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Get a Powerlink travel router for $19.99

This handy gizmo not only turns any Ethernet-connected hotel room into a Wi-Fi hotspot, but also works as a client, access point, and more.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
Premiertek's tiny router performs a number of functions, including client and access point.
Premiertek's tiny router performs a number of functions, including client and access point. Premiertek

Do you travel a lot? If so, you've probably encountered hotels that have weak or non-existent Wi-Fi, or that charge extra for it while offering Ethernet-based connectivity for free.

A good travel router can save the day, turning that laptop-only Ethernet connection into a Wi-Fi hot spot for all. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Mwave has the Powerlink PT-AP2403 mini travel router for $19.99 shipped. It sells elsewhere for as much as $35.

Update: Aaaand...sold out. Sigh. But it's worth checking back later in the day in case Mwave releases more inventory. Trying to find a similarly priced alternative, but most other travel routers start at $30 -- which is probably why this one sold out so quickly.

Update No. 2: Back in stock as of 1 p.m. ET! Though now there's a 99-cent shipping charge. Even so, the moral of the story is that when something appears to be out of stock, it may be so only temporarily. Also, eagle-eyed reader Matt spotted the router on eBay, where it's going for $22.40 shipped.

The PT-AP2403 is actually more than just an 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi router. It can also function as a client, a wireless access point, a bridge, a relay, and a Wi-Fi booster. If you use powerline Ethernet in your house, it can add wireless capabilities to the remote end of the connection.

I won't bore you with technical explanations of things like client, bridge, and relay, mostly because I don't know what they are. (Well, I know the normal definitions, just not the network-specific versions.) I will tell you that this is one seriously versatile little gizmo, and not just for travel.

The unit measures 3.25 inches by 1.25 inches by 0.6 inch and comes with a retractable Ethernet cable, a USB cable, and an AC adapter. A switch on the side makes it easy to hop between router, client, and AP modes.

I haven't seen many reviews of the PT-AP2403, save for the single five-star one on Mwave's site. If you happen to own one of these already, hit the comments and share the good, the bad, and the anything else worth sharing.

Bonus deal: Did you miss out on that 3TB hard drive from last week? Here's your second chance at something similar: Amazon has the Seagate Expansion 3TB USB 3.0 external hard drive for $129.99 shipped. Although the warranty is only one year, not three like the Toshiba drive, the 230-odd user reviews average out to an impressive 4.3 stars out of 5.

Bonus deal No. 2: A couple weeks ago I shared a deal on productivity-boosting software ActiveWords Plus, which was scheduled to expire October 5. If you didn't catch it in time, you'll be glad to know the developer has extended the offer through October 15.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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