AX3000 Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Portable Travel Router

TP-Link Travel Router FAQ

• What is a travel router?

  A travel router is a compact, portable device that can create a personal Wi-Fi network wherever you are. Connect your router to the internet and all devices connected to the router can now access the internet.

• What are the benefits of a travel router?

  The primary benefits are convenience, security, and privacy. Connect all of your devices to the travel router one time. Wherever you go after that you just need to connect the travel router to the internet and all your devices will be able to access the internet through the travel router. A travel router can help keep your devices secure on public Wi-Fi by acting as a firewall against any other device connected to the same public Wi-Fi. You can also keep your data private using the travel router's VPN capabilities to create a secure, encrypted tunnel to a VPN server.

• What are different scenarios where I would use a travel router?

  The TL-WR3002X features multiple modes depending on the types of internet connections available to you. When you're traveling, you're most likely to use the ROUTER or HOTSPOT modes. In ROUTER mode, you can connect to an existing wired network to share the internet with multiple wireless devices, you can use your smartphone's mobile data plan to connect all your devices to the internet in USB Tethering, or you can connect a 3G/4G USB modem. In HOTSPOT mode, you can connect the travel router to public Wi-Fi and create a private network for all your devices. If you've already connected your devices to your travel router, as soon as the travel router is online, so are all your devices!

• Why not just connect all my devices to public Wi-Fi?

  You certainly could. However, connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks can put your data and your privacy at risk. Also, some Wi-Fi networks charge you per connected device or place limits on the number of devices you can connect at one time. When you use a travel router it acts as the one device connected to the public Wi-Fi network. It then creates a separate private Wi-Fi network allowing you to connect multiple devices to the internet at once.

• What is Captive Portal Authentication?

  Have you ever tried to connect to public Wi-Fi and, before you connect to the internet, a screen prompts you to provide your email address or accept some terms & conditions? That screen is called a Captive Portal. Older routers can get stuck there, unable to authenticate and connect to the internet. The TL-WR3002X has one-step Captive Portal Authentication that allows you to get all your devices online.

• Does this router support VPN?

  Yes! The TL-WR3002X supports the latest VPN standards including OpenVPN and WireGuard®, which are both supported by dozens of the leading VPN providers, along with PPTP and L2TP/IPSec. You can set up the TL-WR3002X so that all traffic that flows through it is securely encrypted between the router and the VPN server of your choice. Additionally, the TL-WR3002X can be configured as an OpenVPN or WireGuard® VPN Server.

• Why does this router have a microSD card slot?

  By inserting a microSD or TF card into the slot on the side of the TL-WR3002X, the contents of that card can be made available to all devices connected to your router. You can share photos, movies, and more across multiple devices. The TL-WR3002X currently supports up to 512GB microSD cards.

• Why does this router have a USB port?

  The USB port on the TL-WR3002X can be used in several ways. First, if you want to provide internet access via your smartphone or a USB modem, you will tether it to the travel router's USB 3.0 port. Doing so allows the internet to flow to and from the smartphone or modem to the router and your devices. Second, by connecting an external hard drive or thumb drive via the USB port, you can set up network-attached storage that would be available to any device connected to the travel router.

• Can I use the travel router at home as well?

  Absolutely. At home, you're most likely to use the router's AP/RE mode. Expand the reach of your home Wi-Fi network by using your travel router as a range extender or use the travel router as an access point to connect to a wired network. Alternatively, use the travel router as a wireless client to connect a wired-only device like a printer, media player, or game console to your Wi-Fi network. The travel router supports many different use cases depending on your specific scenario!

• What are the physical dimensions of this travel router?

  The TL-WR3002X Travel Router is 4.1 wide by 3.5 long by 1.1 inches tall (104 x 90 x 28 mm) and weighs about 5 ounces (28 grams). It's a little larger than a standard deck of playing cards and is designed to be portable and durable enough to toss in your backpack or luggage and go wherever you need it.