GL.iNet GL-A1300 Slate Plus Travel Router, OpenWrt, VPN, Dual Band | Hotel public Wi-Fi and captive portal, phone tethering, access point mode, range extender, secure your devices on the road

This is very easy to set up. Comes configured as a router for easy connection to your existing LAN or ISP router. Simply plug in the cable supplied into the A1300's WAN port and your existing ISP routers LAN and bingo its ready to go. Its WIFI comes on and once connected using the password on the bottom of the device your connected to its own LAN 192.168.8.0/24 Then just use a browser to access 192.168.8.1 and log in and change the password to something you know. The interface is very simple and efficient. Now you might have purchased this as your VPN gateway for say your Amazon Firestick to use streaming securely. Before you can use any VPN you have to set it up. There's two client choices OPENVPN & WIREGAURD. I have tested both with ProtonVPN and they work a treat and are easy to set up. The easiest to set up is WIREGUARD as you just need to obtain a config file from your VPN provider, save it to your laptop and then under the menu on the router VPN WIREGUARDS CLIENTS just add the config file. Its easy point click, add and it verifies the config and adds the VPN profile to a list of wiredgaurd client options so you can have a few UK, US, etc... then select the one you want it to use and click ... START. It then starts the VPN the VPN indicator goes from amber to green and bingo its all working. Anything you plug into the LAN ports or WIFI now goes down the VPN. Now here's where the designers have really excel'd there's an option under the GLOBAL VPN setting to only allow VPN traffic so this is the 'KILL SWITCH' which means if the VPN stops or fails traffic cannot go to the Internet and expose you. Now for a little more good stuff. I got this for my mum and she won't know about VPN's turning them on or off etc.. by a menu. So if for any reason you need to turn off the VPN ... lets say a TV service like BBC detects the VPN and stops playing or won't start. You have two options, swap the VPN exit node & IP or temp turn off the VPN. So back to my mum and how she can easily do this... There's a little programable toggle switch on the side of the A1300 that you can select it to TURN OFF the VPN when you move it :-) Speed wise its good my 100Bmps WIFI gets close to 60Mbps on both 2.4 and 5Ghz using WIREGUARD. Its a little slower on OPENVPN say 38mbps but both very usable for video which needs 3-6Mbps for 1080p. So no its no gaming superfast wifi device. If you need a faster wifi you need to consider the more expensive models. But most VPN services only get 50-100Mbps in the UK in my experience so this is great for my purpose which is ANY device using this devices WIFI network goes down a VPN :-) Stability. Is very good no drops. If you restart it it auto connects the VPN. Manageability options. Easy access locally via 192.168.8.1 and log in. Or set up access via the GL.iNET GOODCLOUD service. Once enabled on the little router under APPLICATIONS 'GOODCLOUD' and you have created yourself an account on the GOODCLOUD web site, just add the device using the credentials the service provides and you can then access the device via the WEB from anywhere :-) https://www.goodcloud.xyz/ Now if you thought things could not get better well they can.. There's an option from https://www.goodcloud.xyz/ login to add your device to a virtual SDWAN site to site network ! So you will need 2 devices. But here's what you can do. Set each device say device 1 up as standard regards its LAN (192.168.8.0/24) default, and your 2nd device at another location as 192.168.9.0/24 so each network is different and add both devices to the site-site service on the web https://www.goodcloud.xyz/ Then any device on either network can communicate via a secure WIREGUARD VPN site - site .. say one device can ping another. Great if you need LAN access across sites. Anyway that's enough for now but I am seriously impressed with this as a former enterprise WAN designer and Security guy. You will not be dissapointed.

I must say, this compact device has exceeded my expectations in every way. Its failover and load balancing functions are incredibly efficient, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity. Configuring the VPN server and client options is a breeze, making it perfect for both beginners and tech-savvy users. The built-in Adguard is a game-changer; it flawlessly blocks all ads except those pesky YouTube and video ads. The mobile app adds convenience to the mix, and the hardware toggle button is a thoughtful touch for easy access. I also love how versatile this device is. I’ve successfully attached my external SSD for NAS purposes, and it works like a charm. With WebDav and SMB support, it covers all the bases. In terms of value for money, this device is an absolute steal. The customer support has been top-notch, and the online documentation is easy to follow, making the whole experience even more satisfying. This is a must-have for anyone looking for a reliable and feature-packed networking solution.

Really good - but not fantastic for Tailscale exit node work... I’ve been using the Slate AX (GL-A1300) as a portable Wi-Fi and VPN travel router, and overall it’s a great little device — fast, compact, and feature-rich. It’s especially good for repeater mode on hotel / office networks and for keeping your devices isolated behind your own secure network. What works well: - The hardware is excellent for the price. - Very stable Wi-Fi once configurd. - The web interface is friendly (much easier than stock OpenWrt). - Repeater mode works reliably after the first setup. - Supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and Tailscale out of the box. - Perfect size and power draw for travel. A note for Tailscale users: I wish I had known this before buying it. The Slate does run Tailscale natively, but I have had a battle gettign it to connect to an exit node reliably. Once it is set up to use an exit node (note, to USE and exit node, not be an exit node) it works well. I discovered that after rebooting the router, the exit-node routing sometimes doesn’t engage properly until Tailscale is toggled off/on again in the GUI & via SSH commands. It’s easy to work around and only happens on cold boot, but worth knowing if you rely heavily on Tailscale exit nodes when travelling. Addendum for GL.iNet: The hardware is excellent, but the firmware needed a nudge. It seems by default the Slate overrides its tailscale settings with each boot — which can be fixed making two simple changes: Delay Tailscale startup: - Edit /etc/init.d/tailscale and change: START=80 → START=99 (Prevents Tailscale starting before the WAN link exists.) - Disable the automatic cleanup call Comment this line: #/usr/sbin/tailscaled --cleanup (Avoids wiping routes that the router actually needs.) After these two fixes, the Slate became perfectly stable across reboots, Wi-Fi changes, travel networks, and captive portals. A future firmware update applying these two tweaks would make the out-of-box experience dramatically smoother.

For me it was the perfect tool. Allowing me to simplify and maintain the establishment of a family VPN which enables simple, secure communications for the entire family whether we are at home or on the move. Made possible by Tailscale support that keeps all the configuration of all devices simple and high level so a non IT expert can create and maitain a service on a par with a corporate set up.

I purchased this router to use a work laptop outside the UK. I'm not allowed to install my own software on their laptop so I needed a Uk vpn to access the company servers. Works fine but... Be aware, this takes quite a bit to set up the (Nord) VPN. The inbuilt app will lead you astray. You need to get your Nord VPN credentials from the Nord website and then install their config files. If you just use your normal sign in (email and password) the router won't work in VPN mode. Once sorted it works well. Top tip - the mode switch on the side can be set to conveniently switch VPN on and off.

I’m an amateur at networking but wanted to improve my home network, lock down wan access for smart devices, segregate guest access (or work laptops) and have a VPN to securely route my traffic both back to my home when out & about, and to the internet. I worked with AI and was suggested this device. Basic setup was easy, advanced setup via luci took some learning but made firewall rules and additional SSID setups a breeze. Haven’t gotten my head around VLAN yet. The WiFi strength is really great, I was worried I should’ve spent the extra and got the wifi6 capable 1800 unit but I’m getting 5-8ms ping between floors, to my AppleTV box via moonlight. Massive step up from ISP issued router. Overall a capable little device, beginner friendly with access to advanced features.

Highly recommended, fast and easy to use. Definitely work with netwrok requiring EAP

Discontinued model. Disappointed that firmware updates stopped being supported shortly after purchase. Pros: - Reliable and worked exactly as I needed it to - Never any leakage or downtime, very very solid and dependable Cons: - They no longer release updates for this model, only security patches. Still works fine but newer settings such as BSSID randomisation not supported - Speed throttled at about 25mbps even if connected to ultra fast internet. Generally that's fine but if signal is poor or not great internet I've had a lot of times where it's <10mbps

This travel router is amazing, I am able to keep all my Wi-Fi devices in my own group and LAN devices while connecting to the local Wi-Fi service. Although I am not travelling, this is exactly what I needed and it works extremely well. Great value for money!

He usado glinet antes y son de lo mejor permitiendo tener conexión alterna a internet vía wifi o celular por el USB.

Used on several work trips so far. Immediately installed full OpenWRT and was able to do some pretty funky networking with it to allow access to internet, but also connect into customer network. Myself and my fellow worker could connect to both via Wifi, all while not concerned at all about the Wifi security, or about having to VPN back to our company and then out to the site we were at. Very nice.

This is the 2nd one of these travel routers that I’ve bought. That’s the best recommendation I can give. I’m using my first one as a router for Streamlocator where it performs very well. It also performed well on the few occasions when I had the opportunity to use it as an actual travel router.

Der GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) Router ist eine ausgezeichnete Wahl für Reisende oder als Ergänzung im Heimnetzwerk, dank seiner einfachen Einrichtung, schnellen Verbindungsgeschwindigkeit und vielfältigen Einstellungsmöglichkeiten bereits in der Standardoberfläche. Positive Merkmale: 1. Einfache Einrichtung: Die Einrichtung des Routers ist unkompliziert und schnell, was die Nutzung sofort ermöglicht, ohne lange Konfigurationszeiten. 2. Schnelle Verbindungsgeschwindigkeit: Der Router ermöglicht eine schnelle Verbindungsgeschwindigkeit, was für reibungsloses Streaming, Gaming oder allgemeine Internetnutzung entscheidend ist. 3. Vielfältige Einstellungsmöglichkeiten: Die Standardoberfläche bietet zahlreiche Einstellungsmöglichkeiten, um den Router nach individuellen Bedürfnissen anzupassen und zu optimieren. 4. Guter Support: Der Router wird von einem guten Support-Team begleitet, das bei Fragen oder Problemen hilfreich zur Seite steht. 5. Integriertes VPN: Ein herausragendes Merkmal des Slate Plus, was ihn in seiner Preisklasse von allen Routern abhebt, ist das integrierte VPN, das zusätzliche Sicherheit und Privatsphäre beim Surfen im Internet bietet. 6. Geringer Stromverbrauch: Der Router benötigt wenig Strom, was ihn effizient und umweltfreundlich macht. 7. Tragbarkeit: Aufgrund seiner kompakten Größe und Portabilität ist der Router ideal für Reisen geeignet, insbesondere wenn der WLAN-Empfang begrenzt ist, z.B. beim Camping. 8. Gute WLAN-Reichweite: Die WLAN-Reichweite des Routers ist ausreichend, um eine Wohnung komplett abzudecken. 9. Preis-/Leistung: Absolute Spitzenklasse und zu dem Preis wirklich unschlagbar. Negative Merkmale: 1. Schwierigkeiten mit bestimmten VPN-Verbindungen: Es kann Schwierigkeiten geben, eine Verbindung zu bestimmten VPN-Diensten wie NordVPN über OpenVPN herzustellen. (Kann allerdings auch ein Problem vom Anbieter oder vom Benutzer sein!) Allerdings konnte eine erfolgreiche Verbindung über Wireguard von NordVPN (ja, das geht über einen kleinen Umweg) hergestellt werden, was eine Alternative darstellt. Hier läuft der Router immernoch sehr schnell (abhängig vom Internetprovider und der Leistung des VPN-Anbieters) und funktioniert einwandfrei! Fazit: Der GL.iNet GL-A1300 (Slate Plus) Router ist ein hervorragender Reisebegleiter oder eine ideale Ergänzung für das Heimnetzwerk. Mit seiner einfachen Einrichtung, schnellen Verbindungsgeschwindigkeit, vielfältigen Einstellungsmöglichkeiten und dem integrierten VPN verdient er 5 von 5 Sternen und eine klare Kaufempfehlung.