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- Best Secure Travel Router 2018 For A Macbook Pro
- Best Travel Router 2018
- Best Secure Travel Router 2018 For A Macbook
With the best external hard drives, you never have to worry about running out of space again, even if you work with very large files, such as uncompressed video and high resolution photos. A travel router is a great way to bring portable Wi-Fi on your next trip. Here are some of the best travel routers to consider. 2018 4 minutes. The Best Travel Routers for Your Next Vacation. Email Facebook Whatsapp Pinterest Twitter.
The Rundown
- Best Overall:Asus RT-AC88U at Amazon, “Can automatically detect network vulnerabilities or identify malicious sites.”
- Best Security:Synology at Amazon, “Parental controls, a blacklist of malicious risky websites and security options.”
- Best Budget:Linksys EA6900 at Amazon, “Beamforming technology make it a formidable competitor to more expensive options.”
- Best Gaming:Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 at Amazon, “Great option for gamers looking for maximum performance without spending a fortune.”
- Best Range:Asus RT-AC5300 at Amazon, “Can cover a 5,000-square-foot home before seeing signal degradation.”
- Best Mesh: eero at Amazon, “Little risk of the network being set up incorrectly and left vulnerable.”
- Best Open Source:Linksys WRT3200ACM at Amazon, “Technology helps each device stay connected to the network at the fastest possible speed.”
- Best Design:TP-Link OnHub AC1900 at Amazon, “One of the easiest setup processes around and provides easy network monitoring.”
Our Top Picks
Best Secure Travel Router 2018 For A Macbook Pro
Best Overall: Asus RT-AC88U
4.5
The Asus RT-AC88U is Supported by 1024-QAM technology and is 80 percent faster on the 5GHz band at up to 2100Mbps and 66 percent faster on 2.4GHz with speeds reaching up to 1000Mbps. It comes equipped with a 4-transmit, 4-receive antenna design that enables it to reach a coverage area of up to 5,000 square feet. Add in 4x capacity Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO technology and it’s easy to see why the AC88U is an award-winning router.
The routers also has Asus AiProtection, which is powered by Trend Micro to keep your Web browsing, downloading and streaming safe from questionable behavior. The baked-in Trend Micro services also provide parental controls and can automatically detect network vulnerabilities or identify malicious sites before you reach them.
Best Security: Synology
Synology might not be the first name you think of when purchasing a router, but this security-focused unit is good for both homes and small businesses. Incorporating its learnings from the Network Attached Storage industry (NAS), Synology offers four 4 x 4 802.11ac antennas for extending signal range and speed up to 2.53Gbs (1,733Mbps 5GHz, 800Mbps 2.4GHz). Added features such as MU-MIMO and beam-forming help maintain the boosted speed and allows available bandwidth to be properly shared when multiple devices are connected.
Setup is a snap and within five minutes you’re up and running on both Mac and PC where you’ll gain access to Synology’s Router Management System. It’s here you’ll find options such as parental controls, a blacklist of malicious risky websites and security options. Synology’s biggest bonus is the package center where you can download NAS-grade apps such as VPN Plus or Intrusion Prevention to double up on the built-in security, so you'll have far more peace of mind when it comes to potential attacks.
Best Budget: Linksys EA6900
With one of the easiest setups in the secure router space and a pre-configured network available on the bottom of the device, the Linksys EA6900 offers excellent performance for a budget-friendly price. Featuring 600Mbps performance on the 2.4GHz band and 1300Mbps on the 5GHz band, the dual-band output and beamforming technology make it a formidable competitor to more expensive options. The design has a utilitarian black casing and three large adjustable antennas for equal signal distribution throughout a home or office.
Beyond design, the included Guest Access feature helps maintain network security by limiting users to a separate network that removes access to on-network hardware such as other computers or printers. Security-conscious users will love the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi smartphone app that shows information about home Wi-Fi when on-the-go. You can even set up parent controls, prioritize connected devices and send guests Wi-Fi passwords via text or email. Plus, the router has SPI and NAT firewalls to fend off any network attacks.
Want to take a look at some other options? See our guide to the best budget routers.
Best Gaming: Netgear Nighthawk AC1900
Netgear’s Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi router, properly known as the R7000, is a great option for gamers looking for maximum performance without spending a fortune. With built-in extras such as Dynamic QoS, the R7000 prioritizes bandwidth by determining which real-time application requires the most signal, which ensures optimal performance for online gaming, video chat or HD streaming. Setup remains easy with users online and browsing within five minutes of unboxing.
The router supports both 600 and 1300Mbps speeds and when it comes to security, both parents and security-savvy users will enjoy extras such as parental controls and Web filtering levels. And OpenVPN offers secure access to your home network from anywhere you can get online.
Best Range: Asus RT-AC5300
The Asus RT-AC5300 features a tri-band performance with dual 5GHz and single 2.4GHz available on 802.11ac 4 x 4 technology. The RT-AC5300 can cover a 5,000-square-foot home before seeing signal degradation. Performance excels, thanks to MU-MIMO technology that helps devices operate at the fastest speed. And gamers will love access to the WTFast Gamers private network for more stable pings during lengthy gaming sessions.
If its performance hasn’t already won you over, the inclusion of AiProtection by Trend Micro just might. The security-focused suite adds multi-stage detection of network vulnerabilities, parental controls, malicious site blocking and Adaptive QoS, which helps monitor bandwidth and provides a history of web-surfing activity. Moreover, the RT-AC5300 can detect if an existing device on the network is attempting to transmit personal data and stop it before it can get beyond the firewall.
Best Mesh: eero
The eero home Wi-Fi system is pricier than a traditional black router, but it comes with more than enough benefits to justify its higher price tag. Available as a single, two-pack or three-pack, eero recommends at least one unit for every 1,000 square feet of space. The units handle all the heavy lifting when it comes to network setup with configuration happening on the backend. Ultimately, there’s little risk of the network being set up incorrectly and left vulnerable.
On board the eero are tri-band Wi-Fi radios, simultaneous 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz wireless connectivity, plus support for 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and 2x2 MU-MIMO technology (to blanket a home against the possibility of Internet dead zones). Easy setup aside, it’s the security where eero really shines with updates coming directly from the manufacturer. Once a network vulnerability is detected, a security update can be initiated by the cloud and can send patches to all eero customers instantly. Checking in with the cloud every 10 seconds, eero maintains near real-time data protection that offers both peace of mind and outstanding network performance.
Still can't decide on what you want? Our round-up of the best mesh wi-fi network systems can help you find what you're looking for.
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Best Open Source: Linksys WRT3200ACM
The Linksys WRT3200ACM has Tri-Stream 160 technology that doubles bandwidth to help maintain speed better than most dual-band routers. Additional features such as MU-MIMO (multi-user multiple input, multiple output) technology helps each device stay connected to the network at the fastest possible speed without interfering with the performance of other devices.
As for security, the Linksys’ Smart Wi-Fi smartphone app lets you manage and monitor the network from anywhere at any given time. It’s the open-source aspect that really shines for security-focused router buyers since you can easily use “packages” from trustworthy open source distributions such as OpenWRT or DD-WRT and establish a secure VPN, monitor and analyze network traffic or detect network intrusions instantaneously.
Best Design: TP-Link OnHub AC1900
Google’s TP-Link OnHub AC1900 is the search engine giant’s first entry into the wider space of router manufacturing. Partnering with TP-Link, the OnHub reaches speeds of up to 1900Mbps and is powered by 13 antennas capable of blanketing a home with network coverage up to 2,500 square feet. With a bonus of support for more than 100-plus connected devices, even if you’re having a party there’s more than enough power to make sure everyone stays connected. Google’s own On app adds one of the easiest setup processes around and provides easy network monitoring directly from your Android- or iOS-powered device.
Google has also ensured a steady future for the OnHub with the promise of automatic security updates far into the future. The OnHub receives software updates to stay up-to-date with known Internet threats. Beyond security, its cylinder shape is a far cry from the run-of-the-mill wireless router design.
Tested by
How We Tested
Our reviewers spent 43 hours testing one of the most popular secure routers on the market. To get the most well-rounded results, our testers installed it at home, connected multiple devices, and analyzed its speed, range, and more. We asked them to consider the most important features when using this router — from its design to its special security features — and we've outlined them here so that you, too, know what to look for when shopping.
What to Look for in a Secure Router
Built-in VPNs - ISPs can keep a closer eye on the content we access online by selecting specific services they may wish to throttle (slow down) or prioritize (speed up). Routers with built-in VPNs allow users to surf the Web without worry of being watched; All traffic is carefully encrypted out of sight of your ISP.
Built-in firewalls - Because we tend to use multiple devices on our home networks, ensuring that a firewall is installed correctly on every machine can be a difficult task. Keep an eye out for routers that have built-in firewall solutions — they offer broad network protection to fend off potential attacks.
Smartphone access - Many modern routers allow for remote monitoring of your network via dedicated mobile applications for your smartphone or tablet. The ability to access your network from your smartphone means you can keep a close eye on everything that is happening. If you spot an unrecognized device accessing the network, you can quickly take action to remove it.
Test Results: Asus RT-AC88U (Best Overall)
4.5
What We Like
![5 best router 2018 5 best router 2018](/uploads/1/2/6/0/126025953/267941297.jpg)
- Powerful software
- Fast speed
- Easy to connect devices
What We Don't Like
- Pricey
- Antennas too tall
- Range could have been better
This router came highly rated by our testers for its “surprisingly simple” setup, easy connectivity, and powerful software. The downsides of this router, according to our testers, were that its antennas were a little too tall and that its range could have been better: 'Unfortunately, this router doesn’t have the same range that comparable mesh routers have,' one reviewer said, 'and you likely won’t be able to get a strong signal across a large home.' One tester also noted its high price tag, but said that it was a 'premium price for a premium experience.'
A travel router is often considered the “Swiss army knife” of Internet networking. These tiny devices are often no bigger than a credit card, but don’t be fooled by their small footprint. Anyone who finds him or herself on the go should have one of these in their computer bag.
Related: What You Need to Know When Buying a Router for Your Home
What Is a Travel Router
A travel router is essentially a smaller version of the WiFi router you have in your house. A travel router’s primary purpose is to create a unique WiFi network using an open public WiFi connection or a wired one. Let’s say that you’re staying at a hotel that offers free Internet, but it’s only available from a single Ethernet cable. Without a travel router you would be tethered to that cable, and only one device would have access to the Internet. However, with a travel router users can create a private WiFi network by connecting their travel router to the Ethernet cable.
If the hotel offers WiFi, then you’re stuck having to add the network and type in the password to each device you have with you. Using a travel router eliminates this annoyance. Simply fire up your travel router and connect the router to the hotel’s WiFi. Now all of your devices can simply connect to the personal WiFi network that the travel router creates.
Benefits of Using a Travel Router
As we mentioned above, the main selling point of a travel router is convenience. If you don’t travel all that much, this may not seem like a big deal. However, travel routers have other useful features. Using a travel router helps to secure your privacy. Many places from restaurants to libraries offer free WiFi to the public.
Of course, we’ve all heard about the dangers of public WiFi, and for good reason. It’s easy for attackers on the same public WiFi network as you to steal your login credentials, personal information or other sensitive data. Fortunately using a travel router adds a layer of security when using public WiFi.
When using a travel router, all of your devices are connected to the network the router creates, not the public one. This means that potential attackers won’t be able to “see” your devices. Furthermore, a travel router enables you to bypass any limits to the number of devices you’re allowed to have connected since technically you’re only connecting one, the travel router.
Best Travel Router 2018
Related: Dos and Don’ts on Public WiFi When Traveling Abroad
In addition, most travel routers also boast a number of other features. For instance, many travel routers can act as a WiFi range extender for your home or office so you can out it to use when you’re not travelling. Furthermore, some can use a SIM card to create a WiFi network and others can even transfer files via attached storage. If a travel router sounds like something you need in your computer bag, continue reading to see our favorites.
1. TP-Link Nano
Coming in at 2.2 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches and 7.2 ounces, the TP-Link Nano is one of the smallest travel routers available. The unit is capable of delivering 300Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band and is compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n Internet protocols. In addition, the TP-Link Nano supports Router, AP, Client, Repeater and WISP operation modes.
Best Secure Travel Router 2018 For A Macbook
2. TP-Link AC750
The TP-Link AC750 is very similar to the TP-Link Nano. The AC750 is a little more expensive; however, it has one significant advantage over the Nano. The TP-Link AC750 supports the faster 802.11AC protocol. This means that this travel router is capable of achieving speeds of 750Mbps. Of course, you’ll need devices that are compatible with the 5 GHz Network band in order to connect to this device.
3. GL.iNet GL-MT300N-V2 Mini Travel Router
The GL-MT300N-V2 travel router is one of the most affordable on the market. For only $20 you can create a private WiFi network from any public connection. What sets the GLiNet apart is the fact that OpenWRT is pre-installed. This means that users can choose to install over 4000 software packages to tweak functionality. Doing so allows you to exploit various features that manufacturers usually keep hidden from end users.
4. RAVPower FileHub Plus
Like the others on this list, the RAVPower FileHub plus creates a private, secure WiFi network from an existing one. However, the RAVPower FileHub Plus boasts a slew of other useful features. The most useful feature is the ability to stream media and transfer files to flash drives, hard drives and SC cards. In addition, the FileHub Plus sports an internal 6000 mAh battery. Not only does this battery allow it to operate without being plugged into a power source, but it is also capable of functioning as a powerbank for other devices.
Do you use a travel router? Which model do you use? Let us know in the comments!