5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Go On Vacation Without A Travel Router

A travel router, as the name suggests, is one that you use while traveling, and there are several reasons you should travel with one. Typically priced around $50–100, a travel router connects to an available network and expands connectivity across all your devices. This way, you don’t have to individually connect your devices — whether it’s your laptop, smartphone, or gaming console — to a public network, which can sometimes be a hassle, especially in hotels and cafes. This becomes even more frustrating when there’s a limit to the number of devices you can connect. Apart from that, a travel router adds a layer of security, hiding your devices on the network. Modern travel routers also feature built-in VPN connectivity, further boosting security.

Unlike traditional home routers, travel routers are generally more compact. So carrying them is generally not a problem. Some are battery-powered, many rely on USB connections, and others need to be plugged into a wall socket. It goes without saying that battery- and USB-powered routers tend to be better choices for most people, given that these can be used anywhere, even in remote locations. Depending on the battery size, a travel router can last up to a full day of use.

If you have been on the fence about getting a travel router, you probably should go for one for convenience, security, and reliability. And when you are not traveling, you can use the travel router as a Wi-Fi extender to boost signal strength inside the house.

Connecting to public Wi-Fi networks or ones in hotel rooms can sometimes be inconvenient. First, you need to connect each device individually. And if you are always on the move, you will have to connect them every time. Additionally, you might need to log into some networks before you can actually access the internet. A travel router eliminates the need for this. You simply connect your travel router to the network, and your smartphones and laptops can effortlessly connect to it, every time, no matter where you are.

Also, with your travel router acting as a central hub for all connected devices, changes you make to the network settings apply across devices. You don’t need to configure things for every device individually. For frequent travelers, this saves a lot of time and effort, especially if they travel with multiple devices. If the router features a USB port, you can connect a flash drive or an HDD/SSD, and every device on the network will be able to access files on it, just like with a Network Attached Storage (NAS).

For years, experts have been warning about the risks of public Wi-Fi networks available at airports and restaurants. Hackers can intercept the data being transmitted on the network to identify your device, the websites you visit, and the information you share. Public Wi-Fi networks that don’t require a password to connect pose a greater risk. A travel router significantly minimizes this by acting as an intermediary. Since the router is connected to the public network, it will be the only one that is visible, not your individual devices. But this alone doesn’t guarantee complete security.

It’s advised that you use a VPN when connected to a public network. And many modern travel routers come with native VPN functionalities. Keep in mind that there are two types of travel routers in this context — ones that are VPN-compatible and others that support built-in VPN. A VPN-compatible router supports VPN, but you need to manually set it up, often by installing firmware or with other slightly complicated methods. On the other hand, a router with built-in VPN either supports VPN protocols like WireGuard or comes with a pre-loaded VPN service. For regular users, travel routers with built-in VPN are the smarter choice.

Some travel routers also allow you to set up guest networks for untrusted devices, which is particularly helpful when you are sharing a room with someone. Then, there are other security-oriented features like NextDNS and DNS-over-TLS.

Sometimes, you come across networks that only allow a limited number of devices to connect. For instance, hotel Wi-Fi can limit the number of connections to two to three per room. And you instantly hit that limit as soon as you connect your laptop and smartphone. To connect more devices, you are typically required to pay an extra charge. If you are traveling with someone, this can be a real challenge and quickly add to the overall expense. But with a travel router, you can easily bypass this limit.

When you use a travel router, it’s the only device connecting to the network, and every other device is connected through it. This means that you can connect as many devices as you want, as long as they are within your router’s device limit. For frequent travelers who often run into these limits and are forced to pay additional charges, a travel router can be a real money-saver.

One of the biggest challenges while traveling is finding a decent network, one that’s stable and reliable. Even when you find one, the signal strength plays a major role and you can’t always get closer to the router. That’s where a travel router truly shines. It connects to the network, and then acts as a standalone router, boosting signal strength for all your devices.

If you have an unlimited data SIM, you can also use your phone to create a hotspot and then connect the router to it. This setup is particularly helpful when there are too many devices to connect, because as you add more devices, mobile hotspots tend to become less reliable. Some travel routers also feature a SIM card slot, eliminating the need to use your smartphone altogether. You can simply plug the SIM into the router and create a mobile hotspot anywhere, as long as there’s network coverage.

Apart from that, some modern travel routers use load balancing to automatically handle bandwidth allocation when connected to more than one network. This results in a more stable connection. For example, if the travel router is connected to a mobile hotspot and a public network, it will split traffic from your devices between the two, and even fall back on one if the other is down.

Sometimes, Wi-Fi is not an option and all you have is an Ethernet cable. For instance, some hotels still have an Ethernet cable in rooms. And while these are fast and reliable, you can only connect your laptop to it, and that too if the laptop features a LAN port or you have a suitable adapter. A travel router can help here too. Some models feature an Ethernet port designed for this use case. All you need to do is plug the cable into the router’s Ethernet port, and it will instantly transform that wired connection into your personal Wi-Fi network. You can then connect all your devices to it.

If that’s not an option but you still have an unlimited data SIM, you can use USB tethering. In case your router has a USB port, connect your phone to it, allow data sharing between the two, and the router will essentially transform that connection into a hotspot. As it is a wired connection, USB tethering is faster than a hotspot in most cases. So, if you are aiming for faster speed, this could make a big difference.