Product Review: Page (1) of 1 - 09/07/06

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Internet access is becoming ubiquitous, but it's not always exactly where you want it to be. For example, sometimes if you're in a hotel room and you'd like wireless Internet access, there's only a wired network connection available. Other times, there are two of you with notebooks in the hotel room and only one wired connection. The Linksys Travel Router with SpeedBooster WTR54GS ($80) can solve that problem in an instant, turning any wired connection into a miniature wireless network. We took it out on the road, field testing it in a variety of situations.

The travel router fits in the palm of your hand, and is small enough to slip into even the tiniest crevices in your suitcase. It doesn't even require a bulky power adapter, either, because it's equipped with a retractable plug. With an easy push of a tab on the top of the router, the plug slides out and locks into place. It also has an internal antenna, further reducing its bulk. The result is a road-friendly package that weighs just ounces, encouraging you to take it along with you on every trip.

On the side of the router is an Ethernet port and an Internet port. You plug a fast Internet cable into the blue Internet port, and then you can plug another Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port, and run that to a PC. But you probably won't want to do that, because the idea is to plug the Ethernet cable into this router and then use it as a wireless access point, where you and your comrades can then use the wireless cards on your laptops to quickly and easily share a single Internet connection. This way, multiple computers can use one Internet account to browse the Web, download e-mail and do anything on the Internet.

Notice how small the Travel Router is, here shown next to a ballpoint pen for scale.

In every instance, using this travel router was a breeze. The simplest way to use it is to merely plug it into the wall, connect it to a high-speed Internet connection, and then when you boot up your laptops, the WiFi cards immediately recognize the network and ask if you'd like to log on. If you don't mind using an unsecured connection, you're off and running. A few times, my travel companion and I simply logged into this connection, and it couldn't have been simpler to get onto the Internet. Absolutely no instructions or software were required. I also found using the router to be especially convenient even when I was traveling by myself, where I could use its wireless connection to relax on the hotel room couch or in the bed with the laptop rather than being tethered to hotel desks with their consistently uncomfortable chairs.

Upon plugging in the travel router, it springs to life, its power indicator lighting up as well as its Internet and wireless indicator lights. Its wireless G signal (the 54Mbps connection otherwise known as 802.11g) was consistently clear and strong in both PCs with which we tested it, the connection quality registering as excellent in both. Even though neither of our test notebooks has a Linksys SpeedBooster-equipped card, when connected to the router both had Internet access that felt just as quick and responsive as it does at home on a 100 base-T Ethernet connection. However, if you use this Travel Router with a SpeedBooster wireless card from Linksys (or from one of the other manufacturers that have licensed from Broadcom the 125HSM technology on which SpeedBooster is based), Linksys says you can get 35 to 40% higher speed than with ordinary wireless G. 

Beyond sharing a wired Internet connection, the travel router is also adept at sharing a wireless hotspot connection, where more than one computer can use a single paid account. I'm sure proprietors of such accounts aren't too happy with this capability, but it's one that could help this router pay for itself at in just a few instances.

A neat trick is the router's ability to enable secure encryption between one computer and another, while the it simultaneously picks up a wireless signal with which to communicate with the Internet. Wait. Two radio signals at the same time? You bet. The router can even act as a wireless network card in a pinch, allowing you to access a wireless network by connecting it to your laptop with an Ethernet cable.

Going into the settings and allowing these secure connections is as simple as it could possibly be, especially using the included Linksys software. You're also able to choose even more advanced WiFi encryption, including the WPA2 personal and WPA2 mixed protocols that allow you to enhance security by using passwords that must be changed after a certain amount of time has passed.

Another feature included in this Travel Router and many other Linksys products is the company's proprietary Secure Easy Setup, which only works with other Linksys wireless cards. This is not going to be useful for you if your laptop has an internal card that's not made by Linksys. However, if you do have all-Linksys equipment, you'll like the way you can push one button on the Travel Router and it automagically sets itself up with your wireless card.

The Linksys Wireless-G Travel Router with Speed Booster elegantly solves a simple problem with a solution that is nearly effortless in its implementation. I often find myself in a situation where more than one laptop needs to access a single wired connection, and this product makes that leap every time, turning one into many with no gnashing of teeth. With Internet access going for upwards of $12 a day in most hotels, this little device can pay for itself after just a few trips. Highly recommended. 9.8 out of 10 stars.

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