Edimax Travel Router Powered by USB Port with Smart iQ Setup for Easy Installation (BR-6258nL)

This review is for the mini stick shaped version (BR-6258nL). It is absolutely tiny. Set up was a breeze. Having used many routers by many different vendors in the past, I was ready to dig into the advanced settings and spend a good hour to set it up just right. Boy, was I wrong. Set up literally took 3 minutes. Your grandma can probably do it. As soon as I selected the router name in the wireless connection settings of my tablet (I'm sure it would work the same on a laptop as well) it connected and prompted to open the router page (the same way when you connect to a hotel wifi and you get the prompt for the terms and conditions page) and it fired up the browser window and opened the set up page. The router set up page asked a few questions about how I wanted to connect it, the explanation for each item was written for a layperson, the router restarted itself a couple of times through the process and it was set up. I couldn't believe how streamlined the process was. I previously purchased the TP-LINK TL-WR702N Wireless N150 Travel Router, Nano Size, Router/AP/Client/Bridge/Repeater Modes, 150Mbps, USB Powered for the same purpose and that thing was a mess. The set up page was confusing, wifi selection page never opened on my computer and caused the router to restart itself. Settings were very confusing, I had to factory reset it mutiple times because I kept losing access to the set up page (due to messing with DHCP settings). Most importantly, although it is advertised as a travel router, it doesn't work well at hotels with no ethernet. For the technical folk, that router doesn't have wisp mode, in other words it doesn't do DHCP and NAT except when in the hardwired router mode. In wifi modes, all DHCP requests are passed on to the hotel router. So forget about using a streamer with no browser or sharing the same wireless connection for multiple devices, Anyway, back to the Edimax. This router is perfect for hotel use. a) If there is ethernet, plug the ethernet cable into the wan port, connect to the router from any device, go to the set up page (192.168.8.1) and go through the set up options to select ethernet. Boom. Done. b) If there is only wireless, connect to the router and open the set up page, select wifi, select the hotel wifi from the list. Boom. Done. If the hotel wifi has a terms and conditions page or a login page where you enter the room number and last name, the first device to try and connect to the internet will have to accept it, after that all other devices will be free to surf. That's because this router has wisp mode, where it connects to the hotel router as a client, and then broadcasts a separate wifi network that your devices are a part of. The hotel thinks that all the communications are coming from one device (the Edimax router). The wisp mode allows two great advantages for travelers: 1) Some hotels charge for wifi connections, this router will let you shared that with multiple devices without paying for each device. 2) Unlike the Tp-link listed above, this router allows devices without browsers to be able to connect to hotel wifi (only the first device has to accept the terms and conditions). So Chromecast works, fire tv's and roku's work as well. Even though I said I didn't have to dig into the advanced settings, I still browsed through them because of curiosity and to change the password for the set up page. I was shocked to see as many options as my full size router at home. This is not a watered down product at all. Whereas the Tp-link was definitely watered down and it was missing many features like firewall or QOS management, etc. This one has it all. Cons: Really only one, there is no ethernet cord included. The Tp-link came with a really nice, tiny flat cord (first time I saw a flat ethernet cord, pretty cool). I wish this one included something similar. And also fyi, there is no power adapter, but there is a built-in usb cable that you can plug into any usb port (not really a con).

This is a great little gadget. I wanted something smaller than my Airport Express when I travel and this fit the bill. Easy setup though extended period does disconnect sometimes so you have to reboot it. I love that you can plug it into any usb charger or the USB port of your laptop for power. Works great as WISP. I set it up with the same SSID & password as my home network so that all my devices connect automatically.

I wish I could have given 3 and a half stars. I am sure it could be a 4 star but I was really hoping it would do one extra thing that it just does not do. The device seems to be very dependent on the ethernet connection. When connected in a hotel or other LAN the device works okay. It does allow sharing the ethernet connection and making a 'local' wifi network. I just wish I could use the local wifi WITHOUT connecting the ethernet/LAN cable. I know I would not have internet connectivity, but I do not understand why I can not just make a local wifi network without the LAN connected. It is a nice small size, easy to include in my travel kit, but it would be so much more useful if I could connect my laptop to my tablet even when I did not have to have or want the internet connection. (I know I could just do Ad-Hoc network in that instance, but Ad-Hoc has its own limitations.

The original software just wouldn't associate with my AP. But the firmware was old, so I tried to update to the new on on the EDIMAX site. Now I can't do anything with it. It won't connect, and I only get the stupid basic setup, no way to change anything else. I can't change the name from the EDIMAX1231241541 or whatever now since there is no way to get to that page. Everything seems to take over a minute, where it presents a stupid and dead animation. I can unplug the device and the animation will continue. It probably takes 10 minutes to connect to anything if or when it works. It insists on a WPA password before you can get past the first screen (which is stupid when it can't connect anyway). It does this every time. It never remembers that I set it. This is so badly broken, don't bother getting it You won't be able to do anything with it. I'm not sure how anyone else is able to connect with it. Maybe all the APs are open, or maybe they have a different firmware.

Worked fine, but very quickly the wires from the usb port came loose from the device--right after the return window closed.

Ziel war, ein WLAN-Netzwerk aufzubauen, um Präsentationen auf dem iPad (mit Keynotes) über das iPhone zu steuern. Dazu müssen sich beide Geräte im gleichen WLAN-Netz befinden. Beim Kunden oder sonstwo kann man das im Regelfall nicht sicher stellen. Versuchsaufbau: Edimax mit USB-Adapter an Steckdose angeschlossen (Installationsroutine problemlos gemeistert). iPhone an Edimax-Hotspot angemeldet. iPad an Edimax-Hotspot angemeldet. Keynote auf iPad aufgerufen. Fernsteuerung über iPhone gestartet. Funktioniert auf Anhieb. Erst später habe ich den Edimax über Netzwerkkabel mit einer Fritzbox verbunden. Internet kann er auch. So klein und so genial. Die anderen guten Rezensionen hier kann ich nun bestätigen.

This is tiny but works perfectly. I use it in hotel rooms to share the hotel wifi with my Chromecast so that I can watch Netflix on the large screen in the room. It takes no space at all in my suitcase and can be powered from the USB socket on a TV or from a wall charger. It was very easy to set up.

I usually have to run through the connection steps a few times in row to get it to stay connected; I'll complete the setup and connect to the hotspot, then on the next screen I'm put back to the first setup screen again. It rarely remembers the last working connection after I unplug it and try to use it the next day. When it's connected, it has good range for shared connection.

I use this mostly as a travel router to connect multiple devices to hotel or other hotspot wifi. Its worth spending a little time getting used to the device before travelling, I tested and set it up on my home wifi first, then connected all my devices I travel with to it. That way connecting and getting to the signup pages from hotspots was easy and painless from any device - I found it actually easiest to use an iPad for this. Awesome value too, its easily paid for itself in just a few trips.

I bought a HooToo Tripmate after this unit broke after light use. The USB wire broke off from the main unit after the weak soldering connecting the wire to the board broke after only a few months of use. The range of the unit and the software is decent but the construction is weak, especially for a portable unit.