Recommend a travel router/plug

[Sparx]

Hi guys, so I'd like a decent travel powerline plug or router. Mainly to use when away e.g. abroad or in hotels etc. Looking at things like TP-Link RE210 AC750, Belkin N300, TP-Link TL-WPA4220 AV600 and Netgear EX3700.

So I'd like to be able to either A.) plug in to hotel with RJ45 cable or B.) connect to hotel wifi, broadcast my own AP then connect my devices to it.

Just wondering if I did have to set up the plug/AP each time, I don't want to have to bring a laptop, connect it up to configure it. Is this necessary? If so I'm sure there are some that can use a mobile app, so I connect to the AP first then configure it.

Suggestions would be great. Cheers!

 

[Berserker]

What works - or doesn't - very much depends on the hotel. I've had success with hotels that have RJ45 jacks, but they're becoming rarer because it's far cheaper to deploy wi-fi than run cables everywhere (though some of the better hotels I've been in run the cables and put an AP in each room, which helps).

I suspect bridging wi-fi is going to be a pain (I haven't tried). Most hotels have some form of wi-fi sign-in process. If you need to sign-in to connect at all, then that's going to be a big problem when its the bridge itself trying to connect. If you can connect, but not browse, then you have more of a chance - though even then it depends on how the hotel identifies what has signed in.

Either way, you'll need some means to configure the bridge. If you can find one that has a browser-based, or app-based, configuration panel, you can leave the laptop at home.

PS - My AP/bridge is somewhat older than the options you mentioned, and I picked it up while in the US, so I can't help with recommending what to buy. That said, as it's for travelling, you may want to consider a USB-powered option. They're less bulky, and you're probably carrying a USB power supply anyway.

PPS - Just noticed you mentioned 'abroad'. I'd definitely get USB for that. While there's no reason why a plug-in bridge/AP couldn't be dual voltage, I'm not sure whether any of them actually are, and you'd have to use a travel adapter in any event. USB travel adapters are, on the other hand, cheap and easy to find (but get a good one - not from a pound shop or off the back of a Chinese lorry).

 

[the-evaluator]

I keep a pair of TP-Link WR702N's in my laptop bag for this purpose. I've also got a USB A to dual micro USB cable (it came from eBay) so that I can power then both from a single USB port.

Then I either use 1 of them to do NAT and create a wifi network in my hotel room (the WAN port is set to DHCP) if there's an RJ45 port. If not and there's hotel wifi I bridge the first router to the hotel network then use the second router do do NAT and wifi duties. Generally it works fine, I've used it all over the globe and I guess it's worked fine about 95% of the time.

Edit -As far as configuration goes, if there's an RJ45 socket in the room then as long as you've previously configured one of the routers (DHCP for WAN, NAT enabled, WiFi on) then you won't need to do any further configuring to get your own wifi devices connected. If you're bridging wifi then you need to connect to the web interface on the rotuers that's bridging and connect it to the hotel wifi. To do that you need to be connected to the ethernet port on the router so you'd need a device with an ethernet port to do that.

I suspect bridging wi-fi is going to be a pain (I haven't tried). Most hotels have some form of wi-fi sign-in process. If you need to sign-in to connect at all, then that's going to be a big problem when its the bridge itself trying to connect. If you can connect, but not browse, then you have more of a chance - though even then it depends on how the hotel identifies what has signed in.

Bridging should be fine, it's the norm for hotel networks to use the MAC address to identify the connecting device so they'll see the MAC of the nano router as the client.

Some time ago on here someone linked to an all in one device that would do the bridging, NAT, wifi and so on. I'll see if I can find the link.

 

[Steve_bullockuk]

Out of interest, what is the reason for this or is it the obvious response? Isn't it something a VPN can deal with?

 

[the-evaluator]

Out of interest, what is the reason for this or is it the obvious response? Isn't it something a VPN can deal with?

For me it was about being able to connect multiple devices when the hotel network uses some form of authentication that needs one username & password per device but they're unwilling to give multiple credentials out.

Nothing to do with a VPN at all.

 

[the-evaluator]

Some time ago on here someone linked to an all in one device that would do the bridging, NAT, wifi and so on. I'll see if I can find the link.

I found the device in question, it's the Hootoo HT-TM-02 travel router but looking at the specs I don't think it'll do NAT when acting as a wireless bridge so the hotel wifi network would see each device that you connected to your wifi which may complicate things when there's a captive portal.

 

[Steve_bullockuk]

For me it was about being able to connect multiple devices when the hotel network uses some form of authentication that needs one username & password per device but they're unwilling to give multiple credentials out.

Nothing to do with a VPN at all.

That makes sense and seems like a good work around.

 

[Berserker]

Bridging should be fine, it's the norm for hotel networks to use the MAC address to identify the connecting device so they'll see the MAC of the nano router as the client.

My comment was because I hadn't thought of using two of them to solve the MAC address problem with NAT. Nice solution!

I think I may have one of those WR702Ns somewhere, as well.

 

[Caged]

Some reviews suggest that this:

http://www.netgear.co.uk/home/products/networking/wifi-range-extenders/PR2000.aspx

Can connect to a hotel Wi-Fi network, provide access via a private SSID that you can create, as well as working with captive portals.

 

[Sparx]

For me it was about being able to connect multiple devices when the hotel network uses some form of authentication that needs one username & password per device but they're unwilling to give multiple credentials out.

Nothing to do with a VPN at all.

@Steve_bullockuk yep exact reason as above mentioned. Essentially it would help me broadcast my own AP (better signal) for other devices i.e. tablets, phones etc in the room. Also to avoid any 'pay to use wifi' when I can just do it for one device etc.

@Caged looks to be a discontinued product, shame!

Looks like the TP Link mentioned has a model up now in plug form, the TL-WR810N - might go for this...

 

[Caged]

Be careful of getting something in plug form - if you travel abroad you might end up with a travel adapter that blocks the adjacent outlet, or the weight of the device is too much for the adapter to hold into the outlet. I've also seen sockets with minimal clearance between a desk surface and the socket, so a router with a large amount of casing hanging down under the plug wouldn't fit. I have had issues when I used to travel with an old AirPort Express and it just not physically fitting in certain hotels.

I think you're better off with something that can be powered via a micro USB - then you can use any phone charger or even run it off a battery pack if required.

 

[the-evaluator]

^

I started off using an Airport Express but soon ran in the same problem. The TP-Link routers I use are great as they're tiny so chew up minimal space in my laptop bag and are USB powered.

That said, I haven't used them for quite some time as my EE contract means when I'm travelling in the EU (which is all I do these days - no long haul any more) Ican use data from my UK allowance so I tether to my iPhone now instead.