Take it from me: a good, inexpensive, small travel router is hard to find. This $80 pocket-sized wireless N-compatible router may be just what the doctor ordered, assuming your doctor is progressive enough to write you prescriptions for computer peripherals.
The “Mini 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router” from ThinkGeek.com is being pitched as the “world’s smallest” and, at 2.5 inches wide by 3.25 inches long by 0.75 inches thick, that may very well be true.
According to the product description:
“It has a reset button, power port, one 10/100Mbps Wide Area Network Ethernet port, and an LED display that communicates power and link status. The router features convenient Access Point and Access Point Client modes. The latest in wireless encryption protects valuable data, while advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology delivers high speed wireless connectivity and broad coverage that minimizes dead spots.”
Looks like it might be worth a closer gander for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road.
Mini 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router [ThinkGeek.com]
Wow, thats cool. Wouldn’t mind picking up one of those myself.
This Trendnet product isn’t exactly breaking news, it’s been shipping for a couple of months now. The few reviews I found gave it high marks.
A quick search for “trendnet travel” on pricegrabber.com turned up half a dozen places you could get the thing for a lot less money than ThinkGeek.com.
There’s also a more “mature” B/G travel router from D-link (Wireless Pocket Router) that has a similar form factor and comes with the same kind of case and cables, but is $15 less than the best price found for the Trendnet Wireless N Travel Router. The similarities between the products make me suspect that the same ODM manufactures both for these companies.
I was interested in this product for an N access point on my home network. But 100Mbps to the LAN on a 300Mbps wireless router?! Sure it’s twice as fast as G and probably has better range, but it’s kind of crippled.
I would spend $20 more and get an Airport Express. Not only do you get Airtunes but if you’re traveling and it craps out on you, you can at least take it to the nearest Apple store. It also has different profiles for home/work/hotel/etc and you can administer it from an application (Win and Mac).