Mobile hotspots and travel routers are now an essential need for everyone. In everyday life, we go to different places like the office for work, the market for shopping, or a jaunt on a cruise ship with loved ones. While traveling, we use our communication devices to stay in touch with friends and family via the internet. To do so, we need a secure and reliable Wi-Fi connection; that’s where these portable wireless router come in. In this article we will guide you through some of the best Wi-Fi travel routers of 2022.
Nowadays, most travelers prefer travel Wi-Fi router to get online, because it’s secure, reliable, and comes with a firewall. To make it easy for you, we crafted a list of the top-rated portable routers. Also, we are still waiting for the next-gen 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 portable routers to release.
5 Best Portable Wireless Routers for Traveling
| Brand | Bandwidth | |
|---|---|---|
| HooToo TripMate Titan | 300 Mbps | Buy Now |
| RAVPower FileHub | 433 Mbps | Buy Now |
| TP-Link Portable Nano Router | 433 Mbps | Buy Now |
| GL.INET GL AR300M | 300 Mbps | Buy Now |
| TRENDnet N150 Wireless Travel Router | 150 Mbps | Buy Now |
HooToo TripMate Titan (HT-TM05 N)
Overall top-rated travel router for hotels and outdoor trips
| Model | HT-TM05 N |
| Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 300 Mbps |
| Size | 1.65″ x 1.65″ x 3.74″ |
| Weight | 0.55 lb |
Hootoo TripMate is one of the powerful portable routers with a 300 Mbps wireless transfer rate. It’s not just a traveling router; it also works as a power bank with a 10400mAh battery backup to charge your smartphones and tablets too.
TripMate is a multipurpose WiFi extender that can be used in homes and offices as well. It has a rubber flap seal to protect the ports from dirt and dust. Moreover, it comes with an Ethernet, USB, and Micro-USB port for charging the device. Other features include the data backup with a maximum of 7 Mbps data transfer rate. You can take backups of your files on your external drive, laptop, or smartphone on the go.
The only drawback is it doesn’t support VPNs if you need a VPN router, this isn’t for you.
RAVPower FileHub (P-WD009)
Best portable router with SD Card slot and USB port for automatic backups on external drive
| Model | P-WD009 |
| Frequency Band | 2.4/5 GHz |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 433 Mbps |
| Size | 4.45″ x 3.03″ x 0.91″ |
| Weight | 0.43 lb |
The RAVPower FileHub is one of our favorite travel routers with the automatic backup feature using its companion App. It features an SD Card slot, USB, Micro-USB, and Ethernet port. The buttons include a Dual-Band switch for 2.4/5.8 GHz, dedicated SD Card to USB, and power button. It also has a 6700 mAh replaceable battery with about 14 hours of backup.
You can seamlessly share your photos, videos, and music with five devices on connected devices via Web or Mobile App. Moreover, the RAVPower is a dual-band travel wireless router with a super-fast speed of 433 Mbps data transfer on WiFi.
Unfortunately, like its sister brand Hootoo, it also doesn’t support a VPN setup on router.
TP-Link AC750 Portable Nano Travel Router (TL-WR902AC)
One of the first portable WiFi router for travelers that is lightweight and pocket friendly
| Model | TL-WR902AC |
| Frequency Band | 2.4/5 GHz |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 433 Mbps |
| Size | 2.64″ x 2.91″ x 0.87″ |
| Weight | 0.5 lb |
TP-Link was one of the first companies that introduce the concept of travel wireless routers. The TP-Link Nano Router is a pocket-friendly device but with limited features. You can use it as a Range Extender, Access Point, or Wi-Fi Bridge.
It offers dual-band WiFi connectivity on 2.4/5 GHz with a maximum speed of 433 Mbps. That allows you to stream 4K Videos on Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick, and play multiplayer games smoothly. Moreover, you can have one USB 2.0 port to share your media files on your smartphone or laptop. You can even charge your smartphones and tablets via a USB port with a maximum output of 5V/2A.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a battery backup; you need to plug it into the wall charger to switch it on. However, it features a flexible powering option, which lets you power on the router using a portable power bank or laptop.
GL.INET GL AR300M
Best OpenWrt mini travel router with VPN for everyday use
| Model | GL AR300M |
| Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 300 Mbps |
| Size | 2.28″ x 2.28″ x 2.28″ |
| Weight | 0.09 lb |
The GL.INET AR300M Mini Travel Router is for working professionals. It comes with pre-installed OpenWrt firmware and supports 20+ VPN service providers. You can have two WAN/LAN Ethernet ports, one USB 2.0, the Mode switch button, and Micro-USB for power.
It offers four types of connection modes; you can use Ethernet WAN, Wi-Fi Repeater, 3G/4G USB modem, or Tethering feature to use your phone as a modem. All these features make it one of the desirable portable routers and Amazon’s best-selling product. However, it’s a single-band Wi-Fi router with a maximum 300 Mbps transfer rate on 2.4 GHz.
So far, as compared to the other devices in our list, the GL AR300M offers the best features. The only drawback is; it needs a 5V/1A wall charger to power it up.
TRENDnet N150 Wireless Travel Router (TEW-714TRU)
Affordable Wireless Travel Extender with speed of 150 Mbps
| Model | TEW-714TRU |
| Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz |
| Max Wi-Fi Speed | 150 Mbps |
| Size | 3.2″ x 1.5″ x 2″ |
| Weight | 0.26 lb |
The TRENDnet Wireless N150 is more like a WiFi Extender. It’s a single-band Wi-Fi travel router with a maximum speed of 150 Mbps and IPv6 support. It comes with three interchangeable power plugs that include North America, UK, and Europe’s standards. The connection modes include Router via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, Access Point, and Repeater.
You can find a Reset button, Ethernet, and two USB ports on the bottom of the device. Out of two USB ports, one is for file sharing, and the other is for charging your mobile and tablet. On the left side, there are two dedicated buttons, one for WPS, and the other to switch between WISP, Router, and Repeater modes. Similarly, you can find the on-off power switch on the right side of the router. Unfortunately, it can only be powered on via wall switches, which makes it more like a Wi-Fi Extender than a travel router. However, for the price of $15, this is one of the cheapest portable wireless routers on our list.
Buying Guide for Portable Wireless Travel Routers
Before buying a wireless travel router, you must consider the following guide at the time of purchase:
Size and Weight of a Router
It would be best if you make sure the portable router you are buying is small and lightweight to carry around. It is vital to purchase a device that is compact to fit in your pocket or a bag. All the above Wi-Fi routers are handy enough to move around in your laptop sleeve.
Security Encryption
It is essential to buy a portable router that offers WPA2 security encryption. The Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 is considered the most secure method of safeguarding your wireless connection. CISCO also recommends it. Now there are standard WPA3 routers, but there isn’t any travel wireless router we found during our research that supports WPA3 Encryption.
VPN Support
For those who travel for business and office work, a VPN-enabled router is the best option. If you don’t know what a VPN is, please consider reading our article for a brief introduction. It bypasses the ISP traffic logging system and connects you to a secure private network. But it’s not just limited to protect your privacy; it also allows you to unblock websites, torrents, and Netflix’s content. However, it depends on your VPN service provider; we recommend you go for ExpressVPN.
Speed and Range
If you like to stream 4K videos, download large files, or play online games on your laptop or console. It would be best if you have a wireless router that provides at least a 300 Mbps data transfer rate on Wi-Fi. The dual-band travel routers in our list offer up to 433 Mbps, which is fast enough for streaming 4K movies on Netflix. Similarly, the 2.4 GHz bandwidth can give you better range coverage to cover long-distance WiFi on 802.11ac standard.
Benefits of a Travel Router
- It creates a private, secure Wi-Fi connection on a free public hotspot or a hotel internet connection.
- You don’t need to add your devices to new Wi-Fi networks.
- It hides your connected devices on public WiFi and bypasses the limit of devices on a network.
- It allows you to turn a wired internet or 3G/4G USB dongle into wireless.
- You can even connect your SD Card, SSD, HDD, or Flash drives to a travel router.
- Some of them also include the WiFi Tethering feature to turn your smartphone into a 3G/4G modem.
- Travel routers can also be used as wireless extenders in your home or office to remove Wi-Fi dead spots.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this topic, we tried to answer all the crucial questions and concerns of a consumer regarding portable routers.
In uncomplicated terms, it’s just like the Wi-Fi router that you have in your home. It’s small and portable, which makes it suitable for carrying around while traveling. However, the core features are the same standard wireless router.
A portable router is a simple solution to connect and manage your devices in public Wi-Fi networks. No matter where you are, at the airport, hotel, or on a cruise for vacation, a travel router gives you secure wireless network access.
It is a fully functional wireless router, like the one in your home or office. In router mode, it allows you to convert wired, Wi-Fi, or 3G/4G USB modem into wireless connection. Other features include Extender, Bridge, and Access Point which will enable you to expand the existing WiFi singles for better coverage and speed.
Yes, most modern travel routers use WPA2 Encryption to secure your Wi-Fi connection. Moreover, these portable routers come with firewall security to protect you from DDoS Attacks and unauthorized access to your network.
Not necessarily you can use any Wi-Fi hotspot to connect to the internet. However, since it’s a fully functional wireless router you can use an Ethernet cable as well.
No, a travel wireless router doesn’t require a SIM card for an internet connection. However, you can use a 4G modem with some of these portable routers. In short, it works as a WiFi Extender to boost your network connection.
The RAV FileHub App is available for free on both Android and iOS devices. You can find it by searching for RAV FileHub on Google Play or App Store.
I live in rural area. I need a router that will convert a cell signal into a wifi signal. Little or no cell signal at home. I have to go about a mile away to get cell signal. (Higher elevation). I need a router that is battery powered. I need router I can use in my truck.