Looking for a travel router

michty_me · 1 Aug 2023 at 21:23

I'm currently in the market for a travel router and have been eyeing up something from GL.inet.
Mainly for the compact size, I can route traffic via a VPN(wireguard) in it etc and a bit more protection when connecting to networks abroad.
I do currently own a Netgear Trek that I used when travelling to Asia and Africa but I would imagine that is well outdated now.

I've mainly been recommended the Beryl AX but probably overkill. Any thoughts?

Caged · 1 Aug 2023 at 21:41

The Beryl AX has a fairly average dual core MediaTek CPU in, the Slate AX (GL-AXT1800) has a quad core Qualcomm chip and costs the same.

You're not really going to be able to go a whole lot cheaper and have something that you'd want to use for VPN. Having OpenWrt underneath the GUI is a good feature as well if you want to do anything more advanced.

michty_me · 2 Aug 2023 at 06:15

Caged said:
The Beryl AX has a fairly average dual core MediaTek CPU in, the Slate AX (GL-AXT1800) has a quad core Qualcomm chip and costs the same.

You're not really going to be able to go a whole lot cheaper and have something that you'd want to use for VPN. Having OpenWrt underneath the GUI is a good feature as well if you want to do anything more advanced.

I originally enquired about the slate AX and was advised to go for the beryl. I'll find the thread but on paper the slate should be superior.

Maybe it had something to do with proprietary software only on one and the ability to put just openwrt on the other.

I'm just going back and forward with it at the minute and actually wondering if it will even get much use at all.

michty_me · 2 Aug 2023 at 16:46

Caged said:
The Beryl AX has a fairly average dual core MediaTek CPU in, the Slate AX (GL-AXT1800) has a quad core Qualcomm chip and costs the same.

You're not really going to be able to go a whole lot cheaper and have something that you'd want to use for VPN. Having OpenWrt underneath the GUI is a good feature as well if you want to do anything more advanced.

I've done a bit of revisiting on the slate and it appears the slate plus has some pretty good Openwrt support. Do you have any thoughts on that model GL-A1300?

img · 2 Aug 2023 at 20:23

I got my beryl ax delivered yesterday. Liked how i can power it from car as i want to share mobile connection between my kids along with share the camp sites wireless as ypu only get 2 devices. So far juat tested on my home and it worked as expected. Will see about vpn next

michty_me · 2 Aug 2023 at 21:12

img said:
I got my beryl ax delivered yesterday. Liked how i can power it from car as i want to share mobile connection between my kids along with share the camp sites wireless as ypu only get 2 devices. So far juat tested on my home and it worked as expected. Will see about vpn next

Please update with your thoughts as you use it more, Im pretty interested in hearing how you get on with it.
I'm looking at the slate plus currently.

michty_me · 2 Aug 2023 at 21:50

Edit: never mind, after vat etc it still comes to the same price as being sold on the rainforest place.

mi9tchy · 2 Aug 2023 at 22:43

ive got one of the slate ax1800 and the wifi range was pretty good for a portable router havent tried the VPN settings on it

michty_me · 2 Aug 2023 at 23:06

mi9tchy said:
ive got one of the slate ax1800 and the wifi range was pretty good for a portable router havent tried the VPN settings on it

Ah yeah, think that's the latest slate version?
I believe it's slightly larger than the Beryl AX.
What's your uses for it if you don't mind me asking?

michty_me · 3 Aug 2023 at 16:08

I think I may opt for the slate plus after all. Still the quad core CPU albeit a little slower, Decent wireguard speeds of 170mbps and Wifi will be more than sufficient for the devices connected.

mi9tchy · 3 Aug 2023 at 16:22

michty_me said:
Ah yeah, think that's the latest slate version?
I believe it's slightly larger than the Beryl AX.
What's your uses for it if you don't mind me asking?

running a local network with no internet with a load of ipads connecting to it

img · 4 Aug 2023 at 23:39

michty_me said:
Please update with your thoughts as you use it more, Im pretty interested in hearing how you get on with it.
I'm looking at the slate plus currently.

Today i tried out the nordvpn which has some integration. I changed the location though the app on my ohone and then watched some amc via the us.

michty_me · 5 Aug 2023 at 08:07

img said:
Today i tried out the nordvpn which has some integration. I changed the location though the app on my ohone and then watched some amc via the us.

Sounds good! Thanks for the feedback. How quick is it in the software itself? Quick and responsive or a bit laggy at times?

Troop · 5 Aug 2023 at 11:01

I run 2 of the Beryl AX GL-MT3000, great piece of kit. not had any problems with them, both running Wireguard VPN . (Windscribe)

Scott C · 5 Aug 2023 at 11:36

I’d also recommend GL.iNet, I had a GL-MT1300 that was solid the few times I did use it

img · 5 Aug 2023 at 13:53

michty_me said:
Sounds good! Thanks for the feedback. How quick is it in the software itself? Quick and responsive or a bit laggy at times?

Its as speedy as any other decent router. Its not like you spend more than a minute changing settings normally.

michty_me · 5 Aug 2023 at 14:20

Troop said:
I run 2 of the Beryl AX GL-MT3000, great piece of kit. not had any problems with them, both running Wireguard VPN . (Windscribe)

Good to know, I'll also be utilising windscribe as a VPN too.

Scott C said:
I’d also recommend GL.iNet, I had a GL-MT1300 that was solid the few times I did use it

Thanks, good to know. GL.inet it is then.

img said:
Its as speedy as any other decent router. Its not like you spend more than a minute changing settings normally.

Yeah fair comment to be honest.

img · 5 Aug 2023 at 22:29

just fyi tested usb tethering which worked no problem. You can have wisp and it running at the same time it seems.

michty_me · 5 Aug 2023 at 23:47

img said:
just fyi tested usb tethering which worked no problem. You can have wisp and it running at the same time it seems.

That's good to know, it seems these little devices have quite a lot of functions! I'm impressed!

img · 3 Sep 2023 at 21:22

Last update been using this for 3 weeks. Apart from once there was no internet from using repeater that needed disconnect and reconnect it worked no problem. I connected to a phone and powered it in car using a local country sim card. I did find when using the wifi repeater when connecting for the first time that had a login page that i couldnt get things working the first time until i disabled the vpn, once that was sorted it could be turned back on.