Looking for a wireless drive? This fantastic little VPN router allows you to access a portable hard drive, an external SSD, a USB Flash Drive or a microSD card without wires

You’re likely not familiar with GL.iNet, but the Hong Kong-based network hardware developer makes some fantastic products, including travel routers, cellular routers, enterprise network products, and security gateways - and we’re particularly taken with its GL.iNet GL-AXT1800 (Slate AX) , a pocket-sized Wi-Fi 6 Gigabit travel router.

First announced back in 2022, it is available to buy on Amazon and is currently $112.90, 25% off its usual asking price of $149.

The Slate AX comes with four independent Wi-Fi signal amplifiers for enhanced connection stability. Running on the latest version of OpenWrt, it supports mass device connectivity and significantly reduces signal interference.

NAS functionality

Tailored to the needs of SMBs and frequent travelers, the Slate AX offers a number of handy features, including automatic encryption of all connected devices via a VPN service, Wi-Fi broadcasting in hotels with limited connections, and data masking from internet service providers when using public Wi-Fi.

Delivering a dual-band combined Wi-Fi speed of 1800 Mbps (600 Mbps for 2.4GHz and 1200 Mbps for 5GHz), the Slate AX promises fast internet and connectivity is maximized with two external antennas and Wi-Fi 6’s BSS Coloring feature to avoid signal interference. The router also incorporates MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology.

The Slate AX is approved for Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) in the US, Europe, and Japan, which allows access to additional channels to reduce network congestion.

Slate AX caters to local file sharing needs too. Its handy NAS feature supports SAMBA and WebDav protocols and lets you connect a hard drive, SSD, USB flash drive, or microSD cards. It also offers a smartphone file management app for high-speed transfers between connected devices.

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