Overcoming Device Restrictions on Hotel Wi-Fi

A Travel Router Registers as One Device!  

When traveling with family, the limited number of devices allowed on hotel Wi-Fi can be frustrating. If the hotel only permits two devices, that’s not enough for everyone. Fortunately, there’s a simple workaround! By connecting a travel router to the hotel’s Wi-Fi, you can create a personal hotspot and share the connection with all your gadgets—laptops, tablets, smartphones, and more. Since the hotel network only recognizes the travel router as a single device, it won’t detect any additional connections.  

Setting Up a Travel Router as a Wi-Fi Hotspot  

Step 1: Connect to the Travel Router  

Turn on your travel router and search for its SSID on your smartphone or computer. Most routers display the default password on a label for easy access.  

Step 2: Open the Router’s Admin Panel  

To configure the router, access its Admin Panel using a web browser. For example, ZBT routers use “192.168.1.1” as the default address. If it’s your first time logging in, select a language and set a new password for security.  

Step 3: Use the Repeater Mode to Link with Hotel Wi-Fi  

After logging into the Admin Panel, locate the repeater feature. Scan for available networks, find the hotel’s Wi-Fi SSID, and establish a connection.  

Step 4: Authenticate via the Hotel’s Captive Portal  

Once the travel router is linked to the hotel Wi-Fi, the Captive Portal should appear. Complete the required form, and your router will now have an active internet connection. At this stage, any device you connect to your travel router will have access to the internet, but the hotel will still only count your router as a single device.  

Step 5 (Optional): Secure Your Connection with a VPN  

If you're concerned about security risks on hotel networks, enhance protection by connecting to a VPN through your router.  

Steps to enable VPN:  

- Access the Admin Panel.  

- Navigate to the VPN section and select "VPN Client."  

- Choose your VPN provider, sign in, or upload a VPN configuration file.  

With a VPN active on your travel router, all connected devices will benefit from encrypted and secure browsing.