My First Travel Router

Back in 2013 I was travelling for work a lot and the hotel I was staying in limited me to 3 devices, this wasn’t enouch when I have personal and work devices, so I looked for a solution. At the time I got a Zyxel travel router and it just made life so much easier. I connected it to the hotel wifi and confirmed my details once and then all of my devices connected to it. I dragged the router out the draw and realised after a quick search that it had vulnerabilities and was no longer secure to use.

The Hunt for a New Travel Router

The hunt for a new travel router began with a list of must haves:

• Wifi 6 or better
• Small and light
• Can connect to Wifi easily
• Supports Tailscale (a mesh VPN)

It wasn’t long before the GL.inet travel router range was discovered. They run DD WRT and are compatible with Open WRT which is an open source router firmware providing many advanced features and levels of customisation. To top it off, they have competitve pricing and a broad community of users.

After reviewing the different models, the GL.inet Beryl AX (affiliate link) was purchased.

Setting up the GL.inet Beryl AX Travel Router

The Beryl AX travel router comes with a USB C power adapter with options for many mains power connections (US, Europe, UK etc) and an RJ45 cable. The device itself is about 12 cm wide by 9 cm deep and 3 cm tall. There are two flat antenas that pivot from the side upwards ensuring it is compact for travel.

On powering the unit up, you scan a QR code on the bottom to connect to the wifi it broadcasts. Once connected you can go to 192.168.8.1 in a web browser and configure the device. I configured the wifi to match my home wifi SSID and Password, so all our existing devices will connect to it without change. From the web interface you can setup repeater mode, where you can connect to a wifi network to provide internet connection to devices connected to the router.

It was a pleasant surprise to find that you can tether your mobile phone to the device via a USB A port. Once tethered the travel router will use your phone’s internet to provide the internet to the travel router wifi network. For this to work with an iPhone, you do need to ensure that Personal Hotspot is turned on. The router includes two network ports, one for connecting and using as a source of internet (WAN), and a second to connect devices to and allow them to use the Travel Routers connection.

Connecting to Home while Travelling with Tailscale

Tailscale is a mesh VPN allowing you to connect many computers together by installing the Tailscale app. Tailscale is free for personal use and computers, phones, tablets, Apple TV boxes and even routers can use it to connect. The Beryl AX supports connecting to a TailScale network, allowing all devices connected to the travel router to connect through to the Tailscale network. By setting up a Tailscale exit node at home and configuring the travel router to use the exit node, you can be sure that all traffic goes via your home network.This can be useful when you are travelling abroad and still want to access streaming services that may be region restricted.

Conclusion

Initial testing shows that the travel router can be powered by a USB power bank and tethered to your phone to provide your home network anywhere. The fear of loosing hours to setting up wifi has been replaced with excitement to test out this solution and enjoy the time saved.

Update 11 August 2025: the travel router is working perfectly at our holiday cottage and has saved lots of hassle and frustration. After trying the interface with Voice Over on the iPhone, it is not accessible. The software includes dialogs that hover while the voice over focus remains behind on the main page. Disappointing.

Listen to me discuss the travel router and tailscale with Callum Stoneman, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece on Double Tap Extra.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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Planning and Buying Tickets

It’s important to plan ahead and take action to minimize surprises during your journey. I started by choosing a flight. My local airport is small, but it offers flights to Schiphol where I can connect to a flight to any destination. I do think about traveling to a larger local airport, but it usually involves a long and unreliable train ride of 3+ hours, as well as a busier airport to navigate. Familiarity is comforting, so I do consider it when I’m planning.

Last time I flew to Abu Dhabi I took a direct flight from a big airport. But this time there was no direct flight available, so I chose to fly through Humberside, which is a smaller local airport. There are only a few flights to Schipol each day. The flight from my departure airport to Schipol took just one hour. Then, the flight from Schipol to Abu Dhabi took around seven hours. So, in total, the flying time was eight hours. However, I had a layover of nine hours on the way there and six hours on the way back.

Requesting Passenger Assistance

Once I had chosen and reserved my flights, I needed to request passenger assistance for the flights. This is when it became incredibly frustrating because the airline website mentioned assistance but did not provide any links to request it. After trying different paths on the website, I finally found a page where I could ask for assistance. However, even though I was already logged in, the page required me to enter all my information again. So, with a bit of grumbling, I filled out the form and submitted it.

I received confirmation for assistance on my local flight to Schipol. However, I was told that I needed to contact their partner airline for assistance on the second leg of the journey. I thought they would handle the request since I booked the entire journey with them, but they informed me that I had to do it myself. This was disappointing. On the other hand, the partner airline was much better. I was able to confirm my booking for assistance within 10 minutes, which was much faster than the hours I spent with the main airline.

Packing

Learning from recent trips on trains (see How Does a Blind Person Travel on Trains), I knew I had to keep my medication and medical device with me. So I packed them in my backpack. I made sure to attach AirTags to all my luggage and put a distinctive orange strap on my suitcase to easily spot it at baggage claim. One useful trick I’ve used before, but forgot this time, was taking a photo of my luggage to show the airport staff when searching for it. I didn’t need it this time, but I’ll remember to do it next time.

Flying Blind Leg 1

The day came and I started my trip to Abu Dhabi. I went to the check-in desk and informed them that I had requested assistance. The staff helped me pass through security and accompanied me to the gate.

Being a small airport, the gate is just a door onto the tarmac with a ramp to walk up onto the plane. The staff checked me onto the flight and then took me to the plane, where the flight attendant helped me find my seat. The flight attendant also went through the emergency procedures with me and showed me the life jacket, so I would know what to do in case of an emergency. When using assistance, you usually board the plane first.

The flight was short, just over an hour, and soon we arrived at Schipol. I have to wait for assistance to come to the plane and take me to the terminal. Usually, this means I have to stay on the plane until everyone else has left, but it’s alright because then I’m taken directly to a lounge at Schiphol. The assistance at Schiphol is always amazing, and it’s a small but important thing that helps me feel less anxious.

Flying Blind – Leg 2

I waited in the lounge and was told when I would be picked up for my next flight. After a few hours, I was taken to my gate for the connecting flight. I was handed over to another assistant who accompanied me to the plane. Similar to the first flight, I was then guided to my seat by a hostess. I received a safety demonstration and was informed about the location of the toilet.

Midway through the flight, I realized I didn’t know how to turn on the assistance light. I had to wait for someone to pass by before I could ask them to help me. On the return journey, I made sure to ask how to turn on the assistance light when I was seated. The flight took much longer this time and, unfortunately, the in-flight entertainment was not accessible. Even though the attendant offered to play a movie for me, it didn’t have audio description so I couldn’t understand it. Since I knew this might happen, I made sure to download plenty of content on my iPhone beforehand.

The Arrival

After nearly 7 hours, we landed in Abu Dhabi. Like on the first flight, I waited to be transferred over to the local assistance. The assistant insisted that I sat in a wheel chair. While I normally insist on walking at Schipol, I figured that part of the assistant’s persistance is that he then knew I was ok and wouldn’t get hurt on route through the airport.

I went through passport control and then to get my baggage. After that, I went to the arrivals lounge where the hotel had arranged for a car to pick me up. This is something my employer does for me. They understand that it’s hard for me to find a taxi in a foreign country, so they let me book a car with the hotel to make sure I am taken care of from the moment I arrive at the airport until I am safely in my hotel.

The Hotel and Stay

After a short journey, I arrive at the hotel and check in. The hotel looked at my booking and offered me an accessible room, I declined as I don’t want to take a wheelchair accessible room away from other travellers. I was guided to my room and they ensured I knew where everything in my room was. Knowing I often struggle with shampoo and body wash, I asked them to tell me which was which, and then placed them in an order that I would remember.

When using the restraunts, I was well looked after with all waiters ensuring I had everything I needed. It was a pleasure to stay in this hotel, with nothing being too much trouble. I was asked by one staff member why I was walking with a white cane, they had never seen one before. The question was from pure curiousity, so I was very happy to explain. It is this curiousity so many are afraid to show, yet it is this we need to spread awareness and remove barriers.

Connectivity

While at the hotel, I used the wifi, but I needed to know that I could get help while out and about. Having checked my networks charges before leaving, I knew I couldn’t use that, not even in an emergency. It was £2.49 per minute and 500mb was over £7.50 per day, if I pre-paid. More if I just used it. So I tried an Airalo eSIM. On my iPhone I download the Airalo app (phone must support eSIMs), found the eSim I wanted to buy and followed the instructions. Within 10 minutes I had purchased 1gb of data that I could use over a 7 day period for about £7 and set my phone up to use it. The service was so easy and I was able to use my phone outside the hotel as needed.

Return Journey

At the end of my stay, I checked out and was taken by the hotel car to the airport. Just like on the journey in, I was provided assistence throughout. The assistance varies by airport, however, on this journey I found it all to be very good.

Tips for a Blind Person Travelling by Plane

Here are a few tips I picked up / remembered during my trip:

• Book Assistance
• Use a Passport holder that hangs around your neck, to keep your passport and ticket close
• Ensure you luggage is distinctive
• Take pictures of your luggage, so you can show people when at baggage claim
• Use AirTags to track luggage
• Ensure medication and medical devices are in your carry on luggage
• Use hotel cars to minimise the stress of getting to the hotel
• Research and line up an eSim for data when you are out and about. Check out Airalo eSIMs
• Ensure you have a VPN for travel – sometimes you can’t access services you normally would when travelling.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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Planning and Buying Tickets

For anyone with a disability, planning is key. For this trip I found out I needed to travel two weeks before hand. I start by finding the trains I want to travel on. For this, I personally use trainline.com to find and buy the tickets. Once I have the tickets booked, I need to book Passenger Assistance. Passenger Assistance is a fantastic service that allows me to specify the support I need along my journey. I use the Passenger Assistance app to book my assistance, but this can be done over the phone. The assistance is confirmed, and I now know I have done all I can ahead of time to reduce the stress of travel.

Day of Travel

On the day of travel, my first check is to ensure I have AirTags in all my key belongings. For me, this is my white cane, coat, and luggage. Apple AirTags are fantastic little round devices that you can use to help find your items if you lose them. They also alert you if you leave something behind.

Once all packed and ready, I make my way to the train station. At the train station, I find the Ticket Office and advise them that I have booked assistance. I am asked to take a seat and wait until it is time to board.

The passenger assistant collects me and guides me to the correct platform and helped to find my seat. The assistant calls the destination station and informs them that I am on the train and where I am seated. On this occasion I was changing at Doncaster to get on to a train to London.

Changing Trains

On pulling into Doncaster station, I stay in place until the assistance arrives. They help me find my bag and get off the train. As they picked my bag up, they asked me to check it was the right bag from the luggage rack. From what I could see, it looked to be the right size, shape, and colour.

I was advised that the next train was running late, so I asked the assistance to show me the waiting room and where the coffee shop was. I grabbed a coffee and proceeded to sit down in the waiting room. As I sat drinking my coffee a notification popped up on my phone “Tim’s Luggage Left Behind”. In denial, I thought that can’t be right, the bag is in my hand. On closer inspection of the bag, I realised it wasn’t mine!

For some, losing a bag may just be inconvenient and a loss of clothes, but for me the bag had my medication in and CPAP medical device that I needed to sleep that night. One thing that I have learnt on my sight loss journey, is that panic doesn’t help and things generally have a way of working out. So, I calmly approached the assistance and advised of the issue. I showed them my bags location on a map (thanks to AirTags). They had a look around, but time was running out with my next train about to arrive. I left the mistaken bag with the staff at Doncaster and they helped me on to my next train.

Tracking My Bag

While on the train down to London, I rang my wife to let her know what I had done and sent her the location of my Bag. She could tell it was still on the train by it’s location. She reached out to the train company and the customer service assistant was able get hold of the conductor on the train. The conductor was able to find my Bag and agreed to bring it back to my home station on the return train later in the day.

While my wife worked miracles with finding and getting my bag returned home, I contacted my doctor to get my medication prescribed to the pharmacy at Kings Cross in case I couldn’t get my bag that day.

With the bag being returned home for 4pm, my wife set about how to get it from Cleethorpes to London, some 150+ miles away. A few calls to couriers, and she found one that could collect the bag and deliver it direct to my hotel that evening.

Arriving in London

The train pulled into Kings Cross where I was greeted by assistance who guided me to the pharmacy at the station. Unfortunately, after a bit of waiting, the prescription still hadn’t been sent through, so I decided to head to the office and return later to collect my prescription. I always use black cabs in London as I know they will be helpful and get me to where I need to be. Normally, I have the assistance take me to the Taxi rank, on this occasion I know the Taxi rank location relative to the pharmacy from previous visits, so I was okay navigating with my white cane. I took the Taxi to the office and starting my working day.

Reunited With My Bag

After work, I went for food with colleagues and then on to my hotel. By this point the courier had contacted me to confirm the delivery time and location. I used What3Words to help the courier know exactly where I was. If you haven’t heard of What3Words, it is a fantastic service that provides three words which translate into a metre square location anywhere in the world. With this and my mobile number, the courier found me easily and handed over my bag just after 9pm. With a sense of relief, I could settle down for the night and collect my prescription later in the week.

Return Trip

A couple of days later, I repeated the trip in reverse. This time I didn’t have a mix up with my luggage and made it home safely. It would be much more challenging without the Passenger Assistance service, which really does remove a lot of trepidation from any journey.

Lessons From The Journey

After settling back home, my kids were keen to help me find ways for this never to happen again. Being creative, my son suggested that I fit a voice box to my bag, so when the handle is picked up it says my name. While I don’t think I will go to those lengths, I did learn a few things that I am taking forward.

• My wife is amazing and life would be so hard without knowing she has my back whenever I need it
• Staying calm and believing everything will be okay is key
• I need to have something that allows me to check my bag by touch. I am looking for a braille keyring that is unique to me to attach
• Put some medication in your coat or backpack to reduce the immediate impact of losing medication
• Triple check everything!

So this is how I, as a Blind person, travel on trains.

Tell me what you think in the comments below or on X @timdixon82

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