Before we get all up in arms here, let me explain.

What I'm looking for can best be described like this: a portable wireless router (something insanely small) that you can pack in your laptop bag - travel to a hotel [obviously one that doesn't have wireless, but does have broadband / high-speed internet {i.e. cable}]

Then instead of being tethered to the crappy desk in the hotel room, I want to jack this portable (and secure) router into their cable and then move around the room or sit on the bed and work away.

Does something like this exist in the market - say for business travelers that want more flexibility on the go ? Also, something that would be pre-configured for one or two laptops and then just plug and play once you get to wherever your destination is....

Thoughts ???

What is this device called and where do I buy it ?

Wouldn't you simple just get an ethernet switch or something similar?

The internet connection in a hotel will usually be shared amongst all the rooms in a network. You could probably get a switch, plug it in, and use it as a wireless connection I think.

Otherwise you could buy a long ethernet cable - then use ad-hoc to share the internet connection between the 2 laptops (if they both have wifi )

ASUS claims to have the smallest in the world (WL-330gE):
http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=12&l2=41 Haven't tried it but I personally use the ASUS WL-566gE router at home, it works great.

or perhaps WL-530g is what you're looking for.

Lots of hotels use crappy web pages to authenticate you.
Your router isn't going to be able to authenticate if they have that kind of setup.

I've done some wacky stuff for people in different places because of that.

eg - Regalia - iBook tethered then offering wireless for an IBM as their **** system wouldn't allow 2 machines on at once.

Sheraton - something similar involving duplicate mac addresses and some voodoo because they wouldn't let you plug in a router and wanted to charge silly money for EACH computer on the connection.

etc...


If you are going to be travelling in China, then just get a CDMA card and be done with it.

Apple airport express

I confirm Asus has a very small router, I saw it in the Cybermall in HuaiHai (Hong Kong Plaza)
M

2 months ago when in SH, I used my Blackberry which can tether to the laptop, speeds are faster then Telecom DSL, only $20USD (From T-Mobile), of course theres stipulations, ie have to have a US carrier, and able to support Blackberry, as well as high speed internet.
You can also plug the Blackberry via mini > usb into a router (you'll need to plug router into a wall for power), then your pc's into the router, Voila. I've only done the tethered modem to 1 laptop, carrying a router to plug into also a pain?

The CDMA card service is only about rmb 200 per month and you can be online not only anywhere in your hotel room but also restaurant, lobby while waiting for others, at airport, in the car, bus, train etc. I find the CDMA card to be more reliable than hotel broadband, and usually faster depending on how many people are on the hotel broadband at one time.

Hotel firewalls can also be a little funky and deny certain functions such as your abilities to VPN into your office servers. Since the card resides in the PCMCIA slot in your laptop, there is nothing extra to carry around which is nice as the Chinese airlines are getting stricter all the time with carry-on luggage.

I will second (or third) the CDMA card solution assuming you live here.
Second choice would be a long cable
3rd choice would be work at hotel desk.
Last choice would be a small router, too much of a pain to carry & (potentially have to) configure all the time

leidelaohu wrote: That's actually called an access point but ... kiss ? How about just buy one of those double-ended cable jacks and carry a fifteen foot piece of cat 5 with you ? Yeah, you'll have the cord hanging off but for the size, weight, and complexity how can you beat it ?

What is this, point out all my flaws day ? I can't be master ninja of the universe every day !

No seriously, thx everyone for the advice - I know what I'm trying to do, and I think I'm over complicating it. Doing the long cable is probably my best bet.

You can consider a Linksys solution. Its a small RJ45 adapter that plugs into the access point in your hotel room and then a USB device that plugs into your laptop. Its basically a wireless cable between your laptop and the wall socket. Can give you range of around 10m and at least one wall!

Mister_happy wrote:You can consider a Linksys solution. Its a small RJ45 adapter that plugs into the access point in your hotel room and then a USB device that plugs into your laptop. Its basically a wireless cable between your laptop and the wall socket. Can give you range of around 10m and at least one wall!

This might be what I'm searching for - one question: what about security or is it 'mapped' only between those two devices ???

Most system include security these days built in,MAC/WPA. But remember there arnt that many GEEKS waiting in hotel rooms to access you chatting to wife about if she packed you a clean pair of underwear in your bag! You can spot the geek weaving his 2m sat dish around the hotel looking for a 2.4Ghz signal to intercept. This device gives off a weak signal so after a 1 hotel room no one can pick it up anyway.

I looked on Linksys website - not sure which product you're talking about: adapter and usb ???

Got a link or part number ?

@leidelaohu

You can get China Telecom (GPRS) or China Unicom (CDMA) wireless
For wireless, Unicom is better. I wouldn't want to use them for voice though!

China Unicom offers unlimited access for 200 a month (including card) if you buy it for 1 year, and speeds are (more than) acceptable for web/email. I've seen cheaper than that eg 10rmb a month, but I have a sneaky suspicion that they are cloning the cards - ie buying one, then making umpteen cloned sim cards with one paying subscriber.

China Telecom is much the same as Unicom, except speeds are slower than unicom, and they charge by kb. So its a non starter.

So DesertSpider, if you are roaming in China, just get a CDMA card and you are all set.
They are PC, Mac compatible (Mac needs USB or if you have a MBPro then the new funkier thin slot thingy). They work well, everyone I've hooked one up with hasn't had any complaints.

^ I'm going to try this... and I'll probably get a cable as a back-up.

Btw - my tech buddy from the States said that what I've been talking about is a wireless access point and most probably would be bluetooth as well. He thinks there might be a couple products on the market to do exactly what I've described, but I need to google it and do some research.

Your buddy is partially correct. You want a wireless access point/router, but bluetooth has nothing to do with it.

A travel router if probably what you're interested in:
http://www.jiwire.com/wi-fi-travel-rout ... router.htm

Summary of previously mentioned snags:
-Many hotels use silly web pages for you to sign up for their service, this causes problems with any router
-Wireless if never "plug & play". You can spend a lot of time trying to configure it and never get it right. A cable is more foolproof and cheaper.

Thx.

Guys - Apple Airport Express has been mentioned above by Shanghigh with no follow up. It does the magic and works with Mac and PC.

The size of mere power adaptor it is easily tucked away in a laptop bag.

What are the other two cables coming out of the bottom ? One is Ethernet, others ?

Its a piece of crap, and its a pain to setup, and its not compatible with PPPoE in China unless you use the old firmware - 6.3 firmware doesn't work.
It also won't be much help for the hotels that have logins, or any of the other ufcked up things mentioned above.
I also wouldn't go near one unless you paid me (which is typically the only time I do use them).

DesertSpider wrote:What are the other two cables coming out of the bottom ? One is Ethernet, others ?

It is ethernet, USB and audio.

Granted I have not use it - including in China, however I know someone actually use it at home in Shanghai.

I used to use my iBook to act as a router where then my office laptop connect the net wirelessly through the iBook. But I had to carry two laptops - I wished I could leave my work one

You may one to research that first, though.