Netgear Nighthawk M1

THE NIGHTHAWK M1 is a Gigabit LTE mobile router, capable of connecting up to 20 devices to afford Internet access where you wouldn’t normally get it. It’s a great little unit if you’re on the road. It can tell you how many devices are connected, as well as how much of your data allowance you’ve used.

In theory, it supports up to 1Gb/s downloads and 150Mb/s uploads, although your own experiences will depend on the network you’re using, and where you’re using it. If you’re off the beaten track, you may not get much in the way of a network at all, while those in metropolitan areas can find themselves fighting for bandwidth along with everyone else.

Setup is easy: Pop the base off, slide your SIM into place, and then the battery, clip it all back together, hold the power button for three seconds, and you’re up and running. Connecting to the M1 from smartphones or laptops is a simple case of selecting the corresponding SSID, and entering the password displayed on the LCD. You can connect a USB stick to it to share media between connected devices, too. You can also plumb it into your existing network via the Ethernet port and use it as a router, if you wish, although why you’d want to isn’t quite so obvious.

Overall, while a bit pricey, as you need a quality network plan, it’s still an impressive bit of tech. And for those on the road, it could well be a life (or, more realistically, business) saver. – AD $199, www.netgear.com