A travel router with VPN support encrypts every device on hotel and airport Wi-Fi automatically — no per-device apps needed. We compare WireGuard vs OpenVPN, Mullvad VPN, ZeroTier, and PiVPN self-hosting to help you choose the right setup.
A travel router with VPN support takes sketchy hotel and airport Wi-Fi and turns it into your own encrypted network bubble. Every device you connect — phone, laptop, tablet — rides the VPN tunnel automatically, with no per-device apps to install or configure1. The router handles the encryption; your devices just see a normal Wi-Fi network.
The hardware landscape is dominated by a few compact routers that run OpenWrt-based firmware with native WireGuard and OpenVPN support. The GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) is the standout — a 185g pocket router that pushes WireGuard throughput up to 300 Mbps in ideal conditions and consistently exceeds 200 Mbps in real-world use1. OpenVPN on the same hardware manages a respectable 150 Mbps1. The TP-Link Roam 6 also supports both WireGuard and OpenVPN for client and server use2.
But here's the key insight: the router is just the platform. The VPN protocol and service you load onto it is what actually determines your security and speed. That's what this guide focuses on.
WireGuard runs at the kernel level on OpenWrt-based routers, which means minimal CPU overhead and maximum throughput — critical on travel routers with limited processors3. On the Beryl AX, it tops out around 300 Mbps, compared to about 150 Mbps for OpenVPN on the same device1. The GL.iNet Slate AX, a slightly larger model, reaches around 550 Mbps over WireGuard3.
WireGuard also has a surprising advantage in restrictive networks: it consistently punched through hotel networks where OpenVPN failed1. Its small connection footprint and UDP-based design make it harder to detect and block than you might expect.
Every current GL.iNet router runs both a WireGuard client and server3. You paste in a config from a provider like Mullvad or IVPN, and the router tunnels everything3. Some firmware builds also ship Tailscale and ZeroTier for mesh networking3.
OpenVPN remains the essential fallback protocol. It's maximally compatible and works where WireGuard's UDP traffic is blocked by restrictive firewalls1. It's supported on every travel router reviewed here and has massive community support built up over more than a decade.
The tradeoff is speed: OpenVPN's heavier encryption overhead means roughly half the throughput of WireGuard on the same hardware1. On the Beryl AX, expect about 150 Mbps — still plenty for most hotel Wi-Fi, but noticeably slower for large file transfers.
If you want a commercial VPN provider to load onto your travel router, Mullvad is the one most frequently recommended by GL.iNet users and reviewers3. It offers flat pricing with no tiered plans or long-term lock-in, doesn't require an email address to sign up, and has excellent WireGuard configuration support — you simply paste a config file into the router's admin panel3.
Mullvad has undergone independent security audits and publishes transparency reports, which matters when you're trusting a provider with all your traffic. The flat-fee model means you pay the same whether you use it for a weekend trip or a month-long stay.
If you don't want to trust a commercial provider, PiVPN lets you self-host a WireGuard or OpenVPN server on a Raspberry Pi at home, then point your travel router's VPN client at it4. Your traffic exits through your home internet connection — encrypted the whole way.
This is the "tunnel home" approach: you get the same public IP you'd have at home, can access your home network resources remotely, and pay nothing beyond the electricity to run a Raspberry Pi4. The limitation is that your speed is capped by your home internet connection's upload bandwidth, and if your home connection goes down, your VPN goes down with it.
ZeroTier takes a different approach: instead of a point-to-point VPN tunnel, it creates a virtual network layer that connects multiple devices and locations as if they were on the same LAN. Some GL.iNet firmware builds include ZeroTier support3, and it's also available on budget routers like the Cudy WR3000.
For travelers who need to connect devices across multiple locations — say, a home office, a hotel room, and a co-working space — ZeroTier's mesh model is simpler than managing multiple VPN tunnels. The free basic plan covers most personal use cases.
If you want maximum speed on travel hardware: WireGuard is the clear choice. Its kernel-level performance and low overhead make it the dominant protocol for travel routers where CPU is limited3.
If you're hitting restrictive networks: Keep OpenVPN as a fallback. Some networks block WireGuard's UDP, and OpenVPN's TCP mode can get through where WireGuard can't1.
If you want a commercial provider: Mullvad's flat pricing, no-email signup, and WireGuard config support make it the natural pairing for a GL.iNet travel router3.
If you want to self-host: PiVPN on a Raspberry Pi gives you a free, private tunnel-home setup with no recurring costs4.
If you need multi-site mesh: ZeroTier connects multiple locations without traditional VPN tunnel management, and it's free for basic use.
AskBuy may earn a commission when you click through to some of the products listed above. That doesn't change what we recommend — we pick based on what actually works for travel router use cases.
This page was written by the engine and the engine is still on the line. The conversation below picks up where the article stops.
Yes — the picks above are the engine's current verdicts. Ask a sharper version of this question below and you'll get a custom answer with the latest pricing.