Need WiFi on the Road? Here Are 7 Portable...

You're on the road traveling. All you want to do is comfortably use your laptop and/or tablet or smartphone in the hotel, but for some reason whether the hotel chain is ancient and outdated or newly renovated, chances are there's just one wired Ethernet connection for Internet access. If you want to break free of the desk and work comfortably from another area, or share that connection with other devices (like your smartphone or tablet) or your co-workers, a wireless travel router (also known as a pocket router) is a great mobile accessory to have.

These small routers act just like normal routers and access points: They broadcast a wireless signal, which several devices can connect to at once. The main difference is that travel wireless routers are smaller and easier to pack. Some variations of travel wireless routers can use a 3G or 4G modem (i.e., mobile broadband USB modem) you get from your cell phone provider and broadcast that signal wirelessly for other devices to access. Sweet!

The travel wireless routers below all cost under $100 (many are just half that) and are ideal for Internet sharing. (If you're looking for the best Wi-Fi router for your home network, check out my picks here.) ~ November 7, 2011

The Cradlepoint wireless router is one of the most versatile pocket routers, because it can share your 3G or 4G mobile broadband connection or an Ethernet wired Internet connection. If you have a device that's lacking Wi-Fi, the Cradlepoint CTR35's Ethernet port can connect it to a Wi-Fi network. The router offers WPA2 security and can keep track of your data usage as well. More »

The Zoom 3G Wireless-N Travel Router takes your 3G mobile broadband USB modem (i.e., the USB stick you can get from a wireless carrier for mobile data, such as the Virgin Mobile Ovation USB modem) and lets you share it wirelessly with any device that can connect to Wi-Fi--in effect, you can turn a USB 3G or 4G modem into a Wi-Fi hotspot. (The Zoom is compatible with wireless-g and wireless-b network cards as well as faster wireless-n). You can also use it with wired 10/100 Ethernet connections. More »

The TRENDnet travel router takes a single wired Internet connection and creates a 300Mbps wireless network. The kit includes a carrying case, cables, and power adapter (the router can be powered either from your laptop's USB port, too). For easy setup, this travel router also has Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), so you can connect your devices with just the push of a button. More »