A router is the heart of a local network. Each network needs one router, and preferably no more than one.
At a minimum, a router includes a WAN port to connect to an Internet source and a few LAN ports for connecting local wired devices. Technically, a router is a layer 3 network switch.
Nowadays, the term “router” is often used to refer to a “Wi-Fi router” — one that has a built-in Wi-Fi access point. Consequently, we use “non-Wi-Fi” to refer to a standard router that lacks built-in Wi-Fi capability.
When it comes to getting connected on the go, turning on your phone’s Personal Hotspot feature is often enough. However, if you have a large number of devices that need a lot of bandwidth or advanced features, such as VPN, it’s best to get a mini travel router. This post …
The Nighthawk 5G M7 Portable WiFi Hotspot with eSIM (model MH7150), unveiled on November 17, 2025, is NETGEAR’s latest mobile router. From its name, which is a mouthful and leaves nothing to the imagination—I’ll cuts my fingers some slack and shorten it to “M7” or “Nighthawk 5G M7” from here …
Ubiquiti’s UniFi Travel Router (model UTR), first announced in late December 2025, is unlike any travel router I’ve seen. The little device combines modest specs with a sleek, practical design into an appealing package that ultimately proves to be a little too dated for modern times. While the UTR is …
If you’re looking for a compact travel router with two 2.5Gbps ports — one more than the ASUS RT-BE58 Go or the TP-Link TL-WR3602BE —the GL.iNet GL-BE3600 Slate 7 would be it. The name might not ring a bell—this is the first time you’ve seen the GL.iNet brand covered here—but this …
The ASUS RT-BE58 Go, first announced at CES 2025 and available in early November 2025, among other things, makes Wi-Fi 7 accessible even when you’re out and about. As an upgrade to the RT-AX57 Go, the new travel router comes with a familiar feature set as standard ASUS routers—you will …
TP-Link today announced the availability of the TL-WR3602BE travel router. First announced at the beginning of the year, this mobile router allows users Wi-Fi 7 connectivity while on the go, the first of its kind to do so for now, until others from competing vendors, such as the ASUS RT-BE58 …
The TL-WR3002X is TP-Link’s worthy upgrade to the previous TL-WR1502X that came out less than half a year ago. The new travel router shares the same design but has practically double the hardware specs. Here’s the bottom line: While not perfect, the TP-Link TL-WR3002X is an excellent router for connecting multiple …
The D-Link G530 5G NR AX3000 Wi-Fi 6 Router is a dilemma. It’s too physically large to be a mobile router and too limited and expensive to be a traditional standard router. With two Gigabit ports and entry-level Wi-Fi 6 specs, it’s hard for me to find where this bad …
Today, NETGEAR announced the availability of its latest mobile hotspot, the Nighthawk M7 Pro (model MR7400). It’s not the company’s first 5G cellular mobile router—there have been at least the M6 Pro and M6—but it’s the first to feature Wi-Fi 7. The support for the latest Wi-Fi can be a …
Summer is here, and if you’re looking for a compact travel router to bring on the go, the TP-Link TL-WR1502X, first available on May 29, can be a handy option. It’s a little AX1500 Wi-Fi 6 machine to keep your devices securely connected while you’re out and about, domestically or …
