GL.iNet Beryl AX Review: The Best Travel Router for Securing Hotel WiFi

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Every hotel WiFi login is a small frustration. Accept the terms on your laptop. Accept them again on your phone. Tablet wants credentials too. Now the e-reader. And by the way, everyone else on this network can potentially see your traffic.

The GL.iNet Beryl AX eliminates this entirely. Connect the router to hotel WiFi once, and all your devices connect to your own private network. Add VPN protection, and your entire setup is encrypted. After a year of traveling with the Beryl AX, it's become as essential as my laptop.

This article is part of our digital nomad connectivity guide, covering everything you need for reliable connectivity anywhere.

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The Bottom Line

The Beryl AX is the best travel router for most digital nomads. WiFi 6 speeds, comprehensive VPN support, intuitive setup, and a portable form factor at $89. It won't solve slow hotel WiFi, but it will make any connection more secure and convenient.

Who should buy this: Digital nomads working from hotels and Airbnbs, security-conscious travelers, anyone tired of logging multiple devices into captive portals, VPN users wanting router-level protection.

Who should skip this: Travelers who only use phone data, ultralight minimalists unwilling to carry extra gear, those without VPN subscriptions who don't need security features.

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Key Specifications

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What I Like

Five-Minute Setup

Out of the box to fully configured took me under five minutes on first use. Connect power, join the Beryl's default network, open the web interface, and walk through the wizard. The interface is clean and logical—no networking degree required.

Connecting to hotel WiFi with captive portals requires one extra step: the Beryl can clone your phone's MAC address after you authenticate on the hotel network. Sounds complicated, but the interface makes it simple.

Excellent VPN Performance

VPN at the router level means every connected device is protected automatically—including devices that don't support VPN apps. The Beryl AX handles both WireGuard and OpenVPN, with WireGuard being notably faster.

With WireGuard connected to a nearby server, I see minimal speed loss—maybe 5-10% reduction from raw connection speed. OpenVPN is slower but works when WireGuard isn't available. One-click VPN toggle in the interface makes switching easy.

WiFi 6 Makes a Difference

The upgrade to WiFi 6 from previous GL.iNet routers is noticeable. Connections are more stable in congested environments. Speeds are faster, particularly for file transfers between devices. The 5GHz band handles demanding work better than WiFi 5 predecessors.

Three Ethernet Ports

One WAN port for wired internet input, two LAN ports for device connections. I regularly hardwire my laptop during video calls for maximum stability. The extra LAN port is useful for connecting a second wired device or daisy-chaining equipment.

Genuinely Portable

At 175g and roughly the size of a thick smartphone, the Beryl AX fits in any bag pocket. The power adapter adds bulk, but you can run the router from a USB-C laptop charger or battery pack. I've powered it from my laptop during flights with WiFi.

Regular Firmware Updates

GL.iNet maintains their devices well. Security patches arrive promptly. New features appear periodically. The OpenWrt base means community support exists if GL.iNet ever stops updating.

Advanced Features When Needed

The simple interface handles 90% of needs. When you need more, the advanced settings expose the full OpenWrt capabilities: custom DNS, ad blocking, traffic analysis, network segmentation. Power users can go deep without affecting basic usability.

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What I Don't Like

Can't Fix Slow WiFi

This is important to understand: a travel router can't create bandwidth that doesn't exist. If the hotel WiFi is slow, your connection through the Beryl will also be slow. The router secures and simplifies connections—it doesn't improve them.

Power Adapter Is Chunky

The included power adapter works but adds bulk to your cable bag. I've switched to powering the Beryl from my laptop's USB-C charger, which works fine but isn't officially supported.

Learning Curve for Captive Portals

The MAC cloning process for hotel captive portals isn't intuitive for first-time users. Once you've done it twice, it becomes automatic. But expect a few minutes of confusion the first time.

No Built-In Battery

Unlike portable hotspots, the Beryl AX requires external power. You can run it from battery packs, but that's extra gear to manage. For truly mobile use, this is a limitation.

Overkill for Simple Needs

If you just want to share a phone's tethered connection with a laptop occasionally, the Beryl AX is more capability than necessary. The cheaper Mango or even phone settings might suffice.

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Real-World Usage Scenarios

Hotel with Captive Portal - Lisbon

The hotel required login for every device with a room number and name. Setup process: connect phone to hotel WiFi, accept terms, then clone phone's MAC address to Beryl. Total time: 3 minutes. All devices then connected through the Beryl without further authentication.

Airbnb with Weak WiFi - Rural Portugal

The router was downstairs; the bedroom got one bar. Placing the Beryl in the hallway and connecting my devices to it improved stability significantly. Still slow, but usable for email and light browsing. Video calls remained marginal—the underlying connection was the bottleneck.

Coworking Space - Bangkok

Fast, reliable WiFi but shared with dozens of others. Running WireGuard VPN through the Beryl encrypted all my traffic. File transfers stayed fast; video calls worked perfectly. Peace of mind on a public network.

Flight with WiFi - Transatlantic

Powered the Beryl from laptop USB-C during a long flight. Shared the plane's WiFi with laptop and phone through the Beryl. Mixed results—some airlines seem to detect and throttle routers. Worth trying but not guaranteed.

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Beryl AX vs Other GL.iNet Routers

GL.iNet offers several travel routers. Here's how they compare:

Choose Mango if: Budget is primary concern, you need ultralight backup, basic needs only.

Choose Beryl AX if: You want the best balance of features, performance, and portability. This is the recommendation for most nomads.

Choose Slate AX if: Maximum speed matters more than portability, you handle large file transfers regularly, you want the most powerful option available.

For the full comparison with setup guides, see best travel routers for digital nomads.

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VPN Setup Guide

Setting up VPN on the Beryl AX is straightforward:

WireGuard Setup

1. Generate WireGuard configuration from your VPN provider
2. In Beryl interface, go to VPN > WireGuard Client
3. Add new configuration by pasting the config file
4. Enable the connection
5. Toggle VPN on/off from the main dashboard

OpenVPN Setup

1. Download OpenVPN configuration file from your provider
2. In Beryl interface, go to VPN > OpenVPN Client
3. Upload the configuration file
4. Enter credentials if required
5. Enable and connect

Recommended VPN providers that work well with the Beryl AX:

• NordVPN - excellent WireGuard support
• ExpressVPN - reliable OpenVPN
• Mullvad - privacy-focused, easy WireGuard setup

For more on protecting yourself on public networks, see securing public WiFi when traveling.

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Tips for Best Performance

Position Matters

Place the Beryl AX between the hotel's WiFi access point and your workspace. Signal strength to the Beryl affects your experience more than distance from Beryl to your devices.

Use 5GHz When Possible

The 5GHz band is faster and less congested. If you're close to the Beryl, connect on 5GHz. Fall back to 2.4GHz only when distance or walls cause issues.

Hardwire Critical Work

For important video calls, plug your laptop into the Beryl's ethernet port. Wired connections eliminate WiFi variability—one less thing that can go wrong.

Keep Firmware Updated

Check for updates monthly. GL.iNet's update process is simple: one click in the interface. New versions often improve performance and fix security issues.

Learn MAC Cloning

Practice the captive portal workaround at home before you need it on the road. The process becomes automatic once familiar, but confusion during a rushed hotel check-in is frustrating.

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Who Should Buy the Beryl AX

Digital nomads working from hotels and Airbnbs. The convenience of single-login for all devices and the security of VPN protection make this essential travel gear.

Security-conscious travelers. If you handle sensitive data or work with confidential client information, router-level VPN protection matters.

Multi-device users. Phone, laptop, tablet, e-reader—connecting them all through one authenticated connection saves time and frustration.

VPN users. If you already pay for VPN, running it through the router protects devices that can't run VPN apps natively.

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Who Should Skip It

Phone-only travelers. If you just use your phone with mobile data, a travel router adds complexity without benefit.

Ultralight minimalists. 175g plus power adapter may not fit extreme minimalist setups.

Those without VPN subscriptions. The security benefits largely depend on VPN usage. Without VPN, you're mostly getting captive portal convenience.

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Verdict

The GL.iNet Beryl AX has earned permanent space in my travel bag. The convenience of single-login captive portals and the security of automatic VPN protection are worth the weight and cost. At $89, it's reasonably priced for the capability delivered.

Not everyone needs a travel router. But for digital nomads regularly connecting to hotel and coworking WiFi, the Beryl AX solves real problems elegantly.

Check current price on Amazon

For the complete picture of staying connected as a digital nomad—including portable hotspots, eSIMs, and backup strategies—explore our complete connectivity guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Beryl AX speed up slow hotel WiFi?

No. The Beryl secures and simplifies your connection but can't add bandwidth that doesn't exist. If hotel WiFi is slow, your connection through the Beryl will also be slow.

Does the Beryl AX work with all VPNs?

Most VPNs that support WireGuard or OpenVPN work with the Beryl AX. Some VPNs with proprietary apps only may not work at router level. Check if your provider offers standard protocol configurations.

How do I use the Beryl AX with hotel captive portals?

Connect a device directly to hotel WiFi first and complete their login process. Then clone that device's MAC address to the Beryl. The router then appears as your authenticated device to the hotel network.

Can I power the Beryl AX from a battery pack?

Yes. Any USB-C power source providing 5V/3A works. I've successfully used laptop USB-C ports and portable battery packs. Not officially supported but works reliably in practice.

Is the Beryl AX better than phone tethering?

Different tools. Phone tethering uses cellular data; the Beryl uses existing WiFi. If good WiFi is available, the Beryl saves your cellular data and provides better security. If no WiFi exists, phone tethering is your only option.