Networking review · Sponsored by TP-Link; hardware provided
Budget TP-Link Travel Router: My Setup and Trip Test
I took an affordable TP-Link pocket router through airport, flight and hotel use. The practical benefit was keeping my devices on one network, with a VPN option when I needed it.
Steve's verdict
It added useful convenience for a multi-device trip. My later cruise test is an important correction to the early suggestion that it would automatically save money onboard.
Best for
Travelers managing several devices and a permitted shared internet connection.
Skip it if
This adapts my original video and test. Check current specifications, firmware support and prices before buying older equipment.
Original video
2024-07-19
Focus
budget pocket travel router review
Article type
Hands-on review
What I like
- Portable network for several devices
- Wired and wireless connections demonstrated
- Router settings and VPN workflow shown
What to know
- Still needs power and setup
- Upstream connection remains the speed limit
- Cruise compatibility wasn't tested in this video
What I wanted from a budget travel router
TP-Link supplied the product and sponsored this July 2024 video. My goal was to show what a travel router actually does during a trip, not just unbox it. You connect your devices to its network, then connect the router to the internet source at the destination. That can make a collection of phones, laptops and entertainment devices easier to manage than configuring each one separately.
What happened with a wired connection
In the demonstration I compared available connection options and showed the router's status screen. One wired connection reported a 100Mbps link, with a speed test around 94Mbps download and 90Mbps upload. Those results illustrate the upstream link's limit rather than the maximum of every port or mode the router may support. Read the negotiated connection speed as well as the speed-test number before deciding where the bottleneck is.
The VPN was useful, with limits
I used a VPN during the trip and described getting a music service working after it had been unavailable locally. That was useful for us, but doesn't guarantee that another streaming service permits or works through the same arrangement. A VPN also isn't a blanket protection against malicious sites or unsafe downloads. The video shows the convenience of configuring a connection at the router, not proof that public Wi-Fi becomes risk-free.
Update: don't buy on the cruise savings claim alone
At the end of this video I suggested cruise internet sharing could make the router pay for itself. I had not tested that scenario then. My later October 2025 cruise experiment did not provide reliable internet through the router, even when it appeared connected. This written version carries that result forward. For hotels or other permitted networks, the convenience can still be worthwhile; for a cruise, check the current rules and supported package rather than assuming the earlier suggestion will work.
Technical references
More networking guides and reviews
ASUS RT-BE58 Go: My Travel Router ExperienceTravel Router on a Cruise: What Happened in My TestTP-Link Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router: My Road Trip TestHow to Set Up a Home Network: My Beginner WalkthroughQuestions before you buy
Was cruise use tested in this budget-router video?
No. The later cruise experiment is a separate video, and it did not produce a reliable connection.
Why did a wired test stop around 94Mbps?
The demonstrated status screen reported a 100Mbps upstream link, which limited that test.
Watch the full review