For most travelers, the best travel router is the GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000), a pocket-size Wi-Fi 6 router that lists for about $99 on GL.iNet's US store. It handles hotel login pages, has a 2.5G WAN port, and runs WireGuard VPN at up to 300 Mbps, which is faster than most hotel connections you'll plug it into.
GL.iNet dominates this category, and its lineup covers every budget:
- Opal (GL-SFT1200), about $40: the budget pick. Fine for one or two people on slow hotel Wi-Fi.
- Beryl AX (GL-MT3000), about $99: best value for most people.
- Beryl 7 (GL-MT3600BE), about $130: the Wi-Fi 7 upgrade, with two 2.5G ports and WireGuard up to 1,100 Mbps over Ethernet per GL.iNet's specs.
- Slate 7 (GL-BE3600), about $150 to $160: Wi-Fi 7 plus a touchscreen for toggling the VPN or switching networks without opening an app.
- Mudi 7 (GL-E5800), about $420: a 5G router with dual SIM slots, eSIM and a battery, for when there's no Wi-Fi worth using.
All of these run GL.iNet's firmware, which includes a WireGuard and OpenVPN client with one-click setup for popular providers. NordVPN is built in for both protocols, so you sign in once and every connected device, including a Fire Stick or Nintendo Switch, goes through the tunnel.
One thing to watch: in March 2026 the FCC added foreign-produced consumer routers to its Covered List. That blocks new models from authorization without a conditional approval, but routers already approved can still be sold and used. GL.iNet says its current US products aren't affected, though some newer models, such as the Slate 7 Pro, aren't available in the US yet.