Anyone who has ever had to rely on a hotel or wireless network for work will testify that it can be a frustrating and painfully slow experience. However, a lot of hotels are wired for Ethernet, but because many of us use smartphones. tablets and laptops when traveling, we can’t always make full use of the fast Ethernet port in the room.
With a travel router, you can have high-speed internet connectivity in your hotel room using the hotel’s Ethernet network, a Wi-Fi hotspot or even a smartphone or modem that can access a 4G or 5G signal. A travel router is ideal for a traveling family with kids who want to use their tablets or smartphones to access the internet to stream music or play games. One small router can keep a whole family online when you’re on the road.
Networking brand TP-Link launched its powerful TL-WR3602BE travel router last year and it’s now shipping in quantity. The router uses fast and efficient Wi-Fi 7 wireless technology and offers wireless speeds of up to 3.6Gbps. It also has a built-in VPN function for private browsing or making a connection to your home country to access Netflix or a corporate network.
Designed For Digital Nomads
The TL-WR3602BE has been specifically designed for digital nomads, business travelers and remote workers. It’s smaller than a paperback novel and can comfortably slip into an overcoat pocket or messenger bag. It’s can be powered by almost any USB-C 5V charger or even a power bank.
The new travel router can be used to safely access public Wi-Fi hotspots. It has dual-band Wi-Fi speeds of up to 2,882Mbps on the 5GHz band and 688Mbps on the 2.4GHz band. It can support an MLO connection and handle up to 90 devices at once. It can be used to stream movies, transfer data or make video calls if you are at an airport, hotel, cruise ship, café or mobile workspaces.
The TL-WR3602BE slots into TP-Link’s line-up of new and affordable Wi-Fi 7 products. The brand is rolling out a series of products that harness the new generation of Wi-Fi technology, making it easier to enjoy faster and more reliable Wi-Fi from almost anywhere. Wi-Fi 7 is particularly effective when used with the latest smartphones and laptops, which are increasingly equipped with Wi-Fi 7 chipsets.
Speed And Efficiency
The TL-WR3602BE includes all the latest Wi-Fi 7 improvements, including Multi-Link Operation, 4K-QAM and OFDMA, technologies for faster and more efficient wireless connections, even when used in a congested wireless environment.
The router has a couple of foldable external antennas on its ends that can boost the Wi-Fi signal strength. There is also a programmable switch that gives users a quick and easy way to toggle on or off key features like the VPN function or wireless guest mode, all with a single click.
Thanks to built-in support for OpenVPN and WireGuard VPN protocols, users can set up the TL-WR3602BE to work with more than 35 VPN services, if they have a valid subscription. Both NordVPN and Surfshark are integrated directly into the router’s interface, making it easier to create a VPN connection for a secure and encrypted link without fuss. This feature is particularly useful as levels of censorship and internet safety legislation tighten and impact the ability of traveling internet users to access websites freely.
Seven Operating Modes
The TL-WR3602BE has seven operating modes, including router, hotspot and smartphone tethering modes. These enable the router to be set up for almost any networking scenario. For instance, you could use your smartphone as an internet source by switching the router into phone tethering mode.
Alternatively, you can securely connect your laptop, phone or tablet through the router by piggybacking on a public Wi-Fi hotspot at a café or airport. In Hotspot mode, you can set up a one-time captive portal authentication so you only need log in once to the hotspot and all your devices are quarantined. This is an essential feature as many public hotspots can be hacked and used to capture sensitive data.
Managing the new router is easy thanks to TP-Link’s smartphone Tether app. It offers an easy way to adjust settings and modes. Alternatively, you can access the router settings with a web browser. There are two RJ45 ports onboard. One functions as a 2.5Gbps WAN while the other is a 1Gbps LAN port for connecting a printer or NAS device. There’s also a USB 3.0 port for storage or a 5G modem.
Pricing and Availability:
The TP-Link TL-WR3602BE Wi-Fi 7 Travel Router is available now and priced at $99 / £119.
Tech Specs:
- Model: TL-WR3602BE
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 7.
- Speeds: 3.6 Gbps dual-band.
- Wi-Fi 7 features: Multi-Link Operation, 4K-QAM, Multi-Rus.
- VPN: OpenVPN, Wireguard, PPTP, L2TP.
- Modes: Router, Hotspot, USB Tethering, USB Modem, Access Point, Range Extender, Client.
- Ethernet ports: 1 x 2.5Gbps WAN, 1 x Gbps LAN.
- USB Port: USB 3.0.
- Dimensions: 126 x 93.5 x 36mm.