GL.iNet Beryl AX (GL-MT3000) Pocket-Sized WiFi 6 Travel Router with VPN Review

The GL.iNet Beryl AX does something most travel routers fail at completely: it runs WireGuard fast enough to actually matter. GL.iNet quotes up to 83 Mbps on WireGuard throughput for this device, which is a number that holds up in independent testing by reviewers like Linus Tech Tips and various networking blogs. That is a significant leap over the previous-gen Beryl (GL-MT1300), which topped out around 30 Mbps on WireGuard. At $98.99, you are not just paying for a Wi-Fi 6 sticker. You are paying for a legitimate pocket-sized VPN router that will not strangle your connection the moment you flip on encryption.

What the Beryl AX Actually Is

This is a travel router built around the MediaTek MT7981B chipset, a dual-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor running at 1.3 GHz. It runs GL.iNet’s custom firmware built on top of OpenWrt 21.02, which means it has access to over 5,000 packages in the OpenWrt ecosystem if you want to go deep. For most people, the stock interface handles everything through a clean browser-based admin panel without needing to touch the command line at all.

The Beryl AX is dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz and 2,402 Mbps on 5 GHz for a combined 2,976 Mbps theoretical max. The 2.5G WAN port is the headline hardware feature for a router at this price point, meaning you are not bottlenecked on the wired uplink side even if your ISP or hotel ethernet happens to push faster than gigabit. The LAN port runs at standard 1G. There is also a USB 3.0 port, which lets you attach storage or a cellular modem for failover connectivity.

Specs at a Glance

The VPN Performance Question

This is the part most people actually care about, so let’s get specific. WireGuard at 83 Mbps means that if you are in a hotel room with a 100 Mbps connection and you flip on your VPN, you are going to see something close to line speed. That is genuinely usable for 4K streaming, video calls, and general browsing across multiple connected devices. OpenVPN throughput is lower, typically around 35 Mbps on this hardware, which is consistent with what OpenVPN delivers on ARM-based routers at this tier. If your VPN provider supports WireGuard, that is the protocol to use here, and there is no question about it.

The Beryl AX supports both VPN client mode (your devices hide behind the router’s VPN tunnel) and VPN server mode (you can connect back to your home network remotely). GL.iNet’s firmware also includes a VPN policy feature that lets you route specific devices or domains through the VPN while others go out directly. That is a practical feature for a travel setup where you might want your work laptop tunneled but your streaming stick hitting local content libraries.

Pros

WireGuard speeds that hold up in the real world. The 83 Mbps figure is manufacturer-stated, and third-party tests consistently land in the 70-85 Mbps range, which is more than most hotel or Airbnb connections can even feed it.

2.5G WAN port on a $99 router. This is unusual at the price. Most competing travel routers like the TP-Link TL-WR902AC or even the older GL.iNet Slate AX are capped at gigabit on the WAN side.

OpenWrt under the hood. The plugin ecosystem and community support are extensive. If you want AdGuard Home, Tailscale, a Tor relay, or custom firewall rules, all of it is within reach without voiding anything or flashing third-party firmware.

WPA3 support. Most budget travel routers are still shipping WPA2 only. WPA3 matters on shared networks where you have no control over who else is connected.

Compact form factor. The device measures roughly 88mm x 68mm x 22mm and weighs about 130 grams. It fits in a jacket pocket or any small bag compartment without issue.

Cons

Single LAN port. There is one ethernet LAN port. If you need to wire up multiple devices, you are adding a switch. For a travel router this is a minor complaint, but it is worth knowing.

OpenVPN throughput is mediocre. At around 35 Mbps, OpenVPN users will hit a ceiling. If your VPN service does not support WireGuard (or if you are locked into OpenVPN for corporate policy reasons), this is a real limitation.

No built-in battery. The Beryl AX requires USB-C power. You can run it off a power bank, but there is no internal battery like some competing travel routers offer. Traveling with a USB-C PD power bank solves this, but it is an extra thing to pack.

Fan noise under sustained load. The Beryl AX has a small internal fan that kicks in under heavy VPN throughput or when the unit is warm. In a quiet hotel room, some users report noticing it. It is not loud, but it is not silent either.

Who This Router Is For

Families traveling with multiple devices and wanting VPN protection on all of them at once will get real value here. Instead of running a VPN app on each phone, tablet, and laptop separately, you connect everything to the Beryl AX and one WireGuard tunnel covers the whole group.

Privacy-conscious travelers who regularly use hotel, airport, or vacation rental Wi-Fi and want a hardware firewall between their devices and whatever questionable network infrastructure is underneath will find this setup far more reliable than relying on software VPN clients alone.

Anyone who wants to experiment with OpenWrt without buying dedicated home lab hardware will also find this useful. The platform is deep, the community is active, and GL.iNet’s firmware layer makes the starting experience approachable.

It is probably overkill for someone who just wants to extend a hotel Wi-Fi signal to a laptop. For that use case, a $30 travel router does the job. The Beryl AX is for people who want WireGuard performance, Wi-Fi 6, and actual flexibility in a portable package.

Bottom Line

The GL.iNet Beryl AX is the travel router to buy if VPN performance is a priority and you want hardware that will not age out in two years. The 2.5G WAN port, Wi-Fi 6 radios, WPA3 support, and 83 Mbps WireGuard throughput represent a spec sheet that costs significantly more in competing products. At $98.99, it sits at a reasonable price for what it delivers. Pair it with a WireGuard-compatible VPN subscription and you have a portable privacy setup that can cover every device in a hotel room without compromising speed.

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