Satechi Intros Multifunction Mini Router
Here's a good way to connect multiple devices to a hotel's Internet connection without having to shell out insanely hefty per-device-per-24-hour fees.
Satechi introduced on Wednesday a handy little multifunction mini-router geared for the "professional on the go". It's small enough to seat within a single electrical outlet, and can fit within a purse or briefcase for easy transport. The gadget is available now for a mere $39.99 on Amazon and Satechi's website.
Called the Satechi Multifunction Mini Router, this device provides five modes of connectivity: access mode, router mode, universal repeater mode, client mode, and bridge mode. Two Ethernet ports at the bottom provide one connection to an existing broadband connection, and the other to a PC. A WPS button is on the front as well as five LEDs for LAN, WAN, WPS, WLAN and Power notifications.
Router mode should be fairly obvious: connect the device directly to an Internet connection provided by an ISP. A wired desktop or laptop joins the network via the Ethernet port while the router serves as an access point for wireless devices. This is the ideal mode for setting up a new, small network consisting only of a few devices.
In Universal Repeater Mode, the mini-router can connect to a network's wireless router and extend the signal to portions of a house or office that are out of the router's range. In Client mode, the user can wirelessly connect the router to an existing wireless network as a makeshift firewall, keeping the user's MAC address and personal information private.
Finally there's the Bridge Mode. This allows two or more wireless access points to communicate with each other to join multiple LANs. The router supports the newest 802.11n wireless standard and is backwards compatible with older 802.11b/g standards, supporting a wide range of devices. However it's only single-band, offering up to 300 Mbps via the 2.4 GHz band.
"The Wireless Multifunction Mini Router has enough speed and wireless range to power a complex assortment of devices, enabling you to create a highly efficient mobile office or entertainment network in no time," the company said. "Small enough to fit in your pocket, the Wireless Multifunction Mini Router is capable of providing robust wireless network solutions to travelers, students, or anyone looking to expand their network."
Considering we had to shell out $14 per device per 24 hours at the hotel in Las Vegas during CES 2013, this would have been handy in sharing one connection to multiple devices. For more information about the Satechi Multifunction Mini Router, head here.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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mavroxur It's all fine and dandy, but most modern switchgear can tell if you're plugging a router into a port or not, since packets on that room's port will be tagged with different MAC addresses. It would be relatively simple for the hotel's ISP to see that, and turn off the offending port.Reply
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freggo A cool little gadget that you will forget in the outlet when you check out of the Hotel.Reply
You will remember it about the time you put your tables in the upright position for the flight back home :-) -
I'm looking to replace my AirPort Express because the prongs are getting increasingly difficult to extend and collapse (they get stuck). This one is less than 1/2 the price of the AirPort Express so I'm going to give it a try.Reply
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anathema_forever I like the idea for the future when wifi congestion gets extreme and we no longer want larger coverage but controlled converage like just 1 room.Reply