The 16 Best Portable Wifi Routers in 2023

There are numerous travel routers available on the market right now, with a variety of costs and functions. The best portable wifi routers you choose depend on your budget and the features you need, but any of the models listed below would be a suitable choice.

Here is a review outlining the salient features of our top recommendations if you want a quick summary of the best portable wifi routers.

1. TP-Link TL-WR902AC AC750 Travel Router - Best Overall

One of the finest portable routers we've ever used is the TL-WR902AC from TP-Link, which is especially amazing given its size and cost. You can set up your own Wi-Fi bubble pretty much anywhere with this device because it is small enough to be put in a pocket, backpack, or suitcase and only weighs 8 ounces. Its dimensions are 2.64 x 2.91 x 0.9 inches.

The TL-WR902AC provides remarkable dual-band Wi-Fi performance for a tiny gadget. It is also incredibly flexible because it can be used as a bridge to link a wired device to a wireless network by using its integrated Ethernet port in the opposite direction, as well as a range extender, a private Wi-Fi hotspot, or as a router to create a wireless network.

You may transfer media and files from a removable USB storage device using an integrated USB port, which can also supply up to 2A of passthrough power to recharge your tablet or smartphone. The only significant drawback is that the port placement can be a little inconvenient because the Ethernet port is located opposite from the USB and microUSB power ports. 

FEATURES:

• Wireless Spec: 802.11ac 

• Standard/Speed: AC750 

• Bands: Dual-band 

• Security: WPA2 

• Beamforming: No 

• MU-MIMO: No 

• Wired Ports: 1

PROS:

• Small size is perfect for regular travelers

• Reasonably priced

• Doubles as a Wi-Fi extender

CONS:

• Provided cables are short

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2. Netgear Nighthawk MR1100 Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE Router - Best Splurge

Although it's not the most economical choice on our list, it's well worth the investment if you need to connect multiple devices to the internet at lightning-fast rates from virtually anywhere.

The Netgear Nighthawk MR1100 travel router can easily manage your entire family or project team with support for up to 20 devices simultaneously. In addition, unlike other travel routers on this list, this one also functions as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot. This means that even if there aren't any other Wi-Fi or Ethernet connections nearby, you'll be able to join its Wi-Fi network and access the internet. It can deliver internet speeds that can compete with your home broadband connection because it is the first mobile hotspot to enable Gigabit LTE, 4X4 MIMO, and four-band Carrier Aggregation.

However, the MR1100 also functions as a conventional portable router, so it's not just about LTE. You can share access from a standard internet connection to your Wi-Fi devices by simply plugging it into the Ethernet port. You can monitor the router's status and your data usage thanks to a sizable 2.4-inch color LCD screen. A maximum of a day can pass before the rechargeable battery needs to be charged. In an emergency, you can even utilize some of that capacity to charge your cellphone or other mobile gadgets. 

FEATURES:

• Wireless Spec: 802.11ac/4G LTE 

• Standard/Speed: AC750 

• Bands: Dual-band 

•  Security: WPA2 

• Beamforming: No 

• MU-MIMO: No 

• Wired Ports: 1

PROS:

• Great choice for frequent internet users

• Up to 20 Wi-Fi devices can be supported simultaneously

• Battery life is Long battery 

• Doubles as a mobile hotspot

CONS:

• Very pricey

• Can sometimes overheat

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3. TP-Link TL-WR802N N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router - Best Range

The TL-WR802N, an older single-band router from TP-Link, stands out by providing a surprising amount of range for its compact size. Even though the single-band N300 rating isn't going to break any speed records, it nevertheless provides more than enough speed for lag-free 4K Netflix streaming and continuous Zoom video conferences.

The 300Mbps 802.11n speeds of the TL-WR802N travel router, like most others, are likely to be quicker than the internet connections at most hotels and conference centers you may find yourself in. However, it is meant for use by one or two users while you're on the go. You won't have to be worried about losing connection while moving around the boardroom because this little, pocket-sized router provides excellent coverage.

You won't need to be worried about how to power the N300 because it receives its power from a micro USB port that can be connected to a wall charger or even a laptop. The N300 can also serve as a repeater, Wi-Fi client, or even an extender for a public WISP hotspot. The major shortcoming is that it doesn't have a USB port like its dual-band sibling, the TL-WR902AC, so you can't use it to share data.

FEATURES:

• Wireless Spec: 802.11n 

• Standard/Speed: N300 

• Bands: Single-band

•  Security: WPA2 

• Beamforming: No 

• MU-MIMO: No 

• Wired Ports: 1

PROS:

• Rapid single-band Wi-Fi performance

• Low price

• Simple setup

CONS:

• Lacks USB port

• Not the quickest internet speeds when connected to many devices

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3. GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel Router - Best Security

The GL-AR750S portable router from GL.iNet is surprisingly powerful and flexible for power users while still being fairly simple to use. You receive a basic dual-band Wi-Fi router as well as at least three Gigabit Ethernet ports right out of the box, which enables you to connect wired devices.

Advanced users will recognize how much more this one offers, though, as it makes use of the flexible OpenWrt firmware and comes pre-installed with both OpenVPN and WireGuard. This indicates that it is prepared to act as a VPN gateway to safeguard your online privacy, which is crucial while browsing from unsecure locations like hotel rooms and airport lounges. In addition, regardless of whether you're using a VPN service or not, it automatically uses Cloudflare's encrypted DNS servers for more security and has 25 prominent VPN service providers pre-configured.

As if the three Ethernet ports weren't sufficient, the router also includes an integrated USB 2.0 connector and a microSD card slot for adding up to 128GB of storage to use it as a mobile file server or connecting external storage devices.

FEATURES:

• Wireless Spec: 802.11ac 

• Standard/Speed: AC750 

• Bands: Dual-band

•  Security: WPA2 

• Beamforming: No 

• MU-MIMO: No 

• Wired Ports: 3

PROS:

• Rapid download speeds

• Many connectivity options

• Outstanding VPN support

CONS:

• Can be complex to install

• Finicky in some configurations

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4. GL.iNet Mudi GL-E750 Portable 4G LTE Router - Best for Experienced Road Warriors

An excellent option for travelers who need to connect safely and consistently no matter where they end up.

If you're a somewhat experienced user, this router assures that you'll always have a safe and private connection to the internet with WireGuard encryption, support for numerous open source VPN protocols, and even Tor anonymous network routing. All of your traffic will be encrypted, whether it's sent via the hotel's shared network or your carrier's LTE network. You can even have an always-on tunnel back to your office or home network.

But it can also be used as a Wi-Fi access point, supported by dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz with a combined throughput of 733Mbps. Additionally, it includes a built-in battery that can last up to eight hours, a USB connector, and microSD card slots for sharing files with your connected devices. Since the router can be used anywhere, a built-in rechargeable battery is provided and is expected to last up to eight hours on a single charge.

FEATURES:

• Wireless Spec: 802.11ac / 4G LTE

• Standard/Speed: AC750 

• Bands: Dual-band

•  Security: WPA2 

• Beamforming: No 

• MU-MIMO: No 

• Wired Ports: 1

PROS:

• Functions as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot

• Open source

• Fantastic VPN support

CONS:

• Lacks external antenna

• Expensive

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Here is our thought on the best portable wifi routers. The TL-WR902AC from TP-Link provides the best value for your money by meeting all the criteria for usability, effectiveness, range, and features. The GL.iNet GL-AR750S is tough to beat if you're searching for something more adaptable that can protect your internet traffic from snoopers when using public hotspots because it comes ready to use as a VPN gateway straight out of the box.