14 DAY TRIAL // Many mobile devices are too small to fit those large LAN ports anywhere on their bodies, and that can make it problematic to connect to the web when no Wi-Fi network exists. The StarTech Wireless-N Travel Router solves that problem.
Most hotels have Wi-Fi networks these days, but they can be overworked, and the routers in the hallways don't reach everyone very well, especially through walls.
LAN ports usually exist in every room though, unless the hotels don't have wired net at all and go with Wi-Fi exclusively.
Anyway, most hotel rooms have a single connection but multiple occupants, and even one occupant may have more than one web-ready gadget.
So StarTech has made a Wireless-N Travel Router, which picks up a wired connection and creates a Wi-Fi hotspot from it.
All it needs is an iPad wall charger or any computer USB port to provide the energy.
Which is to say, the StarTech Wireless-N Travel Router, part number R150WN1X1T can act like a sort of second skin for an iPad wall charger.
What's more, the USB pass-through port allows devices to still be charged while it's in use, so you can actually use that iPad charger to, well, charge iPads even when the router is in use.
The USB-equipped chargers are supported too, thanks to a USB extension cable included in the box.
"Many hotels offer WiFi access for a fee and often lock in-room access to a single device," says Carey Cline, senior product manager for StarTech.com's wireless networking product line.
"With this compact router, users can create a secured wireless connection they can use with multiple devices, saving expense while remaining fully mobile."
StarTech R150WN1X1T Wireless-N Travel Router has a price of $75.99 / $72.99 CAD / £54.99 / €56.12. The max distance is of 10 m / 33 feet, which is normal.