Journey routers are a little bit of a distinct segment merchandise, however there are many good causes to take your individual personal LAN with you if you journey all over the world, and even simply your individual nation. If you happen to’ve determined {that a} journey router is the proper gadget for you, there are some things value conserving in thoughts before you purchase.


1 Dimension and Weight

Small black router on an outdoor table
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The entire level of a travel router is that it is a lot smaller than a daily router, however offers all the similar capabilities. It may not have the identical vary, or the identical efficiency, however that is offset by its travel-friendly dimension. The trick is to discover a router that gives the correct mix of dimension and performance. How small you want your router to be will rely on our wants, however typically it ought to match on the highest of your palm, until you want one thing that you simply simply cannot discover in such a small kind issue. Other than being sufficiently small, it is an added bonus if the router folds up or is in any other case straightforward to pack away and take with you.


2 Battery Life

The Anker MagGo Power Bank with its charging cable-3
Sergio Rodriguez / How-To Geek

Most journey routers aren’t battery-powered, and cellular “routers” that do have inside batteries are normally mobile Wi-Fi hotspots that take a SIM card, however do not act as full-on routers. So battery life is not actually a consideration for a journey router typically. Since these gadgets are nearly all the time USB-powered, you will be plugging it right into a wall adapter, your laptop computer, or an influence financial institution. Getting an honest energy financial institution is a good suggestion nevertheless, since that may run a typical journey router for days if the capability is giant sufficient.

3 Ethernet

The Ethernet ports on the rear side of an internet router.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek


You will desire a journey router that gives extra than simply Wi-Fi, so ensure that there are at the very least just a few Ethernet ports. Why? Nicely for one factor it is quicker and extra personal to attach your gadgets with Ethernet, however primarily you will need the power to attach the Ethernet port in a resort room to your private router so you’ll be able to share the web reference to all of the gadgets in your room.

4 Wi-Fi Repeater Mode

This is without doubt one of the most helpful issues a journey router can do. Ensure that the router helps Wi-Fi repeater mode, as a way to enhance the energy of a Wi-Fi hotspot that is too distant for good sign. This occurs rather a lot in lodges with spotty mesh Wi-Fi, for instance. The antennas on the transportable router are rather more highly effective (and bigger) than these in your gadgets, so it will have a neater time of connecting to a distant Wi-Fi node.

5 Safety Options


Having a journey router is basically about higher safety to your gadgets, since your individual Wi-Fi is encrypted, however for those who’re nonetheless utilizing public web by way of your individual router, some vulnerabilities are nonetheless there. So a journey router that may run a VPN or has inbuilt malware safety and a sturdy firewall could be very enticing certainly.

6 Efficiency

A phone running an internet speed test.
Lucas Gouveia / Justin Duino / How-To Geek

There are two forms of efficiency that matter on the subject of any router. First is the community pace of the Ethernet ports and Wi-Fi. As of this writing, you should not accept something lower than gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6 or 6E. If you happen to resolve to go for one thing slower, then it should be for compelling causes similar to a deep clearance low cost or another options of the router that’s extra vital to you than pure pace.


The opposite sort of efficiency has to do with how briskly the processor within the router is, how a lot reminiscence it has, and so forth. It is not that significant to dwell on the precise numbers or specs, however it’s helpful to see if anybody has adverse issues to say about its efficiency when, for instance, working a built-in VPN or when a lot of gadgets are related directly.

7 USB Storage Assist

Lastly, one in all my favourite options for any router is USB storage support. This implies you’ll be able to hook up with an exterior onerous drive and have all of the gadgets in your native LAN share the contents on it. It is like having your individual NAS wherever you go. Some routers may assist USB mobile modems, or at the very least particular fashions. Which suggests you do not have to make use of your telephone as a hotspot.


These are what I might think about the important thing standards for these Lilliputian community gadgets, however as all the time, there’s extra nuance to discover. If you happen to get the basics proper, nevertheless, likelihood is you will have a journey companion for a few years to return.


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