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.
