Here’s some exciting news for those looking to bring their home network along on a long road trip: Ubiquiti just announced its first UniFi Travel Router (model UTR).
From the look of it, the UTR seems interesting to say the least, combining modest specs with a sleek design. But that might just be all you’d need anyway. Let’s find out more!
Ubiquiti UniFi Travel Router: Will AC Wi-Fi be cool again?
The UniFi Travel router is a palm-sized device with a built-in 802.11ac access point. No, that wasn’t a typo! This little device is indeed a Wi-Fi 5 router.
When this now-dated wireless standard was mainstream over a decade ago, I called it “cool” partly punning on the “AC” in its technical name and mainly because it represented the then-most-significant leap in Wi-Fi connectivity compared to previous generations, both in performance and security.
As a matter of fact, there are still many Wi-Fi 5 devices today, and among them, those belonging to Wave 2, which is the majority of the remaining hardware, generally work well with modern routers and access points of all subsequent Wi-Fi standards.
And now, Wi-Fi 5 is back in the news, the first in years. It’s an interesting, if not a bold move from Ubiquiti, given that Wi-Fi 7 is now the norm and Wi-Fi 8 is on the horizon.
Truth be told, for a traveler, Wi-Fi 5 speed is sufficient. In fact, it can be a good thing because it’s less complicated, and Wi-Fi compatibility is a one-way street: clients of a newer standard never have trouble connecting to an access point of an older standard.
Notes on Wi-Fi and backward compatibility
Via extensive real-world Wi-Fi testing, it’s evident that newer isn’t always better when it comes to compatibility.
Specifically, Wi-Fi receivers (a.k.a. clients or devices) often work better with a Wi-Fi access point (standalone or housed in a router) of the same or an older standard than with one of a newer standard. The further away in generations, the worse things become.
For example, a Wi-Fi 4 client generally gets a faster connection speed from a Wi-Fi 4 router than a Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 access point of the same tier, and it can’t even connect to a Wi-Fi 7 access point.
However, the other way around is hardly an issue. You can connect a Wi-Fi 7 client to a Wi-Fi 4 or even older point, at the maximum supported performance.
In other words, Wi-Fi backward compatibility is often a concern on the broadcasting end, not the receiving end. Specifically, the older the Wi-Fi standard of an access point, the less likely it is to have compatibility issues.
Still, it’s safe to say the UTR is modest. According to Ubiquiti, it can deliver up to 866 Mbps on the 5GHz band, which is a dual-stream (2×2) specification. It has no novelty on the wired front, either, coming with two Gigabit ports. As a result, 1000Mbps is the maximum bandwidth you can get out of it.
Like many other travel routers, the UTR doesn’t have built-in cellular support or a battery. Instead, it comes with a USB-C port that features standard USB PD powering and another for tethering—you can use it to host a cellular modem or a smartphone as the mobile Internet source.
The table below shows the full hardware specifications of the UniFi Travel Router.
UniFi Travel Router: Hardware specifications
 | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | UniFi Travel Router |
| Model | UTR |
| Operating Roles | Wi-Fi Router VPN Client WISP mode Tethering mode |
| VPN (client only) | OpenVPN WireGuard Teleport |
| Antenna | 2x internal Wi-Fi antennas |
| Dimensions | 3.8 x 2.6 x 0.5″ (95.95 x 65 x 12.5 mm) |
| Weight | 3.1 oz (89 g) |
| Wi-Fi Bandwidth | Dual-band AC1200 |
| 5GHz (channel width) | 2×2 Wi-Fi 5: Up to 866Mbps (20/40/80MHz) |
| 2.4GHz (channel width) | 2×2 Wi-Fi 4: Up to 300Mbps (20/40MHz) |
| MIMO | Yes |
| Max. TX Power | 2.4G: 13 dBm 5G: 13 dBm |
| Gigabit Port | 2 |
| Power Method | USB-C, 5V/2A PD (adapter not included) |
| Max Power Consumption | 5W |
| Notable Design | 1.14″ status display |
| Release Date | December 29, 2025 |
| US Launch Cost (check current price) | $79 |
Ubiquiti UTR: An extension of a UniFi network
According to Ubiquiti, the UTR can act as a standard Wi-Fi router by using one of its Gigabit ports as the WAN (uplink) port. After that, it can also work in WISP mode to use an existing Wi-Fi network, such as one in a hotel, as its internet source. Alternatively, you can use its USB-C port to host a cellular device.
Tip
WISP stands for Wireless Internet Service Provider. It’s an operating mode in which a supported router receives an Internet connection via Wi-Fi and then distributes it to multiple devices via its own Wi-Fi network. It works similarly to a Wi-Fi extender (or repeater) with two added elements:
- The WISP router’s Wi-Fi network is shielded from the existing Internet-providing Wi-Fi network to keep its connected clients safe and private.
- The WISP router can handle an incoming Internet-enabled Wi-Fi connection that requires a particular authentication method, such as a captive portal or via a paid login account.
When you use a public Wi-Fi network or one with ambiguous security, WISP is recommended.
The point is that on the connectivity side, it works like a typical travel router, being flexible and all. What makes it totally different, however, is when you have a UniFi network at home, namely one hosted by a UniFi console (or “router”).
In this case, per Ubiquiti, the UTR can automatically act as an extension of your home network, regardless of its location, by connecting to your home via VPN, including support for Ubiquiti’s Teleport. As a result, it seems you can even bring other UniFi devices, such as IP cameras, with you on the go and have them work as though they were at home.
And this UniFi integration might be the biggest strength of the UniFi Travel Router, notwithstanding its modest hardware specs. After that, it has a second and important selling point: the cost.
Pricing and availability
According to Ubiquiti, the new UniFi Travel Router will be available later this month, starting on December 29, 2025, at a friendly price of only $79, making it among the least expensive travel routers.
If you’re looking for a practical, compact router to bring along on the go, put that date on the calendar to be the first to bring one home. Or you can check back after the holidays to see how it pans out in real-world testing.
Looking for something more “modern” in Wi-Fi specs? Check out the current top five travel routers below.
Top 5 best travel routers
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| Name | ASUS RT-BE58 Go’s Rating | TP-Link TL-WR3002X’s Rating | ASUS RT-AX57 Go’s Rating | GL.iNet GL-BE3600 Slate 7’s Rating | NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro’s Rating |
| Price | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rating | |||||
| Description | |||||
| Statistics | |||||
| Buy this product |
Wished it had dual 2.5G ethernet ports at maybe slightly higher price like $89
And maybe Wi-Fi 6. 🙂
For a travel router, though, I think these specs are acceptable.