You are putting everyone traveling with you at risk. Hotel Wi-Fi is open to anyone staying at the hotel. This allows them to see your phone, computers, and tablets on the network and try to hack them. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself while traveling.
This blog is about my experience using a travel router over the last seven years when I travel. You won't see a simple product comparison. I tell you what I recommend and why. At the end of this blog, I have the list of devices I have used. Because of time they are older and not my recommendation.
Most bloggers today follow a Google formula to get noticed. That format is to compare multiple products with pros, cons, and recommendations. I am not an expert on every product. I am going to tell you what I think and my experience. However, I also am not listing general features as pros for a product, just what is new or a differentiator.
I have traveled for years and I understand details about how networks and Wi-Fi work. It used to bother me to connect to a hotel Wi-Fi because everyone could see my system on the network. Eventually, I learned about small, portable travel routers. I have used one ever since.
Please protect yourself and your family when you travel.
These products are focused on being small, with features focused on travel security needs. They are not high-performance for gaming. They create a barrier to protect your systems from hotel Wi-Fi and hackers.
This page includes Amazon affiliate links.
Travel routers are named because they function just like a normal router in your house, but are designed for travel. Your house router protects everyone from hackers on the internet. The travel router provides protection, but it is small, low power, and focused on the needs of travelers. As a tradeoff, they don't offer the best bells and whistles for gaming or streaming.
Travel routers focus on keeping your devices safe when connecting to someone else's network.
Why do I need this?
When you connect to a public Wi-Fi network you are joining everyone else using that network. All the hackers, snoops, surveillance, and scammers can see your device is now on the network. Your phone has been set up to protect itself while on a public network. Your computer at home is open and what about your tablet?
The name public network means any network where you don't control who gets to use it. At your house, you don't let everyone walking past your house connect? Public Wi-Fi is by definition open to the public.
Just to be clear, any network you don't control includes those with a password or login. When you hit agree to public Wi-Fi network terms you are logging in to use it. Any open network can be dangerous. You find these at airports, bus terminals, hotels, airplanes, coffee shops, grocery stores, and many other places.
Please use a VPN when you are in your local coffee shop.
This blog is focused on travel, when you take multiple devices, like vacations with the family. If you are around town, you are probably using your phone. Your computer at a coffee shop has risks that a travel router can help with if you are concerned.
How does it work?
You turn on the travel router and before you or anyone else logs into the public Wi-Fi you use the router app, or log into the router management page. The router connects to the Wi-Fi, and you say okay on the acceptance screen. Now the router is on the open network and all your devices can see your travel router. They connect and the travel router "routes" their traffic to the internet. The connection method can be wired or wireless. The router figures out how to move the network traffic.
This happens when I travel with my wife or family. All their devices are already set up and ready. When the travel router is on their devices connect, I have to complete the login to the hotel Wi-Fi.
Your strong password
All the work to set up the router and protect yourself will be wasted if you don't have a strong Wi-Fi password. Long and complicated should not hinder you. You will enter the long password once on your computer, tablet, or phone. You can also create a QR code a phone can scan to get access. I will show an example of this later.
My Current Best Choice to Buy
Below is an example of one of the latest travel routers. GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi 6 Gigabit Travel Router It will fit in the palm of your hand, is powered by any USB charger, and provides security anywhere. I will purchase one of these for my next big trip.
Pros
Cons
Tell me more benefits
The number one benefit of the latest technology is better encryption with WPA3, from Wi-Fi 6 standard. The best benefit from any travel router is the ability to connect to a VPN service so anyone snooping on the local network can't see any details of your internet activities.
Wi-Fi 6 Encryption
The latest versions of routers include support for Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6 is the latest standard and includes several security improvements. The most important is WPA3 encryption on Wi-Fi. There are many articles and videos about hacking WPA2 (the old standard). WPA3 does not have these concerns.
WPA3 is such a security improvement you should look into using that it at home. Using WPA3 while traveling will give your Wi-Fi the strongest encryption from your computer to the VPN server. No one on the public Wi-Fi will be able to hack your network, or even know what you are doing.
VPN
Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a technology where your device (phone, computer, router) connects to a server and the server relay's your request to a website. To the website, your request just came from the VPN server. As a user, you can select different locations to use for the VPN server.
All the snoopers on the local network will only see your router connected to the VPN server. They won't know any other information about you. This works in your local coffee shop also.
In addition, the site you want to access (your bank) may have location restrictions that will block you from logging into your account. With a VPN you can set your server location as the United States and your bank access will work. The people watching your connection will only see you connecting to the VPN server.
This is practical even for local events while traveling. Using a VPN the local snoops won't know you are actually buying tickets to the local attraction and won't be in the Air BnB all day.
For the best VPN usage, you will need an account with a VPN provider. The GL.iNet routers list the following VPN providers are ready in their firmware. You simply log in with your account. Nord VPN, PIA, Surfshark, PureVPN, TorGuard, Proton VPN, Express VPN. I have an account with Proton VPN.
An additional benefit is your VPN account has one connection through the router and your family is safe as they surf the internet or chat with friends.
Open-Source Firmware
All the routers tell you which version of Open-Source firm they use. Open-Source firmware means anyone can see the code. Allowing security and network experts to inspect and look for problems. The general view is open-source router firmware is more secure, more robust and your preferred option. There are cases of not open-source firmware allowing hackers to take user information. I prefer to have open-source firmware installed.
Open Wi-Fi connection restrictions
At hotels, I have stayed there have been cases where they allow two devices with the room stay. More devices must be paid to connect. Using a travel router eliminates that problem. The hotel will see one connection (the router) and all your devices will have access.
What is not good
The login process
The first time you connect to a new network you have to enter information. If it is a hotel they may have you log into a portal with your room number. This process has greatly improved from when I started using travel routers. The use of an application on your phone simplifies the process. The process is fast enough that I can get the Wi-Fi running before the family complains very much.
Power requirements are going up
The first travel router I used needed to be plugged into the wall. Finding an open plug in a hotel is a problem. In another country with an adapter, it was frustrating. The newer routers have a USB power input. They can run off almost any USB fast charger.
The problem has become all those cool features need more computing power, which means more wall power. The routers all come with a charging device that will work. With USB 3 Type-C (like your cell phone plug) there are higher power options available. I use an older version of the adapter below.
This travel plug adapter works as a plug adapter in most countries. It has four standard smart charging ports plus a Type-C port. I have traveled with my wife and this is the only charger we used for all our devices.
More Travel Tips
This block could be done now. I have told you my recommendation for a travel router, plus added the travel charger we use. However, there are other travel considerations you need to consider. I don't think blogs should be limited to one narrow subject - sorry google.
I travel with kits of what I need. I have chargers, cables, and routers all in bags to grab and stuff in the backpack. I spend the time when not rushing to pack to get them ready. I will list items with information.
Cables
Find a charging cable for each device that you have on the trip. Tablets, computers, phones, basically everything. Put them all in a clear bag. I actually have two, my normal one and another with fewer cables and plug adapters for the various plug types.
Charging pack(s)
I have a charging pack that can charge any device at least twice. I purchased one that includes wireless charging built-in. When a charging cable stopped working during our last trip the built-in wireless charging allowed the phone to be charged without hunting down a new cable.
I use the wireless charger option on the plane as well. Set the phone on the charging pack to charge while I listen to music or watch a downloaded movie.
The charging pack I purchased is listed below with the older routers I have used over the years.
Car charging mount
When we travel and will be driving a car I now take my car charging mount. The link is below. It attaches to the AC vent, mounts the phone, and with a cable allows wireless charging. This means we can use any phone to show maps. Simply start the directions and put the phone on the charger mount.
You should have these with your router
Simply having the router in your luggage is not enough. The last time you traveled and used the router was months ago. Do you remember all the passwords, networks, etc? (I don't).
- Create a QR code for the Wi-Fi login so anyone can scan the code to get on the network. Include the text of the password, just in case.
- Have a card, or a small piece of paper with the router's name, login, and password. This will prevent the need to do a factory reset while you are traveling, just to get into the router. Place this with the QR code in the case or bag with the router.
- Keep a small ethernet cable with the router. If you get lucky and there is an ethernet port available you probably won't need to configure or login to the public Wi-Fi.
This is a newer version with Type-C plugs.
QR Code Example
Join 'WorstAuthorNetwork'
It does not actually work, but your phone will try.
Router Case I use this for the GL.iNet GL-AR750S also.
Hard Carrying Case Replacement for TP-Link AC750 Travel Router
Older Travel Routers I Have Used
I still use this one GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext. - Current Amazon Choice
This is the first one that provided an iPhone app to connect to the open network. If you don't want the latest buy this one. It will run from a standard high-power charger.
TP-Link AC750 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router(TL-WR902AC)
I still use this as a range extender, when there is an event in the backyard. Also, it is small and works well in coffee shops. A list of modes and uses is below.
NETGEAR Trek N300 Travel Router, Range Extender, and Wireless Bridge (PR2000)
The direct plug into the wall was usually great in the US. For international travel, it was a struggle.
Use your travel router at home
Range Extender
Range extender mode uses no wires. In this mode, the device is connected to a Wi-Fi network and it creates a close local equivalent. Your phone gets a stronger signal with the Wi-Fi it is used to using. The device has to switch between receiving your communication and resending that to the farther Wi-Fi. You can use this in your house if you have a room with a weak signal. Put a travel router halfway between your house router and the farthest point. The signal will improve.
Client mode
Some computers, like a desktop, only have a wired connection option. A device in client mode will connect to the Wi-Fi network and the desktop will plug into the device's ethernet port. This allows the desktop to have an internet connection. Usually, the computer will not even know it is actually connected through Wi-Fi.
Access point mode
The travel router device can create a wireless - In access point mode the device can also act as a router but does not need to. In your house, if you add an access point you don't want to have the device as a router. It complicates your home network and issues will be harder to debug.
Access point mode is similar to the range extender. While the range extender is wireless to wireless, the access point is wired to wireless. You plug an ethernet wire into the device and it broadcasts the network information you specify. The main network system will supply the network address, connections, etc.
Router Mode
Router mode is simply using the travel router normally. Marketing materials include this to make sure users know it will do the simple router mode.
HotSpot Mode
This can have many details in the backend. If you connect to your phone to broadcast Wi-Fi. If you connect a USB cellular access point. I am sure there are use cases I am missing. The usually key point is connecting to a cellular network. Otherwise, this is simply acting like a router as listed above.