Portable WiFi router

In the article “Ten Cities in 20 days — a Delightful Custom Tour of China,” the writer said that at a particular hotel, she and her husband “had to perch on a couple of benches by the front door” in order to use WiFi, which wasn’t available in the room (Feb. ’14, pg. 26). I have experienced this problem with WiFi several times, myself. 

On a December ’13 visit to my Chinese family in Kunming, where I used to live, I stayed in a government guest house, since my family’s home did not have heat. The guest house offered free wired Internet service but no WiFi at all, which meant I couldn’t use my iPad and Nexus tablet. My family gave me a portable WiFi router that solved the problem! 

It is called the TP-Link WR702N Wireless-N150 Nano Router ($19.99, retail). It is quite small, less than five inches square and less than an inch thick, so I carry it in a small bag. It comes with a power adapter and a cable that plugs into the wired Internet outlet or modem.

I have checked both eBay and Fry’s Electronics and found many such items for sale. Being a nontechie, I never knew something like this existed.

It is very handy in those places that offer free wired Internet but no WiFi. I am excited about having it and look forward to getting a lot of use from it.

JUDITH ANSHIN

Sacramento, CA 

The wireless router serves as a bridge between the wired Internet in the hotel room and wireless devices. The router does not change the hotel’s terms of use in any way; if the hotel charges for Internet access, you still pay the hotel.