Have you ever been to a hotel that charges ridiculous rates for incredibly slow Wi-Fi, but offer free Internet via an Ethernet cable? That’s where the DW09 Wi-Reader by Apotop comes into play. It’s essentially a portable, battery-powered wireless router for such situations. As an added bonus, it features an SD card slot as well as a USB port for transferring files wirelessly to/from devices.
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Review
While it’s priced at $80, I do feel as though a price of $50 would be far more attractive to a larger audience. However, given the size of the unit as well as its features, perhaps it’s worth it to you. If you’re interested in it, you’ll find it on Amazon right here.
As mentioned earlier, the DW09 is practically a bite-sized 802.11b/g/n router with a 10/100 WAN port (used for the obvious). Because of this, the setup options are very similar to what you’d see from your typical, consumer router with some fancier options for those who want them. Basic setup is easy, though, for those who just want more of a plug-and-play experience.
My testing of the DW09 consisted of giving it a go while at a hotel. I simply plugged in the Ethernet cable, turned the DW09 on, and within 30 seconds, I saw the Wi-Fi network show up on my MacBook Air. The connection was fast, and I was online in no-time. To configure the router, you just need to go to the router’s IP address in your web browser. If you don’t know it, then you’ll want to refer to the user guide, which you’ll also want to take a look at anyway, as it has some tips and tricks for mobile devices.
Unfortunately, I didn’t test the SD card or USB port. However, the setup guide gives you all of the information about these things, and complimentary iOS and Android applications are available to more easily access those files.
Battery life is rated at 3 hours and, depending on the number of users connected and how much wireless data is being used at the time, that number can quickly decrease. However, since you’re probably close to a power outlet or your computer’s USB port, you can use the included USB cable to power the DW09 while in use.
To sum things up, the unit does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and it does it well. I just wish that they made the DW09 a little bit larger than it is, so that it can house a larger battery. But, I can’t imagine people needing to use this type of product for hours at a time anyway. Regardless, the DW09 by Apotop is a fantastic product that many will find themselves enjoying, should they be in the market for that type of device.
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