walterj

I ordered the Edimax - two jacks will be handy when visiting friends / relatives with the same setup.

Lindlybee

I've been using the mini router by Satechi for a while now and I really like it (http://www.satechi.net/index.php/wir...-client-bridge). It's not as small as some that I've seen over the Internet, but that's because it has two jacks.

workandski

I have a really humiliating confession to make. Everyone was raving about the Edimax and how cute it is and I couldn't resist buying one. It has arrived and I still can't figure out what it does. I travel with a Clear hotspot that gives me wireless Internet wherever I travel in the U.S. I don't really expect anyone to try to explain the ins and outs of routers to me, but did I just buy a cute piece of plastic that is of no use to me? (If it wasn't against the rules of CC, I'd offer to give a couple of club passes to someone who would try to help me understand how to stay connected for a reasonable price when I travel outside the US.). I don't have the technical background to understand most of what appears here but I keep trying.

gfunkdave

With your Clear hotspot, you don't need a separate router.

The router is used to share an existing internet connection from a hotel or coffee shop.

PTravel

My Edimax came today. Took me a minute to do an ipconfig to find the router's IP address, and then a quick google search to find the default password -- information that should be provided in the manual, but isn't.

After that, setting it up took no time at all and it works like a charm. A very, very cool device -- and so cute!

PTravel

The Edimax router works when you don't have access to a wireless (as opposed to wifi) connection, but do have access to a wired connection. The best application is when you're in a hotel room with wired internet. The Edimax will connect to the hotel's LAN and then broadcast via wifi to multiple devices -- you only pay for one connection, but can use your laptop, tablet and smartphone all at the same time. Or you can just connect your laptop via wifi, take it to the bed and work or watch streamed videos without being tethered by a wire to the desk.

There are other things you can do with it but, frankly, if you have a mobile hub and travel only in the US, you don't really need it.

lensman

I think the idea is that Ultrabooks (maybe) and the MacBook Air (definitely) do not have Ethernet ports. There are times when I want to connect to the hotel hardwired Ethernet with my MacBook Air and this will let me do this.

I think you're suggesting that I use the Edimax to connect to the hotel Ethernet and be a Wifi hotspot, thus obviating the need for the USB Ethernet functionality. I think you're right for that use case. There are times where I do want a real Ethernet connection out of my MacBook Air because I want gigabit ethernet (or at least 100mbs) rather than wifi.

I feel like I'm a few days behind the curve here, but I just ordered one. Can't wait to play with it when it arrives.

Hey, can it be used as an Ethernet switch between two computers?

unmesh

Because of its two Ethernet ports, it can be used as a wired switch; remember to put it into WISP (wireless hotspot) mode even if you don't connect to a hotspot.

If your MacBook Air has a USB3 port, you can buy a USB3-to-Gigabit-Ethernet dongle with full throughput for about $35.

unmesh

Don't feel bad; I've often bought things and only later tried to figure out what I was going to do with them. For example, I have 3 travel routers and am contemplating buying the Edimax as my 4th

gfunkdave

It tells you the default password when you try to access the router - "admin/1234" appears in the password popup.

freecia

The Thunderbolt gigabit ethernet adapter is also quite nice. It is more svelte than my old USB 2.0 gigabit ethernet adapter and is also shorter. I like to leave the usb ports for card readers, usb->phone, or other usb peripherals.

lensman

Good point, fantastic!

I actually have both the old USB2-Ethernet adapter and the new Thunderbolt-Ethernet adapter, but am going for maximum multitasking. I don't need to compete with Scott on how much junk I have to haul around!

freecia

You can always compare your tech kit to the Woz's
http://gizmodo.com/5926598/the-amazi...ravel-backpack

That usually makes me feel better. On the other hand, he probably isn't stuck back in commercial Y like I fly.

ScottC

He cheated- half the stuff there belongs to his wife. If I include all the gear my wife drags along, I'd look even worse

walterj

I got the Edimax BR-6258n yesterday and I agree - it is pretty versatile.
I tested it in four different configurations and it worked fine for all of them.

I tried
1) Edimax connected wirelessly to Cisco wireless router with a Ipad connected wirelessly to Edimax
2) same as 1 plus a PC connected to the Edimax LAN port.
3) Edimax WAN port connected to cable/modem with Ipad wirelessly connected to Edimax and PC connected to Edimax LAN port.
4) Edimax WAN port connected to Cisco router with Ipad connected wirelessly to Edimax and PC connected to Edimax via LAN port.

I also tried connecting the ipad wirelessly at different distances and it worked in different rooms through walls and floors and even out in the garage.

Nifty device! I'll give it a road test on my upcoming trip to Southeast Asia.