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Half Pints Wireless routers have the size advantage.

By Amanda C. Kooser

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Entrepreneurs who find themselves working out of hotel roomsknow how vital internet access is on the road. Broadband Ethernetconnections can be found in hotels across the country. A travelhardware accessory can turn one of those connections into awireless network for multiple users. It can also free you to workfrom a more comfortable spot in the room. Wireless travel routersare now widely available from manufacturers like D-Link, Netgear,SMC and 3Com.

A wireless travel router will cost you less than $100. Its mainadvantage over a full-size router is indeed its size. The 3ComOffice Connect Wireless 54Mbps 11g Travel Router has a slightlylower price than the Netgear WGR101, but the two are close in size,weighing just a few ounces. The slim D-Link DWL-G730A is a thirdoption. They all come with 802.11g, and all three can be used asaccess points or as routers. Several types of encryption aresupported, and the SSID broadcast can be disabled for even greatersecurity.

The SMC SMCWTK-G Wireless Traveler's Kit doesn't havethe routing capabilities of the D-Link, Netgear and 3Com models,but it does offer bridging modes. Whether sharing connections in ahotel or a conference room, these gadgets are portable, handy andaffordable for on-the-go entrepreneurs.