Slate Plus (GL-A1300) Ultra Efficient VPN Encrypted Travel Router

I bought this for use on an overseas trip, as well as for RV camping. It's proven itself nicely on a recent overseas trip. Why I like travel routers, in general: (1) Connect all my devices to the router before leaving for a trip, and then when I arrive at a destination, I only have to connect one device (the travel router) to the Internet. This allows me to use multiple devices where some destinations limit the number of connected devices. It also allows family members to not have to connect their own individual devices to the wifi. (2) Use a VPN when connecting to WiFi hotspots of unknown quality. I don't know how safe a hotel's WiFi is, or a campground's WiFi. Some may be great, but some may be run by people who aren't very good at securing the network. By connecting my devices to the travel router, and having it set up to use a VPN, I'm establishing my own security. I can also choose a VPN server in the region of the world that makes the most sense for my use case. (3) Range extension: Whether I'm plugging into a network jack in a hotel, or connecting the router wirelessly to the hotel or campground's network, the router has better antennas than some of my devices, and can be situated in a location that gets better signal. In my RV I can put it near the ceiling or near a window, for example. Then I'm able to rebroadcast my own wifi bubble that my devices connect to with fewer problems. The reason I like *this* travel router are: (1) Size. It's slightly larger than the previous travel router I used, but still compact enough to take anywhere. (2) Capabilities: Adguard, DNS over HTTPS, Wireguard / OpenVPN, and the configurability of OpenWRT. It's a full-featured router. (3) Range: Its antennas seem to work very well to pull in wifi signals in tricky places like campgrounds. (4) Speed: On my recent trip overseas I was able to stream movies over WireGuard VPN (using ProtonVPN) without any difficulty, while other devices still were browsing the internet fine. It's the fastest travel router I've ever owned (it's my 4th travel router). I really was surprised at how well it performed with WireGuard VPN. Its speeds with WireGuard are as fast as the unprotected speeds of my older travel routers. Places where this router is a perfect fit: (1) 3-bedroom or smaller apartments. I've set up good quality travel routers as the primary routers in apartments before, and have found them perfectly satisfactory. This, being the fastest travel router I've used, and having very good range, is ideal in such situations. Why mess with a big ugly router in a small apartment when this will do the job just fine? (2) RV camping in campgrounds that provide Wifi. Often these locations have difficult wifi. So placing the router in a position within the RV that seems to get the best signal, can help in rebroadcasting a usable signal to the rest of your devices. (3) Travel to hotels that limit number of devices. (4) Anywhere a VPN can be useful. Sometimes I'll leave this router running at home so that if I want my device to connect through a VPN I just select this router's wifi SSID. When I don't need the VPN, I select my home's router's SSID. It's often useful to be able to select VPN points of presence in other parts of the world. (5) Sharing a hotspot. I can allow several devices to connect to my phone when it's on hotspot mode. But it's sometimes easier to just connect a travel router to my phone's hotspot and let family members connect to the travel router; stronger signal, for example.

This router is running on my 12v powered starlink setup. I'm using 12v to 9v buck converter to step voltage down. This thing powered right up and talked to the starlink dish right out of the box. With a few tweaks in the settings it's working perfectly. I chose this particular router for a few reasons. It has built in VPN compatibility so when we are outside the USA we can use VPN to localize our connection and still access things like video streaming accounts, VOIP/FaceTime calls using our US phone #, not to mention security when doing banking etc. In addition, it has both 2.4ghz and 5ghz capability so I can choose one to the other based on what is working best in wherever we are parked. It also has a guest network feature. We are often posted up in areas with no other Internet access and this allows me to share our internet with others without giving them access to our main network. I can turn the guest network on/off as needed. I have the router installed in a cavity between a couple of cabinets and the signal is strong and carries 50+ feet away from the camper. It is also full strength inside the cab of the truck so we have high speed internet in the cab while driving. This is a GREAT feature for off-road navigation as I can use Google earth or similar for top-down Satalite view of our location in real time. Can't beat that! Overall setup was easy, the admin menu is pretty simple, and the feature set is more than enough for me. The ONLY thing that I wish it had built in was the ability to block websites on the guest network. We end up places where I don't want to allow others to post to their 'effing social media accounts. I prefer some places to be left for others to discover on their own instead of blasted out for the world to see. But hey, that's just me. Overall this is a fantastic little router for our mobile setup.

The GL.iNet GL‑A1300 has instantly become one of my favorite travel gadgets. For anyone who hops between hotels, airports, public Wi‑Fi, or shared networks, this little router is a game‑changer. Setup is incredibly simple, even the first‑time configuration takes just a couple of minutes. Once it’s running, connecting through hotel, airport, coffee shop, and other public login pages is smooth and frustration‑free, which is something most travel routers struggle with. Its tiny, but performance and features rival and even exceed that of full size routers that sell for much more. Speeds are stable, range is surprisingly strong, and the dual‑band Wi‑Fi handles multiple devices without slowing down. The built‑in VPN support is the real highlight: it keeps your connection secure on public networks and works seamlessly with major VPN services. I use mine with Private Internet Access (PIA) and it works flawlessly. For travel, that peace of mind is huge. The compact size makes it perfect for tossing into a backpack or carry‑on, and it barely takes up any space. Despite being small, it feels well‑built and thoughtfully designed, with clear indicators and an intuitive interface. If you travel often, or just want a secure, private network wherever you go, this router delivers far more than you’d expect from something this portable. A flawless five‑star product that earns its spot in every travel kit.

I got this to upgrade my travel router. I'm a certified and advanced degree computer geek. It took me two hours to get this router to connect to the internet via a Wan connection through a switch. The problem is with the app and the instructions. First, it takes a long time for the router to fully boot and acquire an IP address. The app seems to prevent internet access until you complete the setup. But you can't complete the setup via the app until you have internet access. What I did was restart my tablet several times to force the app to the password setup. Once you are able to setup the admin password and the passwords for 2.4 and 5G ssids then after a reboot of the router and app, it suddenly gained internet access. The Wireguard installation via the app was relatively easy. I connected my TV and tried to access YouTube via the TV browser and an IP check from my VPN. Ugh...too slow. The IP check never came back. Via my tablet everything was fine. My VPN provider gave me a thumbs up and showed a new IP. YouTube on tablet works fine through the Wireguard. MAX on the TV through the router with Wireguard connected. Hulu, Netflix and Paramount did not. Paramount wanted me to login. Hula just a blank screen. Netflix kept trying but never got to the main screen. From the tablet, I only have MAX installed and it was fine with a US termination via my VPN. Bottomline. I only paid 74.98 and it has Wireguard. So for travel it is much better than my current travel router. It can do Open VPN as well, I went with Wireguard as the app had the setup files for my VPN. App and instructions both need major improvements Update: I had two major issues setting the router up. I strongly recommend that you use the admin access first via the router IP. If you use the app, you get stuck in reverse action loop. To do anything, you have to change the admin password, but the app doesn't want to move forward to point where you can change the admin password. Frustrating. Then when a client like a phone or tablet tries to connect they can't access the internet. This is because each client has to be granted access via a menu you get when you click on the connected client in the client list. Clients are automatically denied access until granted access via the app or the built-in admin access router website. The router gateway IP might change if you use the Wan port. Oh, and you have configure the Wan port to be a Wan port in app. Configuring WireGuard VPN is fairly easy for most VPN providers. But for some weird reason mine drops the VPN, if I choose a server in the same country that I am located. If I choose a different country then all is good. OpenVPN works well, but I have to load separate configuration files for each server and authenticate each time I switch to a new server.

The GL.iNet GL-A1300, also known as the Slate Plus, is a remarkable piece of technology that has quickly become an essential part of my travel kit. Here's why: Compact and Powerful: Despite its small size, this router packs a punch. It's simple to use, and its performance is consistently reliable, making it a favorite for me. Travel-friendly WiFi Solution: One of the standout features for me is its ability to create a new WiFi network in places like hotel rooms. This means I no longer have to go through the tedious process of reconfiguring WiFi settings on each of my devices. Even better, it effortlessly handles networks with login pages. Log in once, and all your devices are good to go! Versatile Power Options: The inclusion of a standard USB-C port for power is a game-changer for me. It means I can power the router using battery packs, which is incredibly handy in locations without readily available power outlets. VPN Integration: The easily configured VPN option is excellent for frequent travelers. Whether you're trying to maintain an IP from a different country or just value your online privacy, the Slate Plus has you covered. Its support for the OpenVPN protocol ensures compatibility with a vast array of providers. The GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) Router is a traveler's best friend. It's versatile, powerful, and incredibly user-friendly. Whether you're on a business trip or a vacation, this router ensures you stay connected seamlessly. Highly recommended!

This thing has had problems after just a month of use. I contacted support and they provided a beta firmware from 2024 that is defective. So it's supposed to connect to 5G Wi-Fi and repeat it and created its own Wi-Fi 5G, but that doesn't work. If you set the repeater mode to automatic defaults to 2.4 gigahertz and if you force it to 5G then the 5G Wi-Fi that it creates fails to broadcast and you can't connect to it. It is completely flaky as a device. It seems to work one minute doesn't work the next constantly reconnects. It's just not as stable device. And it seems like they're not interested in supporting it anymore because they want you to buy the more expensive 1800 model. Which means that the company is not very great. Why you sell a device that you have no intent on supporting? When I first got the device the speed was relatively good. The Wi-Fi provided that it's connected to is over 200 megabits of speed, but it would only do about 90 megabits. I thought that was okay but it is slowly and slowly decreased over time. Now I'm lucky to get 10 megabits even though it still has the potential for 250 megabits. How do I know this? When I connect my phone to the Wi-Fi that this device is supposed to connect to I routinely get over 200 megabits. When I connect to this device right now I'm getting seven megabits. This thing is complete junk. There's no value for the money, it worked for a short time basically the return window normally. And then it's complete junk. Only because when I bought it I get the returning because of the holidays can I return it. Otherwise this would have been a scam to rip me off of the $70-$80 at this device cost.

I have tried the Beryl AX as well as this unit and for my purposes, as a travel VPN/router, I prefer this slate plus A1300 router. Here are the reasons: 1) Low powered. The A1300 uses less power than the beryl AX. I can easily power the A1300 with a battery pack and carry it around a cruise ship, for example, or airplane. It also barely gets warm. I can also power it with any 5V 3A compliant supply, PD or battery pack. 2) Has all the login protocols including EAP, which the beryl doesnt have. 3) Runs wireguard VPN and openVPN out of the box 4) Very fast setup. For some reason, I struggled for many days getting the beryl set up and the A1300 took me an hour. I ended up returning the Beryl AX 5) Plenty fast enough. For home use, permanent install, you may want the faster speed of the Beryl. For a travel router, this unit will not be the limiting speed, even with VPN. For example, I tested this at a starbucks and the starbucks connection was the limit. Sometimes faster theoretical speed is not practical speed and has additional overhead. Finally, it really is important to have this work out of the box since support is not that great. The user interface was much better than the Beryl AX. Edit: After using this for a while and taking it on a cruise, I upped it to 5 stars. It worked flawlessly on a cruise and saved me $480 in internet fees for 2 additional people. Secondly, I had trouble connecting via VPN to my home firewall and the support forum provided the answer right away on how to change my script to get it to work. Recommended.

I used this product recently when traveling to an AirBnB in Myrtle Beach and it worked great. I tried both entering the IP address (192.168.8.1) as well as using the app from the apple store. Both worked great and were easy to use to change the settings of the router. Here is a pro tip, set the SSID and the password to the exact same thing as your home wifi and then all of your stuff will automatically connect to the new router and you only have to remember one password that way. Overall this is a great product for traveling. I mainly like it because I can access all my movies on an external hard drive and play them through my apple tv while using this router (Infuse is the app you want to use if you are doing this).