Question 1

Do I need a VPN if I'm already using a travel router?

Accepted Answer

A travel router and a VPN do different things. The router creates a private, password-protected network from a hotel ethernet or public WiFi connection, keeping your devices separated from others on the same public network. A VPN encrypts your traffic between your router and the internet, so your activity is protected in transit. For most mobile workers, a travel router alone is a significant improvement over connecting directly to public WiFi. Adding a VPN handles the remaining exposure. The GL.iNet Opal supports running a VPN client directly on the router, so every connected device gets the protection without any per-device setup.

Question 2

Is remote work actually going away in 2026?

Accepted Answer

It's not disappearing. It's just more competitive. About 30% of companies planned to cut remote work entirely by 2026, but many that pushed hard on return-to-office mandates faced enough turnover that they backed off. Fully remote jobs still exist — there are just fewer of them than in 2021, and more people chasing them. Hybrid is what stabilized for most industries. The practical implication for remote workers: there's less automatic accommodation for location flexibility, and more expectation that you perform at the same level regardless of where you're sitting. That raises the bar for your setup.

Question 3

What's the minimum viable mobile work kit if I'm just starting out?

Accepted Answer

Start with the headphones. Call quality affects how you come across professionally, and it's the hardest thing to fake when you're working in a public space. Add the power bank next, because losing your laptop battery mid-call or mid-deadline is a hard stop that nothing else in the kit fixes. The travel router is third. Most people don't think about public WiFi security until something goes wrong. The portable monitor and laptop stand add real value but are easier to work around in a pinch.

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