Mini routers aren’t considered as some of the Best Router options by many people. But, they are almost always a necessity for frequent travelers. So many of them come with a locked-down ecosystem, but not the GL.iNET GL-AR150. Because of its fantastic open-source OpenWRT support, it deserves to be on top of your shortlist if you’re looking for the Best Travel Router on a budget.
Why We Like It – GL.iNET GL-AR150
Wi Fi travel routers are nothing new. They usually are fantastic for converting a wired connection to Wi Fi b g n signal. And the GL.iNET GL-AR150 does that beautifully. It also comes pre-installed with a tremendous open-source custom firmware named OpenWRT, and that alone is the main reason for this mini router’s success.
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- It comes with OpenWRT pre installed
- Extremely lightweight
- USB 2.0 port
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- The external antenna doesn’t help much
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Performance
The performance of the GL.iNet GL AR150 Mini Router is absolutely incredible, all thanks to the OpenWRT firmware. It’s light on the hardware and very well optimized to work correctly. When cheap WiFi routers (e.g., the TP Link WR802N) will make you reach for the reset button every few hours, this will keep running 24/7 without freezing.
Range
As you might’ve expected, the range is not that great on the GL AR150 Ext 2. If you can spend some more, you should go for the GL.iNet GL-AR750S for a slightly better range. All these mini travel routers aren’t really expected to have an extremely wide range. But, if you are sitting right next to it, you should not face any problem at all. You may be interested in our Arris Modem Router review.
Durability
As is the case with almost every single WiFi router at this range, it’s pretty cheaply built. But that has its upsides too. It’s a fair bit lighter compared to the GL.iNet GL-E750. And that, in turn, makes it easier to carry around.
Ease Of Use
It, unfortunately, doesn’t run on USB power or through a micro USB port or anything like that. Still, DC 5 volt power outlets should be readily available in most places. But the kind of customizability and controls OpenWRT grants you really is quite unreal.
Value
Not only do you get the privilege of using OpenWRT with the GL.iNet GL AR150 Wi Fi router, but you also get it installed right out of the box. So, you won’t have to fiddle around with it and waste your precious time in order to install OpenWRT or any other open-source custom firmware. You can easily change different aspects of it and set up custom VPN servers. And free shipping from Amazon is also great.
GL.iNET GL-AR150 Wrap Up
For just 25 bucks, the GL.iNET GL-AR150 delivers an awesome Wi Fi performance. And the fantastic customer reviews are pretty much proof of that.
