Originally Posted by
av8rdude
The main reason I use my Airport Express on the road is the added layer of security when using hotel internet. It's not perfect, but it's supposed to encrypt everything you send and receive over its wifi. I'm sure it can be hacked, but it's better than nothing at all. Even if a hotel has wifi, I connect the Airport Express to the room's wired internet and create my own little wifi network and use it instead of the room's wifi. Works great.
I used to use the Airport Express internationally for security and to create a WiFi network for my iPhone and iPad also. But, it's limited to only wired hotel room connections - it does not work for wireless-only hotel rooms, and it's kind of bulky.
After reading TonyC write about the older ASUS WL330 device on this thread :
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ca...-ipads-15.html, I did my own research into articles about the lack of security in hotel wireless networks, such as:
Hotel Wifi Hacking is on the Rise
Study: Hotel network security lacking - SC Magazine
Security Using High-Speed Internet at Hotels | USA Today
These article describe how nearly 40% of credit card hacking occurs in unsecured hotel wireless networks, and that only 20% of hotel wireless networks are secured. After reading them, I went looking for the ASUS device TonyC wrote about for wireless-to-wireless hotel room protection. That ASUS router is no longer available, but it's replacement is even better.
The latest ASUS WL-330NUL wireless router is the size my pinkie finger, and provides a WPA2-encrypted wired-to-wireless network, or a
wireless-to-wireless network in your room. It costs $35 on Amazon at:
Amazon.com: ASUS Multi-Mode Pocket Router (WL-330NUL): Computers & Accessories
I configured mine on my home network, gave the wireless network a personal name and a WPA2 password, put the ASUS website you are required to click on before you can log onto a hotel network up in my favorites bar, and saved the password stamped on the side of the device to a desktop file for easy retrieval.
Great little device. Combine it with a personal hotspot and you have created a much more secure wireless environment in your hotel room while on the road.
Travel Tip. One downside to the thing is that it is so small that it is easy to forget when you leave your room at 2 AM. I carry an extra little Apple USB plug converter, plug it into the desk 110 outlet when I get in the room, and always hang my ID and tie around it, and put a shoe next to it for good measure, just do I don't forget the da**ed little thing.