Yeah, travel routers are still a rare breed, but when the entire family (or team, for you suits) needs to hop online in the hotel which conveniently provides absolutely no WiFi, it's a real gem to have around. CradlePoint's recently introduced 3G-ready CTR500 was taken for a test drive over at PC Perspective, and all in all, the unit performed as advertised. For those unfamiliar, it simply enables USB or ExpressCard-based WWAN modems to be connected, and from there, a variety of computers can retrieve WiFi from it. Better still, the unit did equally well when acting as a traditional WLAN router. The only real dig was the $179.99 price tag, which seemed a bit steep for the majority of folks who "probably would not need the functionality it offers." Give the full writeup a look in the read link below.

Those still not satisfied by the range of portable 3G routers currently on the market now have another option to consider from CradlePoint, which recently introduced its battery-powered CTR-350 travel router. It'll either connect directly to a cellphone or to a USB modem (or a wired Ethernet connection if one's available), giving you an instant WiFi hotspot compliant with 802.11 b/g standards, along with all the usual security measures you'd expect from a router of any sort. What's more, if you're in a pinch, the router can also be used to charge any cellphone that supports charging via USB, although you'll of course need to find a more conventional way to charge the router itself. If that sounds like the peripheral that you're mobile office has been missing, you can order the router now directly from CradlePoint for $150.

We sure wish we'd had Linksys' WTR54GS travel router a few months ago at CES, where press room Ethernet connections were few and far between, and the single venue offering free WiFi seemingly devoid of techs to keep the network running. Mobile Tech Today also seems to think that this 802.11b/g router would have served us well, providing both basic SecureEasySetup-compatible WEP and WPA encryption along with more advanced Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) and browser-based fine tuning options for regulating traffic. With four out five stars from MTT, the only downside to this 5.2-ounce router is its range, due mostly to the internal antenna, but when you're sitting five feet away from it in your hotel room that probably won't matter too much.