Good portable router

[Spaghetti_Jack]

Good portable router

Hey, after having RT-AX88U or RT-AX86U, I wonder if there could be another powerful, high quality router - but one that is SMALL (portable),
with space to load your own firmware,
with the possibility to use either "ipSec" or "OpenVPN" technologies.
Maybe even with the possibility of a SIM card port.

Do you have something in mind that you can recommend?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Look at travel routers. Small usually means limited throughput, especially with VPN traffic.

These are quite popular: https://www.gl-inet.com/products/

 

[Tech9]

I've purchased this one to see what it is:

GL-AR750S-Ext / Slate

For the frequent travellers, Slate is the perfect portable Wi-Fi router, keeping your connection private & secure, supported by multiple VPN services.

www.gl-inet.com

Works okay for what it is with the default OpenWRT based firmware. Custom firmware not needed. No SIM card option. Has WISP (Wireless ISP), but may have issues with portal login options (like most travel routers with WISP). Setting VPN is easy, Wireguard is supported. It uses one radio to connect to public Wi-Fi and the other to create a small private Wi-Fi network. The range is good enough for a large room. Power bank can be used for power.

 

[CaptainSTX]

I've purchased this one to see what it is:

GL-AR750S-Ext / Slate

For the frequent travellers, Slate is the perfect portable Wi-Fi router, keeping your connection private & secure, supported by multiple VPN services.

www.gl-inet.com

Works okay for what it is with the default OpenWRT based firmware. Custom firmware not needed. No SIM card option. Has WISP (Wireless ISP), but may have issues with portal login options (like most travel routers with WISP). Setting VPN is easy, Wireguard is supported. It uses one radio to connect to public Wi-Fi and the other to create a small private Wi-Fi network. The range is good enough for a large room. Power bank can be used for power.

No SIM card option but according to product literature you can plug a Wireless USB modem into the USB port on this router. Might be able to tether to a phone. No actual experience with this product but tempting to order to replace current travel router.

 

[Tech9]

I don't use this router and I don't have any USB modems to test with. The whole travel router thing is not guaranteed. If the public wireless network is using some Google/Facebook login, it may not work. Tethering is device compatibility dependent. Android phone may work to USB, as well as phone Hotspot to WISP. This type of routers provide options, but the user has to find the way to use them according to specific conditions. Not exactly PnP.

Check the newer models, they may offer some new tricks.

 

[ColinTaylor]

They do do LTE versions but they're pretty weak. I don't think the OP can have small and powerful. He has to decide on one or the other.

GL-E750 / Mudi

VPN encrypted pocket Wi-Fi. Supports 4G LTE network, 30+ VPN services, and a durable battery.

www.gl-inet.com

 

[CaptainSTX]

Biggest issue I have with travel routers since hotels eliminated putting Ethernet jacks in their rooms is the WiFi in many rooms is weak and the bandwidth is also low. Running a VPN on a PC, slows the connection down even more making it almost impossible to stream video. Back in the day running a VPN using a wired connection was fine. It was very useful since hotels often block video streaming and when traveling overseas using a VPN often made it possible to get around geo blocking.