Why You Need a Pocket Router: Hotels, Airports, Airplanes, Cruise Ships - Stay Connected Anywhere!

Summary

Dave demonstrates the usefulness of a pocket router or travel router for getting secure, fast internet access while traveling. He explains how it allows you to connect multiple devices to a single internet source, avoiding per device fees; access restricted content by connecting through your home network over VPN; enable extra devices like AppleTV that normally wouldn't work on hotel WiFi; and even attach external storage to create a NAS. He reviews the features and setup of a specific router, the AX1800 Slate, covering failover between connections, adding storage via USB, configuring the hardware slider switch for VPN control, and more.

Takeaways

• 😀 The pocket router allows you to share a single internet connection across multiple devices when traveling
• 🚢 Internet access on cruise ships used to be very limited, but is improving with new satellite technologies
• 💸 Hotels and cruise ships charge a lot for internet access, often on a per-device basis
• 📶 A pocket router creates its own private Wi-Fi network to share an internet connection
• 👪 It allows unlimited devices to connect through one login, avoiding per-device fees
• 🌐 It can combine multiple internet connections for redundancy or higher bandwidth
• 🔒 Connecting through the router's VPN allows location spoofing and secure remote access
• 🎥 It enables streaming boxes in hotels by bypassing captive portals
• 💽 You can add network storage via USB for media sharing
• 🛠 It's an inexpensive but powerful travel networking tool around $100

Q & A

What was internet connectivity like on cruise ships in the 1990s?

It was very limited and slow, often powered by an acoustic coupled modem and shared by thousands of guests. Sending basic text emails was difficult or impossible, especially as ships traveled further north.

How has internet connectivity on cruise ships improved in recent years?

Significantly - some ships now have high speed satellite internet capable of streaming HD video. Dave gave an example of streaming NFL games in his stateroom, which was unimaginable just a few years ago.

Why is internet access often expensive and restricted on ships and in hotels?

They charge per device and limit simultaneous connections to increase revenue. With a travel router, you can connect multiple devices while only using one connection.

How does a travel router or pocket router work?

It takes a single internet connection via Ethernet, WiFi, or phone tethering and shares it out to a separate secure WiFi network. This allows you to connect many devices while only using one connection.

How can a travel router enable using an Apple TV in a hotel room?

The router handles the captive portal so Apple TV connects cleanly without needing to authenticate. Before, MAC address spoofing was needed.

What is the benefit of connecting a travel router to a VPN?

All traffic routed through the VPN, so location services see you as connected from the VPN endpoint. This allows access to geo-restricted content.

How can you use a travel router to access resources on your home network while traveling?

Configure an OpenVPN server at home, connect the travel router to it over VPN, then you have secure access to printers, PCs, cameras, etc. as if local.

What can the physical slider switch on the Slate AX router be used for?

It can connect/disconnect the VPN when slid on/off for easy access to geo-restricted content without always routing through VPN.

What kind of network attached storage can be added via the router's USB port?

External USB drives, discs, or entire storage arrays can be plugged in and shared over the network with customizable access.

What can you do if the single USB port is limiting?

Add a small USB hub to connect multiple devices like storage and a phone for tethering internet.