. All of the travel routers I looked at had the wireless connection feature. As my device is a range extender, it could connect.

Next part of my trip was an office where we did some work on our laptops. Sometimes when we do this type of volunteer work the people at various locations do not know the wifi password or the wifi doesn't work, but they have ethernet. I just plugged my WAP in and it worked! My devices already knew the logon for my SSID.

Problem was that the tiny antennae on my WAP doesn't reach far. I have been reading up on 2dbi vs 5dbi antennae. Apparently when you increase the gain, you also narrow the beam. So, 9dbi isn't necessarily better than 5dbi. A 9dbi can be had for $4.99 so it won't cost much to experiment. Not all travel routers have an antenna port. Some are internal, only.

Forgot to add: I see many acceptable units for under $50.

Also, some of the travel routers only have one ethernet port - WAN. Do you want a second LAN port? I might.

Speed? I do not see paying extra for some 1700mb or even 750mb unit. When I am travelling, I have two to three devices connected. Maybe 300, if the other technology wasn't too old.

 

[Mook1e]

$169 is a bit expensive for a router that can only be used in north America. Openwrt or not.

True, apologies. That model only has a US cellular module.
I use the world-phone version:

https://store.gl-inet.com/products/mudigl-e750-travel-4g-router

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Check whether your home router supports VPN, though. I now have OpenVPN installed on my tablet and my phone, so when I'm traveling I can connect to public wifi, get a secure, encrypted tunnel to my home router, and then basically access everything through there. No additional cost, that in particular appeals to the cheapskate in me!

 

[easysurfer]

I went ahead and just ordered a travel router.

Don't know when I'll actually get a chance to use besides tinkering around with at home as not travel plans in immediate future.

Got the one from RavPower (Amazon didn't carry so ordered direct from RavPower). Discounted from about $60 to about $40, so can't complain about that .

 

[Z3Dreamer]

I went ahead and just ordered a travel router.

Don't know when I'll actually get a chance to use besides tinkering around with at home as not travel plans in immediate future.

Got the one from RavPower (Amazon didn't carry so ordered direct from RavPower). Discounted from about $60 to about $40, so can't complain about that .

I have been looking. This is about the price. What made you select this one?

 

[target2019]

Is it this one:

 

[Animorph]

I bought a couple of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5RCZQH/

AC750, about $40.

I actually use it more as a bridge (bring Wi-Fi to a device that only has an ethernet cable) than a router. That's one feature I always looked for.

 

[meierlde]

Sometimes institutions will not allow to machines on their wifi to talk to each other. As an example if you want to move files from a pc to an android phone, without having to plug a usb cable into the phone and pc. Using software like total commander, you can copy files back and forth. Also keeps any traffic between machines off the institutions wifi.

 

[easysurfer]

Is it this one:

Yes. One with the most current firmware.

 

[bigreader]

I went ahead and just ordered a travel router.

Don't know when I'll actually get a chance to use besides tinkering around with at home as not travel plans in immediate future.

Got the one from RavPower (Amazon didn't carry so ordered direct from RavPower). Discounted from about $60 to about $40, so can't complain about that .

I have an older version of this. I use it on vacation to back up my photos from my camera memory card directly to a hard disk drive. That way I don't need to find the the bandwidth to upload them to the cloud or carry a mountain of SD cards. It is the most economical way I have found to do this limited function.
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[Major Tom]

I bought a couple of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5RCZQH/

AC750, about $40.

I actually use it more as a bridge (bring Wi-Fi to a device that only has an ethernet cable) than a router. That's one feature I always looked for.

I have this one too. I use it at home to be able to connect multiple devices to the hotspot on my phone. It has been on almost continuously for over a year now, and seems to be doing well.

 

[target2019]

I went ahead and just ordered a travel router.

Don't know when I'll actually get a chance to use besides tinkering around with at home as not travel plans in immediate future.

Got the one from RavPower (Amazon didn't carry so ordered direct from RavPower). Discounted from about $60 to about $40, so can't complain about that .

Just ordered since we're going overseas in Oktober. That covers several needs with one device.

 

[easysurfer]

My RavPower travel router arrived yesterday.

Did have to read the manual and find a youtube video and do some trial and error but got the router to work on bridge mode with my wireless signal at home. Pretty nifty.

There are several other features of this router but don't know if I will ever use as I'm mainly interested to use as a bridge router, like if I'm at a hotel.

 

[target2019]

Mine came on same day. Not unboxed yet, but will try it out soon. Still have 60 days or so before going overseas.

Yesterday I threw the box in my bag, hoping to try it out at the shore. Then went to grab a battery pack given to us during the Alaska trip. It is 26800mAh battery (Ravpower PB41), so it can charge quite a few things. But it may be too heavy for some to carry.