Best Travel Routers in 2026: Picks by How You Travel

For most people, a good starting point is a small, USB-C-powered model like the GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) or its Wi-Fi 7 successor, the Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE). Pick the Beryl 7 if you run a VPN, the Mudi 7 (GL-E5800) if you need built-in 5G, and the ASUS RT-BE58 Go if your home network is already ASUS. All five are sold in the US by their makers or major US retailers, though stock varies.

This is a research-based guide. We have not tested these routers. The picks come from manufacturer spec sheets, FCC records and setup documentation, matched to specific needs. We don’t list prices because they change often and stock was patchy when we checked.

What a travel router does

A travel router connects to the Wi-Fi (or Ethernet port) in a hotel, rental or dorm, then creates your own private Wi-Fi network from it. Your phone, laptop, tablet and streaming stick all join your network, which keeps the same name and password wherever you go.

That solves three common problems:

• Sign-in pages. You sign in to the hotel portal once, from one device, instead of on every gadget. GL.iNet notes that “the hotel Wi-Fi will only recognize the travel router as a single device,” which also helps where hotels cap devices per room.
• Devices without a browser. A streaming stick or game console can’t easily get past a portal page. On your own network, it doesn’t have to.
• One VPN for everything. Run the VPN on the router, and every device behind it uses it.

What it can’t do is make the hotel’s internet faster. The Wi-Fi ratings below are maximum link rates between your devices and the router, not internet speed. If the hotel connection is slow, everything behind your router is slow too.

Do you actually need one?

Not always. The FTC says that “because of the widespread use of encryption, connecting through a public Wi-Fi network is usually safe,” since most sites and apps encrypt traffic. It also warns that encryption won’t protect you from a scam website. So a travel router is mainly about convenience and privacy, not a fix for a security emergency.

It’s worth buying if you travel with three or more devices, want a TV streaming stick to work in hotel rooms, rely on a VPN, or work from rentals where an Ethernet port gives a better connection than the Wi-Fi.

What the FCC router rule means for buyers

On March 23, 2026, the FCC added “routers produced in a foreign country, except routers which have been granted a Conditional Approval” by the Department of War or Department of Homeland Security to its Covered List. Covered equipment can’t receive new FCC equipment authorizations.

What it doesn’t do is pull existing models. According to a summary by the law firm Steptoe, routers the FCC previously authorized “can continue to be imported and sold,” and devices consumers already bought are unaffected. The FCC’s engineering office also waived its rules so routers authorized before March 23 can keep receiving software and firmware updates. A May 8, 2026 notice extended that waiver until January 1, 2029, according to the law firm Pillsbury.

For the brands in this guide:

• GL.iNet says the products it already sells in the US are unaffected and that it will keep shipping firmware and security updates. It also says four newer products, the Slate 7 Pro, Flint 4, Velica 7 mesh system and Mango 2, are unavailable in the US “until further notice.” In that statement, last updated September 22, 2026, GL.iNet said it was preparing to apply for an exemption.
• ASUS said on September 14, 2026 that it had secured Conditional Approval “across its entire consumer router portfolio.”

The practical rule: buy a model that is already authorized and on sale in the US, and be wary of brand-new, imported versions of models that GL.iNet or another maker says aren’t available here.

Quick picks

The models, by need

GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000): a simple, compact all-rounder

The Beryl AX is a Wi-Fi 6 router with a 2.5G WAN port and a 1G LAN port, a USB 3.0 port, and USB-C power at 5V/3A. GL.iNet lists it at 120 x 83 x 34 mm and 196 g, with power draw under 8 W. Its FCC authorization (FCC ID 2AFIW-MT3000) dates to January 19, 2023, so it predates the Covered List rule.

GL.iNet lists Wi-Fi link rates of 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 2,402 Mbps on 5 GHz. Its own VPN figures are up to 300 Mbps with WireGuard and 150 Mbps with OpenVPN, measured in client mode on a local network. Its 5V/3A input also means it doesn’t need a high-wattage USB-C charger.

Best for: most travelers who want hotel Wi-Fi sharing and a VPN without paying for Wi-Fi 7.

GL.iNet Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE): fast VPN on every device

GL.iNet calls the Beryl 7 the Beryl AX’s successor. It became available to order on February 3, 2026, and its FCC authorization (2AFIW-MT3600BE) was granted December 24, 2025. GL.iNet’s statement on the FCC rule names the Beryl 7 among the US-launched models that remain eligible for updates.

It moves to dual-band Wi-Fi 7 (688 Mbps on 2.4 GHz, 2,882 Mbps on 5 GHz) and has two 2.5G Ethernet ports. The bigger change is VPN speed: GL.iNet’s datasheet lists up to 1,100 Mbps with WireGuard and 1,000 Mbps with OpenVPN (DCO). That’s more than three times the Beryl AX’s WireGuard figure, though GL.iNet states client-mode test conditions for the Beryl AX and not for the Beryl 7. It’s the same size as the Beryl AX and weighs 205 g. It accepts USB-C power at 5V/3A, 9V/3A or 12V/2.5A.

Best for: people who keep a VPN on all the time, or who plug into fast wired connections at rentals or offices.

GL.iNet Slate 7 (GL-BE3600): on-device status and controls

The Slate 7 has the same Wi-Fi 7 link rates as the Beryl 7, two 2.5G ports and a USB 3.0 port, plus a touchscreen that shows the connection mode and status, and foldable antennas. It measures 130 x 91 x 34 mm and weighs 295 g, more than the Beryl models.

On paper, it’s slower than the Beryl 7 for VPN use: GL.iNet lists up to 490 Mbps with WireGuard and 385 Mbps with OpenVPN (DCO), in client mode. The reason to choose it is the screen, which shows the connection status and, according to GL.iNet, lets you toggle the VPN without opening an app.

GL.iNet’s own US store listed the Slate 7 as sold out when we checked on October 18, 2026. If you find it elsewhere, buy the US version from an established retailer.

Best for: people who want to see what the router is doing at a glance.

GL.iNet Mudi 7 (GL-E5800): internet where there’s no Wi-Fi

The Mudi 7 is a different kind of device: a 5G mobile hotspot and travel router in one. The North American version has a Qualcomm X72 5G modem, two nano-SIM slots plus an eSIM, a 5,150 mAh battery, a 2.8-inch touchscreen and a 2.5G Ethernet port. It’s also the only tri-band Wi-Fi 7 model here, with a 6 GHz band GL.iNet rates at 5,764 Mbps. GL.iNet says the Mudi 7 is FCC-certified, and its FCC authorization (2AFIW-E5800) was granted February 13, 2026.

GL.iNet claims “up to 13.5hrs” of battery life but doesn’t say under what conditions, so treat that as a best case. GL.iNet’s US product page also doesn’t list carrier certifications. Before buying, check that your carrier will activate the device on your plan, and that the plan allows hotspot use.

Best for: RVs, road trips and remote work where hotel or rental Wi-Fi isn’t available or reliable. It’s overkill if you only stay in hotels.

ASUS RT-BE58 Go: a match for an ASUS home network

The RT-BE58 Go is ASUS’s Wi-Fi 7 travel router, announced August 5, 2025. It has the same 688 Mbps and 2,882 Mbps link rates as the GL.iNet Wi-Fi 7 models, a 2.5G WAN port and a 1G LAN port, a USB-A port for phone tethering, and USB-C power. ASUS lists it at 232 g.

Its advantage is the ASUS ecosystem: ASUS lists its ASUSWRT web interface and the ASUS Router app for management, and it supports WireGuard and OpenVPN as a client or server, and can act as an AiMesh node, so it can join an ASUS mesh network when you’re home. ASUS doesn’t publish VPN throughput figures for it, so we can’t compare its VPN speed with GL.iNet’s. ASUS says its whole consumer router portfolio has Conditional Approval, though its announcement doesn’t name individual models.

Best for: households already using ASUS routers.

Specs side by side

Wi-Fi figures are each maker’s listed maximum link rates per band, not real-world throughput. VPN figures are manufacturer claims, and test conditions vary by maker.

Wi-Fi 7 helps most when your laptop and phone also support it and the connection feeding the router is fast. If the hotel’s connection is slower than your Wi-Fi link, the hotel sets the limit, whichever Wi-Fi standard you use. Our Wi-Fi 6E vs. Wi-Fi 7 guide explains when the newer standard pays off.

Setting one up in a hotel

The basic steps are similar across brands: join the router’s own Wi-Fi, open its app or admin page, choose repeater (or WISP) mode, pick the hotel network, then sign in to the portal.

GL.iNet’s documentation, updated August 24, 2026, adds a few specifics for portals that don’t appear:

• On firmware 4.6 or later, turn on Auto-Enable Login Mode for Public Hotspots on the Join Network page.
• If the portal still won’t load, temporarily turn off the router’s VPN and AdGuard Home, and turn off DNS rebinding protection.
• If the hotel ties access to a device, clone the Wi-Fi address your phone used to sign in (Internet > Repeater > Modify > MAC Mode > Clone on firmware 4.6 or later).

GL.iNet warns that its login mode “may leak your network activity to the hotspot provider,” because it pauses some protections while you sign in. Turn your VPN back on afterward. Some hotels with strict verification may still block it; GL.iNet suggests asking staff to approve the router’s factory default address instead.

Our guide to the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands helps if a smart plug or older device won’t join your travel network.

Keep it updated

A travel router connects to networks you don’t control, so firmware updates matter. GL.iNet says it will keep providing updates for its US models, and the FCC’s waiver allows updates for routers authorized before March 23, 2026 until at least January 1, 2029. Check for updates before each trip; our guide on whether your router is still getting security updates shows how. Change the default Wi-Fi and admin passwords on day one, too.

Sources and verification

Bottom line

Start with the Beryl AX if you just want hotel Wi-Fi on all your devices, and step up to the Beryl 7 if you run a VPN. Buy the Mudi 7 only if you need cellular internet, and the RT-BE58 Go if you live in the ASUS ecosystem. Whatever you choose, buy a US version of a model that’s already on sale here, and update it before you leave.