GL Innovations makes a line of mobile routers for a variety of uses including affordable super tiny mobile routers and more conventional routers suitable for residential and mobile use. They come in multiple configurations, are well-priced and offer a lot of features.
GL.iNet routers are pre-installed with the open-source OpenWRT firmware.
Mini Travel Routers
The three mini routers are the Mango, White and Shadow. They are somewhat similar - each operates on 2.4GHz WiFi only, has USB tethering support, and none of them have cellular modems. The White and Shadow series have different options available for external antennas, and the White has an option for Power Over Ethernet support.
Gateway Routers
These include two mesh router models with IoT features, more advanced Wi-Fi, and greater wired networking capabilities than the mini travel routers, but are larger and cost more.
Mini Travel Router Specifications
- Model:
- Mango: GL-MT300N-V2
- White: GL-AR150
- Shadow: GL-AR300M
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router: Yes
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
- 5GHz Wi-Fi: No
- Wi-Fi Antenna: Yes
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Not specified
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Not specified
- Control Panel and Default Password:
Control Panel: http://192.168.8.1
Default Password: none - USB Tethering Support: 1x USB Port, Smartphone tethering supported
- Ethernet Ports: 2x (1x LAN, 1x WAN)
- Cellular Modem: No
- Dimensions: 2.3" x 2.3" x 1"
- Other Ports:
- Power Source: 5V/1A
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features:
- White: Power over Ethernet Support (optional); External Antenna Support
- Shadow: External Antenna Support
- Retail Price: $20-35
Gateway Mesh Router Specifications
- Model:
- Convexa: GL-S1300 & GL-B1300
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router: Yes
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n
- 5GHz Wi-Fi: 802.11ac
- Wi-Fi Antenna: Internal Only
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Not specified
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Not specified
- Control Panel and Default Password:
Control Panel: http://192.168.8.1
Default Password: none - USB Tethering Support: 1x USB Port, Smartphone tethering supported
- Ethernet Ports: 3x Gigabit ports (2x LAN, 1x WAN)
- Cellular Modem: No
- Dimensions: 4.5" x 4.5" x 1" (Convexa)
- Other Ports: None
- Power Source: 12V/1.5A
- Outdoor Rated: No
- Special Features:
- Power over Ethernet Support (optional)
- Mesh compatible on Convexa-B
- Retail Price: $89-159
Review & Testing Status
We purchased a Mini Travel Router for evaluation, and our thoughts are below.
Potential Alternatives to Consider:
For other popular mobile routers on the market we are tracking - here are our featured options:
Learn More About Selecting Mobile Routers
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Purchasing Options
Mini Travel Routers:
Amazon: Mango | White | Shadow
Convexa Mesh Routers:
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