14 DAY TRIAL // CradlePoint has introduced a new wireless router for road warriors and security-concerned mobile users. The CradlePoint CTR500 Cellular Travel Router comes with out-of-the-box 3G connectivity and acts like a secure Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing mobile users to enjoy 3G broadband speeds while on the run.
According to the company, the CTR500 is the world's most compact router to work with both Express Card and USB-style Cellular Modems. Unlike Billion's Bipac 7402GX wireless router, the CTR500 can work with a wide range of modems and handsets on the ATT, Verizon, Sprint, and Alltel networks. Powered by CradlePoint's WiPipe technology, the router allows the user to easily connect from anywhere, as long as their mobile phone is in the coverage area.
CradlePoint takes data security seriously and it has implemented full support for multiple and concurrent VPN pass-through sessions, paired with enterprise-level WPA2 authentication algorithms. The security concerns raise as the 3G broadband modem is mostly pitched as business and enterprise users, who exchange critical information over the web.
The router can be set up in just a few clicks, using the built-in Setup Wizard. The security settings can be migrated without having to use a disk. Moreover, the browser-based wizard ensures broad compatibility with any operating systems able to work with USB devices.
The mobile device delivers variable data transfer rates that depend on positioning and cellular signal strength. The CTR500 comes equipped with a signal strength mode that visually displays the signal quality on an external LED panel.
The router is compatible with wireless devices operating on the 802.11b/g modes. Although the Wireless-N mode is not supported, most of the notebooks equipped with the latest wireless specification set are backwards compatible with the b or g standards. Moreover, the absence of the wireless-N technology won't affect data transfer rates that are already limited by the use of 3G technology.
The CradlePoint CTR500 wireless router will start shipping in early June for an estimative retail price of $180.