best buy travel wifi

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Products
• Tech Essentials

The 6 Best Portable Wi-Fi Hotspots of 2024

These handy devices keep you connected with ease.

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Our top picks
• Tips for Buying
• Why Trust T+L

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

We're fortunate to live in an era where cell coverage reaches 95 percent of the population, according to the International Telecommunications Union. And that makes staying connected while traveling to most on-the-grid destinations a breeze. Many cell phone carriers offer some level of international data plans, which allows you to use your devices abroad — for a fee, of course.

But if you're working on the go, traveling in a group, or attempting to preserve your phone's battery, you might want to look into getting a portable Wi-Fi hotspot, which often provides more data to more devices. "Portable hotspots will use data just like cell phones do, and coverage will really depend on the carrier and the coverage they offer in the area," Best Buy mobile supervisor Thomas Walker told Travel + Leisure. "Since hotspots require data, they also require a plan, something to remember as you consider buying a portable hotspot."

Best Overall

Skyroam solis lite.

The device comes with a free lifetime global data plan.

1GB of monthly data will go by very quickly; you'll have to pay up for more.

There are many things the Simo Solis Lite does well, but the real showstopper here is the company's lifetime global data plan that gives you 1GB of data each month for as long as your device functions. And this plan truly is global, as the device works in 135+ different countries . That said, 1GB isn't much data at all. Depending on your usage, you might need to upgrade to a more robust data package, which typically costs anywhere from $6 to $109, or potentially more, per month. On the plus side, you don't need to change SIM cards in this hotspot — you can add those plans via an app.

As for the other stats with this device, the 16-hour battery life is well above average. We love that you can charge other devices with this hotspot — although that will reduce its battery life, of course. Up to 10 devices can be connected to the Solis Lite, which is likely suitable for most users, but it's an unremarkable number compared to other products on the market. Similarly, 4G connectivity is serviceable but doesn't earn any special accolades. If you're traveling with a large group of people, you may want to consider other options depending on how connected you need to be.

One other standout feature of this Wi-Fi hotspot is true 24/7 customer support — this is especially valuable for travelers who need internet access at all hours across various time zones. 

The Details: 16-hour battery life | 10 devices | 4G connectivity | 5.98 x 4.69 x 1.73 inches | 10.2 ounces

Best for SIM Cards

Netgear nighthawk m6 pro.

It has Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.

13 hours of battery life is good, but not great.

If you need a fast and reliable internet connection just about anywhere, Netgear's Nighthawk M6 Pro might be the solution. It's compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon in the U.S., and it works in more than 125 countries when swapping in a new SIM card, supporting both 5G and Wi-Fi 6E. You can connect up to 32 devices simultaneously, allowing an entire team of remote workers to stay connected. And if you're on the move, you'll enjoy a more secure connection with the Nighthawk than public Wi-Fi. 

Beyond its uses for remote work around the world, the Nighthawk M6 Pro could even replace a standard internet connection at your home or office. Because it can function with both a wired and wireless connection, you won't lose connectivity due to internet or electricity outages. And with 13 hours of battery life, you'll have time to wait for the outage to end. That said, increased battery life would be ideal, especially for remote workers and travelers. But whether you're in a home office or off the grid, it's hard to beat this product's speed.

The Details: 13-hour battery life | 32 devices | Wi-Fi 6E connectivity | 4.1 x 4.14 x 0.85 inches | 0.56 pounds

Most Versatile

Glocalme numen air 5g.

There's no SIM card required.

The battery life and number of devices could be better, but are likely fine for most users.

The GlocalMe Numer Air 5G works in more than 140 countries on more than 100 operator networks — that means you'll be covered just about anywhere. It doesn't need a SIM card to work, thanks to its CloudSIM technology. Upon purchase, you'll automatically receive 1GB of global data for a 90-day period, and additional data can be added easily via the mobile app. There are thousands of flexible data plans from which to choose, including pay-as-you-go options with no contract. In other words, this is a convenient mobile hotspot to take with you while you travel, since it's designed to be useful in a wide variety of cellular settings and situations.  

Stat-wise, we consider the 12-hour battery life to be good, but not especially impressive. That said, it may be plenty of time depending on how you intend to use the device. You can connect up to 16 devices, which is probably plenty for most users but may not be ideal for an office setup. 

The Details: 12-hour battery life | 16 devices | 5G connectivity | 6.1 x 2.8 x 0.6 inches | 6.8 ounces

RoamWiFi Portable WiFi Device

It's not just the device that's a good value — some data plans are fairly low-price.

Only five devices can connect to the hotspot at a time.

This 4G LTE mobile hotspot router delivers a surprising amount of power and flexibility inside an affordable package. The device itself is priced under $200, and a variety of data plans are available at all price points, ranging from a $3 day pass to a $299 90-day pass. No SIM card is needed, and the device works in more than 160 countries (there's a complete list about halfway down the Amazon product page). The whopping 18 hours of battery life outperforms every other battery-powered hotspot on our list. 

That said, there are some limitations that come with the lower cost. The device does not connect to 5G networks, so internet speeds won't necessarily be the fastest. Also, you can only connect five devices to this hotspot which is plenty for the average solo user, but may not be suitable for groups or families. 

The Details: 18-hour battery life | 5 devices | 4G connectivity | ‎4.96 x 2.68 x 0.57 inches | 6.3 ounces

Best Unlocked

Netgear nighthawk m1.

It works on all major domestic carriers, including GoogleFi.

Netgear doesn't publish battery life.

Able to connect and share data with 20 devices at once, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 Mobile Hotspot can handle multiple tasks at once without sacrificing power or speed. It's an unlocked device that uses GSM SIM cards, compatible with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and GoogleFi in the United States, and can serve as a backup internet connection while not traveling. It's equipped with fast 4G LTE broadband and offers up to one gigabit per second (Gbps) of download speed. Worried about how much data you've used? Its LCD screen clearly displays how much data is remaining, calculates when it will run out, and keeps count of the devices connected.

While Netgear doesn't publish the battery life of the Nighthawk M1, it claims it can last "all day" — and you can even buy a battery booster pack for more juice. There is an upgraded version of this hotspot that is 5G-compatible, but it's nearly double the price. 5G connectivity may not be necessary for most travelers.

The Details: "All day" battery life | 20 devices | 4G connectivity | 4.15 x 4.15 x 0.8 inches | 8.5 ounces

Best Router

Gl.inet gl-mt3000 wireless travel router.

It creates a more secure internet connection for your devices.

Routers like this one are not capable of providing internet on their own.

Technically, a Wi-Fi router is not a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. But what it does do is allow you to take one internet connection with a tricky login situation — say, hotel Wi-Fi that asks you to input your room number every time you connect — and streamlines the process for connecting additional devices. In a nutshell, you connect to Wi-Fi via the router, which then creates a more secure network for you to connect to from other devices. This router can also boost Wi-Fi signals throughout a space, so if you're in a vacation rental where the Wi-Fi is strong in one room but not another, a router can help.

This portable router is compatible with more than 30 VPN service providers and can accommodate up to 70 different devices, making it one of the best devices for securely accessing high-speed internet while traveling or on the move. The AdGuard feature helps to protect your devices from malware, phishing, ads, and online trackers. This is an especially important safety feature for using unfamiliar WiFi connections.

The Details: 70 devices | Wi-Fi 6 connectivity | 4.53 x 3.15 x 1.18 inches | 6.9 ounces

Tips for Buying a Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot

Consider where and when you'll use it.

Not all portable Wi-Fi hotspots can be used everywhere. If yours is tied to a U.S.–based carrier (like AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon), and you're planning on going abroad, you need to make sure you've paid for a data plan that includes international use. If you're only traveling for a short period of time, this might be the most convenient option. 

But if you're planning on traveling internationally for an extended period of time, you might want to opt for an unlocked portable Wi-Fi hotspot — that is, one that isn't tied to a specific carrier. You can then buy a data plan from a company based in your destination, which usually is a more economical decision. "SIM cards are cheap and easy to get in lots of countries worldwide, and going this route ensures you get the strongest signal possible for the lowest price," Peter Holslin, senior staff writer at internet comparison site HighSpeedInternet.com, told T+L.

The duration of your trip should also inform whether you want to purchase an as-you-go data plan (better for shorter tips) or a monthly one (better for longer trips).

Check with your phone carrier

"When you use a portable hotspot, you can choose the carrier it's connected to. So if you want to maximize your coverage, you can use one carrier for your phone and a different carrier for the hotspot," Walker said. It's often cheaper to buy a Wi-Fi hotspot to hook up to a local network while traveling versus paying for an international phone plan with your current carrier as well.

Think about voltage and battery life

For the most part, portable Wi-Fi hotspots use a relatively low amounts of power (about five to seven volts, depending on the size and strength of the device). However, you should still utilize a power converter when plugging your hotspot in during international travels. Not all outlets around the world support the same power output, so using an adapter can prevent blowing a fuse or sparking your devices. If you want a more portable Wi-Fi hotspot that doesn't need to be plugged in, be sure to check its expected battery life to know exactly how long you can use it on the go.

"Wi-Fi hotspots work similar to phones, tapping into your cellular network to provide high-speed data for use with laptops, tablets, gaming systems, etc.," Verizon spokesperson George Koroneos told T+L. "What's more? You can give access to your travel companions, so they can use your dedicated hotspot, similar to a Wi-Fi network."

Yes, it does. "Mobile hotspots connect to cellular networks to provide internet connection allowing customers to connect anywhere," Jeff Howard, AT&T's vice president of hardware and partner solutions, told T+L.

It depends on what type of portable hotspot you have and what type of plan you have. If your hotspot plan is locked to a specific carrier, you'll need to make sure your carrier has an international plan. (Spoiler alert: most do.) It might be as simple as turning your device on and letting it automatically connect to a local cell network. But if your portable hotspot requires a local SIM card to work, you'll have to pick one up at the airport or at a store and insert it into your hotspot to connect to a local cell network.

Many cell phone providers have international plan options for travelers, and you can turn most smartphones into a mobile hotspot under that plan. Then you can connect devices to your cell phone for internet services. But that's not always the best solution. "One thing to consider is carriers may limit the hotspot data amount on your phone, so you may see slower speeds at a certain point," Walker said. "You also don't have to run your cell phone battery when you use a standalone hotspot." On the other hand, portable Wi-Fi hotspots require their own data plans, which costs additional money.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance travel writer who has tested cell coverage on all seven continents. (Antarctica is by far the worst.) For this article, she poured over cell service coverage maps and read dozens of customer reviews.

In compiling this list, she also interviewed telecommunications experts to discuss what to look for in a mobile hotspot. Experts she spoke to included:

• Thomas Walker , Best Buy mobile supervisor
• Peter Holslin , senior staff writer at internet comparison site HighSpeedInternet.com
• George Koroneos , Verizon spokesperson
• Jeff Howard , AT&T's vice president of hardware and partner solutions

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.

Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology .

The 8 Best Portable and Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots for Travel in 2024

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

767 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63 U.S. States Visited: 9

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

29 Published Articles 3084 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 45 U.S. States Visited: 28

What Is a Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot?

Things to look for in a mobile wi-fi hotspot, frequencies explained: the difference between gsm and cdma, 1. keep in touch wherever you are using the glocalme 4g lte network, 2. rapid download speeds and superfast internet on the go, 3. best for professionals who need to keep connected, 4. global data roaming and mobile coverage in over 100 countries, 5. a powerful global wi-fi hotspot for use in over 160 countries, 6. compact and capable offering 18 hours of battery life, 7. superfast connectivity in over 135 countries, 8. connect 10 wi-fi enabled devices with this verizon jetpack, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Whether you want to update your Insta on the go or need to keep in touch with the office, losing your internet signal can be very frustrating.

But it’s annoying (and can be unsafe) to rely on public Wi-Fi signals in every coffee shop you visit, and sometimes when traveling to remote locations, public connections are just not available.

Instead, you can invest in a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to ensure safe, secure, and reliable internet access anywhere you go. Here’s what you need to consider when choosing the best one for you.

A Wi-Fi hotspot is a battery-powered wireless router that travels with you. Designed to be compact and lightweight enough to slip into your purse or pocket, a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot device brings the internet to your phone, tablet, or laptop, no matter where in the world it finds you.

These gadgets are a big bonus for anyone traveling away from public Wi-Fi or those looking for a secure connection. A bit like a cellular device, your Wi-Fi hotspot provides access to invisible signals in the sky, all of which can help you to upload pics or receive your emails on the move.

You will need to pay for the data you use, which can be done in the form of packages or day passes that offer unlimited access for a set period of time.

Bottom Line: Using 3G or 4G (and maybe even 5G in the coming months), these smart little devices emit a reliable and incredibly useful Wi-Fi signal that you can hook your favorite gadgets and devices to while away from home.

Battery Life

Most batteries will run happily for between 5-6 hours at a time. If you are traveling somewhere with easy access to electricity, you should be able to charge overnight to ensure your hotspot works when you need it for your daily adventures. If you spend a disproportionately large amount of time online, you may want to look at a device that offers a longer battery life.

Size and Weight

Your Wi-Fi hotspot should be small enough to be carried everywhere with you. After all, if it’s not entirely portable, what exactly is the point? Slimline, lightweight, and often smaller than the smartphone you are trying to connect to, these devices are compact and clever.

Wi-Fi Support

Because some mobile internet providers are better than others, the coverage you receive from any Wi-Fi hotspot can also vary. For example, 2.4GHz gives coverage at a more extended range but will transmit the data at a much slower speed. A 5GHz band, on the other hand, will provide less range with data transmitted at a much faster speed.

Though they may be small, they are still mighty, and most hotspot devices will have a built-in display. At the very least, the display should indicate remaining battery life and current Wi-Fi signal strength. Others may offer bonus features like SMS messages or touch screen modes.

Card Reader

Some portable Wi-Fi hotspots come with the capability to read MicroSD memory cards, which can be used to store and access files from your laptop or home computer. You can also share your stored files with the people who use your network when you want them to have access.

MicroSD memory cards are not typically included with the purchase of a Wi-Fi hotspot, but they are a useful addition that allows you to send and receive SMS messages and save images, music, and other data-heavy files.

Mobile data is delivered using 1 of 2 types of cellular signals in different countries and regions around the world. These cellular standards allow for communication between individuals; without them, we would not be able to keep in touch on such a global scale.

Known as GSM and CDMA, each standard converts both incoming and outgoing radio waves in entirely different ways. Before you buy a hotspot, you need to understand its function and where you’ll be able to use it.

Global System for Mobile Communication is used in most countries around the world. In the U.S., only AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM. GSM uses Time Division Multiple Access (or TDMA), which allocates time slots to multiple conversation streams and alters how phones transmit their information. Doing this requires a SIM card (or “subscriber identification module” card).

It is the SIM card that holds all the information you need to make calls, use mobile internet, and store your contacts. The SIM card tells the device what services you have access to and is vital for GSM communications on the go.

CDMA is used in countries including Russia and the U.S. ( Sprint , Verizon , and US Cellular), and it grants users full access to a wide spectrum of bandwidth, meaning more users can connect at any one time. It also encodes each signal, meaning that every conversation remains protected and filtered.

CDMA does not rely on SIM cards as the device has the technology built into it from the carriers’ networks. This once meant that if you wanted to change carriers, you would need to buy a new device altogether. These days though, many CDMA devices offer the capability to use a SIM card too, especially for those on LTE networks.

Bottom Line: Different countries (and different carriers) use different technologies. In the U.S., Sprint, Verizon, and US Cellular use CDMA, while AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM. When it comes to purchasing a hotspot, make sure you understand what type you’re buying, what countries it will work in, and what providers it will function with.

The 8 Best Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots for Travel

Glocalme g4 4g lte mobile hotspot.

With a global SIM-free connection, you can quickly and easily access the internet without worrying about a local SIM card or roaming charges. The 4G LTE high-speed network connects up to 10 devices at a time. Enjoy 50Mbps upload speeds and an innovative GlocalMe app that uses a dedicated security protocol to ensure your Wi-Fi connection is always safe.

You can also easily manage your data usage from anywhere in the world. With an initial 1GB of data included to see you on your way, you can easily top up your data using the GlocalMe app, which is specifically designed to work in a variety of different countries and regions.

Bottom Line: With 1 SIM card slot and the ability to connect to unlocked Wi-Fi hotspots wherever you are, the G4 will provide you with up to 12 hours of nonstop usage from a single charge.

Huawei E5577Cs-321 4G LTE Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot

Huawei’s Wi-FI hotspot is both affordable and reliable — and it’s good enough to give some of the more prominent brand alternatives a real run for their money.

This hotspot offers rapid download speeds of up to 150 Mbps 4G LTE and 43.2 Mbps 3G download , connection for up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices, 6 hours of working time, and a whopping 300 hours of standby time.

Bottom Line: The TFT-LCD screen with 2D Barcode secure connection is easy to use, and the device itself is unlocked for all networks — you can even choose your SIM card if you want to.

Huawei  E5576-320  4G LTE Mobile Wi-Fi Router

This high-speed mobile router and multi-mode wireless terminal is for use in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

The hotspot offers 16 Wi-Fi connections at a time, and the unlocked carrier connection means you can use 3G signals from any provider. Controllable via the innovative Huawei Mobile Wi-Fi app, you can enjoy uploads and connectivity for up to 6 hours using the 1500 mAh battery.

Bottom Line: While this device model will not work in the Americas or the United States, it is an affordable solution for those traveling to other parts of the world.

Keepgo Global Lifetime 4G/LTE Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot for Europe, Asia, & the Americas

The Keepgo MiFi device includes a pay-as-you-go SIM card that comes complete with 1GB of global data roaming, and extra data can easily be obtained on the go.

This Wi-Fi hotspot can connect up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices at a time . Offering mobile internet coverage in 105 different countries, you can enjoy up to 6 hours of battery time and over 300 hours of standby time on 1 charge.

Bottom Line: You’ll appreciate this device’s instant online activation that will have you browsing straight out of the box.

RoamWiFi 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot Router

The RoamWiFi Mobile Router is a powerful global Wi-Fi hotspot with super-fast 4G LTE speeds that can be used in over 160 different countries and shared to 5 connections. Sleek and stylish, the simple orange hotspot can be stored in your carry-on luggage and will be easy to find when you get there.

By far, the most impressive feature of this particular model is the whopping 18 hours of battery life . 500MB of data can be purchased for as little as $2.90 per day.

Bottom Line: All-in-all, this is a tremendous little Wi-Fi hotspot for your next adventure.

Netgear Unite Explore AC815S Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot

This slim 4G LTE-capable device provides super-fast internet and as much as 18 hours of battery life on a single charge to as many as 15 Wi-Fi devices on the go.

Super easy to use, the color LCD screen shows you all the network info you need, as well as displaying battery life and connectivity levels.

Bottom Line: Made by one of the most trusted names in communications, the Unite Explore is a reliable Wi-Fi hotspot for travelers looking for longer battery life.

SIMO Solis Lite 4G LTE WiFi Mobile Hotspot

With no contract or SIM card required, this convenient little device will ensure you’re always connected on the go. The virtual SIM technology is compatible with most major carriers, and you can control everything through the handy Solis WiFi app.

You can connect up to 10 different devices with up to 16 hours of battery life on a single charge. As well as keeping you connected, this mobile hotspot doubles up as a power bank, so you’ll never run out of charge.

Bottom Line: With SIMO Solis, users can enjoy day pass Wi-Fi, pay as you go access by gigabyte, or monthly and yearly subscriptions.

Verizon MiFi Jetpack 4620L

Brought to you by the communication experts at Verizon, this MiFi Jetpack offers superior connectivity and speedy internet access virtually anywhere in the world. With the ability to connect up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices in 4G and up to 5 devices in 3G, this is one of the most effective LTE hotspot devices on the market.

Compatible with all major operating systems including Windows, Mac OSX, Android, and iOS, you can quickly and easily connect your phone, tablet, or laptop. The interactive OLED display shows you when you are connected, as well as the connection status and how many users are connected. It can even alert you when you receive a new SMS message.

Bottom Line: With up to 5 hours of usage available from a single charge, this impressive MiFi mobile Wi-Fi device is one of the most effective LTE hotspot devices on the market.

With a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, you are no longer at the mercy of unsecured, cumbersome, and often super-slow public Wi-Fi signals when you take to the road. Your very own Wi-Fi allows you to download data, upload images, and keep in touch with civilization, no matter how far away you go.

Before you commit to a connection, look for a mobile Wi-Fi device that is compact and portable with a large enough battery to last you all day. Your new Wi-Fi hotspot should also be simple to use, easy to connect to, and ideally able to offer a connection to several different devices (especially if you’re traveling with friends).

Lastly, don’t miss these other tech-related product reviews to level up your travel game!

• The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Travel
• What are the Best GoPro Alternatives? [10+ Options]
• The Best Portable Power Bank Chargers for Travel
• Travel Product Reviews – Tech & Photography Focus

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best mobile wi-fi hotspot for travelers.

Our vote is for the GlocalMe G4 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot.

Do mobile hotspots work internationally?

Many mobile hotspots do work internationally, but this would depend on what plan your device is on. Many plans include a set amount of international data, while others offer unlimited usage for a set fee.

Can mobile hotspot replace home Wi-Fi?

Although mobile hotspots can be used in place of home Wi-Fi, it usually carries higher usage costs. If you are a heavy downloader or video streamer, you would likely be better off registering for a home Wi-Fi service.

Which is better Wi-Fi or hotspot?

Hotspots usually offer slower speeds and less security than Wi-Fi; however, it is convenient if you’re on the move, and there are no guarantees that you will be able to access a Wi-Fi connection.

Was this page helpful?

About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE ™

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Related Posts

UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

The Great Outdoors

The 8 best unlocked portable Wi-Fi hotspots for travelers and digital nomads

An unlocked portable Wi-Fi hotspot is a must for travelers, digital nomads, or backpackers. Here are our top picks for portability, speed, and network coverage.

As a digital nomad you’re either strapping up your hiking boots to hit the local trails, or flying to Mexico for a week of margaritas and sunshine. And with remote work becoming more common, a life spent hopping between countries is finally within reach for many of us. But life on the road, or in the woods, lacks one necessary modern convenience: an internet connection.

Fortunately, portable Wi-Fi hotspots are the perfect solution for travelers and digital nomads to stay connected. These compact devices provide a high-speed connection wherever you go, so you can get your work done (and pay the bills) while exploring new locales or camping beneath towering evergreens.

How do mobile Wi-Fi hotspots work?

A portable Wi-Fi hotspot is a pocketable device that uses a cellular signal to create your own Wi-Fi network. These hotspots typically output both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi connections, and connect to the internet through mobile networks that transmit cellular data through radio waves, called frequencies. This means that you can connect your laptop , tablet, or smartphone to the internet even if there is no public Wi-Fi available. Portable Wi-Fi hotspots are sometimes also called "Mi-Fi" devices.

Features to look for in a Wi-Fi hotspot

Prepaid data packages vs. SIM card

To get your portable Wi-Fi device connected to the internet, you will need to purchase a prepaid data plan or local SIM card. If you plan to use your Wi-Fi hotspot for international travel, look for a device that has prepaid data plans available. Purchasing a prepaid plan prior to leaving on a trip means you can skip the hassle of locating a foreign service provider and picking up a SIM card.

If you're planning on using your hotspot primarily in the U.S. and North America, purchasing a SIM card from a major carrier like AT&T or T-Mobile will get you the best network coverage. I recommend this option for campers , hikers , or van-lifers that require an internet connection in remote locations.

Supported networks and frequencies

The frequencies used to transmit data vary depending on the region or country you're in and the carrier you're on. You need to keep an eye out for which frequencies your hotspot will support.

The most common networks and their frequencies include:

• 2G/3G : The second- and third-generation of wireless technology. These networks run on either GSM (Global System for Mobiles) or CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) frequencies. GSM is more widely used and better for travelers.
• 4G or LTE : This network is currently the global standard and offers the fastest connection speeds. 4G transmits through LTE frequencies, and only uses GSM or CDMA as a fallback when there is no LTE connection available.
• 5G: The fifth-generation mobile network technology provides increased reliability, speed, and network capacity, but global coverage is currently only at 25 percent . Outside of major cities, 4G LTE and 3G networks are the most widely available.

Luckily, device makers don’t want to build a different device for every frequency, so most Wi-Fi hotspots are compatible with 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE. Keep in mind that your hotspot will only work in areas where there is cellular coverage , no matter the frequency. Oftentimes, remote locations will not have a signal since there aren't any nearby cellular towers or the closest one can't reach it.

Input may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article. We only include products that have been independently selected by Input's editorial team.

Reliable hotspot built for traveling, with 18-hour battery life and 450Mbps download speeds.

The NETGEAR Unite Explore AC815S is a fast and reliable hotspot with 18 hours of battery life. This device provides download speeds up to 450Mbps. The device is compatible with GSM SIM cards, so you can use it with your preferred service provider. Bonus points go to the Unite Explore for its durable design with rubber bumpers and splash resistance.

Provides SIM-free global coverage and allows you to connect up to five devices.

The MightyWiFi is a SIM-free hotspot that supports 29 frequencies on the 4G network which provides you with coverage in over 150 countries. This hotspot has flexible global data plans that are prepaid, ranging from 3GB to 30GB. The 5,000 mAh battery also doubles as a portable power bank with up to 12 hours of usage. The MightyWiFi supports up to five devices at once.

Powerful, pocket-sized and supports most international SIM cards.

The GlocalMe G4 is a powerful pocket-sized hotspot with up to 12 hours of battery life, built-in data plans, and support for SIM cards from over 140 countries. With a 5-inch touchscreen display for easy setup and configuration, and built-in apps like Google Maps, this little device is a fuss-free companion.

A durable spill-resistant hotspot that can be easily connected via NFC. Best in class battery life.

The Huawei E5885 Wifi 2 has lightning fast 300Mbps download speeds and is compatible with 4G LTE bands in Europe, North America, and Asia. A built-in 6,400 mAh battery pack provides 25 hours of battery life and a 2-in-1 lanyard charging cable that can easily keep both the hotspot or your phone powered up. Setup is made simple thanks to single-tap NFC connectivity. Plus, it's dust and spill-resistant, so it’s a great fit for more rugged adventures.

A mobile hotspot that is both fast and reliable, with a built-in 5,000 mAh battery.

The Netgear Nighthawk M1 is an unlocked 4G mobile hotspot that's fast and reliable. It comes with a built-in 5,000 mAh battery capable of providing 11 hours worth of power while you're out hiking or traveling. This compact device has a USB port for media streaming from an external drive or for charging your phone in a pinch. Compatible with SIM cards from most major service providers, but also supports prepaid data plans from AT&T and T-Mobile.

A GSM unlocked hotspot that supports both 4G and 5G networks.

The ZTE Velocity MF923 is a GSM unlocked hotspot that supports up to 10 devices at once. It comes with a 2,800 mAh battery that provides 10 hours of battery life, and you can insert a microSD to use as a shared network drive. The Velocity also has a bright and responsive 2.4-inch touchscreen display, which makes it easy to set up your device within minutes. This device connects to both 4G and 5G networks in 200 countries.

Budget hotspot that supports 4G LTE speeds and works with a micro-SIM from any GSM carrier.

Alcatel’s LINKZONE is a simple budget hotspot capable of providing 4G LTE speeds up to 150Mbps. The LINKZONE works with a SIM card from any GSM carrier and supports up to 15 devices at once. You’ll get six hours of juice out of the 1,800 mAh battery, and setup is a breeze thanks to the user-friendly interface. This hotspot is ideal for travelers heading to Central or South America since it is compatible with 4G networks that transmit through 1,700-2,100 Mhz frequencies.

Affordable option that provides 6 hours of battery life and fast download speeds.

The Huawei E5577Cs hotspot costs less than $100. It has a 1,500 mAh battery that lasts for six hours on average and supports all GSM networks. Download speeds reach up to 150Mbps. This hotspot can also be used as a Wi-Fi extender at home, making it useful even when you’re not traveling. On top of that, with the LCD touchscreen, you can view available networks, battery life, and easily tinker with other settings.

🏕 The Great Outdoors: Your guide to exploring all that our beautiful planet has to offer even if that means still being online (sometimes).

Watch: extreme reviews.

• Hot Tech Deals at Target Right Now
• The Best Noise-Canceling Headphones to Buy

The Best Wireless Travel Routers of 2024

Pocket routers for Wi-Fi networking on the road

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

• The Ultimate Router Buying Guide

Frequent travelers battling poor cell service, dubious security, and excessive hotel and airport Wi-Fi fees can benefit from a good travel router when working away from home.

The best wireless travel routers avoid these hassles by letting you set up a private bubble of Wi-Fi anywhere you happen to land, whether in a conference center, hotel room, or airport lounge. 

Most people should buy the TP-Link TL-WR902AC  - it's small enough to chuck in a backpack and can even double as a Wi-Fi range extender. If you also want a cellular connection as backup, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is for you, as it doubles as a mobile hotspot for your hotel room or car.

What to Look For in a Travel Router

Best overall, tp-link tl-wr902ac travel router.

 Amazon

Compact size is ideal for frequent travelers

Doubles as a Wi-Fi extender

Included cables are short

TP-Link's TL-WR902AC is one of the fastest travel routers we've seen, which is especially impressive at this size and price. Measuring 2.64 x 2.91 x 0.9 inches and weighing in at only 8 ounces, it's small enough to carry in a pocket, briefcase, or backpack, so you'll be ready to set up your own Wi-Fi bubble anywhere.

For such a small device, the TL-WR902AC offers impressive dual-band Wi-Fi performance. It's also really versatile since it can be not only be used as a router or access point to create a wireless network but also as a range extender, private Wi-Fi hotspot, or even as a bridge to connect a wired device to a Wi-Fi network by using its built-in Ethernet port in the opposite direction. 

A built-in USB port lets you share files and media from a removable USB storage device, and it can also provide up to 2A of passthrough power to charge your smartphone or tablet. The only real downside is that the port layout can be awkward since the USB and micro USB power ports are on the opposite side of the Ethernet port. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1

Best Splurge

Netgear nighthawk m1.

Great choice for heavy internet users

Supports up to 20 Wi-Fi devices at once

Long battery life

Doubles as a mobile hotspot

Very expensive

Can occasionally overheat

While it's not the most affordable option on our list, it's well worth the splurge if you need to get several devices onto the internet anywhere at blazing-fast speeds.

With support for up to 20 simultaneous devices, Netgear's Nighthawk MR1100 can quickly handle your whole family or project team, and unlike most travel routers on this list, the one works as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot too. This means you'll be able to connect to its Wi-Fi network and get online even when there's no other Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. It's also the first mobile hotspot to support Gigabit LTE , with 4X4 MIMO and four-band Carrier Aggregation. Hence, it can provide internet speeds rivaling your home broadband connection.

It's not just about LTE, though—the MR1100 also works as a traditional portable router. Just plug a standard internet connection into the Ethernet port to share access to your Wi-Fi devices. A large 2.4-inch color LCD screen also ensures that you can keep track of the router's status and how much data you're using. The rechargeable battery can keep you going for up to 24 hours before you need to charge it, and in a pinch, you can also use some of that capacity to charge your smartphone or other mobile devices. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11ac / 4G LTE | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1 

TP-Link TL-WR802N N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router

Fast single-band Wi-Fi performance

No USB port

Not the fastest internet speeds when connected to multiple devices

TP-Link’s TL-WR802N is an older single-band router that offers a surprisingly great range in its small package. While the single-band N300 rating won’t break any speed records, it still provides enough performance for lag-free 4K Netflix streaming and uninterrupted video conferences on Zoom. 

Like most travel routers, the TL-WR802N is designed for use by one or two users when you’re on the go, and the 300Mbps 802.11n speeds will likely be faster than the internet connection at most hotels and conference centers you find yourself in. This little pocket-sized router offers exceptional coverage, so you won’t need to worry about staying connected while roaming the boardroom. 

The N300 draws its power via a micro USB port that can connect directly to a wall charger or laptop, so you won’t have to worry about how to power it. It can also function as a repeater, Wi-Fi client, or extender for a public WISP hotspot. The only downside is that, unlike its dual-band sibling, the TL-WR902AC, it lacks a USB port, so you won’t be able to use it for sharing files. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11n | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: N300 | Bands: Single-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1

Best for Road Warriors

Gl.inet mudi gl-e750.

Works as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot

Open source

Excellent VPN support

No external antenna

The GL.iNet GL-E750 router is an excellent choice for road warriors who must stay connected securely and reliably anywhere they land.

With WireGuard encryption, support for multiple Open Source VPN protocols, and even Tor anonymous network routing, this router ensures that you can always have a secure and private connection to the internet if you're a relatively advanced user. Whether that's over your hotel's shared network or your carrier's LTE network, all your traffic will be encrypted, and you can even have an always-on tunnel back into your home or office network. 

It's not just for mobile LTE access, however; it's also a capable Wi-Fi access point, with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support with 733Mbps throughput across both bands, along with a built-in battery that offers up to eight hours of use and a USB port and microSD card slots that can be used for sharing files with your connected devices. Since it's designed to be used from anywhere, it also features a built-in rechargeable battery that promises up to eight hours of use on a single charge. 

Lifewire / Andy Zahn

Most of the routers on the market are big and bulky devices. If you're parking them in a corner at home, this is a manageable problem, but they're not suited for taking the road with you.

This has given rise to a whole new category of travel routers: devices that are specifically designed to be highly portable—often small enough to be carried in a pocket—and run from internal batteries or a simple USB-powered connection that lets you plug them into a laptop or portable battery pack to create your own personal Wi-Fi network. 

Most importantly, since public Wi-Fi hotspots are usually insecure, a good travel router can also offer additional peace of mind by providing a private, encrypted Wi-Fi network for your traffic, securing the connections not only between your devices and the router but also making sure the traffic leaving the router is also encrypted. 

This means that you can take them just about anywhere you happen to land, whether it's between your home and the office, to a coffee shop where you might want to have more secure Wi-Fi, or on the road with you to use in hotels, conference centers, and airport lounges.

Bandwidth and Performance

When shopping for a router for your home, you're looking for enough range to blanket your home with the strong Wi-Fi signal you need to support streaming and gaming from multiple devices. 

Travel routers are different. You may find that even an entry level router—one that offers 802.11n support at 150Mbps speeds—is more than enough.

Wireless Frequencies: Single-Band vs Dual-Band

Like other wireless routers, travel routers come in single or multi-band versions, which refers to their frequencies. A single-band router works only on the 2.4GHz frequency, while a dual-band router offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies on two separate bands. 

Security and Privacy

As a bare minimum, every modern wireless travel router should include support for the Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption standard. This is even more important in a travel router you'll use in more public spaces.

While this probably isn't such a big deal if all you want to do is stream movies from Netflix, if confidentiality is essential, we strongly recommend using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when connecting through a travel router. While you can do this directly from your devices, you'll probably find it even simpler to pick up a travel router with built-in VPN support so that your connection is automatically encrypted as soon as you plug it in.

Connectivity

Almost all travel routers offer the same connectivity as your home router—turning a wired connection into a Wi-Fi network. However, as more hotels offer guest Wi-Fi networks instead of Ethernet jacks, you'll probably find getting a travel router that can also connect to a public Wi-Fi network is more beneficial.

There's also a category of travel routers that can act as mobile hotspots to offer internet access for your mobile devices over an LTE cellular network.

Even though most hotels already offer free Wi-Fi, it’s often struggling under the load of many people using it, so having a travel router can provide better performance, especially if you can plug it into a wired connection in your room. Plus, most public Wi-Fi hotspots are completely insecure, allowing your traffic to be easily intercepted by anybody else on the same Wi-Fi network. Using a router plugged into ethernet will also often save you money as you won't have to pay for the usable 'premium' internet package.

The best travel routers offer industry-standard WPA2 encryption—the same type of security used by your home router—which means that all of your wireless traffic is safe from prying eyes. Public Wi-Fi hotspots are open networks that use no encryption at all but keep in mind that if you’re using a travel router as a wireless extender for a public Wi-Fi hotspot, your traffic will still be unencrypted between your travel router and the hotspot. For the best security, use a wired connection or a VPN wherever possible.

Even if you use your travel router in your hotel room, internet traffic still travels over the hotel’s network. While most sensitive sites and services like email and online banking use SSL encryption, this won’t prevent the hotel or other public hotspot provider from seeing where you’re going; they just won’t be able to know what you’re doing. If you want to ensure your connection is as private and secure as possible, we recommend using a travel router with built-in VPN support.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• The Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders of 2024
• The Best Wireless Routers of 2024
• The Best Long-Range Routers of 2024
• The Best Routers Under $50 of 2024
• The Best Netgear Routers of 2024
• The Best Mesh Wi-Fi Network Systems of 2024
• The Best Parental Control Routers of 2024
• The Best Cable Modem/Router Combos of 2024
• The Best Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots of 2024
• The Best USB Wi-Fi Adapters of 2024
• The Best Secure Routers of 2024
• The Best Wireless Printer Adapters of 2024
• The Best Asus Routers of 2024
• Can Two Routers Be Used on the Same Home Network?
• The Best Wi-Fi 6 Routers of 2024
• The Best Cable Modems of 2024

Best Travel Router in 2023 (Portable WiFi On The Go)

Travel routers are designed to be light and portable and convert a Wifi or ethernet connection into your own Wifi. You’ll be able to connect all your devices and your friends and families too, to a private and secure connection no matter what is available in the airport or hotel.

In this review, we have chosen some of the best travel routers around, and there are a lot to choose from. We compared these portable wifi routers against each other and have highlighted their features, pros, and cons so you can make an informed decision and find the best travel router for you.

At A Glance: Our Top Travel Routers

• The Best Overall NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 Jump To Review
• Lightest GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Portable Travel Router Jump To Review
• Best Travel Router for Hotels TP Link AC750 Travel Wifi Router Jump To Review
• Best On A Budget GL.iNET GL-AR150 Mini Travel Wireless Router Jump To Review

Top Product Overview

Best travel router, netgear nighthawk m1.

If you’re into Wifi then you’ll have heard of Netgear. They make some of the best wireless travel routers on the market and have added a load of features to the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 travel router. It is the largest and most expensive router in the review but it does do everything.

The M1 will turn an ethernet connection, modem, wireless network, and your SIM card into a super-fast personal Wifi network anywhere in the world. This is the first router in the review that can create a Wifi internet connection from a 3G or 4G SIM Card.

This means that no matter where in the world you are, you can slot in a local SIM card have Wifi where ever you are. From the beach to the jungle, if there is a 3/4G network available, you’ll be online.

The speed this travel router can deliver is also impressive and it will compete with your home broadband. They have put a four-band Carrier Aggregation and LTE in this router which is what helps it get speeds of up to 1Gbps.

Built into this travel router is a battery that holds up to 20 devices for 24 hours before you need to charge it.

That’s some incredible battery life and it does make the M1 very portable. There is a handy LCD display that shows you the number of devices connected, and internet connection strength, and keeps you up to date with how much data you’re using.

It’s not just a router, however, and it shouldn’t be at $690. It’s also a power bank, provides data sharing and media streaming. It’s also highly configurable to give you exactly the Wifi set up you want where ever you are in the world.

Overall it’s an amazing portable router, it just very expensive and a little bigger than most, but well worth it if it’s in your budget.

• Provides power
• Fast connection
• Data sharing
• Media streaming
• Dual-Band Wi-Fi
• Highly configurable
• Color display
• Long battery life
• Connect through a SIM card
• Very expensive

Product Information

• Size: 4.15 x 4.15 x 0.8"
• Weight: 8.5 oz
• Devices: Up to 20

GlocalMe G4 Pro 4G LTE Travel Router

The GlocalMe G4 is a different type of travel router. It’s an international 4G LTE mobile hotspot that works in 144 countries . You don’t even need a SIM card for this travel router. It does support SIM cards and you can insert one if you want, but the device doesn’t need one to work.

The best thing about this travel router is that the WiFi plans are flexible . You can choose from different international and local data plans, and pay as you go. Also, when you first start using the GlocalMe G4 mobile hotspot, you get 1GB of global data and 8GB of US data for free.

This travel router lets you share your wireless connection with up to 10 devices, so not only can you connect all your devices to the Internet, but you can also share it with your friends and family without needing to disconnect anything.

This mobile hotspot boasts a touchscreen that’s easy to use, as well as an intuitive user interface. It also doubles as a power bank (3,900 mAh), so you can use it to power other devices. The battery has enough power for some 12 hours of continuous use, but it won’t do much to charge your smartphone.

• SIM card supported but not required
• Works in 140+ countries
• Free global and US data included
• Touchscreen interface
• Battery capacity is quite small
• Customer support is not very helpful
• Big and heavy
• Size: 6.69“ x 4.37“ x 1.73“
• Weight: 13.7 ounces
• Devices: Up to 10

GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 (Mango) Portable Travel Router

The GL.iNet GL-MT300N is one of the lightest devices you can get your hands on. At 1.41 ounces, this is the lightest travel router available at the moment, so it’s certainly the best option if you need something ultra-portable. Also, it’s so small that you can easily carry it in your pocket.

The Mango router supports both WiFi and Ethernet, with two dedicated ethernet ports. It also has a USB 2.0 port for tethering and compatible 3G and 4G modems, as well as a micro USB port for charging. You can use any adapter to charge the Mango, and you can charge it with your laptop for ultimate convenience.

Additionally, this travel router boasts download speeds of up to 300 Mbp s! It also allows for advanced security encryption, and it comes with a pre-installed OpenVPN client. Don’t worry if that’s not your preferred virtual private network service because this little router is compatible with 30+ other VPN services.

Finally, you can use this portable router in four different ways. It can work as a standard network router if you plug it into an existing Ethernet network, and it also functions as a WiFi repeater when you connect it to an existing WiFi network.

The other two modes are hotspot and AP – the former requires you to connect the Mango to an existing access point in order to create a private hotspot, and the AP mode transforms a wired into a wireless signal, which is perfect for devices that only support wireless connections.

• Most compact device
• Extremely affordable
• Supports download speeds up to 300Mbps
• Works as a WiFi repeater, router, and hotspot
• Can transform the wired signal into a wireless one
• Two Ethernet ports (WAN and LAN)
• It does not detect 5Ghz networks
• No internal battery
• Size: 2.28” x 2.28” x 0.98”
• Weight: 1.41 ounces
• Devices: Not specified

TP Link AC750 Travel Wifi Router

The TP Link AC750 Wireless Travel Router gives you the highest speed for your money out of any of the travel routers in the review. It can give up to 733Mbps depending on the wired network and it does it for $40.

This TP-Link wireless router is not only fast but it’s also very versatile in terms of Wifi connectivity. It does everything you’d expect like creating a secure Wifi network from a direct ethernet connection, Wifi connection, modem connection, and a WISP hotspot.

The special bit is that it also works as a range extender and you can connect a device to the router using a wired connection. So if your TV, for example, needs a hardline ethernet cable to connect to the internet, you can run one from the Ac750 directly to it.

As well as being great at Wifi, you can also use it as a power bank and for file sharing. It’s pretty light and compact too making it a great all-rounder. The only downside is that the port layouts are quite annoying and the instructions aren’t clear and could get frustrating.

Overall, this is a fast, versatile travel router from TP Link that’s not going to break the bank. Plus it comes with a 2-year warranty. And given its versatility, it would make the perfect wifi travel router for hotels or cruiseships.

• Fast, light & compact
• File sharing
• 2-year warranty
• Bad instructions
• Annoying port layout
• Size: 2.64 x 2.91 x 0.87"
• Weight: 8 oz
• Devices: Quite a few (number not specified)

TP-Link N300 Wireless Travel Router

The TP-Link N300 Wireless Travel Router is the simplest travel router in the review. Simply put, it is just a travel router and doesn’t have any extra’s like file-sharing or being able to be used as a power bank.

Removing the extras makes it light, portable, and capable of getting a speed of up to 300Mbps .

The band connection also provides lag-free streaming. The travel router can be connected to a cable to create a wireless network, to a modem as an AP, used as a repeater, a booster, and as a hotspot.

It’s also compatible with Chromecast or Amazon FireStick so you can watch all your favorite movies on the go too. Being so light, it doesn’t have an inbuilt battery and you’ll need to connect it to a power source through the micro USB port.

This means you can charge it from the wall, your lightweight laptop , or a power bank, giving you Wifi internet connection where ever you are.

The setup for this travel router is incredibly easy and takes under a minute. Once set up it can be connected to by as many devices as you like but its performance does decrease noticeably with multiple devices.

Overall a simple, fast, portable, and easy-to-use router that also comes with 24/7 support and a 2-year warranty.

• A few wireless modes
• Simple to use
• No USB ports
• Struggles with multiple devices
• Size: 2.2 x 2.2 x 0.7"
• Weight: 7.2oz
• Devices: As many as you like

GL.iNET GL-AR150 Mini Travel Wireless Router

The GL.iNET GL-AR150 Travel Router is a great choice for anyone who wants a router that’s super-portable, simple, and just a router.

This little guy weighs just over 1 oz and is compact enough to slip into your pocket or purse with ease. It can create a Wifi network from just about anything except a SIM card. You can connect it to a modem, ethernet cable, or existing Wifi internet connection, or tether it to your phone or dongle via USB.

One of the best features of this travel router is its security. Traveling around the world means unsecured networks, but once you plug this baby in, you’re getting a Wifi network with a firewall, instantly.

It comes with Open VPN pre-installed and is compatible with over 20 providers, so where ever you connect, you’ll know you’re secure.

It comes without an internal battery but you can charge it from your laptop’s USB or from a wall socket. It comes with 2 ethernet ports, 64MB of RAM, and 16MB of flash. You can also increase this via USB. It’s also Open Source and programmable so you can have full control over everything.

This is an awesome travel router and for just $27, you can’t go wrong.

• 2x Ethernet port
• Tethers to your mobile phone
• Programmable
• Light & compact
• Tricky to set up
• Only supports 2.4GHz
• Size: 2.28 x 2.28 x 0.98"
• Weight: 1.59 oz

Huawei E5576-320 4G LTE Travel Router

The Huawei E5576-320 Travel Router is a good option if you need a compact but reliable device. It needs a SIM card to work, and then it turns into a mobile hotspot that can be used by up to 16 devices at the same time. With a battery of 1500 mAh, you can use this device for up to six hours at a time, before it needs to be recharged.

The battery life could certainly be improved, but at least you can use this device while it’s charging, so you can just keep it plugged into a power bank. Also, the Huawei router boasts a removable battery. Carrying an additional battery is always an option since it means you can just replace the original one when it runs out of juice, without needing to disconnect from the WiFi.

This travel router supports 3G and 4G mobile bands – it’s compatible with 4G LTE in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but only the 3G will work in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. You get download speeds up to 150Mbps on 4G, and up to 43.2Mbps on the 3G networks. Upload speeds are not that bad either – it’s up to 40Mbps on the 4G network, and up to 5.76Mbps on 3G.

In case you need something for travel in North and South America, you should check out Huawei E5576-508 mobile hotspot, which was made specifically for that market and has better compatibility with mobile phone carriers in the Americas.

• Compact and lightweight
• Great upload and download speeds on 4G LTE
• Not expensive
• Works while charging
• Supports connections to up to 16 devices simultaneously
• Small battery capacity
• Only 3G LTE works in the USA, Mexico, and Canada
• Does not double as a power bank
• Size: 3.94“ x 0.28“ x 2.28“
• Weight: 3.53 ounces
• Devices: Up to 16

GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel AC Router

If you’re a technical wiz and looking for a travel router that’s versatile and offers you a lot of programmabilities, then the GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Gigabit Travel AC Router is a great choice.

This wireless router will create a highly secure Wifi network from a modem, ethernet connection, wifi connection, dongle, and from your phone. It works over a dual-band and it’s pretty fast offering speeds up to 733Mbps.

It comes with 3 ethernet ports to give wired devices internet access. It has a USB port to open up local fire sharing. There is also an SD card slot to provide you with built-in storage space.

It’s programmable and comes pre-installed with OpenVPN and WireGuard to act as a VPN client and server out of the box.

This means your connection will be very secure no matter where you are. It also arrives configured to use Cloudflare’s encrypted DNS servers for additional security. You will have to update it to the latest firmware when you get it though.

Overall a fast, secure, and technical, wireless travel router that’s got a lot of bang for its buck.

• 3 Gigabit Ethernet Ports
• Great VPN support
• Awesome security
• Programable
• SD card slot
• Can be tricky to set up
• Size: 3.90 x 2.70 x 0.90"
• Weight: 3.03 oz

What To Look For In A Travel Router

Here are some key factors to consider when buying a great travel router.

Size & Weight

When it comes to portability both the size and weight of a router are important considerations. You’ll want it to slip easily into your carry-on luggage and not take any valuable weight or space. All the travel routers in this review are light and portable but some are much lighter and compact than others.

Another thing to consider is your travel router power source. Some travel routers come without an inbuilt battery making them very light but they will need to be plugged in to use them.

This means having a power bank ready or plugging them into your laptop’s USB port. Wifi travel routers with an inbuilt battery will be easy to carry around but you’ll need to make sure to pack the right charging cables and plug for your trip.

Travel Router Connection Options

Every router in the review will turn an ethernet, modem, or Wifi connection into your own Wifi connection but not all of them connect to a dongle, phone, or SIM card. There are a few in the review that do connect to all of these, like the ETGEAR Nighthawk M1 or the GL.iNET GL-AR150 Mini Travel Router , so if you’re wanting to use your phone or a Sim card to give you Wifi anywhere, be sure to pick s router that can do it.

Security and Encryption

In order to keep your connection secure, you want a wireless router that offers WPA2 encryption or has a built-in VPN. All the portable routers in the review provide some security but if you want the maximum, go for one of the ones with a built-in VPN.

Overall Speed & Range

Faster portable routers usually mean spending a little more. Think about the speed and the range you’re likely to need on your travels. If you’re going to need to stream HD across 5 devices or have multiple conference calls across multiple devices, you’ll need a wireless router with some solid bandwidth.

If it’s just for you to do some work on, watch a movie, and call home, then you’ll be fine with a lower speed.

Consider Extra’s

Some of the routers in the review are plain routers while others are more multi-tools. Some can also be used as a power source, for file sharing, can have in-built storage, and connect to media streaming. If you want these added benefits, be sure to choose one with them.

Our Favourite Wifi Travel Routers

Here are our top choices from the review.

The lightest travel router of them all is the GL.iNet Mango at just 1.4 ounces. It’s so small and compact that you can carry it in your pocket, but it still does everything a good router should. With download speeds of up to 300Mbps and a price of just some $30, it’s hard to find flaws in this travel router!

• 【WIRELESS MOBILE MINI TRAVEL ROUTER】 Convert a public network (wired or wireless) to a private Wi-Fi for secure surfing. Tethering. Powered by any laptop USB, power banks or 5V/2A DC adapters (sold separately). 39g (1.41 Oz) only, portable and pocket friendly. 2.4GHz ONLY
• 【OPEN SOURCE & PROGRAMMABLE】 OpenWrt pre-installed, USB disk extendable.

The best travel router is the NETGEAR Nighthawk M1 . This is one of the fastest and best multi-use travel routers on the market. It can turn anything into a fast, secure network, even a SIM card. It’s also a power bank, data sharer, and media streamer. You can have up to 20 devices all working from the same router, sharing data, anywhere, even at the beach.

• Share WiFi internet access with up to 20 devices
• Connect to your existing home router using the Gigabit Ethernet port for fast, reliable primary or backup Internet connection. Ideal for homes with poor internet service or coverage

The best travel router on a budget is the GL.iNET GL-AR150 Travel Router . This router is tiny, light, compact, and very secure. It can turn anything into a secured VPN, even your phone’s 4G signal and it’s just $27.

• 【WIRELESS MOBILE MINI TRAVEL ROUTER】 Convert a public network(wired/wireless) to a private Wi-Fi for secure surfing. Create a secure Wi-Fi hotspot quickly. Tethering, 3G/4G USB Modem Compatible. Powered by any laptop USB, power banks or 5V DC adapters (sold separately). 39g (1.41 Oz) only, portable and pocket friendly.
• 【OPEN SOURCE & PROGRAMMABLE】 OpenWrt/LEDE pre-installed, backed by software repository. DDWrt supported. USB disk extendable.
• Overview Guide
• 1 Week Itinerary
• Train Journeys
• Epic Drives
• Stunning Lakes
• Historic Castles
• Lauterbrunnen
• Grindelwald
• Chocolate Tours
• Swiss National Park
• Majestic Mountains
• Spectacular Waterfalls
• Famous Things
• Tasty Fondue
• 10 Day Itinerary
• Cherry Blossoms
• Tokyo Shrines
• Dos and Don’ts
• Osaka Guide
• Osaka Itinerary
• Osaka or Kyoto
• Kyoto Day Trips
• Matsumoto Castle
• Tokyo Luxury Hotels
• Island Hopping
• Best Campsites
• Driving Tips
• Beaune, France
• Barcelona Itinerary
• Spain Itinerary
• Greece Itinerary
• Italy Road Trips
• Berlin Day Trips
• Norway Northern Lights
• Netherlands National Parks
• Mostar, Bosnia
• Best Airlines
• Midwest Ski Resorts
• Florida RV Parks
• Washington RV Parks
• Oregon RV Parks
• Utah Camping
• Texas Camping
• Chicago National Parks
• East Coast National Parks
• Colorado National Parks
• Joshua Tree
• Yellowstone
• Alberta Hikes
• Flashlights
• Water Filters
• Sleeping Pads
• Solar Lanterns
• Tent Brands
• 4-Person Tents
• 4 Seasons Tents
• Backpacking Tents
• Beach Tents
• Cabin Tents
• Multi-room Tents
• Pop-up Tents
• Truck Bed Tents
• Underwear (Men)
• Backpacks Under $100
• Microspikes
• Boonie Hats
• In The World
• New Zealand
• Hardisde Luggage
• Lightweight Luggage
• Luggage Sets
• Spinner Luggage
• Durable Suitcases
• Duffel Bags
• Kids Luggage
• Teen Luggage
• Space Saving Luggage
• Business Carry-Ons
• Garment Carry-Ons
• Suitcases Under $50
• Travel Briefcase
• Zipperless Suitcases
• Rolling Briefcase
• Luggage Straps
• Luxury Brands
• American Tourister
• AmazonBasics
• Delsey Chatelet
• Anti-Theft Backpacks
• Backpacks Under $50
• Baby Carrier Backpacks
• Cooler Backpacks
• Backpacking Backpacks
• Climbing Backpacks
• Backpacks for Back Pain
• Beach Backpacks
• Hiking Backpacks
• Business Travel Backpacks
• Laptop Backpacks
• Backpacks for Tablets
• Commuter Backpacks
• Travel Backpacks (Men)
• Travel Backpacks (Women)
• Waterproof Backpacks
• Wheeled Backpacks
• Down Jackets
• Down Parkas
• Fleece Jackets
• Hardshell Jackets
• Rain Jackets
• Softshell Jackets
• Eco Friendly Jackets
• Gore Tex Alternatives
• Heated Jackets
• Lightweight Jackets
• 3-in-1 Waterproof Jackets
• Parajumper Jackets
• Rain Poncho
• Ski Jackets
• Travel Hoodies
• Travel Jackets
• Winter Coats
• Helly Hansen
• Mammut Jackets
• Patagonia Nanopuff
• Survival Jackets
• Flower Captions
• Waterfall Captions
• Tree Captions
• Sunset Captions
• Sunflower Captions
• Rainbow Captions
• Paddle Boarding Captions
• Hot Air Balloon Captions
• Kayaking Captions
• Airplane Captions For Instagram
• Forest Captions

The Best Travel Wifi For Your Road Trip: Our Top 8 Picks

What is the best wi-fi for traveling, what is a portable wifi device for travel, can you buy wifi for travel, unlimitedville router, simo solis lite 4g lte.

• Netgear Explore

Travelwifi.com

Glocalme g4 pro, alcatel linkzone mw41tm, glocalme numen air 5g, what should i look for in a travel wifi device, how much does portable wifi cost, do you need a plan for portable wifi.

• Best Overall Travel Wifi Router: Unlimitedville Router
• Best Travel Wifi Router for User Safety: SIMO Solis Lite 4G LTE
• Best Travel Wifi for Outdoorsman: Netgear Explore 
• Best Travel Wifi for Globe Trotters: Travelwifi.com
• Best Travel Wifi for RVs: Starlink
• Best Battery in a Travel Wifi Router: GlocalMe G4 Pro
• Best Lightweight Travel Wifi Router: Alcatel Linkzone MW41TM
• Fastest Connection Speeds in a Travel Wifi Router: GlocalMe Numen Air 5G

A portable wifi device is a receiver of a data signal, often from a cell tower, that takes in a signal and sends out a wifi connection. It can be used while on the road, in various countries, and in rural areas where high-speed internet is inaccessible. 

When using it on the road it helps travelers to know where they are, keep in touch with others, and allows those who work remotely to work on the road. It alleviates the data usage of your phone and since many cell carriers have data caps and throttling it allows everyone from streamers and writers to vloggers and vacationers to stay connected without running out of high-speed data.

Yes, you can buy wifi for travel. Some companies like travelwifi.com allow you to purchase wifi access for the duration of your trip while other options, like hotspots, can be purchased with an addition to your cell package or the purchase of a stand-alone plan. To use portable wifi you will need a hotspot or router of some kind.

Our Review Of The Best Travel Wifi Options

The best travel wifi is dependent on the bandwidth you require and the price you can afford. We list our favorite options below:

Product Overview: With Unlimitedville wifi you get unlimited data with no restrictions. It runs off existing cell phone towers and they show you the map of coverage before you purchase anything from them. 

The router is more like a home router than a hotspot and requires a 12-volt inverter to use in the car, which is not included but can be purchased for anywhere from $25-500 depending on how fancy you get. 

Their pay-as-you-go model does not restrict you to contract terms and their referral program makes it so you can easily offset your entire cost and get internet for what amounts to zero cost to you. If you would like to receive $50 per month off your bill use our code W9PCSF5. After you have signed up you will receive your own code to get an additional $50 off per month along with those whom you refer.

Why We Picked This Product: Truly unlimited data and a referral program that offers users $50 off their bill per month when using an existing consumer’s code upon signing up. Everyone gets their own code and customer service is top-notch. 

Unlimitedville Router Pros:

• Actual unlimited data with no cap or throttling
• No limit to the number of connected devices
• Excellent referral program
• Several plans to choose from

Unlimitedville Router Cons:

• Not battery powered

Device Features:

• Data Cap: None
• Price: $150-200 per month
• Battery Life: N/A
• Download Speed: 90+ Mbps
• Connected Devices : Unlimited

Product Overview: SIMO Solis Lite is a pocket-sized, puck-shaped hotspot that allows up to 10 devices to be connected at one time. It uses cellular data to deliver fast wifi in over 135 countries and data is purchased by the gigabyte. With no contract binding consumers to the device, it can be used on an as-needed basis when an internet connection is required but is unreliable. With up to 16 hours of battery like an encrypted wifi signal, this wifi hotspot is made to be taken anywhere.

Why We Picked This Product: No contracts, long battery life, an encrypted data signal, and worldwide coverage. Need we say more? This tiny device is capable and features built-in security measures to keep you and your information safe. 

SIMO Solis Lite 4G LTE Pros:

• No contract
• Works in 135 countries
• No SIM card required
• Delivers encrypted wifi with the option for a VPN
• Customers have the ability to choose their plan from their phone

SIMO Solis Lite 4G LTE Cons:

• Numerous consumers report an unstable signal
• Requires expensive purchases of data when in use
• Data Cap: Up to unlimited
• Price: $139.99
• Battery Life: 16 hours
• Download Speed: 150 Mbps
• Connected Devices: 10

Netgear Explore 

Product Overview: With a data plan from a cell provider you can stream, game, or surf the internet anywhere with this rugged device. Its waterproof design allows you to take it to the great outdoors without issue and with 18 hours of battery life you can venture out farther and longer than before. A USB 3.0 charging port allows you to charge the device when necessary quickly and a USB 2.0 port is also included on the device. To work around purchasing a monthly data plan, pay-as-you-go plans such as Tracfone can be used to help reduce the monthly cost.

Why We Picked This Product: The device itself is one of our favorites for the outdoorsman of the world. Its water-resistant design means it can work in nearly any setting with the aid of its cellular data connectivity. It is also capable of reverse charging meaning you can charge other devices using its battery.

Netgear Explore Pros:

• Portable, rugged design
• 450 Mbps download speed
• 18-hour battery
• Connects up to 15 devices

Netgear Explore Cons:

• Requires SIM card with a separate data plan from the cell carrier
• Does not work with Verizon or Sprint
• Data Cap: Determined by your data plan
• Price: $162.54
• Battery Life: 18 hours
• Download Speed: up to 450 Mbps
• Connected Devices: 15

Product Overview: Offering rental services as well as devices you can purchase, this service offers everything an international traveler could ask for. Devices that offer speeds up to 300 Mbps are available, although the speed of your connection will depend largely on what country you are in. With services provided in over 200 countries, there is nowhere this can’t take you. Additionally, Travelwifi.com offers travel and data packages to various countries as a more inclusive way to plan your travels.

Why We Picked This Product: Travel WiFi is an internet service dedicated to providing travelers with wireless internet wherever they go. They offer global coverage and high-speed connections, both are vital to the avid wanderer and to those who work on the road.

Travelwifi.com Pros:

• Works in 200 countries
• They offer to help you plan your travels
• Destination deals are offered 
• Gives the ability to buy or rent hotspots for travel
• Many hotspot and data packages

Travelwifi.com Cons:

• The services they offer can be a little overwhelming
• Anyone ordering outside of Europe or the USA pays for the customs charges
• Data Cap: Unlimited
• Price: Up to $76.65 per week
• Battery Life: Dependent on the device you choose
• Download Speed: Up to 300 Mbps but it is very dependent on the country you are in
• Connected Devices: Dependent on the device you choose

Product Overview: Starlink was developed by Space X to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to rural areas and travelers. Their satellites orbit the earth at half the distance of other satellite internet services meaning the data signal takes half as long to reach your router, thus decreasing latency. 

Available in several tiers of service, Starlink has plans that allow up to 500 Mbps download speed. The satellite is easy to install and automatically rotates to ensure the best reception. The satellite also melts snow on its own at a rate of 3 inches per hour so the signal can remain unobstructed in inclement weather. 

Why We Picked This Product: One of the only internet options dedicated solely to travel and portability, Starlink is easy to use and offers near unlimited data. This makes it a great choice for those in RVs or remote areas where high-speed internet is inaccessible. 

Starlink Pros:

• 30-day risk-free trial
• Pay-as-you-go options
• Easy self-install
• Low latency connection
• Melts snow at a rate of 3 inches per hour to ensure a stable signal

Starlink Cons:

• Has a reputation for not living up to its claims
• Service can be hindered during peak hours
• Data Cap: Up to 1TB
• Price: One-time hardware cost of $599 and monthly cost of $110 for home setup; $599 hardware cost for portable hardware or $2,500 for in-motion hardware and $135 per month for the service 
• Battery Life : N/A
• Download Speed: Up to 500 Mbps
• Connected Devices: Unlimited

Product Overview: The GlocalMe G4 Pro is a stable and sleek hotspot that requires no SIM card to use. It is capable of running on a 4G LTE network for download speeds of up to 150 Mbps which up to 10 devices can enjoy. The large bright touch screen displays the current download speed, connected devices, and data usage. As a protection against going over the data limit, there is a data constriction option that limits devices from using large amounts of data when not in use.

Why We Picked This Product: This device is easy to use and reduces data usage when it is not directly in use. This protects users from running out of data before the billing cycle has ended and makes it a great option for supplemental internet with its 4G LTE connectivity. 

GlocalMe G4 Pro Pros:

• Works in 140 countries
• Fast download speeds
• Does not require a SIM card
• 18-hour battery life
• Very portable

GlocalMe G4 Pro Cons:

• Data Cap: Up to 100 GB
• Price: $169.99

Product Overview: With the capability of handling up to 15 devices, this wifi hotspot is great for home internet. Using a SIM card and a data package from your cell carrier you can easily connect to 4G LTE and with a 7-hour battery life you can use it on the go, which is made easier by its ultra-thin design. Up to 15 devices are able to connect and receive up to 150 Mpbs of streaming, gaming, or work at once. 

Why We Picked This Product: It has a high download rate and connects to cell towers to access the internet. This ability is becoming an increasingly popular data option in the world of travel internet and has become our go-to for portable connectivity. 

Alcatel Linkzone MW41TM Pros:

• Able to handle up to 14 devices
• Removable battery
• Ability to monitor all connected devices

Alcatel Linkzone MW41TM Cons:

• Short battery life
• Requires SIM card and data plan from a cell carrier
• Price: $99.99
• Battery Life: 7 hours
• Download Speed: up to 150 Mbps
• Connected Devices: 14

Product Overview: GlocalMe offers its own monthly data plans that connect to cell towers for data which means this device requires no SIM card and can be used almost anywhere in the world. Download speeds of up to 800 Mbps allow you to stream, game, and work without incident and the 5400 mAh battery provides up to 12 hours of connectivity. A touch screen gives you the ability to monitor who is on your network, which will come in handy as it can handle up to 16 devices simultaneously. 

Why We Picked This Product: GlocalMe Numen Air 5G offers some of the fastest connection speeds of any portable internet device. This allows up to 16 devices to connect and operate at a high level which makes it great for group outings or for those who want reliable and speedy data anywhere they go. 

GlocalMe Numen Air 5G Pros:

• Connects to 5G networks
• Works globally
• The device intelligently selects the best network to use
• Reverse charging capability

GlocalMe Numen Air 5G Cons:

• Made in China 
• Data Cap: 100 GB
• Price: $349.99
• Battery Life: 12 hours
• Download Speed: 800 Mbps
• Connected Devices: 16

Data cap: Traveling with a data cap can be a hassle, if not an outright safety hazard. Having unlimited access to high-speed connections anywhere you go can alleviate much of the stress of travel. 

High-speed connection: While almost everyone will be just fine using a 4G connection there are 5G routers available for those who demand more from their devices. 

Service coverage: Travel internet often uses cell towers for data. Certain cell carriers cover more or less of the country but generally speaking, Verizon and AT&T have historically been the best. Other services like Starlink use their own servers to provide data to their customers and can offer coverage almost anywhere in the world for one monthly price. 

Durability: While you shouldn’t be playing catch with your router, you will want something tough to last through the abuse of travel. Water and shock-resistant options are available for those who venture into the wilderness for work. 

Customer service: Buying a durable product is great, but nothing is invincible. When something breaks, you will absolutely want competent and understanding people on the other end to help you out. 

The cost of a travel wifi device can vary wildly from about $50 to nearly $1,000, and this is without the additional cost of a monthly plan. 

Yes, in most cases you will need to purchase a data plan for portable wifi. While every major cell carrier offers data connections and hotspots, they are often quite expensive and have a low data cap. 

Our top pick Unlimitedville does not require an additional purchase of data and is one of the only travel wifi options with no data cap. The trade-off for this is a high monthly internet bill but you get reliability, security, unlimited data, and stellar customer service in return. Their referral program helps immensely to offset this cost and is something few other travel wifi services offer. 

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links . That means if you purchase something from our site we may earn a commission. However, our reviews and opinions are our own based on research and experiences with the product. We only recommend products we truly believe in.

Related Posts

Portable WiFi For Travel: What You Need To Know

Advertisement

• Electronics

The Best Wi-Fi Hotspot

By Rob Pegoraro

If you lean on your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot so often that you suffer from constant data-cap and battery anxiety, it might be time to upgrade to a dedicated hotspot. The Verizon Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L is one of the older models available and isn’t as fast as some newer devices, but it remains the most reliable choice when your phone’s mobile-hotspot features aren’t an option. Although it doesn’t support 5G, the MiFi 8800L takes advantage of the largest LTE network in the US, which remains fast in its own right and has data plans that are now a lot more generous.

Everything we recommend

Verizon Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L

Best overall wi-fi hotspot.

The 8800L works on the fastest, most reliable LTE network and has sufficient battery life to crank through all but the longest workdays.

Buying Options

T-Mobile Inseego 5G MiFi M2000

Best 5g wi-fi hotspot.

The M2000 connects to T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G network for fast service that’s increasingly available throughout the US. It also provides adequate battery life and comes with decent pricing options.

Most people who need only occasional internet access for their own laptop should just tether to their phones, but the Verizon Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L does the job more reliably and for much longer periods. Its battery lasts through all but the longest workdays—it averaged almost 11.5 hours in our tests in late 2020 and early 2021—and it has a USB-C port that you can use to charge your phone or tablet if necessary. And because the hotspot itself charges via that same port, you can use the AC adapter from a USB-C laptop or Android phone to recharge it, saving on bag space. Verizon just launched a 5G hotspot to take advantage of growing network coverage with next-generation speeds, but until we test that model, the 8800L remains a good, reliable value.

Meanwhile, Verizon’s LTE coverage still tops surveys for nationwide service—especially in places where free public Wi-Fi is scarcest. (For more on why Verizon’s network is superior, read our guide to the best cell phone plans .) Since our last update to this guide, Verizon has helped its cause by rolling out a new set of data-only hotspot plans, both postpaid and prepaid, that offer far more data than you’d get via mobile hotspot on even its most expensive smartphone plans.

Although 5G broadband has a reputation for overpromising and underdelivering, T-Mobile’s implementation of the next generation of mobile broadband benefits from a network offering a combination of speed and coverage that AT&T and Verizon began matching only in early 2022 with their deployments of “C-band” 5G . The T-Mobile Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 may not tap into the network’s 5G frequencies every time you use it, but your odds of seeing the network’s fastest 5G speeds remain better with T-Mobile than with those two rival carriers. This hotspot also offers a simple touchscreen interface, decent battery life, and the lowest price of any 5G hotspot. T-Mobile, however, has not updated the pricing of its hotspot plans to match the increasingly generous rates of its competitors, even if its approach remains simpler.

The research

Why you should trust us, do you need a hotspot, or is your smartphone enough, a 5g reality check, how we picked and tested, our 4g pick: verizon inseego jetpack mifi 8800l, our 5g pick: t-mobile inseego 5g mifi m2000, what to look forward to, the competition.

I’ve covered the wireless industry since about 1998, including writing dozens of reviews of devices and services for The Washington Post, USA Today, Fast Company, Yahoo Finance, Discovery News, PCMag, Boing Boing, VentureBeat, CNN Money, and others such as trade publications Light Reading and Fierce Telecom. And in July 2021, I put in more than a thousand miles of drive-testing from Baltimore to Atlanta for PCMag’s Fastest Mobile Networks project. I also maintain Wirecutter’s guide to cell phone plans .

I’ve relied on wireless broadband during business travel since at least 2008—back when that required plugging a PCMCIA card into my work laptop—and I’ve alternately praised and cursed Wi-Fi hotspots from all of the nationwide wireless carriers in the years since.

Just about every smartphone available now can act as a hotspot, sharing your data signal over Wi-Fi with your tablet, laptop, or other devices. And in recent years, more generous tethering options have made it mostly unnecessary to buy and manage a separate device: On AT&T’s and Verizon’s cheapest unlimited-on-phone plans that allow hotspot use, the hotspot caps are now up to 15 GB and 25 GB, respectively. So if you need a hotspot for only short periods, such as when you’re sending some files from your laptop or browsing a few websites, your phone will suffice.

But if you expect to travel a lot and have business income on the line, using a dedicated hotspot can be more reliable than tethering from your phone, and the hotspot’s long-lasting internal battery lets you keep your phone (and its battery) free for other things.

If you’re on an older but cheaper phone plan and don’t want to switch, the math may tilt more heavily toward getting a hotspot. But if you’ve been on a data plan for years and haven’t comparison-shopped lately, consider doing so; data has gotten cheaper at all three major carriers over the past few years. If you’re not sure how generous your carrier is with hotspot usage under your current plan, check your statement or get in touch with customer service.

You can buy a smartphone plan with 50 GB of mobile-hotspot use (via Verizon’s Get More Unlimited , with AT&T’s Unlimited Elite and T-Mobile’s Magenta Max each offering 40 GB). But at that point the power-consumption issue reinforces the case for a dedicated hotspot—burning through 40 GB to 50 GB of tethering on your phone would destroy its battery.

The advent of 5G wireless broadband at all three carriers has added further complications. T-Mobile’s mid-band 5G and AT&T’s and Verizon’s newer C-band 5G each provide much faster speed than LTE can manage without the crippling range limits of the ultra-fast millimeter-wave 5G that Verizon latched on to early on. But although T-Mobile has had a hotspot compatible with its best 5G since late 2020, Verizon did not ship a C-band model to go with the service it launched in 46 mostly urban markets this January until March; AT&T, which debuted its C-band 5G in a mere eight markets nationwide (PDF) , introduced a C-band hotspot of its own only in April.

Before the first 5G networks launched, part of the telecom industry publicized the next generation of mobile broadband with near-magical predictions of the things that 5G could make possible: Self-driving cars! Robot surgery! Robot surgery in the back of self-driving cars!

The appropriate image for 5G is not an autonomous vehicle scooting through traffic or a robot wielding a scalpel. Instead, picture a layer cake.

Speeds and distances of different 5G signals

The top of the cake is millimeter-wave 5G, which occupies hitherto-vacant transmission frequencies with immense capacity and speed (up to 2 Gbps in practice) but vanishingly little range. Verizon says the range is up to 1,500 feet unobstructed , and forget indoors—structures and even trees block those signals. The middle layer represents mid-band frequencies—namely, the 2.5 GHz spectrum that T-Mobile got when it bought Sprint, and now the 3.7 GHz to 3.98 GHz C-band frequencies that AT&T and Verizon bought in early 2021—that can achieve speeds in the hundreds of megabits per second at a range of a mile and change.

The widest layer, at the bottom of our metaphorical cake, is 5G on today’s low-band frequencies, which doesn’t get much faster than existing 4G networks but should offer lower latency while matching today’s coverage. And 5G is more efficient with data overall than 4G is, so you can still get a boost in speed—especially over time, as more data moves to other frequencies. Meanwhile, in rural areas , T-Mobile has been optimizing 5G for coverage, not speed.

In short, “5G” can mean different things, and you shouldn’t buy a 5G device just because of that alphanumeric identifier. You should know the 5G service you’re likely to get and how that will improve on 4G’s potential before you commit to new hardware.

Fortunately, the 5G story doesn’t end here. The federal government has been working to find and free up mid-band spectrum to complement the existing airwaves , with further mid-band auctions coming over the next few years. A year from now, 5G may work much better than it does today—but you may have to buy new hardware to enjoy it on those new frequencies.

Here’s what we look for in a hotspot:

Network: Reliability is the reason to buy a hotspot, starting with the network behind it. If a network doesn’t offer a good, fast connection, there’s no point. Between coverage and speed, however, we’ll take coverage. A 20 Mbps connection in a rural area, for example, matters more than a 100 Mbps connection in a city, where Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, restaurant, shopping mall, or other venue isn’t far away.

We assess 5G on the same scale. Gigabit speeds confined to a block or just a street corner help much less than 200 Mbps connections available across a neighborhood.

Battery life: Your hotspot should be able to last a full workday and give you plenty of breathing room. Though 10 hours advertised run time is the absolute minimum worth considering, the best hotspots can approach 20 hours.

Wi-Fi flexibility: In addition to support for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi to give you a choice between range and performance (the former reaches farther from a hotspot, whereas the latter is faster and less subject to interference from other devices), a hotspot’s support for Wi-Fi 6, also known as 802.11ax, offers the fastest possible tethering and reduced interference with other wireless networks when you use it with Wi-Fi 6–compatible devices.

Universal charging: The large battery on most hotspots should also be able to lend a charge to a phone or tablet over standard USB cables, by which we mean USB-C, now the standard for charging laptops and Android phones.

USB tethering: If you’re in an area crowded with hotspots and other Wi-Fi signals, your hotspot’s ability to connect to a laptop with a USB cable lets you avoid Wi-Fi congestion.

Easy-to-use interface: You shouldn’t have to guess or break out the manual to change basic settings—you should be able to change them by tapping the hotspot’s screen.

We’ve gone through five rounds of hotspot testing since 2014, and until recently each round has involved testing in multiple cities across the country. The pandemic quashed that for our latest round, but we did test this set of hotspots in urban and suburban spots in and around Washington, DC.

Measurements with the Speedtest site and app informed our decision, but we focused mostly on network reliability and coverage, with the battery life and usability of each hotspot as secondary considerations. We’ve tested these models on a range of devices; in our latest test round, our devices consisted of an iPad mini 5 tablet, a Google Pixel 3a phone, and a late-2017 HP Spectre x360 laptop.

Despite a lack of 5G support, the Verizon Inseego Jetpack MiFi 8800L is the best hotspot for most people because of its exceptional coverage, reliable LTE performance, and good battery life, as well as carrier service plans that offer far more data than the competition. The 8800L has been around for a while, having shown up at Verizon in November 2018 —but because hotspots are updated so infrequently, that makes it less of a fossil than its age might suggest.

The 8800L supports LTE Advanced , an upgrade to the LTE network standard that can dramatically increase throughput and reliability, both already strengths of Verizon. LTE Advanced allows a device to use multiple frequency ranges simultaneously, alongside License Assisted Access , another advance that allows a carrier to shift some traffic into unlicensed spectrum when that’s available. More than once, we saw this hotspot achieve download speeds faster than those of a Verizon mmWave-compatible 5G hotspot in the same location.

Verizon data-plan options

Verizon’s newer C-band 5G network is far more useful than its mmWave 5G offering. But that service had only a partial rollout in January 2022, leaving out such larger markets as Atlanta, Denver, and Washington, DC, and the carrier did not ship a C-band–compatible hotspot until March, when it introduced the $300 Orbic Speed 5G UW .

That said, if speed is your priority over coverage, the third-party tests that continue to rate Verizon’s coverage highly, and which led us to recommend Verizon as the best wireless carrier for coverage , now give top performance honors to its competitors. PCMag, for example, rated T-Mobile as the fastest mobile network in America in 2021 after awarding Verizon first place in its 2020 testing . RootMetrics, which performs automated drive-testing much like PCMag’s, judged AT&T slightly better than Verizon in a round of tests done in the second half of 2021 that found that T-Mobile’s 5G beat everybody else’s in metro areas. Network-testing firm Opensignal reported in early 2021 , based on crowdsourced data from phones running its software , that T-Mobile’s 5G was faster than AT&T’s and Verizon’s, even after their respective C-band 5G launches.

Throughout our testing, the 8800L connected with boring reliability. Download speeds during our last round of testing, from December 2020 to March 2021, peaked at 284 Mbps along Pennsylvania Avenue in southeast DC but averaged 119 Mbps over that time. Uploads averaged 23 Mbps. More recent spot tests, in 2022, found that this performance persists.

The 8800L’s dual-band Wi-Fi router allows you to simultaneously connect on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands; it also offers a guest network, but that feature isn’t on by default. The 8800L can connect up to 15 devices via Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac). That older protocol loses a bit of performance and reliability in comparison with the current Wi-Fi 6, assuming you have devices that also support Wi-Fi 6—but we doubt that makes a huge difference in practice.

With a laptop tethered to the hotspot and playing NASA TV’s YouTube stream continuously, the 8800L’s replaceable battery averaged 11 hours 26 minutes over three tests. That’s well short of Verizon’s advertised battery life of “up to 24 hours” yet also more than enough for a punishing workday. And now that most laptops and Android phones ship with USB-C chargers, we appreciate the compatibility that the 8800L’s USB-C port offers. If you don’t have a charger with you, the 8800L can also charge a phone over USB-C, as long as the hotspot has at least a 25% charge.

This hotspot also offers USB tethering from that port, which in our tests worked without issue on an HP Spectre x360 laptop over a random USB-C cable. The 8800L’s guest-network mode reduces the anxiety of giving your wireless password to somebody you just met, and its touchscreen lets you check and adjust basic settings easily, although anything more complicated requires visiting Verizon’s web admin interface.

This model also features an option that business travelers will appreciate whenever they hit the road again: a Stealth Mode setting (which would be better named “small hotel room mode”) that turns off its screen and sound.

The real reason to get this hotspot, advanced age and all, is the choice of high-usage-friendly rate plans that Verizon introduced in July 2021 . But if you want the best prices on large amounts of data, you need to have an existing monthly unlimited plan with Verizon.

If you don’t already have a phone on Verizon, your best deal on data for a Wi-Fi hotspot is the less-obvious option of Verizon’s prepaid hotspot plans . If you need a lot of data, you won’t do better than Verizon’s monthly 150 GB plan for $100 standalone (but just $70 if you have an existing and active Verizon prepaid phone account). Verizon’s monthly 100 GB prepaid plan, $80 by itself or $50 with a phone, also represents a great deal.

Verizon’s two cheapest prepaid plans, 25 GB for $60 ($30 with an existing Verizon prepaid phone line) and 5 GB for $40 ($10 with a Verizon prepaid phone line) exclude 5G. They also provide less data than all but one of Verizon’s monthly unlimited smartphone plans.

If, on the other hand, you have a Verizon smartphone plan already, its monthly hotspot plans make more sense. The Premium plan includes 150 GB and costs $110 a month standalone, and the Pro plan covers 100 GB and costs $90 a month standalone—but they drop to $80 and $60, respectively, if you have any of Verizon’s current unlimited-on-phone smartphone plans. And if you have Verizon’s Do More Unlimited ($80 on a single line) or Get More Unlimited ($90) plan, the 150 GB hotspot subscription costs just $60 and the 100 GB option drops to just $40.

After those, the $40 Plus plan adds 50 GB but requires a postpaid smartphone plan, while the $20 Essential plan offers just 15 GB and omits mid-band and mmWave 5G. Subscribing to Do More or Get More cuts those plans’ rates to $20 and $10, respectively.

Note that exceeding those caps through the hotspot leaves you throttled to a useless 600 kbps data speed.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The battery life of Verizon hotspots has gone down over the life of this guide; the 11 hours and change we observed from the 8800L in our latest tests should get you through even a lousy workday but won’t suffice to recharge your phone much.

Changing the 8800L’s default alphanumeric password and other advanced settings requires logging in to the my.jetpack site from a device connected to the hotspot. The my.jetpack URL may not work everywhere in the world—it’s a sort of hack that Verizon employs, and you may need to type the backup local IP address of 192.168.1.1 instead. By default, the 8800L’s admin password matches its Wi-Fi password; we advise changing that.

Some owners—both in reviews on Verizon’s site and in comments here on this guide—have complained about unwanted reboots on the 8800L. We haven’t seen that problem on either of two different review units we’ve tested.

The impressive T-Mobile Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 is that carrier’s first new hotspot in years, and it brings reliable 5G speed in a compact package with decent battery life. T-Mobile backs that up with pricing that’s simpler and more affordable than what the other nationwide carriers offer.

The M2000 connects to T-Mobile’s already-fast 4G LTE as well as its two bands of 5G: nationwide low-band 5G that isn’t much faster than 4G, plus mid-band 5G that delivers a dramatic leap in speeds in areas with the necessary coverage. The hotspot doesn’t support the millimeter-wave 5G that represented T-Mobile’s first stab at 5G , which the company has since mostly stopped talking about .

When it comes to speed, the more important thing here is what T-Mobile is doing with the frequencies that came with its purchase of Sprint. During our test period, that portion of the network often delivered speeds above 150 Mbps, maxing out at 236 Mbps in a park in Arlington, Virginia.

Third-party tests also give top network-speed honors to T-Mobile. PCMag, for example, rated T-Mobile as the fastest mobile network in America in 2021 after awarding Verizon first place in its 2020 testing . Another network-testing firm, Opensignal, reported in early 2021 , based on crowdsourced data from phones running its software , that T-Mobile’s 5G was faster than AT&T’s and Verizon’s, even after those carriers launched their C-band 5G. RootMetrics, which performs automated drive-testing much like PCMag’s, judged AT&T slightly better than Verizon in a round of tests done in the second half of 2021 but still found that T-Mobile’s 5G beat everybody else’s in metro areas.

T-Mobile prepaid data plans

T-Mobile’s coverage maps identify this faster 2.5 GHz coverage, which it markets as Ultra Capacity, in a darker shade of magenta—and in markets like Washington, DC, that deep purple covers most of the city and its nearby suburbs. The M2000 itself, however, doesn’t offer a hint as to whether you’re on T-Mobile’s lesser or greater 5G.

Otherwise, the M2000 offers a pleasant experience. All of our test devices connected to its primary network on the first try and stayed connected. The M2000 supports the current Wi-Fi 6 standard, a bit of future-proofing that allows for better performance and reliability as you upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 devices.

The M2000 offers a guest network disabled by default, with a weird wrinkle: Activating the guest Wi-Fi requires taking one of the two Wi-Fi bands (the lower-performance but longer-range 2.4 GHz band or the fast but shorter-range 5 GHz band) away from the primary network. In addition, during our tests the guest network failed to work once on an HP Spectre x360 laptop, for reasons Windows couldn’t explain in a “Can’t connect to this network” error; after we restarted the PC, the guest network functioned fine.

Both the primary and guest networks come with randomly generated alphanumeric passwords, which you can change on the hotspot’s web admin page (accessible at a my.mifi address that may not load; the IP address 192.168.1.1 also gets you there). You can connect a nearby device without a password—in our tests, we did so with the Spectre x360 laptop—by tapping a button on the hotspot, though this method uses the aging, less-secure WPS standard.

You can also connect a device via USB tethering: Plug a cable into the hotspot and the device, and then select Access internet (USB & WiFi) and OK in the menu on the M2000. In our tests that method worked on the first try with our HP laptop. The same USB-C port can recharge an external device, but after connecting the gadget in question, you need to remember to choose that option (select Universal Charging on the touchscreen and then tap OK ); otherwise, the hotspot will charge from the connected device instead.

Battery life on the M2000 averaged 9 hours 30 minutes over three tests. That’s not great, but it is certainly usable, and the hotspot’s USB-C port lets you use any other charger in addition to the one it comes with.

T-Mobile’s data pricing is refreshingly simple: The carrier sells prepaid access only on a standalone basis , with the best deal being 50 GB of 5G data for $50 a month. Getting 30 GB for $40 a month isn’t bad, either, but stepping below that leaves you at just 10 GB for $30–a moderate level of data use you could feasibly cover with your phone’s mobile-hotspot feature at a lower cost, since T-Mobile’s Magenta Max and its 40 GB hotspot allowance adds only $15 a month to its standard Magenta plan.

The T-Mobile Inseego 5G MiFi M2000’s battery life could be a lot better, considering the fairly large size of this hotspot. Future, more efficient 5G-capable chips should almost certainly improve on that performance. Those future hotspots might also support more mid-band frequencies than the four 5G bands the M2000 supports.

T-Mobile’s overall 5G coverage can also be a problem; in non-urban environments, anyone who sees the vision of 5G expressed in T-Mobile’s ads may be disappointed by what they actually get on their own devices.

And yes, $335 or so is a lot for any hotspot—especially if T-Mobile’s network progress, including its own upcoming C-band, renders this device obsolete in a year or two.

New hotspots come out less frequently than new smartphones, and many hotspot models for sale at the big three carriers have been out for more than a year. With both AT&T and Verizon having finally introduced C-band 5G hotspots (which we look forward to testing soon), only T-Mobile is in line to ship a new hotspot anytime soon.

In March 2022, Verizon quietly introduced the $300 Orbic Speed 5G UW hotspot to coincide with its growing 5G coverage. We’ll test that model for a future update, when the hardware and network are both available.

Looking past the hardware to the networks, the expansion of C-band 5G at AT&T and Verizon will be the thing to watch. Each carrier has sunk billions of dollars into spectrum auctions to fill the gap between millimeter-wave and low-band 5G in their respective 5G architectures. Verizon says it will expand its C-band 5G to Atlanta and Washington, DC, this year , with further expansion coming in 2023, while AT&T’s big C-band expansion won’t come until next year, when the carrier predicts it will cover 200 million people .

The $400 Verizon Inseego MiFi M2100 5G UW replaces the dreadful Inseego 5G MiFi M1000 and looks almost identical to T-Mobile’s M2000 when powered off aside from the Verizon 5G logo on its back. But although it’s cheaper and lighter than its bulky predecessor and can share all of its bandwidth via Wi-Fi, it suffers from the same severe coverage limits of Verizon’s millimeter-wave 5G.

After walking around with an M2100 in hand, we concluded that Verizon’s already underwhelming millimeter-wave coverage maps were aspirational at best. Most often, 5G coverage would emerge only in isolated patches of the advertised coverage area; more than once, I struggled to keep the Verizon hotspot on a 5G signal long enough to get a photo of it showing “5G UW” on its display . And since these high-frequency bands can’t penetrate buildings without repeaters, the real-world utility of this network and this hotspot dwindles further.

Plus, the M2100 suffers from the worst battery life of all the hotspots we tested, at an average of 8 hours 10 minutes, and it currently carries the second-highest price.

AT&T discontinued its previous 5G hotspot, the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot Pro , months before its April 2022 introduction of two new 5G-compatible models . The Netgear Nighthawk M6 , $310, doesn’t support AT&T’s fastest 5G and so should be a nonstarter, while the Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro , $460, does. But the M6 Pro’s price is more than 50% above the $300 list price of Verizon’s most comparable Orbic 5G hotspot. And although we haven’t been able to test either model, we’d have a much easier time testing the Verizon hotspot on C-band in the 46 markets Verizon has already turned on than in AT&T’s eight C-band markets (Austin, Chicago, Dallas–Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, and Orlando).

If you happen to live in any of those eight markets, however, AT&T’s standalone hotspot rates have greatly improved since 2020 and now top out with a prepaid deal, 100 GB for $55, that beats Verizon’s pricing. But there’s a huge gap in AT&T’s prepaid lineup below that tier, as your only cheaper options are a 15 GB plan for $35 a month and a 20 GB option that runs $25 a month but requires paying for 12 months in advance ($300 up front). The carrier’s postpaid plans are less helpful: 40 GB for $75 a month or 25 GB for $50. The sole option to add hotspot data to an existing smartphone plan, at 15 GB for $25, looks worse, failing to match the mobile-hotspot allowance you can get on an AT&T smartphone plan and offering less bytes for the buck than in Verizon’s add-on.

At all three carriers, you can still find older hotspots that lack touchscreens and charge via old-school Micro-USB cables. Those models are now sufficiently far behind the times in their support for LTE and Wi-Fi standards that you should avoid them entirely.

Other carriers

Prepaid LTE hotspots can seem appealing , but on closer inspection the deals don’t offer as much data as you can get through a plan that allows mobile hotspot on a smartphone. They can work if you need a little hotspot bandwidth a few times a year in a location where your regular carrier’s connectivity lags—for that, we suggest looking at the prepaid hotspot data allotments you can buy from sibling services Net10 and Straight Talk , both of which offer 10 GB for up to 60 days for $50. For most people, though, the best option for temporary tablet or laptop bandwidth is the smartphone already in their pocket or purse.

If you need constant hotspot connectivity without data-cap issues but don’t require much speed or multiple devices online, Verizon’s prepaid brand Visible just might work. Its $40 single-user plan (you can drop that cost to $25 a month if you get three other people to join a Party Pay group) includes unlimited data via mobile hotspot subject to two constraints: “Mobile hotspot with unlimited data at speeds up to 5 Mbps, limited to one device,” as its fine print says.

Visible customers have reported in posts on the r/Visible subreddit that this slow, single-device hotspot feature really is unlimited, and Visible publicist Lindsey Cohen confirmed in an email to us that it comes with “no cap on usage.” For customers with a simple computing situation (say, they use only a laptop or an iPad) stuck with terrible bandwidth (such as an aging DSL connection), that arrangement just might work, even if they need to buy a separate phone to avoid tying up their current handset with hotspot duty.

Dave Andersen, Mobile performance in the US part 1: performance across the entire United States , RootMetrics , February 22, 2017

Sue Marek, Mobile Network Experience Report, January 2020 , Opensignal

Meet your guide

Rob Pegoraro

Further reading

The Best Android and iPhone Gimbal

by Geoffrey Morrison and Signe Brewster

If you want smoother, more professional-looking video from your smartphone, the Insta360 Flow is the best gimbal.

iPhone vs. Android: Which Is Better for You?

by Andrew Cunningham

With thousands of hours testing phones and tablets , we know iOS and Android. We can help you decide which is better for you—or if it’s even worth switching.

How to Switch From iPhone to Android

by Roderick Scott

Switching from iPhone to Android is a big change, but it doesn’t have to be a hard one.

The Best Qi Wireless Charger for iPhone and Android Phones

by Nick Guy

We’ve spent over 900 hours testing Qi wireless chargers, and we’ve found great models across a wide spectrum of styles.

• Buy or Rent Hotspots
• Trips and Tours
• Redeem Voucher
• Enterprise Solutions
• Partner Solutions
• Paris Store
• Spain Store
• Vending Machines
• PickUp & Dropoff
• $ US Dollars
• $ Chilean Peso
• S$ Singapore Dollar
• CHECK OUT LOCAL DEALS IN YOUR AREA

Select the TravelWifi site you want

Can't find your location? See all TravelWifi sites

STEP 1 2 3 4

Sign In with TravelWifi

Existing or new customers, sign up and receive 10% deal for completing registration!

Secure. Flexible. Dependable WiFi.

Sapphire 3 Portable Wifi Hotspot

Sapphire Power Portable Wifi Hotspot

Portable WiFi Hotspot Rental

eSIM by TravelWifi

Sapphire 5G Portable Wifi Hotspot

CloudSIM Router

Euro+USA SIM

Sapphire Tablet

Global 75+ SIM

Our TravelWifi Travel Accessories

Discover our exclusive Hotels, Flights, and Car Rental deals

Sign in or Sign Up with one easy step to unlock exclusive TravelWifi Membership deals and up to 60% savings.

• car CAR RENTALS
• plane FLIGHTS

Thousands of Deals made everyday

Save more on your next hotel

Existing TravelWifi Customer Benefits:

Auto enrollment using your current TravelWifi login credentials

All tour & trips membership benefits applied instantly, new travelwifi member benefits:, deeply discounted rates with savings up to 60%, 1m+ properties in 155,000 destinations in 200+ countries and territories, major rental car brands from over 21,000 locations worldwide, connect to over 300 airlines, 2000 airports in 200+ countries and territories, flexible cancellation policies available.

DEALS FOR EVERY BUDGET

Incredible Prices on Hotels, flights, cars, and packages worldwide

BILLIONS SAVED

We've already saved travelers billions of dollars!

HOTEL & FLIGHT PACKAGES

Book together and save a bundle.

We're always here for you - reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Power of Possibility

For the freedom seekers. The explorers. The driven and determined. The ones who won’t let anything stand in their way. Discover what’s possible with TravelWifi’s full range of products and services.

Discover our exclusive trips and tour deals

Connecting the travelers to the world. Whether you are planning a perfect get away vacation with family & friends, or booking for your next business trip, TravelWifi can help you easily plan and book your entire trip with the widest selection of deals that offer huge savings on hotels, flights, and car rentals.

Top Destination Deals

South Africa

Explore 130+ destinations.

Taking on the World. Made Easy.

The Best Data Plan for You

TravelWifi data plans are flexible. Choose from prepaid or pay as you go options, by day, month, or data usage. We offer specific country coverage and multi-country hotspot plans, giving you internet access throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Oceania. Stay connected, no matter where you go next.

As Seen On:

See What People Are Saying

Frequently Asked Questions

We’re here to help you take advantage of every possibility. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, reach out to our customer support team anytime day or night.

• Moscow Tourism
• Moscow Hotels
• Moscow Bed and Breakfast
• Moscow Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Moscow
• Moscow Restaurants
• Things to Do in Moscow
• Moscow Travel Forum
• Moscow Photos
• All Moscow Hotels
• Moscow Hotel Deals
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Can I rent a pocket wifi unit for use in Russia? - Moscow Forum

• Europe    
• Russia    
• Central Russia    
• Moscow    

Can I rent a pocket wifi unit for use in Russia?

• United States Forums
• Europe Forums
• Canada Forums
• Asia Forums
• Central America Forums
• Africa Forums
• Caribbean Forums
• Mexico Forums
• South Pacific Forums
• South America Forums
• Middle East Forums
• Honeymoons and Romance
• Business Travel
• Train Travel
• Traveling With Disabilities
• Tripadvisor Support
• Solo Travel
• Bargain Travel
• Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
• Central Russia forums
• Moscow forum

Hello, Travelers!

Is it possible to rent pocket wifi units for use in Russia?

I have changed to T-Mobile pre-paid with BYOP...I got one with dual SIM slots, and have both my "standard" US SIM and permanent Russian one on the same phone, just what I need. Note that there are some other providers that allow the same flexibility. I had Virgin Mobile for several years, but while they are "cool" if you are young, if you are - ahem - "mature" as I am, and interested in basic, brass tacks stuff, they are a disaster. One of the drawbacks I got when I first did this is I could never get an Android update, and slowly by surely, the phone turned into a brick as many apps simply stopped working. As I am not the most savvy here, I ended up being passed around by every party over this issue ("call your provider, call the manufacturer, call Android,") to the point where I ditched phone and Virgin.

Unfortunately This is what a lot of the android phones vendors do. They cook up theirs own version of android os and never updated it.

Hi, Alexander M,

For 7 days of service with the "pocket internet" program the cost is over $50 US and you must return the unit.

Last May My Wife and I got SIM Cards for our phones and purchased the pocket wifi from MTC with 30 days of service for about $45-50. We now own the pocket wifi unit (which isn't doing us any good outside Russia without paying $50 or so to unlock it). (NOTE: "C" in Russian is "S" in English, so you may see this on the english version of the websites: MTS).

So, unless you plan to be in Russia for less than 4 days and don't want your phone to stand-alone, just go to MTC for a better deal. If you take about 5 steps and fall down you will be in front of an MTC store--they are all over the place!

I did find the rental program in Taiwan and Japan to be quite competitive for the WIFI units--about $30 including delivery to our B&B and return postage.

Some countries are beginning to be a problem--because terrorists use cell phones to set off bombs a lot of countries will not let you get SIM cards without a lot of hassle...or not at all. I believe India is among them.

The rental from third party sources is sometimes the workaround....or there is no workaround if you do not have an actual residence address (and all the visa stuff) in the country.

Thank you very much, Osama!

Travel-Junkie 3PO

Hi Travel-Junkie-3PO,

I heard about cases MTS charge suspicious costs.

Did they take your credit card slip?

Check account of your russian SIM card.

And I'm not sure you'll manage to unblock the router.

Please tell me if you managed.

We were very satisfied with MTS and found no suspicious charges. We had perfect success with the router while in Russia but it cannot be unblocked outside Russia without paying a fee (which we did not try so we don't know if it would be successful).

Hola, soy argentino y voy a viajar a Rusia para el mundial, podria hacerte algunas preguntas?

si es asi avisame.

It's ok--send you questions and I and other TripAdvisor members will be glad to reply!

hey travel-junkie ... these are great tips. However I'm a little confused at some of the technical details.

I too plan to visit Russia and have a Verizon phone.

It's my understanding that Verizon phones are unlocked now and actually have the proper GSM frequencies for calls and texts in Russia (albeit at some ripoff rates).

It sounds like you attempted to solve the 'Verizon' data problem by purchasing a "Pocket WiFi" device .... this device essentially used "mobile" internet data but acted as a WiFi hotspot for your phone.

Well my question is --- you need the Russian SIM for the PocketWiFi device .... and NOT your Verizon phone, right? WiFi is the same everywhere and doesn't require any special bands/ frequencies --- so why would your PHONE need the Russian SIM?

The SIM is for the device connecting directly to the LTE frequencies ... which in your case in the pocket WIFI. Many Verizon phones really lack the HARDWARE to connect to Russian LTE frequencies (well most of them) no matter what SIM you are using. I take it the MTS pocket-wifi is obviously compatible (it's local), and is the "link" between Russian LTE and Verizon phones. Is that correct? Or did you just get the SIM for the phone for the cheaper text/ call/ and possibly 3g data connectivity?

Wouldn't the PocketWifi have the SIM though as it's the one really "using" the data? Trying to understand here.

It is either cumbersome, expensive or not possible to use our Verizon phones as hotspots.

I need a hotspot when I travel because of my business--I get a lot of e-mail and I reply with attachments stored on my netbook. Detailed replies don't work so well from my smart phone so I use my netbook.

We got SIM cards for the phones because we are awful museum junkies (we spent 5 hours, then 7 1/2 hours in the Hermitage) and we can contact each other if we get split up. Heck--for $45 including the mobile wifi, why not?

If you are going to St Petersburg, Chris, you'll probably also visit Catherine's Palace. We stayed at the Palace for about $80/nite and went on to Pavlosk, which I heartily recommend. The ladies at the front desk at the palace hotel hooked us up with a taxi that cost about $4 US to go to Pavlosk and gave us a phone number for another cab that returned us to central St Petersburg for a little over $20. When you finish with Pavlosk, ask the ladies in the gift shop to call the cab (after telling them how beautiful they are...and they tell you that you must be a friend of The Travel Junkie!!)

Catherine's is very cold and formal. Pavlosk is a lot more "real" as it is a home and not a palace for ceremonies. We actually liked it more than Catherine's...except for the Amber Room, of course!! there are a few excellent restaurants near Catherine's--after all the Bus People shove off, tour the gardens, then go have dinner...next morning take off for Pavlosk.

Visit the Faberge Museum from 6 to 9 pm, when you don't have to take the guided tour. You'll need all three hours! If you like Jazz, go to the Jazz Philharmonia...you won't be able to buy tix online but if you send a nice e-mail to them, Olga will hold tix at the front desk for you--$20 each to enjoy great jazz in a great little concert hall.

Happy travels!

I've read most of this thread and I'm still unsure of what would be the best solution for me : I'm about to spend five weeks in Russia, I will have to remain able to use data as I'll be traveling by train/bus/boat through a dozen of cities, international roaming can't be an option considering the price and I can't remove my Sim card from my phone as my French number has to remain reachable... To rent a device seems to be overpricey, but what would be the best solution then ? To buy a portable hotspot locally and to buy a separate subscription-free SIM ? Can I do that easily in Sochi, where my travel will start ?

Thanks a lot if you can help.

• Planning trip to Russia yesterday
• SIM card. Russian SIM cards, do they still work in the UK? yesterday
• Train Booking Moscow to St. Peter Mar 29, 2024
• Union Pay debit card Mar 27, 2024
• Russian trying to book a hotel in Jerusalem Mar 14, 2024
• Dual Citizen Arrested in Russia Mar 12, 2024
• about clothes Feb 27, 2024
• NOTE - border crossing from Finland into Russia closed Feb 09, 2024
• Snow boots in Red Square Feb 04, 2024
• Travelling to Moscow & Murmansk with toddle in winter Feb 02, 2024
• Anyone traveling from London to Moscow this week ? Jan 27, 2024
• Booking accommodation Jan 11, 2024
• Traveling friends (Designers preferred) :) Jan 05, 2024
• Are shops and things closed during Christmas and New Week ? Dec 15, 2023
• Moscow to St Petersburg train or air?? 32 replies
• New Sapsan Express Train from Moscow to St Petersburg 18 replies
• New year's in moscow 8 replies
• Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour 5 replies
• How do you purchase Bolshoi Ballet tickets at a great price? 2 replies
• Select-a-room.com Are they legitimate? 3 replies
• Weather Moscow and St. petersburg in May 8 replies
• Night train to St Petersburg 3 replies
• ATM Access 12 replies
• Visa needed if on layover at Moscow Airport??????? 15 replies

Moscow Hotels and Places to Stay

• Where can I get initial answers to ANY question?

How to get free WiFi in Moscow

Moscow is the largest city of Russia and holds a prominent place in the country as the main economic, cultural, political andresearch centre.

There couldn’t be a better spot to spend your vacations than the artful city of Moscow; the reasons being many but the major one for being among one of the cities where free WiFi connections are blessed. The city being vastly connected to the World through various international airports and railways has an amazingly extensive internet connection around the city for the tourists who might want an access to the media zone as well as to their social network, but would appreciate to cut back on those awful internet charges, while delighting in the beauties of this city like Moscow Kremlin orIntourist Hotel Volgograd.

Moscow had been ranked as one an alpha global city streaming with countless tourists all-round the year, hencefinding free WiFi is not as difficult as it might sound. The capital of Russia has been conveniently blessed with 1178 free WiFi hotspots including various restaurants, coffeehouses, pubs, hotels; and quite surprisingly yet delightfully enough, these free WiFi connections are in access to public transportation, parklands, Moscow metro buses and many such open places where tourists and locals alike, pass through frequently and would want to enjoy their meals or coffees while posting check ins and photos for their Facebook circle!

The main internet service provider within the entire city is Beeline, Megafon and MTS. If curious about the connection’s security with respect to your personal details, for that is quite natural, have a look at the related websites and find out the best tariffs.

However, in the historical Moscow city, free wireless connections is operative only through the Beeline which is readily spread in many areas of the city. The only effort you need to put in is connect to the internet by the name of “Beeline WiFi” or “Beeline WiFi WPA “and experiment around a bit like putting up your laptop on the window-sill for a few minutes, orswinging around the mobile phone in blank airuntil you start getting a stable reception; and you’re all good to go. Beeline WiFi is the only service provider if you are travelling a bus or a trolleybus, which is quite common in Russia. Moreover, 300 routers providing free internet access have been allocated on public transportation. Another free WiFi arrangement could be leisurely enjoyed while moving in and out of the city through Moscow’s underground Metro system.As of now, MTS has taken the initiative to equip four out of fourteen  Moscow metro stations in the city, erasing off all that weariness of a subway, and what’s more; the data transfer is estimated to be more than 100Mb/s per train!

Fortunately, there are various places in Moscow covered soundly with commercial WiFi network, where you could freely relax, sipping on those savory Mors with your laptop connecting you to the social webs or checking up on your mails and letting you keep track of this fast-paced modern world that would definitely help in easily recording and creating a memorable travelogue.

• Contributed to TheBackpackers by ‘StagHorn’; contact him here .

Best Europe SIM Card in 2024

Planning a trip to Europe in 2024 and wondering what the best way is to stay connected? Don’t get stuck with high roaming fees or slow overseas data speeds! The smart solution is to get a Europe SIM card for your travels.

In this ultimate guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about finding the best European SIM card in 2024, including:

• Where to buy Europe SIM cards (online or in person)
• Prepaid SIM cards vs eSIMs for Europe
• The top Europe SIM card options with detailed pricing and specs
• Tips for setting up and using your Europe SIM card
• How to avoid common pitfalls and get the most value

Whether you need a physical prepaid SIM or a virtual eSIM, this article has all the info you need to get the best SIM card for traveling in Europe.

Why Get a Europe SIM Card?

Do you really need to buy a SIM card for your Europe trip? After all, most hotels, cafes, trains and public spaces offer free WiFi these days. You could try to just rely on public hotspots to stay connected.

However, there are several big advantages to having your own Europe SIM card and mobile data connection:

• Convenience and flexibility  – With your own SIM, you have 24/7 internet access no matter where you are. No need to frantically search for WiFi every time you need to check a map, look up a restaurant, book a train or call an Uber.
• Faster speeds  – Public WiFi networks are often congested and slow, especially in high-traffic areas like airports and city centers. With a 4G/5G Europe SIM card, you’ll enjoy much faster data speeds for smooth browsing, app use and photo sharing.
• More security and privacy  – Connecting to public WiFi always carries some risks, as the networks are unsecured and your data could potentially be exposed to others. It’s much safer to use your own private cellular data connection.
• Affordable rates  – Relying on your home carrier’s international roaming plan can get very expensive very quickly. Buying a local or regional Europe SIM card gives you generous data allowances at a fraction of the roaming costs.
• Voice calling and texting  – In addition to data, most Europe SIM cards also come with affordable talk and text rates for communicating within Europe and even internationally. Pay-as-you-go credit is easy to add too.

As you can see, it’s well worth the small upfront cost and effort to get your own Europe SIM card. It will make your travels a lot easier and keep you reliably connected throughout your trip.

Where to Buy a SIM Card for Europe

Luckily, buying a Europe SIM card is a quick and straightforward process. You have a few different options of where and when to purchase your SIM:

Buying Online Before You Go

The most convenient option is to order your Europe SIM card online before your trip. This way it will be ready to use from the moment you land. No wasting time hunting down a store or waiting in line.

Several international telecom providers offer prepaid Europe SIM cards that will be shipped to your home ahead of your departure date. The package will include the SIM card itself, detailed setup instructions, and usually some bonus perks like a free UK/EU number or discounted calling rates.

Buying your SIM online in advance is especially handy if you’re landing late at night, on a weekend, or in a small airport where shops may have limited hours. You can hit the ground running and already be connected.

Recommended online Europe SIM retailers include:

Orange Holiday Europe

Bouygues telecom, buying on arrival in europe.

Alternatively, if you prefer to buy your Europe SIM card in person, you can easily pick one up once you arrive in Europe. However, you’ll need to budget some extra time for this and be prepared to possibly wait in line.

Most major European airports have multiple mobile carrier shops and kiosks where you can purchase prepaid SIM cards. Look for stores from providers like Vodafone, Orange, Three, TIM, Telekom, etc. The staff will help you select a suitable prepaid package, install the SIM and set up your service. Just be aware that airport locations tend to charge higher prices than other stores.

It’s also possible to buy Europe SIM cards at mobile carrier shops in city centers, as well as electronics stores, supermarkets and convenience stores. Brands like Lebara specialize in affordable international SIM cards and have extensive retail networks. Just be sure to bring your passport for registration.

Best Europe SIM Card Options

Now that you know how to buy a Europe SIM card, let’s look at some of the best options currently on the market for 2024 travel:

The Orange Holiday Europe SIM is our top overall pick for the best value Europe SIM card. Some key features:

• Valid for 14 days
• Unlimited calls and texts within Europe
• 2 hours global calling
• 1000 global texts
• Available as physical SIM or eSIM
• Covers 30+ European countries
• Price: $49.90

If you need more data and a longer validity, Orange also offers the Holiday Europe eSIM XXL with a whopping 50 GB for 28 days. It’s a bit pricier at $59.90 but can be worthwhile for longer trips or heavy data use.

The Bouygues My European SIM is a great choice for a month-long Europe trip. You get:

• 30 days validity
• 4G LTE speeds
• Unlimited voice and texts in Europe
• €25 credit for global calls
• Free EU roaming in 30+ countries
• Choice of physical SIM or eSIM
• Price: $44.90

One potential downside is that service can only be activated once you arrive in Europe. But otherwise, this is a very economical option with tons of data to keep you going for a full month abroad.

KnowRoaming

The KnowRoaming Global eSIM offers a unique “unlimited” data package for Europe. Specifications:

• Unlimited data
• Throttled speeds after 5GB daily use
• Covers 44 European countries
• eSIM only (no physical SIM)
• Price: $59.99

While the promise of unlimited data is alluring, note that speeds will slow down substantially if you use over 5GB per day. Still, this could be a good fit for very heavy data users who want peace of mind.

KnowRoaming also sells country-specific Europe eSIMs if you’ll just be visiting 1-2 destinations and don’t need broad regional coverage. Plans start at just $4.99.

The Three UK Pay As You Go SIM offers affordable short-term connectivity. You get:

• 3G/4G/5G speeds
• Choice of regular, micro, or nano SIM sizes
• Covers 48 European countries
• Price: $24.90

This is a great budget-friendly option if you just need a basic data package for a quick trip. Pair it with an eSIM for longer journeys.

Airalo is a popular eSIM store that carries a variety of regional plans for Europe. Their Eurolink eSIMs come in several sizes:

• 1 GB data for 7 days – $5
• 3 GB data for 30 days – $13
• 5 GB data for 30 days – $18
• 10 GB data for 30 days – $28
• 20 GB data for 30 days – $40
• 50 GB data for 90 days – $90
• 100 GB data for 180 days – $185

All plans include coverage of 39 European countries and are data-only (no calls or texts). Activation is instant upon purchase. With this many choices, there’s a size and duration to fit any type of Europe trip.

KeepGo is another leading international eSIM provider with Europe data plans. Their Europe eSIM offerings include:

• 1GB data for 30 days – $13
• 3GB data for 30 days – $26
• 5GB data for 30 days – $44
• 10GB data for 30 days – $85

KeepGo’s plans are a bit pricier than Airalo’s but still provide good value, especially for shorter trips. Data is valid in 35 European countries.

Tips for Using Your Europe SIM Card

Once you’ve got your new Europe SIM card in hand, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of it during your travels:

• Check compatibility  – Most newer smartphones (iPhone XS and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 series and later, Google Pixel 3 and later) are eSIM compatible. But if you have an older device, you’ll need to use a physical SIM card. Also ensure your device is unlocked before attempting to switch SIMs.
• Enable data roaming  – In your phone settings, make sure data roaming is turned on to access cellular networks abroad. You may also need to select your new SIM as the primary cellular data line.
• Manage your usage  – While your Europe SIM likely comes with a generous data allowance, it’s still smart to keep tabs on your usage via your carrier’s app or by dialing a balance check code. Overage fees can add up fast.
• Download offline maps and entertainment  – To stretch your data even further, take advantage of offline apps and downloads. For example, download Google Maps offline maps of the cities you’re visiting, and pre-download music playlists, Netflix shows, etc before leaving WiFi.
• Use WiFi calling when possible  – Most carriers offer WiFi calling, meaning you can make and receive calls and texts over WiFi without using your plan’s minutes or texts. Take advantage of this feature in hotels, Airbnbs and other places with good WiFi to save your allowances.
• Avoid streaming and big downloads  – Watching videos and downloading large files will quickly eat through even ‘unlimited’ data plans. Stick to basic web browsing, messaging, maps and light social media to keep your data usage in check.
• Save your old SIM  – Don’t throw away your regular SIM card when you remove it to use your Europe SIM! Keep it somewhere safe so you can pop it back in when you return home. A small plastic case or ziplock bag works well.

Get a Europe SIM Card for Smooth Travels

Having reliable connectivity makes traveling around Europe so much easier and less stressful. Picking up a Europe SIM card is an affordable way to equip your phone with plenty of data for maps, translation, booking trains and hotels, staying in touch and sharing your trip pics.

As this article has shown, buying the best SIM card for Europe in 2024 is a simple process, thanks to the many online and in-person purchase options. Whether you opt for a prepaid physical SIM or a convenient eSIM, you’ll be able to stay connected at affordable rates anywhere your European adventures take you.

Don’t let expensive roaming charges or patchy WiFi ruin your dream Europe trip – grab one of these top Europe SIM cards and enjoy seamless connectivity on the go!

Share this:

↞ Previous Post

Next Post ↠

Important: Read our blog and commenting guidelines before using the USF Blogs network.

The Family Handyman

Buy and Install the Best Wi-Fi Security Camera for Your Needs

Posted: July 21, 2023 | Last updated: July 21, 2023

D-Link DCSD-2630L Comes from Big Name in Wireless Tech

The Arlo Pro Is Rechargeable and Goes Indoors or Out

LG Wi-Fi Security Camera Blends in with Your Décor

Canary All-In-One Indoor Security System

Nest Combines Elegance with Versatility in Mounting

Oco Pro Dome Has Great Features

Uniden GC45S Outdoor Camera

Nest Cam Outdoor Wi-Fi Security Camera Is Feature-Rich

Completely Wire-Free Installation with Lorex

The Best Places to Install Your Indoor Wi-Fi Security Camera

Wi-Fi Security cameras do best up high to give their signal the most range. Most security contractors will install wired and wireless cameras in the upper corners of rooms, both ends of hallways, and at the tops of stairwells to obtain the best coverage At least one camera should be installed in the garage in such a way that opening either outer door doesn't cause the camera image to white out.

The farther away from "the action" a security camera is, the lower the quality of the intruder's image that it's going to capture. This drawback is enhanced when you're dealing with night vision, as most don't work past 15-20 feet. If you have a room that's longer than 10 feet, you should consider putting cameras at both ends of the room to overcome this deficiency and get the cleanest images possible when you really need them.

Use More than One Outdoor Wi-Fi Camera per Door

Don't Forget Other Access Points

Make Use of the Cloud

More for you.

U.S., Japan to launch military industrial council on arms co-production: official

Some Jan. 6 rioters win early release, even before key Supreme Court ruling

First-Quarter "Safe-Harbor" Quarterly IRS Estimated Tax Payments: Why and How to Make Them

NFC East news: Commanders, Giants draft prep; another Eagles legend officially retires

Positive steps: Why walking in nature benefits the mind

Seattle pastor claims newspaper canceled church's Easter service ads last minute after CEO objected

2 more Boeing planes are under FAA scrutiny after a whistleblower's claims

eBay acquires Goldin, sells vault to Collectors

Neutral Switzerland joins European Sky Shield defence project

Why Silver is Outshining Gold in April

Study highlights impact of aldehydes on DNA damage and aging

4 Things You Should Never Cook in Cast Iron

Nasdaq, S&P end higher in late-session recovery, Dow closes little changed ahead of CPI

Company that made millions of defective sleep apnea machines ordered to overhaul manufacturing

Delta Air Lines Airbus A321 Flight Declares Emergency Upon Descent Into Atlanta

'American Idol' recap: Loretta Lynn's grandchild wows judges, Jelly Roll grieves with contestant

A period piece, a contemporary drama, and a speculative sci-fi movie all in one

59 Sweet Southern Pies Everyone Should Bake

What Were Those Bright Red Dots Seen During the Eclipse?

2025 Toyota 4Runner Is Finally Here and Appears Worth the Wait