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.
Product Variations
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.
Specifications
- Model:
- Mango: GL-MT300N-V2
- White: GL-AR150
- Shadow: GL-AR300M
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router: Yes
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 4 (80.211n) - 2.4 GHz
- Max Theoretical Wi-Fi Speed: TBD
- Wi-Fi Antenna: Yes
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Not specified
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Not specified
- Default Control Panel Address and Password:
Control Panel: http://192.168.8.1
Default Password: none - USB Tethering Support: 1x USB Port, Smartphone tethering supported
- Ethernet Ports: 2x Fast Ethernet (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 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.
Specifications
- Model:
- Convexa: GL-S1300 & GL-B1300
- Router Specs:
- # of Connected Devices: Not specified
- Wi-Fi Router:
- Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 5 (80.211ac) - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz
- Max Theoretical Wi-Fi Speed: TBD
- Wi-Fi Antenna: Internal Only
- Wi-Fi as WAN: Yes
- Claimed Wi-Fi Range: Not specified
- Guest Wi-Fi Network: Not specified
- Default Control Panel Address and 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
News, Videos & Status
We purchased a Mini Travel Router for evaluation, and our thoughts are below.
Alternatives to Consider
For other popular mobile routers on the market we are tracking - here are our featured options:
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Mini Travel Routers:
Amazon: Mango | White | Shadow
Convexa Mesh Routers:
Routers can serve as a central conductor of your local area network in your RV and boat. Mobile routers are different from residential routers in that they typically support multiple internet sources like cellular and Wi-Fi, can be powered off of 12v or AC and support external antenna for better receiving signal.
But you might not need a router in your setup. Here's a quick video overview the variety that routers come in:
For more on learning about mobile routers and how they might fit in your setup, follow up with our educational resources:
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